Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir

Elliston Vineyards

cluster of grapes - Pixabay

In 1977 Sunol's grape growing tradition was revived by the planting of 55 acres of premium grape varieties on San Francisco Water Company land. In 1984 the Awtreys obtained rights to the Sunol Valley Vineyards and also replanted Elliston's own vineyard at the estate with three acres of Chardonnay. The original carriage house was converted into the winery, and Don Blackburn was hired as Elliston's first winemaker. Trained in Burgundy, Don's wines from 1985 to 1990 were classically Burgundian in style employing French Oak exclusively, barrel fermentation, "sur lie" aging, and malolactic fermentation emphasizing complexity and the unique flavors of the vineyard. Since 1992 the winery and Elliston Estates have been owned and operated by the Awtrey's daughter Donna and her three children Mark, K.J., and David.

Read our guide to Livermore Wines and Wineries

Bargetto Winery

Glass of wine

Soquel Bargetto has the prettiest tasting room and patio overlooking a creek and wilderness. Getting to the wines, the Sauv Blanc and Pinot Grigio are pretty good and well balanced, the Chard not my preference. The reserve reds are quite delicious and the sweet wines are good if you are into the sweeter wines.

The winemaking heritage of Bargetto began with brothers Phillip and John Bargetto, who emigrated from Castelnuovo Don Bosco, a small town in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Bringing with them years of winegrowing experience, they established BARGETTO WINERY on the banks of Soquel Creek in California.

Some History 

Phillip was the first to leave Italy in 1891 at the age of seventeen. In 1909, John joined his brother in San Francisco.

The original Bargetto family winery was located in San Francisco from 1910 to 1917, operating under the name South Montebello Vineyard and Wine Company. With Prohibition on the horizon, the winery was closed, and the brothers relocated to Soquel in 1917.

In 1918, Phillip and John purchased the current site of BARGETTO WINERY and began producing wine in an old barn on the property. During Prohibition (1919-1933), the brothers continued to make wine for family and friends while selling produce to local customers and growing apples at their family ranch in Soquel. When Prohibition ended in 1933, they devoted more time to the wine business, expanding into a wholesale operation while maintaining their produce sales.

Phillip Bargetto passed away in 1936, leaving John as the sole owner of the business during the 1940s and 1950s. John continued to produce and sell wine both wholesale and retail, with the support of his sons Ralph and Lawrence during these years.

Mark West Estate Winery

grape cluster

Mark West was founded in 1978 with a singular desire—to craft remarkable Pinot Noir that delivers exceptional quality at an affordable price.

The name, Mark West, is an ode to a region in the heart of Sonoma County, one of the world's best places to grow Pinot Noir. It was here that the winery started, igniting a passion for Pinot. The facility in Sonoma has been closed and the wines have become a part of the Gallo Wine Family.

Belle Glos

bottles of wine and cheese - Pixabay

Belle Glos showcases distinctive Pinot Noirs produced from California’s most noteworthy coastal wine-growing regions.

While each vineyard location lies near the Pacific Ocean, the climate differences are significant, varying with the amount of fog, wind, sunlight, and soil type at each site. Each Vineyard Designate is crafted to distill the purest essence of the locale into elegant expressions of California Pinot Noir.

Owner/winemaker, Joe Wagner chose the name Belle Glos (pronounced “BELL GLOSS”) to honor his grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner. Lorna was a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards, an inspirational figure to Joseph and an avid lover of Pinot Noir.

Husic Vineyards

wine pouring and swirling in the glass

On a hillside overlooking Stags Leap District of Napa Valley in 1997, the Husic Family set out to realize a lifelong dream. Moving endless rocks and sculpting narrow terraces that cling to the mountain's edge, we planted three small vineyards which peacefully coexist with the region's wildlife. These rugged, rocky growing conditions, combined with careful farming methods, have yielded a limited amount of magnificent fruit.

Forgotten Barrel Winery

Winery's logo

Forgotten Barrel offers a wide selection of premium hand-crafted wines using fruit sourced from Napa, Sonoma, Central Coast and San Diego County. The reincarnation of the former Ferrara Winery has transformed this once-forgotten homestead into a tranquil rustic hideaway in the city. Our winemaker, John Eppler, hails from Northern California, having worked in Napa for Robert Mondavi, Rosenblum Cellars, and his own brand, John Robert Eppler Wines. Visitors are sure to enjoy a friendly and relaxed wine tasting that will long be savored.

Poetic Cellars

couple embrassing

Poetic Cellars was established in 2005 with one thought in mind; that of combining the passionate excellence of their winesand with exquisite and original poetry on each varietal. This interesting Santa Cruz Mountains winery is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains on 33 Redwood studded acres. Just minutes from Highway 17, it is only about 40 minutes from San Jose and 15 minutes from Santa Cruz. Bring a picnic Lunch to enjoy the views along with a bottle of Poetic Cellars wine.

Wise Villa Winery

Aglianico Grape Clusters Courtesy of Randy Caparoso

The owner spent a lot of time on us explaining his wines and the winery's history. To be fair, there were not very many other customers. Still, he kept us entertained and conversed with us for well over an hour. We felt very welcome.Love how they work with their grapes. You know! if they promise me a bottle of the Sangiovese that I barrel-tasted today, I would probably give them another star.  Image Aglianico Grape Clusters Courtesy of Randy Caparoso

Prodigal Wines

painting two people sharing wine - Agata

In 1960, Stephen Russell became one of the first graduates of UC Davis' now-renowned Enology program, part of the inaugural class alongside a Franciscan monk. Without family ties or connections in the wine industry, Russell quickly made his mark by becoming the first formally trained enologist hired by the Gallo family. However, after feeling disillusioned with winemaking in his twenties, he decided to step away from the industry. He returned to school to pursue a PhD and embarked on a successful academic career in cancer research, eventually becoming the head of the cancer program at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Despite his accomplishments in academia, in 2001, Stephen and his wife, Mary, returned to California to fulfill a long-held dream by founding Prodigal Wines. The “prodigal son” had returned.

Nestled in the picturesque hills of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, Prodigal Wines is known for producing some of the region’s finest Pinot Noirs. The sloping vineyard is planted with clones 115, 667, and 777. With a focus on limited production and careful clonal selection matched to each vineyard block, Prodigal continues to craft world-class wines that reflect the unique terroir of the area.

For wine lovers visiting California's wineries, Prodigal Wines offers a captivating story of redemption and artistry, with exceptional wines that celebrate the journey of a man who returned to his first passion.

Sapphire Hill

glass of wine - Pixabay

Sapphire Hill is a family-run boutique winery that has been a fixture in Sonoma County since 1989. Initially, the operation began as a 38-acre vineyard just outside Sebastopol. The vineyard's location often reveals a blue hue in the night sky as the sun sets behind California's coastal range, inspiring the name Sapphire Hill.

In 2001, Sapphire Hill transitioned to a winery and tasting room in Healdsburg, strategically positioned at the convergence of three renowned grape-growing regions: Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and the Russian River Valley. The winery quickly earned a reputation for its award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel, all crafted from the exceptional grapes of these valleys.

Today, Sapphire Hill remains a family-operated winery dedicated to producing exquisite wines for its devoted wine club members while offering exceptional hospitality experiences for both new visitors and returning guests at their Healdsburg tasting room.

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