Nice big reds here. Everything we tasted had merit. Another plus is the tasting room is shared with Muscardini so you can taste two wineries at once. George was very accommodating and knowledgeable. If you are a red fan, you'll want to stop in.
Dropped in here without an appointment, but our hostess kindly welcomed our group of four. The winery emphasizes on the Rhone varietals, including a serious syrah and grenache. They also make a pretty tasty zinfandel as well.
Ursa Vineyards is a collaborative effort between the husband and wife team - Greg Stokes and Deborah Elissagaray. Greg has 25 years experience with vineyards and wine making, Deborah 18 years in wine making. Both were part of the wine making team at David Bruce for years. This small foothill winery produces no more than 2500 cases annually, allowing exceptional attention to be paid in both the vineyard and the cellar. All fruit is fermented in small fermenters and worked by hand. A minimal amount of handling ensures the preservation of the fruit character of the varietal being made. Ursa Vineyards focus is petite sirah from various vineyards in California, but they also produce merlot, syrah and a unique varietal from the Pyrenees, tannat. Open Saturday & Sunday, 11am - 5pm
V-Twin Vineyards is a producer of red & white wines from Northern California - with an emphasis on Zinfandels from the Dry Creek & Alexander Valleys. V-Twin Vineyards wines are handcrafted in small lots and are targeted to upscale Harley-Davidson and custom motorcycle enthusiasts.
This place can get very busy on weekend but sometimes they do special things like a BBQ or music. They also have a nice selection of cheeses and meats to enjoy on the picnic tables outside. The employees are really nice and are very willing to talk to you more about the wines. There is also a deli inside the main building which serves some very good cold and hot sandwiches! They also have some side dishes that you can try such as Ravioli or mozzarella balls as cherry tomatoes. Next to the deli inside there is a cheese bar where you can buy froma. Huge selection of cheeses!
This winery is located along Highway 12 near the gateway to Napa. The current tasting includes 6 wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. The tasting room is located upstairs and allows viewing into the production area. Great experience here!
They are now re-branded as Reata.
The staff can be kind of hit or miss. Usually they are a little stand-offish or at least less eager to talk, but they don't try to over sell you on buying their wine they let you enjoy the experience. The tasting room isn't spectacular (actually I liked the smaller tasting room they had before) but they do have a large selection of gifts other than wine.
That being said, this place makes some of the most delicious dessert wines I have ever had the blessing of putting on my tongue. The late harvest cabs and the Semillion are to die for if you are into sweet wines and you're willing to pay $125+ for a bottle. The love and care that goes into their late harvest wines is exceptional. If its a bad season, the grapes don't get picked and the late harvest wine isn't made that year. If you only prefer fancy wineries, then this place isn't for you, as it's an old tiny shack looking thing. However, if you prefer amazing wine, then this place is so for you.
"As a family we explore new opportunities, nurture those that can make a difference, and pass along knowledge gained from one generation to the next."
Varner Wine Twins Jim and Bob Varner quietly farm a 14-acre vineyard in Portola Valley which was planted in 1980. They helped out during the 1980s at Thomas Fogarty Winery where they learned the business. Since their first wine was released in 1996, Bob has handled the winemaking and Jim directs the sales and marketing. The winery is located on the estate vineyard property. Varner Wine is located at 648 Menlo Ave., Suite 5, Menlo Park. The wines are sold on the website in half and full case lots. Varner has become more well known for their Chardonnays which are superb.