Orfila Vineyard and Winery, located at 13455 San Pasqual Road in Escondido, is only 30 minutes from downtown San Diego, but its idyllic setting in the San Pasqual Valley, on the way to San Diego’s Wild Animal Park, makes it seem like a world away. Pulling up to the tasting room, visitors are treated to a hilltop view of the valley, with 45 acres of vines stretching out between the facility and the rolling hills in the distance. Inside the warehouse-style building, a large wooden bar beckons visitors to try some of Orfila’s 16 wines while observing stacks of barrels and large steel tanks at the back of the facility where the wine is made on-site. Visitors may also notice the rows of state and country flags that line the interior of the building. The flags are an homage to the winery’s proprietor, Ambassador Alejandro Orfila, whose 40-year career in foreign service included posts as the Argentine ambassador to Japan and the ambassador extraordinaire and plenipotentiary of Argentina to the United States. Orfila’s international flair is especially fitting for this facility because of the diversity of the guests that visit the tasting room each year. The winery has become a popular destination for tourists not just from the U.S. but from all over the world, due to its proximity to the Wild Animal Park. This unique influx of international visitors has had a strong influence on Orfila’s winemaking strategy. While most wineries in California focus on producing a few key varietals like chardonnay, cabernet, zinfandel and syrah, Orfila has expanded its offerings to accommodate its visitors’ international palates with non-traditional options like riesling, gewurztraminer, sangiovese, muscat and tawny port. In all, the winery produces 13 different varietals. Many winemakers would shy away from such a broad portfolio of wines, but Orfila’s executive winemaker, Don Reha, has embraced the opportunity to work with lesser-known varietals throughout his career. He was one of the first winemakers to embrace single-varietal mourvedre while working at Cline Cellars from 1995 to 1999, and later he specialized in old-vine zinfandel production as the director of winemaking at Renwood. “I like working with obscure wines and trying to make the best example of a varietal so that the varietal’s unique characteristics shine through,” Reha said. “We see such a mix of people that it benefits us to offer more, and if somebody wants to try our wine, we want to have something for them.” Reha’s winemaking philosophy is evident in each of Orfila’s wines. “Lotus,” an Estate Viognier blend made in the traditional Rhone style, has a jammy, marmalade finish that Reha describes as “biting into an exotic fruit.” The Ambassador’s Reserve Chardonnay, sourced from Edna Valley, is a smooth white that avoids the wine’s characteristically strong oak finish without sacrificing the buttery-mouth feel that Chardonnay lovers expect. And the Ambassadors Reserve Merlot, one of Orfila’s most popular reds, is rich and fruit forward with distinct hints of cherry and spice. Orfila’s Escondido tasting room is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with staff-guided tours every day at 2 p.m. The facility is also available for weddings and corporate events. Orfila also has a second tasting room on state Route 78 near Julian, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
