The Tackitts

Leon and Cindy Tackitt's dream of running their own winery started in 1998 while Leon was still active duty in the Navy. With 10 years left to serve, Leon started taking classes with UC Davis, reading every book he could find, and reaching out to everyone he knew that had talent in wine making. The garage was always full of glass carboys full of some concoction, from obscure red wines to their flagship, Gewurztraminer. During that 10 year span, they built the infrastructure for the winery on weekend jaunts from San Diego to Paso Robles. It was a long slow process, but it was all by their own hands as funds and time would permit. In late 2007, Leon retired from the Navy after 27 years. In February of 2008, they bottled their first Gewurztraminer under their new winery bond. Fast forward to 2017: Leon and Cindy have built an award-winning, small boutique winery. They have garnered many accolades, from Bronze all the way to Best of Class for their 2012 Petite Sirah at the San Francisco Chronicle, beating out over 200 other Petite Sirahs. They both invite you to come visit and enjoy tasting the fruits of their labor.