Just ten minutes up from Highway 29 and you have the view - of Napa Valley. Then, if you book a tasting tour, instead of standing at a bar, or a cold cellar, you will be seated in a room streaming with sunshine. From there a generous sampling of their current releases will be poured, alongside a nice place of cheese, nuts and chocolate. Time to consider the tasting...and what you will buy to have at home. I know that one of my Cabernet favorites.
Veris Cellars was originally founded in 1990 as JanKris Winery and helped establish Paso Robles as one of California’s most dynamic wine regions. In early 2008, JanKris Winery was acquired by local entrepreneur and wine enthusiast Matthew Talbert, who immediately launched a new era under the new name of Veris Cellars. -
This is a cute little tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara if you don't want to make the trek up to Los Olivos, or just want to stop by for another tasting. Tastings are $10. Friendly, attentive staff. Great wines and a shop filled with olive oils, they had olive oil tasting there, cheese boards, wine-infused chocolates and tons of things that would be great to accompany a wine party.
Boyle MacDonald Wines began when husband and wife team, Craig MacDonald and Kate Boyle MacDonald, planted their family estate Napa Valley Vineyard to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The portfolio of offerings grew as Kate and Craig pursued personally farming and sourcing from additional Sierra Foothills vineyards. The portfolio includes a diverse selection of Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, as well as Sierra Foothill Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Sangiovese and Montepulciano. In addition to varietal bottlings and lovely Red Blends, Boyle MacDonald has become well known for producing Provence style Dry Rosés and also for producing interesting and rare white wines from red varietals.
The Winemaker
Winemaker Kate Boyle MacDonald has over twenty years of experience in the cellar. Kayte started as a apprentice/cellar hand in 1999. Serving as winemaker for a few wineries, today Kate is a now seasoned Winemaker. Kate’s talents quickly been acknowledged by her peers and allowed to thrive in Calaveras County. While she personally planted and tends the family estate vineyard in Napa Valley, her winemaking is rooted in California's Foothills of the Sierras. Having grown up in Germany, France, and all over the US, Kate uses the incredible California new world fruit, to create wines in the traditional old world style, exhibiting elegance, finesse and balance.
A family owned and operated, boutique winery located in the Sierra foothills of Northern California in Butte County. Owner and winemaker Gary Quilici has been making wine for 20 years. Quilici Vineyards is the realization of his dream - handcrafted, estate wines grown, produced and cellared at his family facility.
Trentadue Winery is a great experience from start to finish. This house of ports was impressive from the moment we pulled in the parking lot, which is much larger than most other wineries. As you walk towards the tasting room one can't help but be drawn to the beautiful grounds. There is a large picnic area which can be rented for parties or weddings and would serve as a wonderful backdrop for either. Trentadue was one of the better wineries we went to in Geyserville. Their grounds are really nice for a picnic and the wine was pretty good too.
These tasty little wines were introduced nationally in 2008 from California’s Central Coast and represented a finely crafted, fruit-forward, indulgent and eminently approachable style of wine. The inaugural release included Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, Adam has used his experience and relationships around the world to add seven international wines to the lineup. http://underdogwinemerchants.com/
This is a scenic winery with nice views and good wine. You can almost miss the road up the hill to the winery - as the winery is set on the hill.
Nice wine sampling - Go for a wine tasting; be sure to soak in the view.
Palmina is more than a winery. It is a philosophy, a passion and a strongly held belief that wine is an extension of the plate, a component of a meal and a means to bring people together. Formed by winemaker Steve Clifton in 1995, Palmina is named in honor of Steve’s great friend Paula. Like a grandmother to him, she taught Steve to love cooking, wine and the Italian lifestyle and was a spark in his life. After Paula succumbed to breast cancer, Steve found that her given name on her Italian birth certificate was Palmina, and the winery was thus fittingly named.
Don Dascomb and his sons went to work planting a vineyard. Over the years the vineyard produced quality fruit which was purchased by a few of the well-known local wineries. Due to market trends, by 1999 most Cabernet vineyards in Santa Barbara County were replaced by other varietals. Don and his son Dave were not so easily swayed and believed the climate and soil were right for Cabernet Sauvignon. Dave felt the key to producing a premium Cabernet from the region was to allow the fruit to fully mature, reach peak ripeness. As a result, the Estate vineyard, East Valley Vineyard, is one of the oldest Cabernet Vineyards in Santa Barbara County!
