Delta Neat

Jun 28, 2024

At Victoria Island Farms and Sabbatical Distillery & Tasting Room, where Delta crops have grown since 1964, farm to fork blossoms into distilled spirits.

Guests sample blueberry lemon vodka, single-malt whisky, straight bourbon and Sabado gin, all made with botanicals, corn, blueberries and citrus from this historic farm.

Sabbatical is the first distillery in San Joaquin County since prohibition. Founded by Danny Leonard and Jack Zech, the company builds on the agricultural roots of Zech’s family, which has owned Victoria Island Farms for generations.

Victoria Island Farms was one of the largest producers of asparagus, with 1,000 acres in production. Global competition and production costs forced the farm to diversify.

Good Taste

May 28, 2024

Suzanne Lo Coco was making pizza with her father Giovanni when she asked a simple question.

“How do you know when to do this, when to do that, when to add this and when to add that?”

The answer opened a philosophical discourse into the countless ways food preparation brings meaning to our lives.

Family Value

Apr 28, 2024

Leon Sobon and his wife Shirley founded Shenandoah Vineyards in 1977, far ahead of the sustainable wine revolution. Based in Plymouth, the Sobon family became one of the first environmentally friendly producers to distribute local wines on a wide level outside the region.

Last month, Sobon was recognized with a California State Fair Lifetime Achievement Award. The patriarch’s dedication to the craft can be felt when Sobon describes how he turned a hobby into a second career.

Sobon was a research scientist for Lockheed living in Los Altos when he began making wine for fun. His hobby led him into a group of other enthusiasts. He and Shirley eventually moved their family of six children to the foothills to try professional winemaking.

Gone was a stable research career. But Sobon followed his bliss.