Tehachapi – A Hidden Wine Region in the Upper Desert

California is known for its stellar wine regions like Napa, Sonoma, Mendicino, the Central Coast, and Temecula. However, there is another much smaller but charming enclave with wineries in Tehachapi that not many people know about.

I only found out about it because my son, who is stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, lives there. It’s a quiet community dotted with Joshua trees and herds of mule deer who graze in the area. There are just a handful of wineries, but all are charming, and the wine, although not quite Napa-rated, is quite good.

Tehachapi is nestled next to the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County. It is between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert at 3,970 feet elevation. The area is known for the Tehachapi Loop and the Pacific Crest Trail. It is also a popular location for fans of gliding.

You will pass by huge wind turbines as you drive there from L.A. as well as some interesting small communities with residents living in shipping containers. Tehachapi is about 45 minutes away from Bakersfield and the Palmdale/Lancaster area.

You can see the California Correctional Institution off the main road which is a supermax prison located in town.

I’ve been there in the fall and winter and both times my son took us to four of its wineries. Tehachapi’s elevation makes it similar to vineyards in Argentina, parts of Italy, and the Spanish Canary Islands. The soil is unique in that it contains Triassic granite.

Dorner Family Vineyard

Dorner Family Vineyard has a large open patio that is used during the warm months. Wine fans can enjoy food truck fare and music along with wine tastings. It’s a casual environment where you can bring your dog and all the kids. During the fall we devoured a plate of poke nachos which was divine.

Inside is a fabulous gift shop which tempted me to buy everything in sight. The wine is tasty, but Tehachapi is more about its relaxing atmosphere. You don’t need a reservation to visit like you do in other California wine regions. We enjoyed a smooth bottle of Syrah.

It’s a family-owned vineyard that is a popular site for weddings and other events.

Tehachapi Winery

Tehachapi Winery is housed in a large warehouse. It looks like an industrial building from the outside but is charming inside with a large room that is perfect for holding events. It also has a large barrel room. Some of the wine vats are visible in the tasting room.

The winery has eighteen acres of vineyards and is the largest-producing establishment in the area. It is owned by Mike Chan, who recently partnered with Jason Carroll. Both work at the winery daily.

Triassic Vineyards

As you enter Triassic Vineyards tasting room it’s almost like you’re walking into a tent. A dinosaur greets you at the entrance. You can enjoy a magnificent view of the mountains when you sit under the covered (during the cold months) patio. A friendly cat hung out with us as we sipped a lovely bottle of Tempranillo.  

It’s an award-winning winery owned by Jim and Sally Arnold, known for its reds, and is named after the Triassic rocks.

Tehachapi Wine & Cattle Company

Set in a Spanish-style building with open patios, Tehachapi Wine & Cattle Company exudes cowboy all the way. It was the first vineyard and tasting room to serve the Tehachapi region.  Visitors can listen to music, party, and indulge themselves in bowls of chili, tri-tip sandwiches, and other goodies while sipping its full-bodied wines.

It is also a family-owned winery with a friendly and fun atmosphere as well as adorable gifts.

Other things to do in Tehachapi

I’m still in the process of exploring the area and hope to have future visits there with my son and his wife. I’m sure I’ll be adding a few other places of interest in the future.

K-Dubs

We had a yummy lunch at K-Dubs which is a pub that hosts a bowling alley, arcade, and pool tables as well as a bar. The food was amazing. I gulped down pastrami and pickle sliders that were to die for.  It is also a popular venue for weddings and events.

BeeKay Theatre

A friend of mine performed his one-man show at the BeeKay Theatre in Tehachapi not long ago and told me all about it. Although I have not been there myself he said it is a wonderful space. The theater is housed in an old structure built in 1936 that was once used as a movie theatre. It was destroyed by a fire in 1994 and has since been rebuilt as a community theatre with a restored facade.

Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum

This is the site of the original depot from 1874-1876. It burned down when a steam engine caught fire. The station was rebuilt in 1904 by the Southern Pacific Railroad. There are only six of these depots left. It was again rebuilt in 2010 due to a fire and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is now a museum.

Find things to do in Tehachapi here.