This place specializes in Zins and they make it very well here. It's actually on the jammier fruit forward side rather than the peppery notes of some zins you may have but it was very good. Enjoyed their white wines as well. There was only two that they make I believe and even the rose was pretty good.
Charles R Vineyard is one of Livermore Valley's big wine secrets - well maybe that's not true with the number of reviews I have found. Charles R is a great little find, here's why:
Great wines at decent prices: The Sauvignon Blanc that they just made is light, crisp and delicious and their cabs which are good too. Service with a smile: It doesn't matter how many people are packed into this little tasting room, they always have the nicest people helping visitors and who simply love to chat about wine. The Charles R Experience: From the sitting on their patio nibbling on food you brought while savoring a glass of their wine to tasting in their tasting room, the overall experience is so "laid-back Livermore".
Girard's goal is to highlight the flavors of Napa Valley and its rich, ripe grapes. A small portion of the winery's portfolio also comes from grapes grown in Sonoma's upscale Russian River Valley, where cool weather offers ideal conditions for Chardonnay.
Named for the meandering creek that runs through the 95-acre ranch, Lazy Creek Vineyards is located a few miles west of Philo in Anderson Valley. A pleasant detour off Highway 128, LCV's narrow, dirt road overgrown with rambling bushes and ferns, towering redwoods and oak trees, opens onto a countryside setting complete with rustic barn, cottages with its menagerie of animals, gardens, fruit trees and of course, vineyards. In keeping with LCV’s quaint surroundings, a new tasting room will preserve its charm and simplicity with stunning views of Lazy Creek's vineyards.
Construction will be on-going throughout the summer of 2012. Be sure to check back with us for updates.
Located in Suisun Valley, California, Bask Cellars is a family owned and operated winery producing outstanding, quality, value driven, deliciously yummy, fermented grape juice. Bask Cellars began in 2005 with a vision and a passion for wine.
Marjorie was an excellent host, and she made us feel so welcome like we were visiting a friend's house.The house and the vineyard were beauiful (just like visiting Southern France). Not to mention all of their wines are great. The private tasting with the cheese pairings were exceptional. Truly a hidden gem, you won't be disappointed! A word of warning is that you'll probably end up joining their wine club or carting back a whole bunch of wine :)
Europa Village winery is very charming and beautifully landscaped with indoor tasting bar, outdoor seating. Touring the winery is as much fun as tasting their exceptional wines. Enter the wrought iron gates into a center courtyard with an Olive tree, surrounded by outdoor seating and statues. Our tour-guide greeted us and gave us a brief overview of the winery. We were encouraged to taste the grapes right off the vine as we went and stopped every so often for a brief informational talk and to fill our glass with a different sample of wine. After the winery tour, we sat in the shaded outdoor seating area for a class about the '5 Essences' of wine tasting and enjoyed more wine tastings and covered basic stuff about wine, bread sticks and a *small* cheese, chocolate, crackers and grape plate that was offered part of the package we purchased. They also have an inn on the property where you can stay if you want. This Temecula winery could make for a nice base if you plan to visit Temecula Wine Country over a weekend.
In 1976, Robert Stemmler opened his own winery in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County. With total control over the direction of his brand, Robert concentrated on his true passion, Pinot Noir. It was in 1982, after securing quality fruit from a hillside vineyard in Russian River, Robert Stemmler Pinot Noir was put on the map. In 1984, the Robert Stemmler Pinot Noir was awarded the "Best in America." Today, Robert Stemmler is recognized as one of California's top Pinot Noir producers and he continues to devote his energy to his passion of making California's best Pinot Noir.
* Robert Stemmler has and off-site Tasting Room in San Francisco * The Winery Collective in San Francisco
Open daily 11am to 9pm.
485 Jefferson Street San Francisco, California 94109
Silver Stag Winery sits on a prime piece of Tulocay acreage in the heart of Napa Valley, just east of the town of Napa and about three miles from the Bay. Planted in plums back at the end of the nineteenth century, the soil is rich enough—and distinct enough—to have earned it consideration as an official viticultural appellation. The vineyard is defined by a gentle swale that sits at the foot of Mount George. Its microclimate, comparable to "cool Bordeaux", is a bit warmer than Carneros, but it still feels the marine intrusions flowing up the path of the Napa River. The effect is to extend the time on the vine, yielding smaller berries with less tannin and far more concentration than the Napa average. Silver Stag has planted the majority of its land in Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. Visits by appointment.
This isn't your usual winery experience--Cline is surrounded by an impressive property, but this location is also rich with historical relevance. The mission on downtown Sonoma used to actually be located where Cline stands today. The vineyard was cute and cosy. IHas picnic tables in the front lawn laid out so you can have your own snacks to accompany your bottle of wine after your tasting.
