Tucked away in a uniquely named town about an hour north of Los Angeles, Herzog Wine Cellars is busy redefining kosher. From the lamb bacon created at the in-house restaurant, Tierra Sur, to the recently released To Kalon Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon dubbed ‘the first cult kosher Cabernet’ by the Wine Spectator, we definitely aren’t resting on our centuries-old laurels.

The Herzog family trace their winemaking origins back to Philip Herzog, who made wine in Slovakia for the Austro-Hungarian court more than a century ago. Philip’s wines were so appreciated by Emperor Franz-Josef, that the emperor made Philip a baron. The Baron Herzog wines—a line of premium, yet moderately priced California varietals—are named to commemorate the honor. In 1985, the Herzog family decided to expand their winemaking operations to California, where they make wine under two separate labels: Baron Herzog and Herzog Special Reserve. After twenty years of renting space in various wineries, the family was finally able to build its own state-of-the-art winery just south of Santa Barbara, in the town of Oxnard. After extensive planning, the winery opened to the public in July of 2005. The breathtaking 77,000 square foot facility houses complete production facilities, a tasting room, private event space, self-guided tour, and a fine dining restaurant, Tierra Sur.

The new winery was truly designed with Special Reserve and small-lot winemaking in mind. It combines state-of-the-art winemaking technology with a hands-on approach to artisanal winemaking. In addition to the recognizable Baron Herzog and Reserve labels in the winery’s line-up, which are made from grapes sourced throughout California, the winery has recently created a new Single Vineyard collection, highlighting specific vineyard sites exclusively in the Napa Valley. These wines are inspired by the family’s ongoing commitment to sourcing and prospecting new vineyards. With innovation and creativity, Winemaker Joe Hurliman is able to explore the intricacies of terroir and the uniqueness of time and place in the vineyard. To us, this is hands-on, artisan winemaking at its best.

Though the winery aims for perfection in every bottle, this quest actually starts in the vineyard. Since the Herzog family began making wine in California in 1985, sourcing grapes from vineyards that practice sustainable farming has been a top priority. All of the vineyards the winery works with practice sustainable farming, including the Lodi appellation which is the first region to be certified as sustainable. We now produce four different wines bearing the ‘Lodi Rules’ certification. The Lodi Rules program represents ideals extremely important to the Herzog family, and maintaining a tradition of excellence in all aspects of winemaking is part of the time honored legacy that dates back eight generations. Protecting the land for future use is part of this ongoing legacy. This philosophy also extends seamlessly to the winery’s in-house Mediterranean inspired restaurant, Tierra Sur.

Opening its doors just a few months after the winery’s grand opening, Tierra Sur was the culmination of the Herzog family’s vision: a place that effortlessly combined generations of hard work with total indulgence. A place of fine wine and fine dining – that is also kosher. Receiving numerous accolades since its opening, Tierra Sur was named ‘one of the best restaurants in Ventura County’ by the Los Angeles Times. Anyone who has dined with us will find this as no surprise. Executive Chef Todd Aarons, a veteran of Zuni Café in San Francisco and Savoy in Manhattan, creates bold and eclectic menus utilizing the area’s fresh, seasonal produce. Menu items such as pomegranate-marinated lamb, aged rib-eye steak and wild king salmon are cooked outdoors over an open flame, and diners can watch as staff work expertly in the open kitchen. One of the highlights is the Wine Pairing Dinner which expertly pairs wine with each course, giving visitors a true taste of everything Herzog has to offer.

Come visit us and see what indulgence awaits you here at Herzog Wine Cellars!