Caprock Winery... Lubbock TX

Roger here....  This is a flashback post.  The day before our tense times at Palo Duro State Park near Amarillo, we enjoyed a relaxing, peaceful time at the Caprock Winery, just south of Lubbock.  


We are members of a winery/travel club,  Harvest Hosts.  For $25 a year we have access to hundreds of wineries across the country that allow RVers to dry camp (no hookups) in their parking lots overnight for free.  It is a great deal for the travelers and the wineries.  The travelers get a free night to stay (until they buy wine).  The wineries get to entertain new customers and offer purchases of their wines and gift shop items.


When I checked our route, I discovered that one of the wineries on the extensive list was within a mile of the road we would be on.  So.....  Welcome to the Caprock Winery!


The short drive from Odessa to Lubbock was filled with more oil derricks than one could ever imagine.  If not scenic, a very interesting drive.

Is that another oil rig?  Another cotton field?  Ah, no!  That is the winery.  What a peaceful place past the oil rigs and in the middle of the cotton fields.

Upon arrival, I parked at the end of the drive and walked inside to see where we should park.  Charles greeted me and told me we could park anywhere behind the building.  We found a flat spot in the grass.  Not as attractive as the landscaped entry or the comfortable tasting room, but home, nonetheless -- and free -- and just a few steps from the tranquil setting.

We walked the dogs and then headed for the tasting room.  We were the only ones there!  As many of you know, wine tasting can be enjoyable, but frenetic when there is a crowd.  If there are too many people, the pourers, talented as they are, move at a rapid pace.  We had Charles all to ourselves!  So pleasant!

We sampled a couple whites, a blush, and several reds.  They were all good.  (Sorry for the flashes in the mirror -- too dark for a photo without a flash).

Dianne checked out the gift shop.  We bought a cool cheese tray made from a melted wine bottle.  

And.... Dianne found a great t-shirt with the logo of one of the Caprock wines on the back.  She really liked the logo.  Me, too.

While we were finishing the tasting experience, a young couple came in to talk with Charles about renting the facility for their wedding.  We told Charles to take his time.  Charles then poured each of us a complimentary glass of our choice to enjoy while he met with the couple.  (Nice guy, good salesman.)


We adjourned to the shady, outdoor patio to lounge around and enjoy the wine.  As you can see, I was probably a little too comfortable.  (A blessing that I didn't know what the next day would bring.)

Eventually, we moseyed back to the tasting room to pay for the t-shirt and the cheese tray....   OH, and a case of the delicious and reasonably priced wines -- nine merlots (Dianne's favorite), and three Sauvignon Blancs (for me -  I usually prefer reds, but this chilled white wine was great as you can tell from the picture, above).


It was a wonderful afternoon and evening, AND it was free.  It was free until the credit card bill arrives.


We are slowly headed north, determined not to drive more than 200 miles a day, and preferring less.  Right now we are at the Lamar Sportsman's RV Park and Horse Motel in the plains of southeastern Colorado.  It is a well-run and comfortable place.  The doggies are enjoying a return to real grass as a place to lounge at the end of the travel day.  It is a special plus for Chaplin, because he is loathe to pee in anything except lush grass.  AND.... it must have rained here in the recent past because the landscape is green.  Refreshing.   (Temps in the 70s and low 80s instead of the high 90s for a change -- D.)


The pet picture of the day shows Bandido and Charlie in travel mode.  We always put Charlie in a carrier because we fear him getting behind the slide mechanism in the bedroom -- he has done this before.  If we deployed it without knowing he was back there --"Good-bye Charlie."  


When free to roam the motor home, Bandido and Charlie offer spirited play (or fighting, depending on one's perspective).  When traveling, however, Bandido offers empathy (or indifference; probably indifference) for Charlie's imprisonment.  

The Misadventures of Roger and Dianne

Roger here...  We are currently parked in a bucolic and peaceful setting in the middle of the Paso Robles wine country, but our visit to this beautiful place did not start in a peaceful way.


Moving from Three Rivers (Sequoia NP) to Paso Robles was uneventful, other than a little wind -- but our arrival was certainly not uneventful.  


We are members of Harvest Hosts, a $20/year club that allows its members to park their RVs overnight in selected (more than 100) winery parking lots.  The rules are simple:  Make sure that the parking area is big enough for the size of motor home that you have by looking at the icon on the website, call the winery to ask permission, and show up on the designated day.  It is a good deal for the RVer (free parking) and the winery (probable wine purchases).  We like the concept and like the way it is organized.  We did this in North Carolina and had a great time.  Here's a link to their web site, for our rv'er friends who might be interested:


Harvest Hosts



We had hoped to spend nights in two different winery lots in Paso Robles.  We picked wineries that indicated they could accommodate 45+ foot motor homes, called ahead, received permission and thought we were set for two pleasant, non-hassle days.


It started badly, got worse, got a little better, got worse, and finally ended well.


In following the directions to our Saturday-night winery, we were directed to Peachy Canyon Road. I was hesitant to turn onto the road (should have followed my instincts).  The road, though paved, was extremely narrow, did not have shoulders, but did have hills.  It was also full of blind, sharp turns.  When meeting a car, we were forced to come to a complete stop while the vehicle squeezed by.  (Dianne here:  We held our breath each time we neared one of these blind curves, praying there was no oncoming car or truck).  We were only supposed to travel on the road for a mile, so on we went.


When we arrived at the designated winery, we discovered that there was no way to even make the turn into the extremely narrow parking lot.  A large pickup truck would have had trouble.  If we had been able to make the turn, we would have bottomed out while going down the extremely steep drop.  From where we sat, it did not look like there was room in the lot for even one large motor home, even though the website said it could fit four.  What to do?  We could not get in the lot, and honestly did not want to attempt it.  We had no place to spend the night.  We were stopped in the middle of the road, with no place to turn around, no place to turn around, no place to turn around.  We did not have a map of the area.  The car behind us with the honking horn forced our decision.  We moved forward, hoping to find a place to turn around or a better road.


One mile later, several hills and turns -- no place to turn around.


Two miles later, several hills and turns -- no place to turn around.


Three miles later, several hills and turns -- no place to turn around.


Four miles later, several hills and turns -- no place to turn around;  however, we were able to ask a lady in an oncoming car if there was a way to get off the road or a place to turn around.  Hope.  She smiled, shrugged her shoulders, and said good luck.


Four and a half miles later - ANOTHER WINERY!  However, we could not see the parking lot at the top of the steep hill, and were reluctant to drive to the lot where we might discover a tiny lot (with no place to turn around).  So....  we stopped in the middle of the road, blocking traffic, disconnected the Toyota and parked the Toyota on the side of the road.  Dianne then helped me back the motor home into the uphill entrance of the winery (now blocking the winery entrance and the road).  I was able to get the motor home turned around, but we still had to stop in the roadway to reconnect the Toyota.  A big breath of relief.  We were on our way out!  I directed a few unkind words at the winery that gave us incorrect information as we passed it on the way back to civilization.  Fortunately, no one except Dianne heard me :-)


We still needed a place to stay.  I remembered that the Tobin James Winery that we had passed on the main road was also a Harvest Hosts member.  Even though we did not have previous permission,  I thought it would be worth asking.  BIG unpaved parking area across the small road from the winery:-)  I went in to ask permission.  It took a while.  Lots going on (bacherlorette party, bus tours, limo tours, laughter, people having a good time).  After finding the right person, I was given permission to park overnight.  Couldn't wait to park, get Dianne and enjoy the rest of the day.  


However, the very kind manager then told me that heavy rain was expected, and that the parking area turns into mud.  At least one motor home had to be towed in the past. :-(  She said we could park on the side of the road.  (Seemed risky to me.)  She said that there was a private RV Park (Wine Country RV Resort) just down the road.  The way the day was going we opted for the RV Resort, and decided to spend two nights rather than possibly find a muddy parking lot at the second winery, as well.  Finally, a good decision.

Wine Country RV Resort was a little pricey, BUT it truly was a resort.  In this case we got what we paid for.  We had a beautiful site (vineyard views, concrete, level), just across from the adult-only spa.  There was even a fenced dog run for the boys.  Oh, and the management could not have been more helpful. 

Whew, the rest of the day was great.  We parked the motor home and drove the car back to Tobin James where we tasted some wine, enjoyed the upbeat atmosphere, bought a couple bottles, and thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor areas at the winery - some of the most beautiful stonework I have ever seen.

Before dinner, we enjoyed some relaxing time back at the RV Resort at the outdoor spa.  Wow, the setting was surrounded by boulders, gardens, water falls and even a fire pit.  After an hour, the stress of the day drifted away.

Our second day in Paso Robles was a day of enjoying scenery, meeting new people, and oh, yes, a little wine sampling.  (Actually quite a bit of wine sampling....  :-)   -- D.)

We ate an early lunch in the motor home before visiting our first winery of the day, J Lohr.

Then Peachy Canyon (not in Peachy Canyon!).  Then Windward.

Then Bianchi.

The day ended back at the spa -- this time in a misty rain; the best time to enjoy a spa.

The Whippet Picture of the Day shows the dogs enjoying their every-morning routine:  Keeping warm under the blanket until it's time for their walk.

Yadkin Valley Winery Tour + Harvest Host Tryout

Hi all -- Dianne here.

Just a reminder: The photos can be made larger for viewing by clicking on each one of them. Some of the landscaping in this blog is worth a click!

On our final day in Mount Airy, NC, Roger and I visited several wineries. The area, known as the Yadkin Valley Appellation, is developing as an area of dozens of wineries. Some of these are the result of former tobacco farmers switching to grapes as a crop.

We picked up a brochure outlining the various wineries in the area, and ruled out all but those offering dry wines that we prefer.

The first winery tasting room we visited was right in the middle of Mount Airy, the Old North State Winery. We didn't care for the reds, but we really liked some of their white wines. We left with a bottle of "Bare Bones Un-Oaked Chardonnay."

The next day we visited two wineries. The first one was about 25 miles south of Mount Airy. We were excited to see this winery, the Raffaldini Winery, as it was advertised as having Italian-type wines, which are our favorite.

The grounds were absolutely beautiful, and the setting did, indeed, remind us of our trip to Tuscany several years ago.

They have obviously taken great care in the landscaping and ambiance for their winery.

There were dozens of yellow rose bushes, all in full bloom.


My favorite wine is an Italian Chianti. I was very excited to try Raffaldini's Sangiovese; alas, though, even though I really wanted to like it, I just didn't care for it.

We again preferred their white wine selection, and came away with a Pinot Grigio and several fun items from the gift shop, including some Raffaldini spaghetti sauce, which is reportedly heavily spiked with wine. (I also got a new cap, retiring a red one that is now pink -- R.)

After the tastings, Roger also purchased a glass of white wine to enjoy on the lovely patio.

There is a large fountain and beautiful hilltop views. If there had not been as many hardwood trees, it really would have looked a lot like rural Italy!

I'm including a photo taken from our Tuscany vacation in 2004 to illustrate what I mean. This photo was taken from the villa

(a working winery) we stayed in with a group of friends who pooled resources to rent it. We've been hooked on Italian wine ever since!

The next winery we visited was the Shelton Winery, closer to Mount Airy.

Another beautifully landscaped winery! We thoroughly enjoyed walking around the grounds and taking it all in.

There were more beautiful roses planted in the Shelton Winery landscape. I also noticed rose bushes planted next to each row of grape vines in the field. Turns out, this is like a canary in a coal mine for the vintners; the rose bushes act as an early warning system for disease or insect infestation which might harm the grape vines.

The woman who did our tasting was delightful, and we really enjoyed ourselves.

We struck up a conversation with a couple tasting next to us; turns out, they were also traveling in the area in their RV. In fact, they were just passing through on their way north from Florida, and their RV was parked outside in the parking lot.

More "damage" was done at the gift shop (see final photo below). In addition, we also actually liked the Shelton Winery dry reds, so we came away with six very large bottles of Red Harvest table wine. We liked it just as well as their more expensive labels costing twice or three times as much, so we listened to our frugal inner voice and came away with the equivalent of 12 bottles @ $5.99/bottle.

Roger here... The two wineries that we visited poured not only wine for their visitors, but also poured big bucks into their facilities. The Raffaldini visitors' area

was an imposing Italian structure at the top of a hill. The Shelton Winery building was every bit as impressive. One of the friendly employees referred to it as the owner's hobby gone wild.

I'll let Roger fill you in on our overnight stay at the Rag Apple Lassie Winery, part of the new Harvest Host system.

Roger here... We recently joined an RV visitation club called Harvest Hosts (www.HarvestHosts.com). This new club has enlisted the cooperation of scores of wineries and working farms across the country. As members ($20/year), we are invited to park overnight for free (no hook-ups) in the winery parking lots. Since we knew that we would be spending next fall in California, visiting our older daughter, we thought it would be a good way to enjoy a little wine-tasting in a friendly atmosphere. Most of the original participating wineries are on the west coast, but many wineries across the entire country are now participating. It is a good deal for us, the membership pretty much paying for itself after one visit. It is also a great deal for the wineries due to the obvious purchases that are made.

While looking at the Harvest Hosts website, I noticed that one of the Yadkin Valley wineries, Rag Apple Lassie, was a participant, so I called to let them know we would be coming to spend our last night in North Carolina. We thought it would be fun, and it was.

Rag Apple Lassie

was named after the owner's grand prize-winning Holstein at the North Carolina State Fair. When the owner decided to convert many of his tobacco fields to other crops, including grapes, he decided to name the wine-making operation after the beloved cow of his youth. The company logo shows a black and white holstein cow sitting on a harvest moon while sipping a glass of wine - really pretty clever. All the cardboard cases and doors bear the black spots of a holstein on a white background. A modern metal sculpture of Rag Apple Lassie sipping a glass of wine while holding a wine bottle greets all the guests at the entrance to the winery.

The winery was voted as a finalist in the "Best New Winery in US" in 2007 by The Wine Appreciation Guild, San Francisco.

The building itself is unique. After passing a

silo, guests enter a metal building and find themselves on a catwalk overlooking the wine-making area below. Upon descending the stairs, guests can walk through the production area and into the gift shop/tasting room.

The person who greeted us and poured red wines for us to sample was the wife of the owner's son. She explained that this particular winery was not so much a hobby as part of a large family farm. (It was more of a working atmosphere than the upscale landscaped wineries we had visited earlier -- D.) We purchased three bottles of wine and then enjoyed a glass of Cabernet on the outside patio area in the shadow of

Pilot Mountain in the distance. We did like the Rag Apple Lassie dry reds: we purchased a bottle each of the cabernet, syrah, and red zinfandel. -- D.

I took the boys

on a walk along the outskirts of the vineyard

before we settled in for a quiet night among the landscaping.

Since we had no hook-ups and therefore no TV, it was a great night to read a book, listen to tree frogs, and relax.

I mentioned before that this was a good deal for the wineries - maybe a better deal than we intended it to be. Because of the beautiful atmosphere, we were tempted to purchase a few items in the gift shops - and that we did. We certainly did add to the local economy. Since we plan to utilize Harvest Hosts again when we get to California,

someone should notify the vineyards to stock up on their merchandise!