There are often fun things going on at Hellanback Ranch.  John and Paula are both good cooks and great hosts!  You don't have to ask twice to convince them to go on a cocktail hayride and tour of the ranch.

You can contact us at info@hellanbackranch.com or call (760)787-9586.

Recent Events:

The "big event" so far this year was the recent planting of vineyard 2 and 3 - a total of 2.5 acres.  A crew of around 26 volunteers showed up to help.  It took approximately 5 hours to get 1300 plants in the ground - including training stakes and grow tubes.  Thanks to everybody who helped! 

There was a picnic around the campfire down in the woods after the planting was done.  We cooked up Hellanback hamburgers and bratwurst from beef and pork raised on the ranch.  Of course, we broke out a few bottles of wine, including one 4 liter bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

The York sibling reunion was held on the ranch in June.  Sisters Bobbie and Kathy, Kathy's husband "Smitty", and brothers Alan, and his wife Janise, and Richard, and his wife Mary, all converged at Hellanback for a week of great times.  Copious amounts of wine were sampled.  Brother Alan brought a Jeroboam of Cabernet Sauvignon - it didn't last as long as we thought.

Upcoming Events:

John and Paula are hosting a "Summer Social" at the ranch on August 2.  All the members of the RVVA and the San Diego Amateur Winemakers Society are invited, alongs with friends and family.  The social will be held in the woods, and John will be grilling Hellanback beef burgers for everyone who attends.

These are some of the people who helped with the planting.  We all went down to the woods and had a cook out around a campfire.  The weather was cloudy and chilly, so the campfire felt good. 

Of course, we had to feed the planting crew.  There seems to be a line forming, and they're getting impatient!  More wine!

The fellow in the grey sweatshirt is Tom Stroh (sitting next to John's brother, Richard - who's standing).  Tom was instrumental in setting up the vineyard at Hellanback.  He is responsible for all the irrigation that we are using.

We proposed a toast to all of the people who helped plant.  Thank you everybody!