When visiting Kynsi Winery in Arroyo Grande, keep an eye out for a barn and you'll see the tasting room emerge. The "tasting room" is a really small covered open area. There is a large grassy area and a single shaded table. This cozy wine tasting area it's not designed to handle a lot of visitor, but they do make some good wine!. Friendly staff. Great selection of Pinot Noirs. ~ A few others to perhaps vist as well are Conway, Nichols, Toucan, Dracaena, and Lyrique
The wines at Wiens Family Cellars were very good. Not too crowded inside. Good vibe inside. We had a lot of first timers in my group so they were a little unsure of what to do but the staff there were very friendly and eager to answer any questions. The hostess I dealt with was very friendly and had good recommendations. I have to say their "Perspective" blend was a very good red that I enjoyed. I also really like their Cab selection. From what I understand their big reds are in the premier tasting room....that will be my next stop when I return to Temecula Wine and wine country.
Solitary Cellars - here you have the result of over 40 years of experience in serving in some of California's most dangerous prisons and a love for wine coming together. Stop by and share the experience of chasing the American dream of creating award winning wines and making friends all along the way. Enjoy this wineries theme while you enjoy their wines.
Located in the small, historic town of St. Helena (yes, part of Napa Valley) Bressler like many of its neighbors is a small lot, premium producer of Cabernet Sauvignon. Bressler was started as many wineries do in Napa, with the retirement of an executive from nearby Silicon Valley. Bob Bressler spent his career at Sun Microsystems where he was a visiting scientist and advised the Sun executive team. Bob's wife Stacey is also intimately involved with the day to day operations of the winery and comes to the wine business after her own successful career in the Bay Area high tech market, although her focus was more marketing than it was the technology itself. Small production winery of approx. 500 cases.
The Georges de Latour name has become a wine legacy. When André Tchelistcheff joined Beaulieu Vineyard in 1938, he tasted the de Latour family’s private wine—known as "Private Reserve"—from the 1936 vintage. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine was so remarkable that Tchelistcheff insisted it be bottled and sold as the winery’s flagship offering. In 1940, Beaulieu Vineyard released the first vintage of Private Reserve, naming it in honor of the winery’s founder. This marked the debut of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine destined to become Napa Valley’s first “cult” Cabernet. Over the past 70 years, Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has set the standard for Napa Valley Cabernet and remains one of the most highly collected American wines.
Legend has it, each year at the beginning of the growing season, a band of coyotes from the nearby foothills, sneak into our vineyards, and for no apparent reason other than treachery, chew on our irrigation lines with wild abandon. Following these scandalous acts, they have been known on occasion to join paws and dance around, howling at the moon in celebration.
Established in 1999, Carr Vineyards & Winery specializes in limited production wines from Santa Barbara County. Owner and Winemaker Ryan Carr also oversees the management of over 100 acres of vineyards, allowing him to handcraft each vintage from grapes grown to his specification. Varietals include Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Franc. Visit them in downtown Santa Barbara to experience the art of winemaking.
Experience CaliPaso Winery located on California’s Central Coast. CaliPaso is perfect for private events such as weddings or corporate retreats. Amidst the rolling hills and vineyards of Paso Robles, the elegant architecture, soothing colors and attention to detail appeal to the most discriminating tastes will provide a stunning atmosphere for your event. The winery overlooks acres of picturesque hills and vineyards providing a dreamy background to your event.
Stay at The Villa
CaliPaso is a luxurious private inn and winery nestled in the rolling hills and vineyards of Paso Robles. Each of the eight guest rooms and suites features exquisite décor that blends luxury and comfort. Amenities include fireplaces and private balconies or patios that overlook the vineyards and surrounding countryside.
Host an Event at CaliPaso
CaliPaso Winery, located in California’s Central Coast, offers a perfect venue for private events such as weddings and corporate retreats. Amidst the rolling hills and vineyards of Paso Robles, the elegant architecture, soothing colors, and meticulous attention to detail create a stunning atmosphere for any occasion. The winery overlooks acres of picturesque hills and vineyards, providing a dreamy backdrop for events.
Situated at 2,600 feet on Loma Prieta Way off the Summit Road exit of Highway 17, Loma Prieta Winery proudly holds the title of North America's largest producer of Pinotage. This boutique winery, producing fewer than 3,000 cases annually, is named after the flat-topped mountain that looms to the southeast, famous as the epicenter of the 1989 earthquake. In this picturesque setting within the Santa Cruz Mountains, you'll find breathtaking views in every direction, stretching to the Monterey Peninsula and the crashing waves of the Santa Cruz coastline.
Founded in 2003 by attorneys Paul and Amy Kemp, Loma Prieta Winery initially gained acclaim for its Gold medal-winning Pinot Noirs sourced from both their Estate vineyard and the Saveria Vineyard in Corralitos. Every vintage of their Pinot Noir garnered accolades. However, Paul Kemp’s passion shifted after discovering Pinotage in a Lodi vineyard where he was sourcing Viognier. Enthralled by this unique grape, a hybrid developed in South Africa in the 1930s by crossing Pinot Noir with Cinsault, he began acquiring nearly every available acre of Pinotage in California. He even replaced his estate Merlot and Cabernet vines with Pinotage and grafted over his Estate Pinot Noir to this new varietal. Today, there are 52 acres of Pinotage in California—a stark contrast to the nearly 95,000 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon.
While Pinotage is the signature grape of South Africa, where it thrives more abundantly than anywhere else, very few wineries globally produce it. In California, Loma Prieta stands out, producing more Pinotage than any other single winery and offering single vineyard designates of this distinctive grape.
Mi Sueno isn't your typical winery. It's located in an Industrial complex in the South of Napa and your tasting is in the chilled storage area of the warehouse. Despite the unconventional setting, the private tasting that I enjoyed here was extremely well done and informative. Jaime gave us a quick tour of the facility and we settled down at a grand wooden table and the pours began. Jaime is quite the story-teller, weaving together the story of the owner and the winery with the explanation for each of the wines. We tried 11 of their wines that day, with very very generous pours of each. My favorites were their 2009 Cab and the 2011 Valeria, a petit verdot, from their reserve line, Herrera, but I was also fond of the 2009 Chardonnay (not too oaky) and 2009 Pinot Noir. Give them a call or shoot them an email and make sure you stop and visit this place. A "Hidden Gem of Napa Valley"!
