Tehachapi – A Hidden Wine Region in the Upper Mojave Desert, Tehachapi, California

California is known for its stellar wine regions like Napa, Sonoma, Mendicino, the Central Coast, and Temecula. However, there is another much smaller but charming enclave with wineries in Tehachapi that many people do not know about.

I only found out about it because my son, who is stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, lives there. It’s a quiet community dotted with Joshua trees and herds of mule deer who graze in the area. There are just a handful of wineries, but all are charming, and the wine, although not quite Napa-rated, is quite good.

Tehachapi is nestled next to the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County. It is between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert at 3,970 feet. The area is known for the Tehachapi Loop and the Pacific Crest Trail. It is also a popular location for fans of gliding.

You will pass by huge wind turbines as you drive there from L.A. Tehachapi is 45 minutes from Bakersfield and the Palmdale/Lancaster area.

You can see the California Correctional Institution off the main road. It is a supermax prison located near town. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).