George and Caroline Chouinard founded their small winery on a steeply sloping Palomares Canyon cattle ranch in 1978, less than 15 minutes from the bustle of the boulevard but seemingly a world away. Their son Damian, a Fresno State enology grad, is the winemaker, crafting a full line of red and white varietals, dessert wines and champagne from local, Central Coast and Mendocino grapes. Fruit wines have always been a distinctive sideline. The family welcomes picnickers at no charge in their shady arbors and offers a full year-round event schedule, including outdoor movies.
Palomares Hills Community Club House is a community pool and recreation center based in Castro Valley. The center offers basketball courts, tennis courts and a rectangular, heated pool.
This picturesque church boasts a community hall, a bookstore and ministries for junior-high- and high-school-age youth, among other services and amenities. Reverend Father Michael Prevas makes his own appointments with parishioners, ensuring one-on-one attention for the community's spiritual needs, while church-led summer festivals, picnics and retreats bring members together.
