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.
Horse & Plow Winery merges the best of old and new world techniques to produce authentic, hand-crafted wines from Northern California. Horse and Plow Winery utilizes organic farming, small lot fermentations and traditional techniques to make balanced, food friendly and site specific wines. The North Coast, including Sonoma, Napa & Mendocino Counties, is where they live and work.
A 12,000 Sq ft world class facility, is perched on a hillside and has spectacular veiws of the nerby vineyards of the Sierra Foothills. Using the natural terrain, the architectural design of the winery was constructed on 2 plateaus, thus creating, "gravity feed" as part of the winemaking process. This facility, which features 2 art galleries, is built to enable the winey to produce a maximum of 16,000 cases annually.
A nice find as we were wine tasting in Livermore last weekend. As you drive into the parking lot, you immediately forget about everything since the grounds are so gorgeous. There's even an outside patio where you can enjoy your wine and a packed lunch you may have brought with you. The tasting room is HUGE! The staff was super friendly and helpful, especially since we'd never been to McGrail before though I have enjoyed their Cabernet Sauvginon before this visit.
McGrail Vineyards proudly sits high on the rolling hills of the Livermore Valley and offers wine tasting daily! Visit McGrail Vineyards for several wine tasting experiences or to enjoy a glass of wine while taking in the exceptional views.
Open daily from 11:00AM – 5:00PM, last reservation at 3:30PM. Reservations are available for groups up to 6 people. For parties over 6, please call the winery [925-215-0717].
This is a cute little tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara if you don't want to make the trek up to Los Olivos, or just want to stop by for another tasting. Tastings are $10. Friendly, attentive staff. Great wines and a shop filled with olive oils, they had olive oil tasting there, cheese boards, wine-infused chocolates and tons of things that would be great to accompany a wine party.
In 1962, at the age of thirty-two, Pierre Lafond founded the first post-prohibition commercial winery in Santa Barbara County. Two years later, he located a winery facility on Anacapa Street, just two blocks from the Pacific Ocean. Santa Barbara Winery has become an extremely visible and successful wine concern, winning many medals for an array of wines. Lafond is now in the midst of a significant expansion in order to meet the desires of the consuming public.
Lafond was originally a retailer, and his wine and cheese shop was a meeting place for many of Santa Barbara's wine aficionados. He decided to go into wine production for two reasons: he enjoyed fine wines, primarily French, and it would be a good business venture.
The history of Boyd Family Vineyards began in 1998 with the purchase of a property on Big Ranch Road in Napa, driven by a vision to create exceptional wines and memorable experiences. Since then, over 20,000 vines of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Cabernet Sauvignon have been planted, tended, nurtured, harvested, crushed, and transformed into fine wine.
Situated in the Oak Knoll District of the Napa Valley, the vineyard benefits from the area's slightly cooler climate and heavy clay soils, which are ideal for producing ultra-premium Merlot and Syrah. These conditions contribute to the creation of some of Napa Valley’s most sought-after wines.
Today, while Boyd Family Vineyards continues to sell over 50% of its grapes to other premium wineries, it also produces limited quantities of ultra-premium wine. These wines are crafted with meticulous attention to the best materials and practices, aiming to reflect a full-bodied style that showcases the finest attributes of the land.
Located in Green Valley of Russian River Valley, a sub-appellation of Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, River Road Family Vineyards and Winery is a family owned and operated winery committed to producing exceptional wines.
At this family-operated Central Valley gem you will find some wonderful wines. We first enjoyed wines from Moravia Wines at a wine tasting conducted by Rob Bausinan who handles the outside sales for the winery. It was great to visit him at this tasting at Total Wines in Fresno, CA. Rob extended an invited to visit him at the winery to learn more about what they were doing at Moravia Wines. When I was last there Rob was on vacation but Rich Hammond, CO-Proprietor and winemaker at the winery was available and happy to share. Often people forget just how long wines have been produced in the Central Valley, since the mid-1850"s. It was wonderful experience tasting and talking with the winemaker himself. While all the wines that were poured for me were delightful the two Symphony wines came into focus. I have always enjoyed Symphony since having tasted it in Lodi some years ago. Rich has done a wonderful job with his offering of his 2018 Symphony and 2018 Dry Symphony. The 2018 Dry is produced from a grape that is a clone of Grenache Gris and Muscat Alexander and is a dry wine with a floral and peach or apricot on the nose - delightfully crisp and bright. The other Symphony is semi-sweet with 4% residual sugar.*
Hours:
Mon-Fri Closed
Sat 12:00 to 5:00pm
Sun 12:00 to 5:00pm
With over thirty years of experience, Dan Lee has made Morgan Winery a name to know for anyone who loves artisan, vineyard-centric wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Monterey.
Originally hailing from a small town in California’s Central Valley, Dan was on a path to study veterinary medicine at UC Davis. However, as fate would have it, he discovered a passion for enology late in his college career—combining his love for science and agriculture in a delicious way! He quickly enrolled in the graduate enology program and landed a winemaking position at Jekel Winery in Monterey County.
After honing his craft at Jekel, Dan moved to Durney Vineyard, where he continued to create exceptional Monterey wines. While making wine full-time, he dreamed of launching his own label. At a Monterey County Winegrowers Association meeting, he shared his vision with a banker who would not only become his business advisor but also his wife, Donna Lee.
In 1982, Dan and Donna opened the doors of Morgan Winery, and their very first Monterey Chardonnay snagged a Gold Medal at the LA County Fair and a Platinum Medal from Wine & Spirits Magazine. Since those early days, Morgan Winery has blossomed into one of the Central Coast’s most celebrated labels, earning “Winery of the Year” honors from both Wine & Spirits in 1996 and the San Francisco Chronicle in 2003.
As Dan’s expertise grew, so did his focus on the Santa Lucia Highlands and single vineyard releases. In 1996, he and Donna made a significant investment by purchasing the Double L Vineyard, which has since become one of California's most renowned vineyards. Dan’s leadership was further recognized when he was named the first Board President of the Santa Lucia Highlands Winegrowers Association in 2005.
Today, Morgan Winery is synonymous with high-quality, artisan wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Monterey appellations. Located conveniently off Rio Road at Highway One in the Crossroads Shopping Center of Carmel, Taste Morgan invites wine lovers to immerse themselves in the family’s history and craftsmanship through a relaxed tasting experience.
Guests can enjoy tastings indoors or on the pet-friendly, heated patio, where they can savor a flight of four locally grown and produced wines from a curated tasting menu. Each flight is just $25, and the fee is waived with a $50 purchase. Club members enjoy complimentary tastings!
Whether visiting as a walk-in or reserving a spot in advance, everyone is welcome to indulge in the latest vintages— Join Morgan Winery for a delightful journey through the flavors of the Santa Lucia Highlands!
Chardonnay grape clusters - by photographer Randy Caparoso
Personal attention in an absolutely breathtaking setting; what more could you want? Casey was very friendly & spent time talking with us about the wine & the vineyard. Oh, and their wine is fantastic, too! We enjoyed the outdoor patio area. Their Sauvignon Blancs were crisp & delicious. Their Cabs were dry & fruity. And, they had a Cab Rose (first I'd ever tasted) that was quite good.
