Viognier

Viognier

Charlie & Echo

A hidden gem!! Charlie & Echo is small and it's easy to miss if you're not really looking for it. The woman helping us was very friendly and attentive. She was very knowledgeable about the wines. She offered some great suggestions. I loved everything I tried but I really loved their Grenache and Syrah.  I was very impressed with their house wines as well. I don't usually drink white wine but their house white is one to try. Glad Charlie & Echo  found us and reached out to us a few years ago. This is a great little place and I can't wait to go back! Oh! They make Spritzers too.*

Hours:

Mon-Weds   Closed
Thur    4:00PM to 8:00PM
Fri        4:00pm to 8:00pm
Sat       1:00pm to 9:00pm
Sun      1:00pm to 6:00pm

Caliza Winery

Painting by Agata Zaborowski

Caliza is a small, family-owned and operated vineyard and winery located in the coveted Willow Creek district of Paso Robles, California. Carl Bowker, owner, and winemaker, has followed a long yet steady path towards his goal of producing special wines. Born and raised in Hawaii, Carl began his farming experience while tagging along with his father, an irrigation specialist to the local farms. This early introduction left a lasting impression and a true appreciation for soils and farming life. Little did he realize that this childhood curiosity would lead him to the special soils of Paso Robles, California.

This winery's focus is on crafting wines from varietals common to the Rhône Valley of France - Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Viognier, among others. But like many winemakers in Paso Robles, we like to throw a surprise or two in the mix. Our wines reflect what we feel are an excellent example of what the region has to offer – bold, yet elegant wines that drink well today and well into the future.

Terre Rouge & Easton Wines

Nice tasting room with a wide selection of wines is what you will find at Terre Rouge & Easton Wines. There was a wine festival that weekend and all the tasting rooms were bustling. Whats nice about Terre Rouge is that they actually had the space to accommodate everyone. So many wines, so little time. 

Hours:

Tues-Weds   Closed
Thur     11:00am to 4:00pm
Fri       11:00am to 4:00pm
Sat      11:00am to 4:00pm
Sun     11:00am to 4:00pm
Mon    11:00am to 4:00pm

Sobon Estate

All of Amador County is pretty laid back for their tastings. Sobon is one of the more welcoming wineries. You can tell they (and those at the sister winery, Shenandoah) really love wine, the location, and meeting new people. They wines are tasty too! They are probably the most popular winery in Plymouth. They are like Livermore's Wente winery of Amador: popular, but not the best in the biz. No, wait. I disagree with my earlier Self. The service is great here, and though I'm not a fan of ALL of their wines, their Tannat was good. We will make another trip after the holidays and ask to taste all their reserve wines.

Darioush Winery

Elegant lovely and the reds wow I just had a moment. Not casual but elegant. Unique tasting room built by a very wealthy Persian businessman. Blocks of travertine imported from Iran, rare blue granite and fine craftsmanship are on full display.
The staff is knowledgable and friendly and the cabernets, given some time to age and soften the abundant tannins, are terrific.

Marin's Vineyard

Because we are a very small family vineyard, we farm for flavor. The flavor is also imparted from the subtle virtues of our terrior that is identifiable from our rocks and limestone. We also are now expanding to include exciting wine from local grapes which we do not grow in our own vineyard.

Capay Valley Vineyards

Capay Valley Vineyards was established in 1998 by Tom Frederick and Pam Welch, long time residents of Capay Valley, CA. This beautiful valley is located in the northwest corner of Yolo County bordering Napa and Lake counties. It is approximately 1½ hours from San Francisco and an hour from Sacramento.

Capay Valley Vineyards produces wines from their own grapes. Varietals were chosen to complement the climate and soils. All vineyard tasks - pruning, shoot thinning, and harvesting are done by hand and tailored to each variety. Harvesting is done at night to ensure that the fruit is cool to start the winemaking process.

Lavender Ridge Vineyard

Rich and Siri Gilpin are the owners and operators of Lavender Ridge Vineyard. Rich has a BS degree in Enology from the University of Davis, CA. He has 25 years of experience in the wine industry and comes from a background of making wine for reputable wineries in Healdsburg, Napa, and the Sierra Foothill regions of California. Rich and Siri both have a passion for organic farming and the use of herbs in the culinary arts, including the use of lavender in special dishes they have created. You'll have to visit them at their tasting room to find out more details.

Rios Lovell Winery

Rios-Lovell has grown into much more than an award-winning winery— it has become a Livermore Valley destination. Our picturesque grounds feature an event center, concert center, tasting room, picnic grounds, gazebo and gift area surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and an outdoor Tuscan style village. Rios-Lovell Winery’s unique charm makes it the ideal place for everything from tantalizing your palette to hosting your special event.

Miner Family Vineyards

Location:
A delightful tasting facility perched on the hillside that feels spacious and has a great view.

Service:
Knowledgeable and friendly staff, although this is hit and miss. The first gentleman who poured for us was very helpful, but then a brusque lady came along and stole our spit bucket that we were using and gave it to the couple she was attending.

Wines:
We had a $25 flight of 5 wines that came with the flexibility to pick any combination of the wines they were pouring. Miner does not produce estate wines and their grapes are sourced from third party vineyards.

It was fun to compare the difference between the two styles of Chardonnay, one of which (2008 Chardonnay, "Wild Yeast") received more oak aging & malolactic fermentation % than the other (2010 Chardonnay, "Napa Valley").

Pages

Subscribe to Viognier