Gems in King City

King City is on California Highway 101, and was our central point to visit both the East and West sections of Pinnacles National Park. But we also found out that the nearby Santa Lucia Highlands and the Salinas River Road are home to a large but less well known wine region. On weekends there are no fewer than dozen wineries with tasting rooms. The River Road Wine Trail specializes in limited release vintages, so we decided to see if we could find any open during the week.

We pulled into Odonata Wines, and as we parked I could see that the tasting room was only open on weekends. As I backed out of the parking spot, a gentleman walked toward the car. I rolled down my window and he asked if we were there to taste wine. I said yes but saw they weren’t open during the week. He said “Well come on in and we will find you some.” Denis Hoey, the owner of the winery, cracked open the tasting table and grabbed some wine glasses. Denis was a fountain of information, telling us all about the area, how he became owner, tasted each wine before he poured it to make sure it was fresh, and actually set aside two bottles of red indicating that he could tell that they had changed their taste. He actually let us taste one he had set aside, and we thought it tasted just fine. He then opened a new bottle of the same wine and sure enough, it did taste a bit different, more flavorful.

Not only was Denis kind enough to open his place just so we could taste, he also steered us to some of the best Mexican food we have ever had. The lunch crowd seemed to be mostly construction and agricultural workers. In fact the only English being spoken in the restaurant that we could hear was coming out of our own mouths. After lunch we hit two more wineries that were open during the week. The River Road is fun to visit.

We also found two Spanish missions that we had never been to before. Soledad Mission or Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, was founded on October 9, 1791 by Father Presidente Fermin de Lausen. Nicknamed the “Lonely Mission”, it was the 13^th of the 21 Spanish missions that were ultimately established in what is now California. Apparently the River Road Wine Trail had its beginnings in the 1700’s as each of the missions we have ever visited had vineyards on their grounds, and most have a grape press or two in their artifact collection. Soledad was the smallest of the Spanish missions established north of San Diego.

The other mission we visited was Mission San Antonio de Padua, named for Saint Anthony of Portugal and Saint Padova of Italy. Founded by Padre Junipero Serra in 1771 it was only the 3^rd of the 21 missions established in California by the Spanish. Under his presidency, Serra was responsible for establishing 9 of the 21 missions in what is now the US.

Because it is remote much more remains to give clues on the life that was led at the mission. The water trace that brought water from the river to the grist mill, as well as the mill itself, can still be seen. Wells, the early native cemetery and other structures to tame the land can be seen. In addition to the normal vineyard a large grain field is still evident. While what is here is essentially ruins due to its extreme age, you can clearly see what everything was used for, and the informational signage is excellent.

This mission takes on a bit more meaning than many we have been to. On March 6, 1776, Lt. Col. Juan Bautista De Anza visited Mission San Antonio de Padua. De Anza was in the midst of his famous overland expedition from Sonora Mexico to San Francisco. While at the mission, De Anza and his diarist documented that “the Indians of this mission are totally distinct from those I have hitherto seen.”

Talk to you soon!