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New winery will pour into Brentwood
by Jake Menez Correspondent
Local wine lovers will have another reason to celebrate later this year as a new winery joins the ever-growing list of selections in Brentwood.
Serendipity Cellars, located on Chestnut Street just outside of downtown, plans to open this summer as a “boutique winery experience,” featuring six varietals of fantastic wine.
Owners Bryan and Michele Lucay ended up in the winemaking game wholly by accident, they admit.
By trade, they work in construction, having established their own contracting company — GroundWorks Inc. — back in 2002.
Beyond that, they were never wine drinkers, preferring the taste of tequila. But all that changed in 2004 when they took on a job engraving concrete at Ceja Vineyards in Napa, where the winemaker insisted on offering them wine as thanks.
The pair politely refused at first, saying they didn’t care for wine, but the veteran winemaker told them, “It’s not that you don’t like wine — you just haven’t found a wine you like.” With that, he once again offered each of them a glass, and the rest is history.
Soon after discovering a passion for drinking wine, the Lucays jumped headfirst into making it when their new friend at Ceja called and asked if they would like 250 mourvèdre grape vines.
Bryan, always eager to learn something new in the most hands-on way possible, quickly accepted. That was twelve years ago.
Today, Michele and Bryan are coming into their own as winemakers as they prepare for the grand opening of Serendipity Cellars this summer.
The property, which spans about fifteen acres, was originally used for growing green beans, until the Lucays took it over in August 2018.
Those vegetables have since been replaced by six types of wine grapes, to make seven varietals of wine: chardonnay, cabernet, sauvignon blanc, vermentino and tempranillo, along with sangiovese, which lends itself to both the classic red wine and a sangiovese rosé.
Although the property may be new, the Lucays have the interesting distinction of using older vines, thanks to the technique of cloning.
In viticulture, cloning is the process of pruning vines from older plants, often those that have proven their ability to grow superior grapes, and grafting those vines onto existing rootstock.
The result is essentially an older vine, despite a younger root having been planted. Using this method, the Lucays have been able to create plants, such as their sangiovese and vermentino vines, that are clones of plants that have been producing excellent grapes since 2010.
Cloning has also allowed them to engineer plants that are similar to existing ones, such as their sauvignon blanc and chardonnay vines, which are clones of the popular wente varietals.
When Serendipity Cellars opens this summer, there will be more on offer than just wine. The back area of the property will be a family-friendly hangout where, except on special occasions, even children will be welcome to play lawn games and enjoy the rustic ambience of the winery, while food will be served from a rotating selection of local food trucks.
The winery also has indoor seating that will be kept 21 and over, to create a space for those who prefer a more adult-oriented setting. The winery will offer wine flights, tours of the vineyards and other special events.
For more information, visit https:// www.facebook.com/serendipitycellars/.
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MIKE’S ESTATE PLANNING MINUTE
By Michael J. Amthor, Esq.
CONSIDERING DIVORCE? REVIEW YOUR ESTATE PLAN!
At a minimum, it takes at least six months for a divorce to be completed. Divorces routinely last a year or longer. What do you do regarding your estate plan before, during and after divorce?
Before filing for divorce, you should always review your estate planning documents and review what happens to assets when you die. You should also review your power of attorney and health care directive. Now that you are contemplating divorce, do you still want your spouse managing your finances if you unable? Do you want your spouse making health care decisions if you are unable to make your own decisions? In other words, do you really want your estranged spouse having the power to “pull the plug” or make other important health care decisions?
Filing for divorce does not prevent these documents from taking effect. They must be formally revoked and new documents prepared. Once a divorce case has been filed, your ability to change or revoke a trust is limited. Neither party is allowed to change beneficiaries on life insurance, retirement accounts or pensions while the case is pending. If your will names your spouse as the beneficiary of your assets, upon death those assets go to the spouse you were in the process of divorcing. Similarly, if your spouse is named as beneficiary of your retirement account or life insurance, your estranged spouse (not your children) receives those funds if you die while your divorce is pending. Since this is something that cannot be changed once a case has been filed, it is important to make these changes prior to filing for divorce. Finally, once the divorce is final, you must revisit your estate plan and make a new plan. If your children are under 21, make sure their assets are held in trust. Otherwise, your ex spouse will have control over funds earmarked for your children. Can you trust your ex with assets you wanted to go to your children? If not, it is vitally important to see me and make sure your post-divorce estate plan is set up properly.
If you have questions on this or any other estate planning topic, call me at (925) 516-4888. East County Family Law Group, 1120 Second Street, Brentwood www.eastcountyfamilylaw.com – Advertisement
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Wildflowers abloom in East Bay locations
This year’s wildflower season is well underway, and while the displays aren’t as spectacular as those of some past years, there’s still plenty to see. Go on a weekday if you can arrange it, as parks tend to be very crowded on weekends.
I haven’t visited all the parks yet, but here are some suggestions for wildflower viewing:
At Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch, walk the Chaparral Loop or Manhattan Canyon Trails. The soils there favor shooting stars, buttercups, blue dicks, and paintbrushes, among other wildflower varieties.
Black Diamond Mines is at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is staffed.
Farther afield, check out Morgan Territory Regional Preserve on Morgan Territory Road, about nine miles south of Marsh Creek Road near Clayton.
Sunol Regional Wilderness in southern Alameda County is a good bet. Walk Camp Ohlone Road to Little Yosemite, climb a short distance on Cerro Este Road, then return to the start on the Canyon View Trail.
Sunol is at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road south of I-680. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle and Sunol is alcohol-free.
Also off of I-680, Vargas Plateau has great displays of poppies and red maids right now. Take the Vargas Road exit from I-680 between Sunol and Fremont and drive up the hill. Be aware that there are only about 25 parking spaces (including two for the disabled) at the trailhead, and there’s no parking at all on Vargas Road, so try to visit the trail on off-peak hours.
Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Pleasanton is another possibility. Start at the Foothill Staging Area on Foothill Road south of Castlewood Drive. Head up the Woodland or Oak Tree Trails to the top of the ridge. From there you can go on the Ridgeline or Thermalito Trails for wildflowers and panoramic views.
One of the best places for wildflowers in the regional parks is Rocky Ridge on the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, starting at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore.
It’s a two-mile climb to the ridge from Del Valle’s Lichen Bark picnic area, which pays off with beautiful wildflowers on the rocky soil of the ridge. Sometimes the goldfields are spectacular.
Del Valle is at the end of Del Valle Road off Mines Road about nine miles south of I-580. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle, and the Ohlone Wilderness Trail requires a $2 permit good for a year from the date of purchase, available at the entrance kiosk.
Farther north in the park district, check out the Rocky Ridge View Trail or Las Trampas Ridge Trail at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness in San Ramon.
Another good park for wildflowers is Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve off Castro Ranch Road in El Sobrante.
Hillside poppies are the attraction at Briones Regional Park. Walk up Old Briones Road from the Bear Creek staging area on Bear Valley Road about five miles east of Camino Pablo Road in Orinda.
Drive carefully; the road is narrow and winding. Once there, take the Volvon and Prairie Falcon Trails for wildflowers and great views of Mt. Diablo.
This is just a partial list. Maps with detailed driving directions to all these regional parks and more are available on the park district website, www.ebparks.org. — Submitted by Ned MacKay, East Bay Regional Park District
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