(La Mesa Courier, La Mesa, CA) – San Pasqual Winery is about to become the first La Mesa-based winery, and its owners, Mike and Linda McWilliams, wouldn’t have it any other way.
Currently based in Pacific Beach, the McWilliams decided to move the winery closer to their La Mesa home about a year ago. The move made sense since the San Pasqual Tasting Room is already in La Mesa Village. “We need more space and wanted to have it close to home,” said Linda, who moved with Mike to La Mesa 30 years ago. “Wine takes a lot of tending.”
Because they wanted more room than their current 1,500-foot spot, they began looking at the industrial area near Dixieline. After finding a 4,750-foot location on Center Drive, they went to City Hall to apply for the appropriate permits and promptly discovered that the winery would violate current zoning laws, which banned microbreweries, micro wineries, and production of alcohol or any fermented fruit products.
The McWilliams went to see Mayor Art Madrid to tell him their plans weren’t within zoning allowances. Mike credits Madrid with bringing San Pasqual to La Mesa in the first place after the mayor encouraged the McWilliams several years ago to open the Tasting Room in the Village over what else, but a shared bottle of wine at Gio’s.
In an effort to assist the McWilliams’ proposed move, Madrid proposed the City Council direct the zoning department to prepare an ordinance permitting the winery. After the McWilliams presented their proposal, the council unanimously directed the planning department to first investigate changing zoning restrictions and then changing them if it was deemed acceptable.
Mike and Linda assured the planning department that even with the ordinance, they still had a long way to go to get their winery set up in La Mesa. “We had to jump through hoops – fiery hoops. Little hoops that singed,” said Linda, referring to the many federal and state requirements she and Mike had to meet for a La Mesa winery to become a reality.
Upon concluding its investigation, the planning group drafted an ordinance allowing the industrial area to have microbreweries and micro wineries. It also allowed for a conditional use permit for commercial areas. In November 2012, the council unanimously passed the ordinance, making way for the up-and-coming La Mesa-based San Pasqual winery, which is slated to open in June or July.
The McWilliams are excited to move the winery to La Mesa. The larger venue will allow for production to double within three years, according to Mike. “We’ll probably be at 3,000 cases,” he said with a smile.
The new winery will also host events, according to the McWilliams. San Pasqual Winery event coordinator Brenda Nason said she can’t wait to use the new location.
La Mesa couldn’t ask for a nicer pair of vintners than the McWilliams. Originally from Chicago, Mike and Linda met during summer jobs while attending the University of the Pacific. And although the McWilliams are completely devoted to their winery, they haven’t quit their day jobs – Linda is a speech pathologist for Emerald and Hillsdale middle schools and Mike is a research psychologist with the U.S. Navy.
The McWilliams formally entered the world of wine in February 2006 when they purchased the urban winery, which had been for sale online. “We thought, ‘This is pretty cool. Maybe we should do this,’” said Linda.
The McWilliams suddenly had a winery, but knew little about actually making wine. Linda signed up for winemaking class at Mira Costa College and made several key connections. She learned from Jim Hart of Milagro Farm Vineyards & Winery and networked with Adam Caruth, who owns Caruth Cellers in Solana Beach. “They helped us get through the first crush season,” said Linda, who adds they try as much as possible to buy grapes from San Diego County. San Pasqual also gets its grapes from Monterey, Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino.
Once the McWilliams got the winemaking down, they wanted to find a way to get their product to the public. “Mike thought we could do the wine bar thing and cut out the middle man,” Linda said.
San Pasqual Winery’s Tasting Room opened during Christmas in the Village in 2009. “There was still wet paint on the walls,” said Linda, looking around at the Tasting Room that now shows off several awards the McWilliams have received for their various wines, including a gold award at the California State Fair wine competition for the San Pasqual Winery Summer Vine “Blanc” Passion Fruit wine, which also received the distinction for “Best Fruit Wine” at the 2012 San Diego County Wine Festival at the San Diego County Fair.
