Vino Con Brio Winery along with the Amorosa Inn and Gardens are fantasizing about planning just such an experience for you in August of this year. Amorosa Inn located in pastoral Lodi and Vino Con Brio located in the intimate town of Lockeford will host this experience.

"We are so excited about this. It's just such an amazing opportunity for people who truly love wine to experience what's involved in producing estate wines. We do it all-from field work to bottling lines and now our guests can get a taste of it," smiles Renae Matson, co-owner of the Winery and Inn.
 
The experience begins as you settle into Amorosa Inn in the late afternoon.  This elegant yet comfortable Bed and Breakfast delights your senses with glowing colors. Each room is uniquely welcoming. The eclectic European and Asian antiques create a backdrop of soothing ambiance. Wine tasting of Vino Con Brio's award winning wines and scrumptious hors d ‘oeuvres makes life just about perfect.
 
Dinner will be a divinely catered meal paring several of Vino Con Brio's unique varietals with excellent food. The inn's courtyard sparkles with lights omitting a soft glow that warms the heart and excites the soul. This soothing experience will insure a good night sleep as a farmer's day starts early.

At sunrise (for those hearty farmers), muffins and juice are served in the vineyard as we begin to discuss the art and science of winegrape growing. What a way to start the day! Then we're on our way back to the inn for a full gourmet breakfast.
 
Finish your coffee, grab your shears, it's back to the vineyard to learn about such practices as pruning, integrated pest management, grape clones, varietals and much more. Next, it’s time for some hands on work as you harvest the splendid grapes of the Amorosa Vineyard.
 
With the grapes cut, it's off to the winery and the winemaking process begins. You load the cursher/destemmer, process the grapes and into the barrel press they go. Each "winemaker" has an opportunity to help. The morning is completed with a tour of Vino Con Brio and barrel tasting.
 
This fun hands-on approach shares a bit of the vintner’s world. Roll up you sleeves and live your passion! "Vineyard to Bottle -101" will give you a whole new perspective on one of life's greatest pleasures, wine! "Before we were in the wine business, we would have given anything for an opportunity like this!” says Renae. So take advantage of this opportunity, come join us and experience the making of “Wine with Passion”.

The program runs daily from August 23 through August 31, 2004. The cost is $425 per couple. Contact Amorosa Inn and Gardens at 209-368-5658 or Vino Con Brio at 209-727-3678.