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First wine tasting room coming to downtown Bakersfield

Tlo Wines opening their first tasting room
Posted at 3:29 PM, Jul 31, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-31 18:29:21-04

It’s the dream of any winemaker—to be able to share hours and hours of hard work, creativity and passion with those who enjoy wine as much as they do. 

By now you may have already heard of the local family and winemaker, behind the label Tlo—Their journey to bring the wine experience to Bakersfield, coming full circle. 

 

It’s so close—you might say, they can almost taste it. 

 

“We intend for this to give us a direct connection to our customers, give them the winery feeling,” said Andy Zaninovoch. 

Zaninovich has been working on his wine label for 10-years now. The life long table grape grower in Delano began to source wine grapes from the Central Coast in 2008, and make his own wine. 

He later brought his daughter Avery into the operation, a graduate of Cal-Poly’s prestigious wine and viticulture program. ”The excitement that is building is just awesome,” said Avery Zaninovich. 

We first met Andy Zaninovich and his daughter Avery back in May—highlighting the family business—Tlo Wines on a segment of Made in Kern County. 

The pair showing off their award winning labels—more than 12-different varietals, from Cabernet  Sauvignon  Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel and Chardonnay. 

Grapes sourced the central coast—produced in Paso Robles, but brought back exclusively to Bakersfield. 

But something was missing from their wine company, and the experience they wanted to give their customers. 

 

A tasting room.

 

“The timing is perfect, because we are hitting that perfect growth spot,” said Avery Zaninovich. 

Flash forward to today—and with their wines growing in popularity—the Zaninovich’s felt it was time to take a leap, and open their own tasting room—the first of it’s kind in Bakersfield.

”People ask us always ask us, do you guys have a tasting room where is it? Well not quite, but were almost there, and it’s going to be in Bakersfield,” Andy Zaninovich has been telling fans of his wines. 

Now their wine will be in one central spot, for their Bakersfield customers to enjoy. 

Just a few months ago Tlo wines scouted a vacant building on 18th street, across from Sequoia Sandwich Company. Once home to the Dream Center coffee house in 2008—soon to be transformed into a tasting room. 

The Zaninovich’s just a few weeks away from beginning construction on the tasting room—hoping to transform the redbrick building into a customized wine bar, and tasting experience. 

Hoping to create a central place where Bakersfield can grow their wine knowledge, and experience Tlo’s award winning bottles in a unique way. ”It’s going to be really cool to be able to have activities, that you’ll be able to spend the day in one central location and do fun things,” said Avery Zaninovich. 

Giving Kern County a taste of what they’re all about. 

 

You can follow along with the progress of Tlo Wines as they get closer to completing their tasting room—they plan to have it open in the fall and have already cleared major zoning and permit processes.