Brian Benson Cellars
Paso Robles premier winery Brain Benson Cellars is family owned and operated. Enjoy award-winning wines from unique AVA regions. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday for tastings.
Paso Robles premier winery Brain Benson Cellars is family owned and operated. Enjoy award-winning wines from unique AVA regions. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday for tastings.
We are honored to be the recipients of the 2024 California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Community Award! This award recognizes our commitment to Certified Sustainable and Organic Farming along with our family’s contributions back to our local community: “For its ongoing dedication to leaving the Garrod Farms land and local community better than they found it for the last 131 years, Cooper-Garrod is the winner of the 2024 California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Community Award.”
E. & J. Gallo Winery is a family-owned winery with fifteen family members, spanning three generations of the Gallo family, actively working in the business. • Established in 1933 and headquartered in Modesto, California, E. & J. Gallo Winery remains a privately held and ever-growing company that employs more than 7,000 people worldwide. • E. & J. Gallo Winery offers a broad array of products that total more than 100 brands and include table, sparkling and luxury wines, beverage products, dessert wines and distilled spirits. • With products available in more than 100 countries, E. & J. Gallo Winery is an exporter of California wine, and imports wines from Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and Spain. Additionally, Gallo imports spirits from Australia, the Caribbean, Italy, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
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.
In the heart of Sonoma County, this small, family-owned winery offers a remarkable portfolio for wine lovers drawn to California's unique wine country experience. Specializing in old-vine, vineyard-designated Zinfandels and red Rhône and Spanish varieties—including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Petite Sirah—their wines capture the character and depth of these heritage grapes. They also produce three distinctive white wines, two of which are crafted from historic, old-vine vineyards, alongside Sonoma County’s first-ever Grüner Veltliner.
Committed to bold, intensely flavored wines that reflect both their vintage and vineyard origins, the winery’s approach emphasizes balance, complexity, and nuance. Each bottle embodies their philosophy of doing just enough to enhance the fruit’s natural qualities while striving to deliver exceptional, accessible wines at a fair price.
The Peachy Canyon "Old Schoolhouse" tasting room, situated in the heart of Paso Robles' wine country along Highway 46 West, is a landmark attraction. The historic Old Bethel Schoolhouse, dating back to 1886, is a must-visit destination. Guests can enjoy tasting the world-famous Estate Zinfandels, along with over 15 other handcrafted small-batch Rhone and Bordeaux varietals that are exclusive to this location.
The last available guided-tasting session is at 4:00 PM, with a by-the-glass option offered until 4:30 PM.
Please note that while reservations are recommended, they are not required. Walk-ins are welcome as long as a team member is available. There is also a new dog policy: while dogs are beloved, they are not allowed inside the tasting room. Well-behaved and properly socialized dogs on a leash are permitted in the designated "dog area" with their owners. However, dogs that bark, growl, or are off-leash will be asked to leave. Tasting service in the dog area is limited to flight service, or one person from the group can come inside to receive the next wine pour.
Although Caddis is new it is quickly becoming one of my favorite wineries in Livermore. The winemaker Chris has had years if experience in the Livermore Valley and it shows in his wines. It's no surprise the Caddis took home a number of Chronicle wine awards, their wines is phenomenal! Caddis is located next to Wood Family and are only open a select amount of days throughout the year. Just a quick update. Caddis Wines now has two locations, in Livermore and Sonoma.
Caddis Sonoma Plaza
Guests are invited to enjoy a tasting of small lot wines from Sonoma County and the Livermore Valley. Caddis Sonoma Plaza is open daily from 11 AM to 5 PM, with extended hours on occasion. While walk-ins are welcome, reservations are recommended. Parties are limited to a maximum of 8 guests.
Caddis Livermore
Currently, Caddis Livermore is open for public tastings on 7 weekends each year. For more details on tastings and openings throughout the year, visitors should check the Special Events tab. Any questions can be directed to (707) 931-6939.
Read our guide to Livermore Wines and Wineries
Grape Cluster - Pixabay
Sip, Savor, and Celebrate at San Pasqual Winery!
Located in La Mesa, California—just 15 miles east of San Diego—San Pasqual Winery is a delightful family-owned treasure that has transformed the local wine scene. Originally established in the 1970s in the beautiful San Pasqual Valley, this charming winery reinvented itself as San Diego's very first urban winery, earning a spot on Sunset Magazine’s “Hot 100 West Coast Trends” list!
Wine Adventures Await
With an annual production of just 3,000 to 4,000 cases, San Pasqual Winery focuses on creating intimate connections with wine lovers. Most of their wines are sold directly from the winery and nearby tasting rooms, ensuring every sip comes with a personal touch. Visitors can explore tasting rooms in the Village of La Mesa and downtown San Diego at Seaport Village, each offering a unique experience.
A Flavorful Journey Through Wine
San Pasqual wines are handcrafted in small lots, sourced from local vineyards and renowned viticultural regions across California. The winery takes advantage of diverse microclimates and strong relationships with vineyards to produce an exciting array of varietals. While classic favorites like Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon shine, adventurous wine lovers can also discover hidden gems like Tannat and Teroldego.
The fun doesn’t stop there! The winery features a thrilling line of passionfruit-based wines, including the spicy “Hot Passion,” inspired by habanero peppers—perfect for the sunny San Diego lifestyle. With numerous awards from local to international competitions, their Tannat and Cabernet Franc have even won double golds at prestigious events like the Toast of the Coast and San Francisco Chronicle competitions. A few years ago, their Malbec represented California’s style in Cahors, France—the birthplace of Malbec!
Unique Experiences at Every Location
San Pasqual Winery offers four distinctive locations, each designed for a memorable wine experience:
La Mesa Wine Works: Conveniently located off Interstate 8, the production winery welcomes visitors from Wednesday to Sunday. Guests can enjoy live music on the patio and delicious bites from local food vendors on weekends.
La Mesa Village Tasting Room: This cozy wine bar invites guests to become fast friends over sidewalk seating and lively conversations with the owners every Friday afternoon.
Seaport Village Tasting Room: Ideal for vacationers and locals alike, this spot offers stunning views of San Diego Bay from the deck patio, creating the perfect backdrop for sipping exceptional wines.
Toast Bubble Bar: Recently opened in Seaport Village, this sparkling wine haven provides an elevated experience every weekend, along with a fantastic venue for private parties or corporate events.
Brett Caires, a self-made realtor, chef, and winemaker, hails from the stock of wine connoisseurs. BoaVentura Baptiste de Caires, Brett’s grandfather and the winery’s namesake, handed down a passion for relishing good wine. Brett recalls family meals with his Oakland, California-based grandparents, where wine was always a staple at the dinner table: “The table was set with glasses of wine, port, and milk.” To boot, according to family legend, Brett’s great grandfather, Antonio de Caires, was deported during Prohibition for winemaking after he brought his family to America. A devotion to his family heritage was a natural inspiration for Brett to cultivate his own knowledge of winemaking.
Through the influence of family, friends, and fellow winemakers, including Karl Wente, Noah Taylor, and Bob Taylor, Brett learned about the art of making wine. On a trip with Karl to Europe in 1997 – through France, Greece, Portugal, and England – he sampled regional wines, amassing knowledge that would later help him produce his first Cabernet, made available to the public in 2002.
On April 29, 1999, Brett realized his dream of owning a winery when he and his wife, Monique, purchased a five-acre property perched atop a sunny ridge in the southeast corner of Livermore Valley, California.
Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Lovely patio. Terrific events. They have a fantastic patio for sipping wines and catching up with family or friends. It's a very nice photo op, and their two cutie dogs wander around looking for new friends.