Vie comes from the Old French word meaning "to invite" or "to give occasion for". Or, in French today, it is simply translated "Life". Vie Winery is fantastic, it has the look and feel of an urban winery, but the displacement of being on Treasure Island so you are able to feel like it is a bit of an escape. WIth beautiful views of San Francisco and the rest of the bay area, it is an awesome place to spend a beautiful day.
In 2003, Covenant founders Jeff Morgan and Leslie Rudd were inspired to bring a new California perspective to a 3500-year-old winemaking tradition. What started as a 500-case Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon project has now grown more than ten-fold. Today, Covenant’s 9,000-square-foot urban winery is situated in Berkeley, California, also home to other urban wineries.
In 2003, winemaker Matt Smith embarked on his journey with Blacksmith Cellars, debuting his 2001 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This elegant wine quickly captured the attention of wine enthusiasts, showcasing the artistry, craftsmanship, and tradition of exceptional independent winemaking.
By 2005, Smith expanded his repertoire with the release of his first white wine, the 2004 Monterey Chenin Blanc, which earned a prestigious 4 Star Gold Medal at the Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition.
While Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc remain the flagship offerings of Blacksmith Cellars, Smith’s passion for exploration is evident in his diverse portfolio. Over the years, he has introduced classic varietals like Syrah and Chardonnay, alongside lesser-known treasures such as Torrontés and Verdelho. Wine lovers can also savor his exceptional proprietary blends, “Adamantine” and “Hephaestus,” making a visit to Blacksmith Cellars a must for those seeking unique and high-quality wines in California's vibrant wine country.
In 2003, winemaker Matt Smith launched Blacksmith Cellars with the release of his 2001 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, an elegant wine that celebrated the artistry, craftsmanship, and tradition of great independent winemaking. Rock Wall Wine Company represents a new chapter in the East Bay urban winemaking scene. Founded and operated by a group of industry veterans, including Kent Rosenblum and his daughter, winemaker Shauna Rosenblum. Rock Wall wines are founded on the philosophy of the right grape in the right place and are the result of many long-term relationships with acclaimed vineyards. Grapes are sourced from all over California.
Image-painting women with wine by wine artist Agata Zamborowski
Victor Erostavi is definitely an expert on what he's doing and you should try what he's done with an idea on fusion of old world Georgian wine making tradition in modern California. The results are stunning - loved a fruity aroma and a wonderfully dry white "Symphony", amazing Syrah and good Zinfandel. OPEN FOR WINE TASTING Thursday and Friday 5 - 9pm Saturday and Sunday 1 - 5pm
The Meadery was founded in 1997 in Arcata, California. In 2011, the meadery relocated to a farm in Point Reyes Station just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco to develop its botanical and apicultural programs.
n 1996, the husband and wife winemaking team of Michael and Anne Dashe founded Dashe Cellars. Focused on crafting exceptional single-vineyard wines, Dashe Cellars blends the two winemaker’s combined 40-plus years of experience at such noted wineries as Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château La Dominique, Ridge Vineyards, Cloudy Bay, Far Niente, Chappellet, and Schramsberg Wine Cellars. Drawing on this wealth of experience, the Dashes create vineyard-focused wines that capture the complexity and character of top vineyards throughout Sonoma County and beyond. Winery & Tasting Room: 55 4th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Tom and Mary Stubbs fell in love with West Marin long before they planted their first vines. The fog-shrouded vales just inland from Tomales Bay on their 600 acres are quite similar in climate to that of some major grape-growing areas nearby: Napa's Carneros region, the Sonoma Coast, and the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County.
The name "Carica" and the fig leaf featured on the label are inspired by the fig trees (Ficus carica) that still thrive on the hillsides of premier northern California vineyards. Historically, both the grapevine and fig tree have symbolized a life of peace and prosperity.
About the Winemaker
Carica Wines was founded in 2005 by Charlie Dollbaum, who serves as both the original winemaker and owner. As a hands-on winemaker, Dollbaum meticulously oversees the grapes throughout the summer, obsessively monitoring ripeness and sugar content as harvest approaches. He is present before dawn during hand-harvesting and personally handles every step of the winemaking process, from crushing and fermentation to barrel selection and aging program design.
With a PhD in microbiology and over a decade of private winemaking experience, Dollbaum established Carica Wines with a commitment to producing wines of the highest quality. His approach focuses on ensuring that each wine authentically represents its varietal characteristics and achieves a perfect balance of flavor and acidity.
Making Wine in an Urban Environment
In 2009, Carica Wines relocated from Sonoma County to San Francisco’s East Bay. Now situated in a newly restored WWII structure in Richmond's historic Shipyards District, the winery and its scenic tasting room benefit from an ideal location. This urban setting provides close proximity to California’s premier wine grape-growing regions, a temperate climate well-suited for winemaking, and a vibrant community of food and wine enthusiasts.
Vineyards
Over the past 15 years, Carica Wines has curated premium northern California vineyards to create small-lot wines of exceptional character. By not being limited to a single estate, Carica Wines has the freedom to source outstanding fruit from various locations, fulfilling the winemaker’s vision of working with the best available resources.
Cuvée Wine Cellars - A great little urban winery that began with a passionate home winemaker intent on producing quality wines. After a run of successes in amateur- winemaking contests Paul Rogerville decided to tackle the daunting task of becoming a bonded winery. Yes, Paul took a great hobby and turned it into a job. The good news is you can tell is that Paul loves what he is doing and when you visit you can tell. The staff is so friendly and we have enjoyed a number of visits with Paul. Often there are delicious appetizers or food and plenty of wine and we haven't had a bad bottle yet. This place is definitely worth a visit. Cuvée Wine Cellars is located on the Central Peninsula, which does not permit them to grow their own grapes. However, this has not proved too much of an obstacle by any means as Paul has partnered with some of the most outstanding vineyards in Northern California. Paul can be seen in a short video presentation made during our visit to the 3rd Annual Mid-Peninsula Summer Wine Walk. ~
Hours:
Fri - 6:00PM-9:00PM
Sat - 1:00PM-5:00PM
What I can say, I love visiting this winery. First of all, you get the fantastic views of San Francisco and the East Bay from Treasure Island. Some really great wines The building is a cool space that the Winery uses for tastings, storage, and production of a few other smaller winemakers too. The folks at Treasure Island Wines are extremely knowledgeable. We had an opportunity to sit down with Jim Mirowski and do a little video interview with him. You can take a peek at what your visit to Treasure Island Wines will be like by clicking HERE. Prices are right for most budgets and this is a fun and unique space to visit with friends! Open on the weekends and for special events.~
Hours:
Mon-Fri Closed
Sat 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Sun 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm
