Pamo Valley Winery Wine, Pasta, Music, and a Birthday Celebration

The evening offered guests a chance to connect directly with the face behind the wine. Learning the story, inspiration, and craftsmanship that goes into each bottle from Pamo Valley Winery. Known for its approachable yet thoughtfully produced wines, Pamo Valley Winery brings a personal touch to the tasting experience, making the night as much about conversation as it is about flavor.

Food played an equally important role in the experience. The chef prepared winter pasta specials designed to complement the wines, including Ragu al Penne and Gamberi Squash e Pesto. Rich, comforting, and elevated, the dishes highlighted fresh ingredients and careful preparation, offering pairings that enhanced both the food and the wine. Together, they created a satisfying and seasonal menu that anchored the evening.

Jennifer Lane, owner of Pamo Valley Winery, was pouring wine with her ever so famous boyfriend and winemaker Jim Hart from Volcan Mountain Winery in Julian. The five wines she featured for the night include 2024 Chardonnay, 2025 Viognier, 2024 Sangiovese, 2023 Malbec, and 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon. The third wine listed, 2024 Sangiovese is an Italian wine and was a good food pairing with the pasta dish for the evening. In fact, all of the wines for the evening paired well with the pasta dishes.

Pamo Valley Winery is the first woman-owned winery in San Diego County, and their vineyards were established in 2000. She was involved with the winery in 2003 and took over full ownership in 2009.

The wine making business all started for her when she lived in Melbourne, Australia and then moved to Ramona, there was a gentleman counseling Ramona Wineries, and he taught her how to make wine. She has no formal education on wine making, just consulting here and there and a big community that supports her.

Lane liked that the San Vicente Resort offered flights of her wine so guests could try them all. She added that what wine tasting is what Pamo Winery is all about.

Adding to the atmosphere, musician Ashley E Norton provided live entertainment throughout the evening, setting the tone with music that compliments the relaxed, welcoming setting of the resort. Norton’s performance added an intimate and lively element that turned the event into more than just a tasting, it was a full sensory experience.

“I dedicate this song to all wineries at Meet the Winemaker,” says Norton. She prepares her music for the wine-focused setting by starting off the night with a song called Wine, Wine, Wine. She says it’s a really good song about drinking wine with friends and really kicks off the night. She plays country, folk, and rock and reads the room to see what type of music resonates the best for the evening and caters the music to the general vibe. She often gets a lot of audience requests for songs.

Norton says that Lane does such an amazing job with her wine, from making her wine to the tastings and there is a whole community that supports her.

“The Par feels like home to me,” says Norton. She loves playing every Wednesday and she says it’s really nice there is a painting of her on the wall in the Par Lounge and loves when guests make the connection that it’s her.

The Meet the Winemaker event is perfect for longtime wine enthusiasts, curious newcomers, or anyone looking for a midweek evening out that blends great wine, delicious food, and live music in one setting. 

Photos by Heather McGhee