I went to Como Villa Winery and had a great time. I don’t usually visit wineries because I’m not a big fan of wine, but this time, my photography group wanted to see and learn about this property that feels like it’s from a Wild West movie. It was also an opportunity to take photos and play with lights and shadows.
I felt like I was returning to the Gold Rush era when I entered the museum.
The museum was very well put together.
The History
Como Villa Estate is such a unique vineyard with a fascinating history!
During the gold rush era, Thomas Oliver started it all and built the original stone house, which is now used as the cellar door. Did you know that Oliver and his partners built a network of water races to supply water to local miners?
It played a big part in the success of gold mining in the area. And here’s a fun fact – Oliver was among the first to plant grapes and make wine in the region!
John and Pam Chapman have done a fantastic job discovering and restoring the old underground wine cellar at Como Villa Estate. They even offer a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as a tribute to Thomas Oliver and the grape varieties that might have been grown on the property over a century and a half ago.
And get this – the proceeds from the sales support the restoration and preservation of the historic stone house and wine cellar.
This vineyard is a small, family-owned business, and they take special care in hand-picking all the grapes and bottling them locally at Alexandra Vintners Ltd. The winemaker, Antony Worch, adds his magic touch to create unique wines.
We all loved visiting this winery for its fantastic wines and the rich local history it holds. Thomas Oliver’s entrepreneurial spirit truly shaped Como Villa Estate’s legacy, and we experience a piece of that history every time we visit.
The video
I hope you enjoy the video!
Thank you!