Wineries

Wineries

Ursa Vineyards

grapes - Pixabay

Ursa Vineyards is a collaborative effort between the husband and wife team - Greg Stokes and Deborah Elissagaray. Greg has 25 years of experience with vineyards and winemaking, and Deborah has 18 years in winemaking. Both were part of the winemaking team at David Bruce for years. This small foothill winery produces no more than 2500 cases annually, allowing exceptional attention to be paid in both the vineyard and the cellar. All fruit is fermented in small fermenters and worked by hand. A minimal amount of handling ensures the preservation of the fruit character of the varietal being made. Ursa Vineyard's focus is petite sirah from various vineyards in California, but they also produce merlot, syrah and a unique varietal from the Pyrenees, Tannat. 

V. Sattui Winery

table set with wine and wine glasses

V. Sattui embodies the essence of the American Dream. Vittorio Sattui, who emigrated from Genoa, Italy, in 1882, established a winery in San Francisco three years later. The Sattui family successfully ran the business for 35 years until Prohibition forced them to close their doors.

In 1976, Vittorio's great-grandson, Dario Sattui, revived the family legacy in Napa Valley, aiming to create a "Napa D'Italia," where visitors could savor a slice of the good life. It became the 46th winery to open in Napa Valley since Prohibition, now known for its rustic Italianate architecture, hidden gardens, expansive picnic grounds, beautiful vineyards, a stone winery and tower, barrel room, museum, artisan deli & marketplace, salumeria, gelateria, and various event spaces.

V. Sattui was among the first Napa Valley wineries to offer wine experiences, beginning with a few picnic tables where guests could relax and enjoy themselves. This early display of hospitality sparked a movement, reflecting the winery's belief that wine is best enjoyed when shared with friends and family.

What sets V. Sattui apart is that nearly every aspect of its business is handled onsite—from grape growing, crushing, winemaking, bottling, and cellaring to fulfilling orders and preparing a variety of house-made delicacies in the extensive kitchens. The wines are sold exclusively to customers through the website and the winery.

Over 140 years after Vittorio Sattui first arrived in America, V. Sattui remains a significant part of the Napa Valley community, where generations of families return time and time again, and lifelong friendships are forged. As stewards of the environment, the winery is committed to leading the next generation, holding firm to the belief that the best is yet to come.

Valley Oak Winery

friends and wine

Valley Oak Winery derives its name from a majestic oak tree that has stood since 1967 in the front yard of the Ubick farmstead in Clovis. This volunteer tree continues to flourish on Ashlan Avenue, directly across from Clovis East High School. The Valley Oak logo represents the Ubick family’s legacy, local heritage, and enduring farming traditions.

The Ubick family has been cultivating grapes in Fresno County for over a century. Their first farm, established in 1916, is now part of the Fresno State farm school. Over the years, the family has expanded their agricultural pursuits, growing wine grapes, raisins, peaches, garlic, watermelons, pumpkins, onions, olives, oat hay, and raising cattle in Clovis, Conejo, Oleander, Caruthers, Fresno, Selma, Lone Star, and Sanger.

Building on their tradition of home winemaking, the Ubick family founded Ubick Vineyards in Clovis and released their first commercial vintage in 2008. They quickly gained recognition for producing small lots of exceptional and distinctive red wines. In 2017, the family established Valley Oak Winery LLC to produce and market wines under the Ubick Vineyards and other house labels.

Valley Oak Winery and its tasting room opened in 2017 at the new site of the Ubick Vineyards near Sanger, CA. The vineyard, established in 2014, features eight red wine varietals. By growing their own grapes, the Ubick family can oversee every aspect of winegrowing and production, striving to create wines that are fruit-forward and rich in unique aromas and flavors reflective of the vineyard and the vintage year.

Van Ruiten Family Winery

Van Ruiten Logo

It was the dream of a young Dutch immigrant to cultivate quality grapes and produce exceptional wines. After arriving in the United States shortly after World War II, John Van Ruiten Sr. settled in the Lodi area. His aspiration to own land became a reality in the early 1950s when, through his own hard work, he purchased his first vineyard property. He planted Zinfandel vines and began growing wine grapes in the Lodi Appellation.

The Van Ruiten family believes that hard work and an unwavering commitment to producing top-quality grapes and award-winning wines are the cornerstones of their business.

Five decades later, the Van Ruitens farm over 800 acres of wine grapes, with only their finest fruit destined to bear the family name. After more than fifty years, their ambition was realized with the construction of the Van Ruiten Family Winery, completed just before the 2000 harvest. Now, two generations of the Van Ruiten family work together to tend the vineyards and manage the winery.

Varozza Vineyards

vineyard with rolling hills in the background

Varozza Vineyards is owned by Jack and Dianna Varozza. A couple that took over Jack's father's winery. The couple is absolutely amazing and nice. Great down home feel to this tour. Dianne can answer any question, comfortable atmosphere. Free tour you will feel like you need a bottle of wine to take with you.

Vega Vineyard and Farm

crystal wine glasses and bottle of wine


After 40 years in the hospitality business, we understand the value of building relationships, sharing a table for special moments over food and wine, and experiencing the beauty and bounty of Santa Barbara Wine Country.

With a concentration on our estate vineyard, we have sought to produce wines that are “a window to a place.” Each one of our wines is different in expression, with its own subtle, yet distinctive character and voice. Each year renews in us an intense drive to understand, react to, and work with the vineyard to allow it to reach its full potential. This process, led by our winemaker, Steve Clifton, is crucial for the execution of successful wines.

Venge Vineyards

The Venge (ven-ghee) family has farmed vitis vinifera varieties in Napa Valley for nearly half a century. It is a journey that began when Knud Venge emigrated from Denmark to the United States in the early 1900’s. Knud’s son, Per Venge, found his passion in the wine and spirits industry and started Vencom Imports, focusing on the importation of Western European fine wines and spirits. It was Per’s son, Nils Venge, who left the family business in the 1960’s with a vision to study viticulture at UC Davis and establish the family name as an icon in the winegrowing community.

The family’s viticultural roots flourished in 1976 with the purchase of a 17-acre vineyard in the Oakville District that was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This fortunate development cast the family among the winemaking pioneers of Napa Valley.

Nils’ and Dianna Venge’s son, Kirk Venge, gravitated to winemaking at an early age. He proved to be as talented a winemaker as his father, making wines in his own style, with a vision to build on the family legacy. In 2008, Kirk achieved his lifelong dream and acquired full ownership of Venge Vineyards. Today, Kirk continues the Napa Valley heritage, focusing on select vineyard sites that produce fruit worthy of bearing the Venge family name.

Venteux Vineyards

wine and cheese

Venteux Vineyards (pronounced "Vin 2") is suitably named as this ten acre estate is nestled in the renowned "windy" Templeton Gap in the heart of Paso Robles Wine Country. Known for hot dry days and cool damp nights this growing region is ideal for dry-farmed, head-trained vines which produce intensely bold and flavorful Rhone varietals. Experience life on a working winery and vineyard with luxurious stays at the winery's Bed & Breakfast inn.

Verite Winery

barrel room of winery

They offer private tasting at their Alexander Valley Estate in Healdsburg by appointment only (call tasting room or make an appointment request online). The tasting takes approximately two hours & the tasting fee is $25 per person, which is refunded with a purchase. Parker gave 7 of their wines a perfect 100 score. It's going on my winery to-do list! :)

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