Great Escape: Coastside Edition

Last week, Great Escape highlighted the small coastal town of El Granada, known for its warm and sunny banana belt climate and eclectic and fun shops and restaurants, making this destination an easy day trip diversion.

This week, consider decompressing at La Nebbia Winery in Half Moon Bay with Wine and Unwind, an art, wine and music event promising a relaxing and cultural afternoon every 2nd and 4th Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. through September.

Ever since the new vintner, Kendyl Kellogg, returned the former Obester Winery — the Half Moon Bay winery founded by John Gemello in the early 1930s — to it’s roots, producing complex, full-bodied red wines under a new label, Nebbia Signature, there’s been a flurry of culinary and cultural activity at the Highway 92 roadside winery also know for its lovely gardens and picturesque hillside setting.

In addition to wine tasting and sampling gourmet food products, including the winery’s award-winning garlic mustard, olive oils, BBQ sauces, and dressings, visitors can bring their own picnic and enjoy a game of bocce ball, the Italian game similar to lawn bowling, using the picnic tables and bocce ball courts on the grounds. New signage and a refreshed exterior presence draw vistitors in, pets are welcome, and there’s even a local artist demonstrating glass blowing on-site.

On Bottle & Cork days (upcoming Bottle & Cork Day is June 11, offering 2010 Sangiovese, Paso Robles), customers can drop by the winery with empty jugs, fill them, and take them home to share with family and friends, receiving a premium wine at a great price while recycling and re-using clean empty wine bottles.

Now with Wine and Unwind, the summer music series and art fair underway,  winery visitors can shop over 20 local artists from the COCA (Colony of Coastside Artists) outdoors in the beautiful gardens of La Nebbia while listening to jam sessions from local bands. Live glass blowing demos, oil paintings, ceramics, jewelry and more are all part of the mix.

No pets are allowed at this event, but wine and artisan food plates will be available for sale and the picnic tables and bocce ball courts will be available on a first come first served basis.

La Nebbia Winery is located at 12341 San Mateo Road (Highway 92) in Half Moon Bay. For more information about the band lineup, go to www.lanebbiawinery.com/music.html