Teri Kerns and Micole Moore moved to Ramona in 2004 with a huge desire to live in the countryside. Teri grew up in the country on the Oregon coast and Ramona fit their western lifestyle.
“We purchased 10 raw acres, with a stick-framed house, which started our Ramona adventure. I’ve always loved wine, its history, and romance, so I attended and joined the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association in February 2005, intending to plant a few vines and make wine [just for ourselves],” Kerns said.
“Micole and I started making wine together just for fun, our first vintage was a Ramona Valley Syrah in 2005. We planted our first vineyard in 2006, and I enrolled in the winemaking courses at Mira Costa College, studying under Jim Hart and Alysha Stehly. We tried different grapes, experimented with yeasts, and had a lot of fun, but we had no plans to open a winery. In 2010, the local Wine Ordinance passed, and we won a major amateur wine competition, with a Best of Show and Double-Gold,” Kerns said.
“We planted our first test vineyard in 2006, trying nine different varieties to see what grew best – making wine from each and trying Blends. We narrowed it down to Sangiovese Grosso, which loved Ramona, and then added Tannat after tasting it. I selected Symphony after one of my UC Davis classes. We also manage a vineyard on the West Side of Ramona for Sangiovese, which we use to make Rose and Sauvignon Blanc. We purchase locally grown grapes to supplement our offerings,” Kerns said.
Harvest at Ramona Ranch
Ramona Ranch Winery opened in 2012 with four barrels of wine. As their business grew, “we found we needed to spend more and more time on the winery while juggling full-time jobs. My focus switched to everything after the wine was in the bottle, including sales, marketing, and tasting room management. Micole handled everything in the vineyard and winemaking,” Kerns said.
I, the author, personally respect and admire Teri for how she has maneuvered through difficult times starting an industry from scratch. San Diego has only had a wine industry since 2010 when the Wine Ordinance was passed. Teri has a Masters Degree in Business Administration and has mentored many people in the wine business, helping them to grow their businesses. I asked her how she felt her education and previous business experience had helped to grow her business.
“My business background and experience in both the US Navy and as a Health Care Executive gave me the foundation to continually learn and improve, with staying the course, i.e. persistence is the key. So many obstacles arose, and still do, as a first-generation business in an unincorporated area of San Diego County. Still, Micole and I decided to keep pushing forward with integrity and community involvement. As a couple, our success, ongoing growth, and commitment to self-improvement, combined with our efforts to uplift our communities and others, are essential for enhancing the well-being of everyone involved, including our local environment,” Kerns said.
“We were there, testifying at San Diego Board of Supervisor meetings, drafting editorials for the paper, volunteering on various boards, and building relationships that are our key to success. We like to see everyone succeed and are quick to offer our help and support. Micole is a past President of the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association, an active Board member of the Ramona Community Foundation, while I am on my third term on the RVVA, and the San Diego Women’s Wine Alliance secretary. Supervisor Anderson recently recognized Micole as a Hometown Hero, and I was a speaker at the 2024 SommCon.
What does the future look like for Ramona Ranch Winery?
“Stay the course, keep doing what we love, while looking for ways to continually improve ourselves, our winery, and our community,” Kerns said.
Micole and Teri have managed to combine their love of wine, food, and travel. They frequently are wine hosts on several European River Cruises. Their next cruise is April 2026. For details go to www.ramonaranchwines.com
Ramona Ranch Winery is open Friday through Monday. They are located at 23578CA Highway 78, Ramona CA, 92065. Call them at 760-789-1622 or email teri@ramonaranchwines.com to make a reservation or book a private event or tour.
