Unique Varietals

Unique Varietals

Ziveli Winery

Ziveli Winery owners John & Rondi Nale

Ziveli Winery

The Nale family calls a spot along the San Joaquin River home both to their family and Ziveli Winery. Here the Nale family have taken on the task of producing some wonderful Croatian style wines in the fertile soil that they call home. How nice to be greeted by a Nale family members as they pour you a delightful taste of their wines. You can tell that winemaking is a family passion. Join the Nale's for one of there events, or simply stop in for a delightful experience with their wines. Oh, ask if they have any of their wonderful Syrah filled chcoolates. It was a great winery experience talking with John and Caleb Nale during a recent visit. Be sure to try the Syrah it was a wonderful ending to our wine tasting experience when paired with local chocholates filled with the same wine. In fact, you may just have to take a few of these chocolates home with you. We are please to have Ziveli Winery listed in our directory and to be sharing it with our readers.~

Hours:

Mon-Fri   Closed
Sat-      12:00pm to 5:00pm
Sun-     12:00pm to 5:00pm/or by appointment

Reverie Vineyards

wine pouring into a glass - Pixaby

Reverie Winery, located near Calistoga, California, is one of Napa Valley’s smallest estate wineries. The vineyard is nestled on a steep, 40 acre parcel high up in the Diamond Mountain appellation. It was once part of the Bonsell Property that is now divided into three vineyards – Reverie, Diamond Creek, and Von Strasser. Norman Kiken, a New Jersey guy, is the owner and winemaker. He purchased the property in 1993 and specializes in producing ultra-premium Bordeaux style varietal blends that reflect the uniqueness of the terroir. 5 star family winery, old-fashioned style. You feel their passion for the wine. The property is magnificent; you must walk around. The tour is informative, interesting and fun. I've done it a couple of times, and I look forward to a repeat. Their cab franc is sooo good.

Fleur De Lys Winery

wine while camping in tent

Fleur De Lys Winery is a winery located in Somerset, California. The winery is owned by Robert and Mireille Lajoie. The wine at Fleur De Lys Winery is produced by Robert Lajoie. De Lys Winery produces the following wine varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petite Syrah, Port, Roussanne, Syrah/Shiraz, Viognier and Zinfandel. Fleur De Lys Winery has the following amenities you can enjoy: Barrel Room, Family Environment, Pet Friendly Grounds, Private Events, Private Tastings, Retail Sales, Scenic Views, Wine & Food Pairing.

DeRose Vineyards - Hollister

Grape Clusters

DeRose Vineyards has the single best Negrette I have ever had. Pat DeRose not only has one of the coolest moustaches on the planet, but he and Al (his son) are wine purists, not necessarily in the "Wine Spectator" since, they simply love great wines. Al DeRose search for new endeavors took him to central Chile where he produces and imports his Chilean wines. De Rose VIneyards is one of the oldest operated wineries in the US - 1854. At De Rose VIneyards they are not concerned about anything other than wine... nada. The DeRose family doesn't care about wine spectator's points, they don't care about who endorsed what, and I find that not simply amuzing, but delightful! Their style is very much like the old world where the people of the community get together. The winemakers, the farmers, the butcher and the candlestick-maker all living together, drinking together, eating together and enjoying the celebration of life. At DeRose Vineyards it is,"Good friends, good food and good wine.*

Hours:

Hollister Tasting Room
9970 Cienega Road
Hollister, CA
Hours:
Thursday - Friday: 11 AM – 5 PM
Saturday - Sunday: 11 AM – 4 PM

San Martin Tasting Room
255 Fitzgerald Avenue
San Martin, CA
Hours:
Friday: 4 PM – 8 PM

Vihuela Winery

grape cluster - Pixabay

Several years ago Matt and his wife would travel to the Central Coast to enjoy the rolling hills, the laid-back attitude and of course, the wines. Through the years Matt developed a greater thirst for the Central Coast and it's wines than any weekend trip could quench. Following his heart, he enrolled into Fresno State's Enology program and next thing he knew he had graduated and was working for the likes of Geyser Peak and Rudd in Napa Valley. After several years of saving and searching, he found just the right property for a small vineyard in Templeton, California.

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars

grape cluster

Stephen Ross's story begins with the "Stephen Ross Dooley wine story" in Minnesota, where in my teenage years curiosity in wine led Stephen to make rhubarb and apple wines in the family basement…

Things progressed on a nice upward trajectory from that point. Curiosity evolved into a passion for winemaking, which led to a degree in Enology from The University of California, Davis;  then 10 years of winemaking (all vinifera from here on out, thankfully) in the Napa Valley, two southern hemisphere harvests, and seven years in the Edna Valley before launching his brand, Stephen Ross.  Paula joined the team soon after Stephen hired their first employee in 2005. A companion brand, Flying Cloud, was launched in 2003. 

Stephen Ross was founded on the principles of working with quality vineyards and hand-crafting the best wines possible from the grapes they yield. 

Maréchal Vineyards

glass of Maréchal Vineyards wine

Maréchal Vineyards is a family-owned and operated winery located a few minutes north of Sanger in Fresno County. Conveniently located on the way to Kings Canyon National Park. Maréchal Vineyards makes wines from both their estate vineyards as well as from partner growers in Fresno, Madera and Paso Robles. Maréchal was good enough to let us drop in and do some video for a video project we were working on You can watch that video HERE While the winemaker Josh Marshall was busy in the vineyard that day his wife Jenifer Marshall took the time to show us around and even poured a few of their wines on a day they were normally closed. Be sure to stop in for a visit. Haley Washburn is the Winery's Manager and in charge of the tasting room and she always greets with a smile. If you time it right Josh and Jenifer just might be doing the pouring that day. There is a nice variety of wines to enjoy but a hint, be sure to try the Primitivo and the Petite Sirah if it is offered.*

Mount Palomar Winery

people sharing wine

Mount Palomar Winery, located in the Temecula Valley wine appellation, is a fine wine estate dedicated to making wines of distinctive taste and high quality. Located among rolling hills and mesa lands at 1400 feet elevation, Mount Palomar is a working wine estate with 45 acres of producing vineyards overlooked by the Palomar Mountain range. John H. Poole established the original Mount Palomar vineyards, and was Mount Palomar Winery's first winemaker in 1975. He created a place where people could immerse themselves in the world of fine wine in a pleasant and relaxed Wine Country atmosphere. Today, Mount Palomar’s winemaker James Rutherford is a Northern California transplant who received his degree from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. He gained most of his experience on the Central Coast in both the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo wine regions.

I sat on the Patio listening to some awesome music. Three very nice ladies were sketching while the music played! I had the best lunch, Chicken, Artichoke- sun dried tomatoes-feta cheese and roasted garlic flatbread! Glass of Dry Riesling! Delicious! The perfect outdoor day! If you have never been there, I suggest you go and relax on the patio for some great food and delicious wine tasting!

Pavi Wines

glass of wine - Pixabay

Pavi Wines - you can drink (not visit) - have some wonderful Italian varieties...almost the only people in Napa who do. You'll find their wines on a lot of restaurant lists...it's great quality at good prices. I especially love the Pinot Grigio ... way better than the average "nothing there" pinot grigio, very refreshing on a hot afternoon. They sell it by the glass at Calistoga Inn - I'd say it's best on the deck there! You can also find it in St. Helena at Tra Vigne, Farmstead; in Calistoga at Brannan's; and in Rutherford at Rutherford Grill. You can also enjoy a glass at: Napa Wine Company Tasting Room “Cult Wine Central” 7830-40 St. Helena Hwy Oakville, CA 94562

Jacuzzi Family Vineyards

wine tasting with small bites

Jacuzzi is a unique place for sure. Yes, there are a lot of wineries that combine both vino and olive oil, but I think Jacuzzi "owns it" as good as anyone. They've got a huge facility with a very generous, separate area devoted completely to the olive oil, so you've really got two completely different tasting experiences in one stop. Both the wine and the olive oil tastings are free; another pleasant surprise since even Sonoma county is running low on the complimentary tastings.

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