CV’s Chouinard Winery Closing
Castro Valley is losing one of its last remaining wineries but is gaining a staging area for the Bay Area Ridge Trail now nearing completion.
The Chouinard Vineyards and Winery announced last Wednesday it would be shutting down. The last day for the winery at 33853 Palomares Road is March 6, winemaker Damien Chouinard said.
“You can still make appointments to taste our four-remaining wine releases, and curbside pickup is available,” Chouinard told the Forum.
There is also a sale price of 60 percent off the remaining cases of wine, he added. The winery has produced an array of reds and white wines such as Malbec, Chardonnay, Barbera Rose’, Cabernet, Chenin Blanc, and port.
The winery had been in operation since 1983 on the historic Cook Ranch and had won numerous national and international awards. The shady oaks and old redwood barn on the property set the scene for many weddings, birthday parties, tasting events, and small-scale concerts. The winery’s many friends were sometimes invited to help harvest the grapes each season.
Winery founder George Chouinard, Damien’s father, passed away in November 2019, and without him, the work proved too much for his mother Caroline and himself, Damien Chouinard said. Current economic conditions made hiring outside help impractical, he added.
An army veteran and professional architect, George ran the Paris, France branch of civil engineering firm Morrison- Knudsen in 1974. According to the family blog, the “French experience stoked George and Caroline’s long-held dream to start a winery.” After returning from France, they settled in Palomares Canyon.
“Under George’s care the vineyards were planted and the old redwood barn on the property was remodeled and equipped as a winery,” the blog said.
Following George’s passing, East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) bought the winery at the end of 2020 and has leased it back to the family since then, Damien Chouinard said.
The Chouinard website notes its location near Garin Park, making it a good location for a staging area for the Ridge Trail, which runs through the park.
EBPRD will preserve the winery’s iconic red barn, its tasting area under 100-year-old oak trees, and the winery’s lands for public access.
“It will take a few years for the park to finish the site development, so keep an eye open for future news by visiting EBRPD’s website,” the winery wrote on its website.
The Bay Area Ridge Trail was first proposed in 1987, and planning for it began later that year. Its aim is to connect the ridgetops that encircle the Bay and would link to other trails extending all the way to the Sierras.
Because it travels along ridgetops rather than along water, it extends north of the Bay in Sonoma and Napa counties. Its northernmost point is Mount St. Helena.
The first two segments, in San Mateo County, were opened in 1989, and the trail was gradually expanded, beginning with public lands owned by a number of agencies. Private tracts of land were added to fill the remaining gaps.
According to the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council, some 400 miles of the planned 550 miles are open, with most of it open to bikes and horses. In the East Bay, there is a 43-mile segment open that stretches from El Sobrante to Union City.
Bay Area Ridge Trail maps can be found at https://ridgetrail.org/.
The Chouinard Vineyards and Winery telephone number is (510) 582-9900.