First stop on our wine tasting fun! Beautiful winery as soon as you pull up onto the gravel parking lot.... So many trees, flower bushes, and on the walkway, vintage wine making machines, so cool! We walked right up to the counter, tasting for two! $15 each and you get to keep the glass! The staff was really sweet, enjoyed a good conversation, and she gave us a 2 for 1 card for the next winery on our list!
The tasting room is gorgeous. Vaulted ceilings, warm earth tones & wood accents, and a lovely welcoming atmosphere. Everyone working here is friendly and knowledgeable about the wines. The fee for a standard tasting is $15....unless you're with a club member (or are one yourself). My favorite visit here was with some friends of ours when we got to do a reserve tasting downstairs, book an appt ahead of time. Wonderful !! The reserve Chardonnay is amazing. And the Tapestry - ohhhh!
Yes, we all know Sutter Home Wine is a basic table wine, great tasting, easy going, affordable, and all that... Ok here's the deal, my first stop was BV Winery, wine tasting for two, two bottles of wine, out the door $92, yes Nine-two bucks.... (not complaining as I really like BV, just comparing) down the street Sutter home, wine tasting for two unlimited, two bottles of wine, four two packs of wine, 2 wine glasses and a sign up for the wine club $32 out the door and to boot, you get free wine tasting at their premium brand Menage a Trois, so we went down there and we had unlimited tastings there as well and 20% off wine so out the door there $27 for two bottles of wine and wine tasting. Sutter Home has one of the most beautiful properties among all of the wineries with a slew of Victorian style buildings. These buildings have become inns perfect for anyone finding a place to stay in wine country!
At only 900 cases Scott cellars is one of the smallest wineries around. The whites, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay are crisp clean wines that pair beautifully with food. The reds are big and bold with surprisingly smooth, silky tannins. The Pinot Noir is elegance in a glass, while the Syrah is firm in structure and loaded with dark fruit flavors. The most unique wine is Cuvee J. It combines Zinfandel with Syrah and balances high alcohol with tremendous fruitiness and firm acidity.
River Grove Winery produces fine dry estate wine and Sparkling Wine from grapes selected out of a large vineyard. The white wines produced are Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Blanc de Blanc (Chardonnay Sparkling Wine) and soon Sauvignon Blanc will be added. The Red Wines produced are Syrah, Merlot and Sparkling Shiraz. The winery sells direct to consumers or through distributors. All wines released have medals from international tasting competition.
Roy Cecchetti is no stranger to creating successful wine brands that promote quality and consistency at an affordable price. Cecchetti Wine Company marks the second time Roy has launched a California wine brand. In 1985, he co-founded Cecchetti Sebastiani Cellar with his brother-in-law Don Sebastiani.
Fenestra Winery was established by the Replogle family on the
historic Ruby Hill property and in 1980 occupied the century-old George True Winery building on Vallecitos Road. The old building had been badly neglected,and the Replogles hauled away tons of trash. Now part of the Ruby Hill development, (the Replogles lease the building and surrounding grounds) which includes a Jack Nicklaus designed course, homes and 900 acres of vineyards, the winery building has been refurbished and vineyards have been planted around the winery. The winery specializes in classically balanced, award-winning wines from primarily Livermore Valley grapes. Livermore Valley's first boutique winery, Fenestra Winery is celebrating 34 years of fine wines.
This is one of my favorite tasting rooms in Napa by far! They allow dogs inside and the woman who usually pours for us is so nice! Most importantly, however, the wines are extraordinary.
Particularly on a warm day, we love coming in to this bright and cheery tasting room for a some Sav Blanc. The 2011 Pomelo for me is the standout among the Sav Blancs for its vivid style and citrus, guava, passionfruit flavors with a grapefruit nose. I almost always end up bringing a bottle home. Honorable mention to the Three Pears and Mason Reserve, which are equally fantastic!
Some of the original settlers of Chicago Park were first-generation Italian-Americans from Chicago, Illinois. The orchards and vineyards of Chicago Park bear witness to their quest to start a community in the untamed West that mirrored their homeland. Their spirit lives on at Montoliva Vineyard & Winery. Founded in 2000, Montoliva Vineyard & Winery creates Tuscan-inspired wines of uncommon depth and character.
The vineyards at Cardella Ranch were first panted in the 1970's and have been sold to premier California wineries ever since. Nathan Cardella, 4th generation, after graduating from the Enology and viticulture program at Fresno State in 204, founded Cardella Winery with his father Rod. Nathan and Rod believed premium artisan wines were lacking n the San Joaquin Valley and felt that the Cardella family could help fill this niche. Today the winery producs numerous award-winning varieties and has earned a reputation for being a cut above.
