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Pope Valley Winery

This hidden gem of a winery boasts a no-frills approach to great wine. Their taste is a bit different -- fruity & light merlots, light cabs, amazing port.

The true gem here is Petra. She's a great conversationist and has remembered me and my friends every time we come. This one is WAY out of the way, but a completely unique experience in Napa. The basic tasting was free, and the reserve tasting was $15. The wine was pretty good and the bocce court outside was a nice distraction. The place is like a deserted farm with dogs wandering around and unfinished road through the vineyard. It is NOT fancy, but it is often deserted and gives you the feel that you are in your own country vineyard.

Ceder View Winery

Jim and Debbie Van Haun founded Cedar View Winery in 1999 with an emphasis on producing rare, eclectic, hard-to-find varietals. The winery's estate “flagship” grape, Alicante Bouschet, is made as a very popular award-winning red wine as well as a very rare Rosé and Port style wine.

Benziger Family Winery

This is a first class operation! Every employee you see is smiling, friendly, and happy. The tour was fantastic and seeing the inside of the caves they built years ago was memorable. The tasting room was big enough and there was no pressure to purchase any wines or join the clubs. Every wine we tasted was explained in detail and needless to say, superb. We enjoyed seeing the sheep grazing on the hillside and then running back to the barn. This is a don't miss winery and tour in Sonoma County.

Zahtila Vineyards

We tasted:
2008 Dry Creek Zin - Old vine zinfandel, fruity with oak notes. I tasted pomegranate with some spice. Very enjoyable (too bad there isn't much left!)
2008 Oak Hill Estate Zin - I liked this zin. The grapes are grown on property. Hints of vanilla & caramel with the fruit upon first whif. Then a very silky mouth feel with plum and spice. We all agreed this would pair well with eggplant or other roasted/grilled veggies.
2008 Calistoga Cab Sauvignon - The bottle we tasted had been opened late the day before which helped soften the tannins. Hints of cherry on the palate.
2006 Napa Valley Cab - I liked this more than the 2008 from Calistoga. It was balanced acidity/fruit.
2010 Michael's Muse - Delicious tawny port style wine that they had just bottled! Complex fruit, not too over-poweringly sweet. I think it had zin & petite syrah grapes (I wasn't paying as much attention). Very good!

Eagles Nest winery & Cottage

Eagles Nest Winery is located at the western end of Ramona Valley AVA between the historic gold mining town of Julian, and the city of San Diego. The property is situated high on a hill overlooking the scenic Ramona valley. On a clear day, you can see the Mount Palomar, the Laguna and Cuyamaca Mountains. To the west ans south you can see Mount Woodson and Iron Mountain. Elevations on the property range from approximately 1300 feet to over 1600 feet.Depending upon the terrain, the vines are trained to either a vertical shoot position (VSP) Trellis System or are Head Pruned/Trained. Eagles Nest initially planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier and Zinfandel and other varietals.

Agua Dulce Vineyards

Agua Dulce Winery is a 90 acre, fully operational winery and vineyard, featuring daily wine tasting and tours and wines. You will find Agua Dulce Vineyards just 45 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles and this winery has earned the honor of being Los Angeles County’s leading fine wine grower and producer. *

Hours:

Daily 10am - 5:30pm

Krupp Brothers Estates

Krupp Brothers Estate is a sprawling collection of over 600,000 vines planted on over 1300 acres...and growing! This winery is located 6 miles in at the end of Soda Canyon Road off of the southern part of Silverado Trail. It is a partnership between Dr. Jan Krupp and his brother as well as ownership coming from a Gordon Getty trust as well as other investors. Jan told us that he loves growing things; after growing up New Jersey he left for California for his medical shool and was exposed to California's long growing seasons; as a result he never left the "golden state". The vineyard land was originally cleared for planting in the early 90's.

Imagery Estate Winery

They have a beautiful scenic panoramic view. The staff are very personable, knowledgeable, and always willing to be of help. The outdoor patio is perfect for these summer months. They even have horse shoes!!! Nice selection of some pretty nice wines.

Peachy Canyon Winery

I recommend the 2011 snow Zin and Westside Zin. Great atmosphere Nice Zins and Malbecs. Friendly staff seem to treat each visitor as a welcome guest. The tasting room is in a super cute building. One side used to be an old school house. Service was quick, friendly, and attentive -- one woman was pouring and keeping many people happy. Many stars for her.

Bent Creek Winery

When Pat and Tom Heineman purchased the property in 1980, opening a winery was not in their plans. They wanted to own some land “out in the country”. They chose the location for its beauty and feeling of serenity. As educators in the Livermore they met the couple who would later become their partners in the winery, Carol and Rich Howell. Pat and Carol were fellow elementary school principals in Livermore. The two couples shared many common interests including the enjoyment of good wines.

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