San Martino Winery and Vineyard

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By JOYCE S-ENZ HARRIS / Staff Writer

In Spain, they'd call this wine estate a bodega. Any resemblance to winemaker Emilio Ramos' ancestral village of San Martino in Galicia, Spain, is intentional, right down to the grapevines lining the driveway and standing in ranks on the back acreage of San Martino Winery & Vineyards outside Rockwall. The red tile roof has a Mediterranean flair, too.

There's something else very European about this place: At San Martino, food is a full partner in the winery experience.

The big surprise for new visitors: Most of the time, the winemakers also prepare the meals.

"We enjoy the food aspect of it," says Maria Ramos, a former financial-aid director for the University of Texas at Dallas, who owns and manages the winery with her husband. "It's something that has become a natural side of the winery business for us. They go hand in hand."

The San Martino winery is open Thursday through Saturday, noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

The cost of a tasting is $6 per person for a selection of up to five wines, each poured at 1 ounce. Regular tastings do not require a reservation and are offered during business hours.

Private tastings with the winemaker and a tour are offered for groups of 10 or more for $20 per person. Private tastings require reservations, and the staff selects the wines.

San Martino wines are available at the winery and are served at the Pyramid Restaurant & Bar at the Fairmont Dallas.

Published in The Dallas Morning News: 10.17.08