Marietta Cellars is located just outside the little town of Geyserville in one of California’s premier wine growing regions, Sonoma County. Owner and winemaker Chris Bilbro initially founded Marietta Cellars in 1978 in a rented cow barn in the Dry Creek Valley. The winery is named after Chris’ great aunt.
The story of Falcor Winery began with a passion for crafting exceptional, internationally acclaimed wines. Their journey is one of dedication, excellence, and a hint of the extraordinary. Each bottle of Falcor wine reflects this commitment, telling a tale of meticulous craftsmanship and heritage.
Guests are invited to indulge in a symphony of flavors, curated from grapes handpicked from premier vineyards. As they explore the essence of Falcor’s wines, they become part of a family-run legacy that celebrates the unique terroir of Napa Valley.
Falcor Winery upholds a blend of tradition and innovation, defined by their elegant craftsmanship. The winery invites all to raise a glass to this artistry, savoring every drop and celebrating the beauty of handcrafted excellence.
It's almost not fair for me to give this place a review-- as there has recently been a change in ownership. The new owner is renovating and updating a majority of the property. The drive up to Michel-Schlumberger is absolutely gorgeous; at least it is in April because it is not directly off the freeway; instead it is through several windy roads, and then through more curvy windy roads. It feels like you've reached some kind of sanctuary or private retreat in the countryside by the time you've arrived.
Adastra Winery is organic with a great history, and Chris is happy to walk you through it. He'll introduce you to the property -- which he and his wife live off of -- and the business as well. The property is wonderful, and you can tell a lot of love has built the place up. He'll share with you the old barn and his herb garden. You'll become familiar with the origins of the name and finally, with the wines themselves while sitting around his dining room table. The reds are excellent, absolutely top-notch. On our trip, my wife and I only joined two wine clubs, and Adastra Winery is one of them. The tasting and tour can be expensive, $25 per person but that fee is waived if you join the wine club. Honestly, even if you don't join the club, it's worth the fee for the experience.~ Artwork by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – Agata Art Gallery
DeRose Vineyards has the single best Negrette I have ever had. Pat DeRose not only has one of the coolest moustaches on the planet, but he and Al (his son) are wine purists, not necessarily in the "Wine Spectator" since, they simply love great wines. Al DeRose search for new endeavors took him to central Chile where he produces and imports his Chilean wines. De Rose VIneyards is one of the oldest operated wineries in the US - 1854. At De Rose VIneyards they are not concerned about anything other than wine... nada. The DeRose family doesn't care about wine spectator's points, they don't care about who endorsed what, and I find that not simply amuzing, but delightful! Their style is very much like the old world where the people of the community get together. The winemakers, the farmers, the butcher and the candlestick-maker all living together, drinking together, eating together and enjoying the celebration of life. At DeRose Vineyards it is,"Good friends, good food and good wine.*
Hours:
Hollister Tasting Room
9970 Cienega Road
Hollister, CA
Hours:
Thursday - Friday: 11 AM – 5 PM
Saturday - Sunday: 11 AM – 4 PM
San Martin Tasting Room
255 Fitzgerald Avenue
San Martin, CA
Hours:
Friday: 4 PM – 8 PM
Great place to visit if you plan to do some wine tasting in the Napa Valley. Decide what tasting you want, and you can even take your glass out back by he infinity pool and enjoy vineyard views, come back in, and get your next tasting, etc. The staff at Signorello are very personable. A pizza oven is currently being installed out on the back and Signorello will be doing wine and pizza on the patio. stop by Signorello Estate if you haven't been yet...Its definitely worth it!
t’s not often that fine examples of Napa Valley red wine manage to stay “under the radar” for 30 years! But Calafia has managed that rare feat.
Randle Johnson has been working in Napa Valley for 35 years, and is currently a winemaker at Hess Collection. Calafia Cellars is the personal brand of Randle and his wife MaryLee. Made from their own estate grapes blended with small quantities of grapes from other vineyards, Randle uses his extensive experience and knowledge to create a fine example of what Napa Valley, and St. Helena in particular, have to offer.
Taste for yourself this labor of love for a master Napa Valley winemaker.
In 1992 Debbie and Randy Lewis established a small family winery in Napa Valley and were later joined by their son Dennis in 1999. Total production is approximately 9,000 cases annually of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Lewis Celllars has no tasting room at this time but you can purchase via their website.
How many tasting rooms do you know of where the owner / vintner is there pouring? It's an added bonus that lets you know he's not only interested in his passion, but interested in your enjoyment of his wines as well. Winemaker John Smith is not only very happy to pour for you, but is just as willing to tell his wine's story to a seasoned oenophile or neophyte alike.
Barreto Cellars, founded by Michael and Joey Barreto, Barreto Cellars was established with the idea of becoming the leader in California producing high quality wines featuring grape varieties native to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Because of relatives who migrated to America from these regions there is an obvious connection and desire to learn more about and develop wines utilizing these varieties. Many of these are unheard of in California except for a few elite growers and select winemakers. Currently we are creating wines in the New World style while trying to capture the truly unique characteristics each variety possesses. Each lot of wine is carefully hand-crafted from vineyard to bottle to bring the true sense of the vineyard to your glass. In an attempt to represent both Spain and Portugal equally, a red variety noted for each country is being produced.
