Ten years ago, Ron and Cheryl Harm turned a decades-long family dream into a reality by growing wine grapes in an untested sliver of the Sierra Foothills. The 4-acre vineyard, located in Groveland at 3,000 feet elevation, had been in Ron’s family since 1958. His parents hoped to build a home on their rural property, where they could enjoy both the pitter-patter of tiny feet and the grandeur of nearby Yosemite National Park.
After retiring from careers in health management (Ron) and sales (Cheryl) and raising their three children (son Ryan is the owner-winemaker of Oregon’s Union Wine Company; Eric manages that winery’s finances and co-owns the Christopher Michael and Amity Vineyards brands), the Harms built the house and planted an estate vineyard on a rocky, south-facing slope with varied clones of syrah, tannat, grenache and cabernet franc.
The vineyard is a stunner, particularly in mid-morning, when the valley’s sunlight illuminates the seemingly never-ending rows of surrounding Ponderosa pines. You’ll often spot Ron in there, hand-pruning the vines, using organic fertilizers and trying to manage pests, like gophers and powdery mildew. Despite the season’s abundant rains, water use is still done prudently in these parts.
Forcing those vines deeper for water and nutrients yields powerful, bold flavors in Yosemite Cellars’ signature blend, Firefall, as well as the limited-production Rim Fire Red, which is made in part from grapes that were layered in smoke from the 2013 Rim Fire. There is no formal tasting room, just a charming outdoor sitting area overlooking the estate vineyard where you can taste wines for free and enjoy a complimentary cheese plate.
Sips: The 2014 Syrah ($27) is big and peppery with hints of violet and bacon fat (the 2012 is softer and smoother) while the 2014 Firefall ($24), a blend of grenache and cabernet franc, is lively and intense with strawberry flavors. Look for two warm-weather sippers to be released in early March: 2016 Grenache Rose and the first-time Syrah-Tannat Rose (also 2016).
Details: By appointment through April; noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays from May to September. 12282 Punch Bowl Road, Groveland; yosemitecellars.com
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