Zinfandel

Zinfandel

Woffard Acres Vineyard

Cabernet Sauvignon grape clusters

This was homiest and friendliest of the 3 wineries we visited. The view off the hill cannot be beat. It is gorgeous. It was neat to see the vines with fruit hanging off of them. Some of it had been picked and was waiting for pick-up, which happened quite often as the owner whizzed by on his ATV. We could see people in the back taking the grapes he had just delivered and running them through a press.

Come for the Wine. Stay for the View.

Guests are invited to savor award-winning, small-batch wines while enjoying breathtaking canyon views. With a production of only 1,500 cases each year, these wines are exclusively sold through the Sales Room. Reservations are recommended, and required on weekends in October. Walk-in guests will be seated as space allows. For reservation information, guests are encouraged to reach out.

Dogs are welcome on a supervised leash, and children may visit with parental supervision. Limos are not permitted without prior approval, especially during events and on weekends in September and October. Photographers are welcome during business hours.

Photo courtesy of Photographer Randy Caparoso

Judd's Hill

glasses of wine, wine bottle with chateau in background - Pixabay ai generated

The reds were all fantastic..I really was pleasantly surprised. Their tasting room has a large table that they invite you to sit at, or , you can go outside and sit at those smaller tables, if you choose to. Wines are fantastic and the people here are passionate, welcoming and knowledgeable. They host a number of fun events and perks for wine club members. They also are well known for their micro-batch wine making - come make your own wine from start to finish (blending, bottling, labeling) with the experts!

Fresno State Winery

grapes - Pixabay

The Fresno State Winery produces a wide variety of wines from the most popular and well-known of wines such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to up-and-coming varieties like Syrah to lesser-known wines that are made in small batches. The complete line of Fresno State wines is available at this web site and the Farm Market at the southeast corner of Barstow and Chestnut. At the Fresno State Winery we strive to engage our students in all aspects of the winemaking profession.

Seghesio Family Vineyards

barrel room at winery - Pixabay

The tasting room is a very casual and welcoming place. It doesn't boast the best gift shop, but they offer enough to let you feel like you've gotten a shopping fix. But you're really coming for the Zins, each one better than the last and most at very affordable prices.

Coates Vineyards

cluster of grapes - AI generated - Pixabay

Coates Vineyards, certified organic biodynamic winery, is in the Six Rivers National Forest near the small town of Orleans in Northern California. It was founded by Norman Coates, an organic farmer, winemaker, and vineyard manager in 1991 with the planting of the first of five vineyards.The first vineyard was Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Sangiovese from cuttings that were from organic vineyards in Sonoma County, California. The cuttings were rooted in nursery beds and then planted out in vineyard rows the following spring. The vineyards on the Klamath have the luxury of being established on their own roots instead of being grafted onto disease resistant rootstocks for the simple reason that Orleans is far away from the large grape growing areas where diseases are prevalent.

Kings River Winery

Kings River wine tote and bottles of wine

Kings River Winery sits on the 40 acre farm that owner Bob Bagdasarian was raised on. Since 1954, Bob and his family have grown everything from grapes for wine and raisins, to peaches, plums, and apricots. In 2012, Bob decided to follow his passion and focus only on what he loves most, wine. With that passion came a lot of hard work and he planted 12 different varietals of wine grapes on the 40 acres and began building a state of the art winery, with wine making equipment unmatched by any winery in this region. Adding the finishing touches in 2014, Bob’s vision for a premium boutique winery, that would also fill the need for special event venues. Bob and Ashley (the Winery Manager) were so gracious on our first visit and made us feel at home. Bob even took the time to not only walk us through his winery but took John Krause of CaCorks for a walk through the vineyard and we got some video included in a short video presentation on a few of the wineries located in the Central Valley you can see HERE While we haven't tasted all of the wines produced at Kings River Winery, and we will be back, be sure you try: Alicante Bouchet, Barbara, Petite Sirah and Karmir to mention a few.

Hours:

Mon-Fri     Closed
Sat      12:00 to 5:00pm
Sun     12:00 to 5:00pm

Bent Creek Winery

grape cluster - pixabay

For those who cherish California wines and the experience of visiting its picturesque wineries, the story of Bent Creek Winery is truly inspiring. In 1981, Tom Heineman and his wife, Pat, fulfilled their dream of land ownership by purchasing 12 acres in Livermore, CA, with the intention of cultivating grapes for local wineries. Their journey began with viticulture classes at UC Davis, leading to the establishment of Bent Creek Vineyard.

After several years of selling their grapes to Livermore wineries, Tom and Pat teamed up with friends Rich and Carol Howell to take their passion a step further. The two couples delved into enology at UC Davis, turning their vision into reality by opening Bent Creek Winery in 2002. Their commitment to quality quickly paid off, as they began producing award-winning wines.

At Bent Creek, the owners are hands-on in every aspect of wine production—from nurturing the vines and processing the grapes to welcoming guests in the tasting room. Currently, eight to nine of the original 12 acres are in production, featuring 6,000 thriving vines. The winery proudly produces around 3,500 cases of exceptional wine each year, inviting wine lovers to savor the fruits of their labor.

Saddleback Cellars

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Saddleback Cellars was founded in 1978 by the renowned winemaker Nils Venge. Widely celebrated as the "King of Cab," Venge made history as the first American winemaker to earn a 100-point score from acclaimed wine critic Robert Parker for his 1985 vintage of Reserve Cabernet. Today, Venge's Cabernets continue to receive impressive 90+ point reviews.

The winery remains much as it was at its inception, nestled off the Oakville Crossroad on quiet Money Road, a dead-end lane in the esteemed Oakville District of the Napa Valley AVA. While Cabernet Sauvignon, produced from the estate’s 14 acres of vineyards, remains the winery's flagship, Saddleback also crafts distinctive varietals from select vineyards across Wine Country. Visitors can experience a range of small-lot, handcrafted wines including Charbono, Vermentino, Tannat, Petit Verdot, and unique blends. The friendly staff ensures that guests feel like part of the family, arriving as visitors and leaving as friends.

Guests are invited to savor the vineyard views and the personalized experience of tasting Napa Valley wines at this intimate, family-owned winery off the beaten path.

Open Daily 10am-4pm by reservation only

Gregory Graham Winery

grape cluster - ai generated - Pixabay

Wines are made in the vineyard, and harvest should take place at the perfect moment – not when dictated by a schedule” is Greg’s approach to his winemaking. In the vineyard, he harvests the grapes at the peak of fruit flavor development. In the winery, he uses boutique winemaking techniques and early bottling to preserve the flavors. His techniques allow him to control the quality, bringing out the grapes’ superior characteristics. The results are excellent Zinfandel, Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet, Viognier, Sauvignon blanc, and Riesling.

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