Alexander & Wayne is very nice winery in the Santa Ynez Valley. They have a wonderful portfolio of Central Coast wines, while their sister winery, Arthur Earl, focuses on Old World varietals. Nancy, who oversees both tasting rooms and writes the Wine Club newsletters, is always a conversational delight.
Schug was not on our original list to visit while in Sonoma, but we happened across it and were glad we did! Its down a dirt road and still feels privately owned which is my preference. We were tasting in the patio area / courtyard which was much more open and nicer than the indoor tasting room. Tasting was 10 dollars for 6 wines and the team was knowledgeable and friendly. Schug is known for their Pinots, but I thought their Carneros Cab Sauv was also really great.
Selby Winery Tasting Room is another great tasting room in downtown Healdsburg. The tasting room itself is small and well organized with enough space at the bar for 2-3 small groups. What struck me was the friendliness of the staff and of Susie Selby (the winemaker) herself, who was in the tasting room taking care of some business. The conversation was very comfortable and free flowing and Susie was wonderful. After such a positive initial experience, it was on to the wines, and they did no disappoint.
Our guide, Aida, was very welcoming, non-pretentious, and warm. She poured generously for our tasting and provided us with detailed history of the vineyard, and the couple that started it all. Still owned by the original family, this winery is beautiful, rustic, and definitely a place to stop by for good wine and some wonderful scenery.
Make an appointment even if it's the same day.
Morovino celebrates the Italian winemaking style by crafting smooth, easy-to-drink vintages that match perfectly with your favorite foods. From a classic Pinot Grigio to an unusual rich, velvety Dolcetto.
Best place for a very relaxing, tranquil, and private atmosphere. We arrived during low season so that may be a key reason why it was so relaxing and quiet. MUST TRY: Napa Cellars Pinot Noir. Affordable: REALLY reasonably priced for the budget wino. The Menage a Trois bottles range from $7.50 to $12.00 a bottle if you sign up for wine club membership. They carry the newer vintages/types of wines that you wont find at the grocery stores.
Did a tasting and they were all very good for the prices. The Menage a Trois Cabernet is $10.50 and a very good table wine for everyday meals. I am not a fan of Mascato's generally but theirs was not overly sweet and it was more of a undertone verses dominating.
The Herzog family has been making wine for a long time. They trace their winemaking origins back to Philip Herzog, who made wine in Slovakia for the Austro-Hungarian court more than a century ago. Philip’s wines were so appreciated by Emperor Franz-Josef, that the emperor made Philip a baron. The Baron Herzog wines—a line of premium yet moderately priced California varietals—are named to commemorate the honor.
Tarrica Wine Cellars is a small, family owned winery started in 2000 in the Paso Robles Wine Country. The focus of Tarrica winery is to produce value priced wines that are a clear expression of viticultural origin and varietal flavor.
There is simply no better place to sit back and relax than on the Solis Winery back porch, sipping a glass of wine and enjoying the scenic views of vineyards nestled against the Gabilan mountain range.
All Solis Winery wines are grown and produced at the Vanni Estate Vineyard in Gilroy in the heart of the Santa Clara Valley, California’s oldest continuous wine-growing region. From planting the vines and harvesting the grapes to producing and bottling the wines, everything is done on-site. Nothing ever leaves the property—until bottles go home with happy customers!
The original winery was founded in 1917 by Italian immigrant Alfonso Bertero on rich, fertile land that was once part of the Rancho de Solis Mexican land grant. David and Valerie Vanni purchased the winery in 1989 and renamed it Solis Winery. The Vanni’s had a passion for creating extraordinary wines in a friendly, down-to-earth environment. The passion was passed on to their son Michael, his wife Julie as well as their daughter Frankie who are now working together to continue the family tradition of excellence.
n 1998 Robert Foley Vineyards bottled its flagship Claret, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend, and has since expanded and diversified its production to offer more of the big reds Bob is famous for: Petite Sirah, Merlot, Charbono, the limited-release Howell Mountain Cabernet, and Bob's latest creation, The Griffin a blend of the best in the red cellar).
Bob's winery facility on the summit of Napa County's Howell Mountain near Angwin, houses more than 1,000 barrels in an extensive cave system that was completed in 2008 for the production of wines for the Robert Foley Vineyards label as well as Switchback Ridge, Dos Lagos Vineyards, and Engel Family wines.
The winery is a small production facility without visitor facilities, and is not open to the public.
