Came to Matanzas for the second time because it's a beautiful winery…read more Recommendations: 1. Definitely make time to explore the lavender fields. It's part of their charm! 2. During summer right now, they have a Golden Hour Series to watch the sunset with live music (we got to experience a talented blue grass band) - tickets are only $10. They also have food trucks available for food 3. Enjoy the outdoor seating as the air is fresh, the summers are warm, and it's just an overall beautiful scene Miscellaneous: - Parking available onsite - Can bring your own food

One of the best small wineries in the area. Fabulous grounds with lavender fields (where we did…read moreyoga) and an antique wooden storage barn and fragrant products like soaps, honey etc. There is also a bocce court and a few special outdoor picnic tables you can reserve for groups. Their wines were delicious; the whites had a hint of elderflower scent and there was a nice, lighter Chardonnay, not too buttery. For reds, the Cab was full bodied and fruity. Their Malbec tastes authentic and showed off the winemaker's South American roots. Our very knowledgeable and cheerful guide Nicole, said the winemaker came from Chile. Her descriptions were helpful and she had a friendly, energetic enthusiasm which showed a true love of her job. The was a good full plate of cheeses and salamis available. They even gave us a "to go" cup to wander around the grounds, so overall it was a very generous pour to sample! Highly recommended to book in advance and allow time to explore the grounds.

Truly spectacular views on the back deck of a unique, charming home. We were welcomed and…read moreimmediately felt the comfort of being in someone's beautiful living room. With so much potential to be a wonderful wine experience, it fell short after the two very scant tastings. We lingered...confused, expecting more wine or to at least revisit one, yet were not offered any more. This tasting really had the recipe to be very special with its surroundings and home atmosphere, yet it left me feeling like I was at someone's beautiful home, but they weren't quite the hostess with the mostess. I so wanted to want to go back with my husband, but for $20 a tasting, I'd rather just purchase one of their bottles and look out at the hillsides of Petaluma

The word gem comes to mind when I think of Stubbs. For years I'd biked up Wilson road not ever…read moreknowing what was at the end of the beautiful tree-lines driveway. I felt like we stumbled upon Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory because everything was so magical... From the African long horns to the hog to the barn, etc. The wine, too, is incredible. We all left with several bottles. Mary hosts the tasting in her dining room so it's an intimate and cozy experience. I highly recommend checking this place out!

This is an unassuming little winery in a very nice setting. No fancy tasting room but lots of…read moregreat seating outside for tasting. Had some really nice reds and it was fun to talk to the tasting guide abut the wines and the winery. Very knowledgeable and made for a nice hour or so. Wines are reasonably priced so was able to bring a few of what we tried home.

My wife and I set out early yesterday to get out of the house and spend the day up in the Russian…read moreRiver visiting some of our favorite haunts. I have been a fan of Joseph Swan wines for longer than I care to mention - let's just say over 30 years. Ironically though, I haven't visited the tasting room very often. My wife and I stopped in last year - it happened to be the Sunday of the Barrel Tasting weekend in March, I think - and had such an enjoyable experience, that we have been itching to return ever since. We were lucky enough to get an appointment on this trip. First off, Richard was an excellent host. He is very friendly and knowledgable. We enjoyed chatting with him very much. Second, we love the wines - so honest, so pure. We tend to prefer wines that are lower in alcohol, not heavily oak-influenced, and that taste of the grape...This winery has been carrying that torch since Joe Swan founded his winery around 50 years ago. Rod Bergland, who's been making the wines for the past 30 years or so, is very respected in the industry for this very reason. Rod happened to be onsite and was gracious enough to spend some time chatting with us. What a treat! It was fun and fascinating to hear some history of the winery, the vineyards and the wines from the guy overseeing it all. Fantastic spot for a low-key, no hype visit. Nice setting. Great, honest wines at reasonable prices. Iconic winery and people.

We had such a fantastic wine tasting experience at Paradise Ridge, and a huge part of that was…read morethanks to Kevin. He was warm, knowledgeable, and made the entire tasting feel relaxed and engaging without ever being overwhelming. He explained each wine and the regions they came from in a way that was easy to understand but still really interesting--perfect whether you're a casual sipper or more into the details. The standout for us was the 2019 Zinfandel--bold, smooth, and just really memorable. Definitely the one we're still talking about. Beyond the wine itself, wandering through the sculpture gardens added something really special to the visit. It's such a peaceful, beautiful setting and made the whole experience feel more like an afternoon escape than just a tasting. Honestly, Kevin made it. We'd come back again just to have another tasting with him. You are full of Aloha. Mahalo!!!

Wonderful venue for a wedding. We were delighted on how the day went for my daughter and son in…read morelaws wedding in September. We couldn't have asked for a better day. The venue is perfect for a group up to 150. It was truly magical and Sarah provided us with vendor contact information and recommendations that made the day flow very well. Our planner was Samar Hazelwood of Blissfull Events and captured our clip of the first dance. Wonderful team.

I try not to use the phrase a "hidden gem" too often or not at all, but Sonoma Aperitif should fall…read moreinto that category if it indeed a legitimate term to use! I had loose plans to visit Sonoma Aperitif on a weekend a few months back, but was not committed due to other plans. Well I had some spare time and figured I'd try to stop by and see if I could do a walk in tasting/sample. Laura who is the owner graciously accepted us into her old style barn converted into a tasting room. It really displays the Petaluma hospitality as well as the true country vibe of the aesthetics inside. For those a tad confused about Aperitifs, it is not your normal cocktail you will throw back or glass of wine/beer. They are typically served before or after (Sometimes depending on the country/region) to cleanse the palette. This is not to say you cannot make cocktails with it, but typically from what I have been told it is an after or before meal "sipper". Back to the tasting, Laura had a few that she was pouring today ranging from Lime/Citrus to Buddhas hand and Grapefruit. All had their very own distinction from each other. The real jewel of the tasting was the fact that Laura was pairing everything with very simple ingredients to make delicious cocktails! To give an example a aperitif splash with a rosemary shrub gave the aperitif a whole different level of complexity. The tasting itself was very affordable, and at the time included a wine tasting at the same bar by another company (No longer being offered though). Flavors may change throughout the year due to the seasons of various fruits though, so what one may see on one visit, may be gone the next depending on inventory, so keep that in mind if you really like any of the aperitifs. I could easily recommend this to someone who is looking for an alternative to Wine and Beer tastings.

Apéritif is a French word derived from the Latin verb aperire, which means "to open". An apéritif…read moreis an alcoholic beverage usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite, and is therefore usually dry rather than sweet." Fantastic alternative from ciders and wine tasting. (But I still love ciders and wine :) I've never experienced aperitif. Laura, the creative mistress and owner was highly informative and had so much passion with her creations. Her previous career led her to this wonderful libation. The public gets to reap the rewards. This tasting bar shares the barn themed building. We came in to taste her aperitif creations and ciders from a very new up and coming cidery, "Acre and Spade" (see my Yelp review) After our cider tastimg, she placed 3 different tall slim bottles of aperitifs and poured each one in a very tiny martini stemmed glass, along with a ceramic bucket to pour any extra aperitif. As she poured each aperitif one flavor at a time, she offered the flavor profile. It's great with a bit of ice, which is extra perfect on hot days. She then made a cocktail using a lemon flavored "shrub *" and one of the aperitif (sorry I forgot which one). It was delish. I felt so "classy" lol. She added a sprig of fresh rosemary, so as your sipping, your nose picks up the Rosemary aroma. We offered our opinion for each aperitif and she listened intently as we slowly tasted each one. Their was no wrong answer as each flavor description is subjective to our own taste buds. This visit was eye opening, informative and very enjoyable. Our group ended up purchasing a pack of cider and few bottles of aperitif. She mentioned she had a few strawberry aperitif which we were lucky to enjoy. These aperitifs will be part of holiday dinners or any festive group gatherings. But equally fantastic for summer parties or warm/hot weather. * "The term "shrub" can also be applied to the sweetened vinegar-based syrup, from which the cocktail is made; the syrup is also known as drinking vinegar. Drinking vinegar is often infused with fruit juice, herbs and spices for use in mixed drinks."

Lydia was so wonderful as she provided our tour and wine tasting experience. The wine is superior!…read moreMy adult daughters loved the Sauvignon Blanc and I loved the Chardonnay!! Lydia also accommodated our toddler and was so patient with our needs. Some may wonder why this is 5 stars, because the setting is in an industrial park rather than in a wine vineyard. We knew this heading there, but others may find this a bit disappointing. We focused on enjoying our time together and the wine.

This was a highlight on our recent trip to wine country. Our pursuit of our passion is focused on…read morethe quality of the wine and the experience, and Cattleya exceeded expectations on both categories. Cattleya offers incredible Pinot Noir, Chardonnay as well as Syrah, Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc. Bibiana Gonzales is the winemaker and is a rising star in the industry. She combines old world pedigree and knowledge with new world grapes to produce scintillating wines. We enjoyed a tasting led by her Director of Sales and right hand man, Alex. We enjoyed a tour of the winery, their lab, and the headed to the tasting room. Alex expertly led us through the tasting, describing the components and characteristics of each wine. He was knowledgeable, engaging and a pleasure to interact with. They are located a bit off the beaten path but are well worth the visit. This is not a winery that is in a majestic setting producing sub-par wines, but rather a winery focused on production of world-class wines and providing an educational and entertaining experience. Definitely a must stop for the real wine enthusiasts out there.

Friendly, casual and great wines…read more We began our tasting with viognier before journeying into the cave to sip their 2018 Unoaked Chardonnay (alongside their 2018 Chardonnay- personal preference for their unoaked Chard), 2028 Pinot noir (Sonoma coast and Bootleggers- prefer Sonoma coast), 2018 Zinfandel and 2018 red (Bordeaux) blend. Ended up purchasing a bottle of their Sonoma Coast Pinot and Red blend. Would definitely return to sample (with a clear palette!) their robust and diverse wine collection! Special shout out to Kyle for showing us a great, tailored tasting. We will be back!

Highly recommended! Hidden and wonderful. Went with a group of gals and had a fabulous experience…read morehosted by Kyle. The cave is fascinating and the set up for our group was perfect. They have a lovely chard and several wonderful pinot noir's. We all bought some to savor at home. Don't miss this little family owned gem!

Wine is part of cuisine! The Italian Americans convinced Congress that wine, in Italy, was food!…read more Part of the meal as much as olive oil and garlic. Carol Shelton's "Rendezvous Rose" is a perfect companion for any "rendezvous" but particularly at a table. This Rendezvous Rose is perhaps the best complement to any cuisine whether veggies, meat, poultry, gritty di mare, and even Swordfish!

Amazing place. Nice staff. Carol herself was there pouring wines, showing the barrel room, and…read moresigning bottles. All the wines were good. I loved doing a vertical tasting because you can really taste the difference between years. I bought two bottles there, including a 2013 magnum! So happy that we stumbled upon this place! Queen of Zin and Cab she is!