The tasting room is beautiful, especially the natural stone bar in the room furthest from the entrance. The gardens are also worth the visit, with human-high flowers and an eclectic collection of sculptures. Oh yeah, and one of the guys in the tasting room yodels - definitely a forgotten art.
Eagle Eye is a family-owned estate winery situated in the small valley of Gordon Valley, renowned as "The Hidden Gem" of Napa Valley. Owners Bill and Roxanne Wolf, driven by their passion for food and wine, have revitalized this historic property, which dates back to the early 1900s.
The estate benefits from five distinct soil types and a Mediterranean climate, which together define the unique terroir of Eagle Eye's wines. The winery's offerings include Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot Rosé, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Proprietary Red Blend, all crafted to complement a wide array of foods and palates. Surrounding the 13-acre vineyard, known as AlphaWOLF Ranch, are 300 Tuscan varietal olive trees. These trees produce the acclaimed AlphaWOLF Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which has garnered multiple Gold Medal Awards.
We were given the opportunity to check this place out through the wine tour we scheduled. Their operation is also one of the most intimate experiences you will have in terms of a winery visit. You literally taste their wine on some super comfy patio furniture in the middle of a field/clearing right next to their vineyard! The owner, Donny, is very knowledgable and guides you through his wines.
The wines are delicious, the employees are knowledgable and friendly.The view is magnificent perfect for enjoying a few glasses of wine during a sunset. The cellar carved into the mountain reminds me of something out of Lord of the Rings.
We strolled in to find a huge courtyard area with lounge chairs surrounding a fire pit and a bar for tasting. We were welcomed by the owners (a husband and wife) and their daughter, who was doing the pouring. We tried a few of their wines, all of which were impressive but I instantly fell in love with the cab franc. The owner then took us on a tour of the facilities, explained their wine-making process, and gave us a taste of some young wines. We also had a chance to chat with the wine maker and and thank him for making such delicious wines.
Garré Winery is located in Livermore California. Historians can trace the viticulture activity in the Livermore Valley back to 1832. We can trace our family wine making back to the early 19th century as well to a small village outside of Genoa Italy.
This winery is a must see/taste. The winemaker/winegrowers - Frank and Teena are truly special. Their passion translates into every bottle of wine. They have a very nice selection of both white and red wines that will appeal to just about every taste.Take a beautiful drive up to Narrow Gate and check them out!
Fred and Ginger, winemaker and owners of Favero Vineyards and Winery, take pride in the production of their fine quality wines. From clearing the rugged and rocky hillside, to hand planting vines, to the precision thinning of fruit and the pulling of leaves for improved circulation, Fred Favero crafts the entire production of Favero Vineyards wines. The result of this exacting vineyard management and careful handling of fruit is wine of extraordinary complexity, power, and finesse.mmGinger brings her talent for design and marketing to the Favero family winery and vineyards.
Mike and Lori Budd have loved wine for a long time now, and have made wine for several vintages. The couple began with one of those “make wine with us” type places. Mike and Lori didn’t know where the grapes were from, other than Lodi, California. They graduated to a more serious operation with both their fruit and winery in Paso Robles, CA. The couple has had rave reviews from their friends and colleagues that had tried their wines. The winemaking couple have dreamed of retiring to California and have purchased property in Arroyo Grande to fulfill this dream. Now onto the “what are we going to do when we get there” aspect of their lives. So enter Dracaena Wines. Yes, it is a little strange name but there is a story behind it. You can check it out on their winery's website. Dracaena Wines produces some very fine Cabernet Franc wines. At this time you can order wines or make an appointment to tour and taste their wines right in the vineyard.
The Gainey Vineyard is part of a large, sustainable farming operation owned and run by the Gainey family for the past 50 years. The Home Ranch, the largest of the three Gainey ranches in the Santa Ynez Valley, is 1800 acres. It is comprised of 100 acres of vineyards, an Arabian horse operation, 1000 acres of rangeland upon which beef cattle feed on native grasses, and 600 acres farmed primarily to organically grown fruits and vegetables. The other two Gainey ranches are located in the Santa Rita Hills appellation. Evan's Ranch and Rancho Esperanza are farmed exclusively to wine grapes. These very cool sites are perfect locations for growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and small amounts of Syrah, while the Home Ranch on the warmer, eastern end of the Santa Ynez Valley is ideal for growing Bordeaux varieties of Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
