- Video shows Tehachapi Winery president Michael Chan sharing the process at the vineyard, something he's dreamed about since he was a kid.
- Tehachapi Winery has a tasting room open to the public, and upcoming events can be found on their Facebook page.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
California has the most established American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs, which are regional designations that can be placed on wines produced locally in areas. For all of California’s wine fame, though, there is only one AVA in Kern County, and it’s right here in your neighborhood.
“Not really, they’re all good. [laughs] They are all good," says Michael Chan, president of Tehachapi Winery.
Since purchasing the land for the winery in 2012, Chan says he’s been working toward his lifelong goal of being a farmer.
“My first planting was only two acres, just to see if I can manage," Chan said. "Now, I have a total of over 23 acres planted.”
Since the beginning, not only has the number of plants grown, but the region has gone through a change, too.
In 2020, Tehachapi became an established American Viticultural Area. Wine with the AVA label must be made from grapes that are grown within the regional boundary. The Tehachapi Mountain AVA includes Tehachapi, Keene, Bear Mountain, Cummings Mountain, Monolith and Fort Tejon.
As a commercial winery in the mountains, Chan says they do a majority of the wine-making on-site, including aging.
“Each barrel holds just about 25 cases of 300 bottles," Chan said. "So you’re looking at around over 500 wine barrels with wines inside.”
He says around 75% of the wine gets shipped internationally, and his main export is to China.
Although his wine ends up around the world, he says he’s grateful for the support he’s gotten from the Tehachapi community, including other local farmers.
“Different advice and stuff from other farmers. I learned a lot from them which I really appreciate,” Chan said.
The winery offers tasting and events on-site, and updates can be found on their social media.
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