Everyone knows the long road trip between LA and San Francisco’s Bay Area would be much easier with wine. This may be new to some but smack dab in the middle of that roadee is Soledad, a lonely place only known for its prison, inmate loved ones and families, and crops. Well, now, grapes are growing as part of those crops.

Just west of the 101 and parallel to it is a strip called River Road that runs all the way from Greenfield to Gonzales through Soledad. This strip of wineries and tasting rooms represents wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands, known for its sandy soil and coastal influence. Check on hours of operation before stopping in at one because they are a so far off the beaten path and undiscovered at the time of this writing that most are only open during weekends. But this region has the soil and climate destined for great potential so keep an eye on it.