Vineyards Anchoring Agriculture Are Central Valley’s Gems

Viticulture is a staple of life in our part of the world, and the vintners are dedicated to sharing their love of the earth, its fruit and winemaking. This month, HERLIFE Magazine visits three local wineries and their histories.

Heather Panella, Oak Farm Vineyards

Hidden away in northern Lodi, Oak Farm Vineyards is a luxurious oasis for wine lovers to relax and stroll. It’s quiet yet vibrant with life; the air is full of the sound of rustling leaves and running water mingled with the soft conversations of friends sharing a bottle of wine. The artistic vision and tireless labor of Heather Panella and her husband, Daniel, has evolved since the winery’s early beginnings in 2004. Together, they transformed the former cattle ranch and grain farm into the iconic property it is today, a welcoming place for hosting events, dining and, of course, wine tasting.
Oak Farm Vineyards began as a boutique winery, producing only around five thousand cases per year, but Heather and Daniel quickly realized both their growth and their developing vision for the winery would require an expansion. “One of my fondest memories of this building was standing on the pad of dirt with my husband in the middle of February,” Heather laughed. “It was quite chilly as we were counting the loads of dirt coming in to build the pad for the tasting room.” They have been deeply invested in Oak Farm Vineyards’ growth from the ground up.
As well as a new tasting room, they built the warehouse to facilitate the case goods and barrels and allow them to store everything onsite; they most recently added a commercial kitchen and culinary experience to their offerings. “The food is the bow on the package,” Heather said. “It really gathers and combines what we’ve wanted to do with the winery.” The commercial kitchen has bloomed under the artistic hand of Chef Lacey Franklin, who joined the team in 2023. Embracing the agriculture of the Central Valley, their farm-to-fork menu focuses on local and seasonal offerings with both simple plates and more complex meals. Each dish is expertly crafted to complement Oak Farm’s wine portfolio.
Winemaking is not the only art at Oak Farm Vineyards. Heather’s eye for beauty and detail is evident in the property’s manicured landscaping and shaded alcoves. Each corner of the property is curated to be a treat for the senses, from the spacious courtyard and the bocce ball court to the barrel room for events and the intimate east patio for wine club members. But while they also host private events and weddings, Heather emphasized their passion for giving back to the community. “Having a company is also about what you can do for the community and give back.” They have donated toward and hosted fundraisers for organizations such as Lodi House, the Woodbridge and Stockton Fire Departments, The One-Eighty and the Mary Graham Foundation.
Together, the property, location, and vision are all part of what makes Oak Farm Vineyards unique in its own right, helping them stand out for what they offer to the community and what they give back. Whether a guest is visiting for a tasting, a meal or support a good cause, Oak Farm Vineyard stands as a masterfully crafted homage to Heather’s and Daniel’s vision and passion, inviting all those who come to stay and linger awhile.

Rochele Spaletta, Intercoastal Vineyards

Intercoastal Vineyards sports a casual yet sophisticated ambiance that puts both the experienced sommelier and novice wine taster at ease. The winery’s breezy front lawn, spacious patio and tank room invite you to gather around the table and leave your worries at the door. Rachele Spaletta, the co-proprietor with her husband, Mitch, is a constant presence at Intercoastal, and her tireless passion is one of the reasons for its warm and inviting air. “I want people to feel like they’re coming home…everyone! Visitors, members, family and pets! Making everyone feel valued and important is our philosophy here,” she said.

Intercoastal Vineyard’s motto, Embrace Every Moment, is emblazoned across their main building and intertwined into the very beginnings of the winery. Intercoastal began in 2017 as an online-only storefront, and the Spalettas launched their brick-and-mortar winery in the tumult of 2020. Not to be deterred by the difficulties of that year, they continued to develop their brand and focus on their art of winemaking. The also concentrated on designing their signature modern and witty products such as their Canpanion series, premium canned California wine on-the-go, inspired both by the limitations of travel and their love of our favorite companions, pets. Most recently, they launched their In Love series with puns such as You Make Me Blush and “You Had Me At Merlot” adorning the back label.

Rachele is no stranger to embracing the moment despite difficulties or the unknown. She left a successful 22-year career in technology sales to embark on the adventure that became Intercoastal. Her work in sales ignited her love for people, but as much as she enjoyed her career, she knew it wasn’t truly her passion: “I didn’t want my one job to define me,” Rachele said. Her husband, Mitch, had always had a love for farming as a second-generation farmer, and she knew she was still looking for the thing that she could call her life passion. Together, they created Intercoastal, the perfect intersection of the things they love.

Intercoastal Vineyards is never stagnant. It continues to grow and innovate while accepting each moment as the gift that it is, like Rachele’s outlook on life. She sees every experience, both the good and the challenging, as a chance for building something new. From her first job wrapping gifts at a small boutique in high school to her career after college, each moment has given her a gift she still uses to this day. “There are many hats we wear,” she said. “You take every piece and part of what you learn along the journey of life and find that you’re applying it to every day.”

There are many exciting things in development for the winery, but at the end of the day, the team’s greatest desire for Intercoastal is to invite you into their family by sharing their love of winemaking. One of the wine club members told Rachele, “I’m not just greeted here, I’m welcomed here,” and Rachele cited it as the highest compliment she could have received. “Those are the moments that make me feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to do,” she said.

Liz Bokisch, Bokisch Vineyards

Nestled among the Clements hills, Bokisch Vineyards is one of California’s finest gems. Their tasting room and patio look out over a rolling sea of grape vines, broken only by clusters of majestic California oak trees and the white spires of owl boxes. The patio furniture and gazebos are perfectly placed to catch the spectacular sunset views. Once you step foot onto the property, the frenetic pace of the daily grind is replaced with the slow and seasonal Mediterranean way of life: a love of food, wine and community that’s as beautiful as it is contagious.

Winemaking has been a lifelong love of owners Liz and Markus Bokisch, and their passion is evident in both their care of their vineyards and the masterful wines they create. They purchased the property that would eventually become their family-run winery in 1995, and they celebrate their 25th anniversary of winemaking this year. They lived near Markus’ family in Spain during their first few years of marriage and it was there that they took advantage of the Spanish food and lifestyle, a slow-paced, intentional way of living specifically focused on food and wine as an art form. “Creating interesting recipes that are beautifully presented, taking fresh ingredients and combining flavors together and marrying them with the wines – food and wine is a magical experience,” Liz says. It’s an experience she loves to share with those around her.

Their focus on Spanish grape varietals such as Albariño and Tempranillo is one of the things that sets Bokisch Vineyards apart from its competitors, as they were one of the first to pioneer growing these particular grapes in this region. Their passion for Spanish wines is obvious by the quality of their product. Liz spoke proudly of their intentionality in every step of the winemaking process, from hand-harvesting and selecting the grapes to their native yeast fermentation projects and aging techniques. Being able to share their love of Spanish wine with people through a product they have nurtured from beginning to end is one of the aspects of this job Liz loves the most. She says, “It’s such an honor to have your wine shared at the table for family celebrations or weddings, or all occasions; it’s an honor to be a part of their lives with a product we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”

Much like the Spanish lifestyle itself, Bokisch Vineyards is closely connected to the turning of the seasons. Both their winemaking process and their winery events embrace the ebb and flow of the earth’s bounty. From fully organic and regenerative farming practices to their summer Night in Ibiza and autumnal Harvest Moon events, they marry the Mediterranean lifestyle with the California environment, creating events that are culturally tied to what they do and what they love. From the bud break of spring to the quiet rest of winter, Bokisch Vineyards invites you to join them in their deep connection to the land and delight with them in the joys of food, wine and community.