The winery is in an old high school on the Main Street though Hopland. It's very fun and then unique setting. They have several bocce ball courts. We were told that you can play there for free. Our server was very attentive and fun. We had several wines that were very good. I especially liked the Uber Tuscan. read more

Brutocao Cellars - Tasting room - Wineries Near Me - Hopland, California

Been a fan of Brutocao wines going back MANY years since stumbling upon their now closed tasting room just off Route 128 in Philo. It was their Italian wines (Primitivo, Docetto, Quadriga, and Uber Tuscan) that first caught our attention. Absolutely delicious and immediately drinkable reds, though any could of course benefit from a little nap to round out even more. Maybe it's just me, but you really can pick up the hints of lavender in these big reds, which really speaks to the terroir of the Anderson Valley grape sourcing. We also loved their Bliss label of more cost-conscious yet equally delicious wines. Their rose really shines under this label and makes for superb hot sunny day drinking. Also, their sparkling rose and brut do NOT disappoint. Their tasting room in Hopland, while not as charming as the Philo garden and barn, is still inviting. They have a tasting available daily, with indoor as well as outdoor patio seating. You can apply tasting fees to any purchase you make. Don't miss Brutocao on your next trip along 101 to Northern California. read more

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This is a review specifically for Contento Vineyard event space, but our experience in the tasting room was also fantastic! This venue was the single best decision I made for my wedding (aside from my choice in husband, of course). I LOVE BRUTOCAO--everything about it. The people, the wine, the venue, the value, the service. I did a DEEP search on The Knot for an affordable venue in the area that could accommodate our party (135 guests). For not having a huge budget, I had a long want/need list. I wanted an outdoor space with an indoor option--just in case. I wanted a venue that I could spend longer than 6-8 hours in. I wanted to pick my own vendors. I didn't have high hopes for what a venue in my budget might look like. Then I found Brutocao. I reached out and was contacted by Kathy R. who does the events at Brutocao--they have several different venue options on their property but we went with the Contento Vineyard. She responded to me with a LONG message with vendors that I could use in the area, including other venues! Upon meeting Kathy, it was apparent that while she cared about her business, she cared more about couples and her community in Hopland. She was so friendly, easy going and helpful and made choosing our venue an easy choice. On my birthday a few of my bridesmaids came to town so we all toured a few venues together, along with my husband. Our tour of Brutocao came with a free wine tasting. This place is GORGEOUS. I saw it initially in the fall and then had my wedding in the spring and I honestly don't know what was prettier. In addition to the stunning views, there were so many workable spaces at the venue. We had access to the property the day before the wedding for set up and the day after for tear down so on the day of my wedding, we could just focus on the wedding! Kathy provided a long list of vendors, but we were free to choose our own. We ended up purchasing wine from Brutocao, not because we had to (no mandatory vendor list), but because it was DELICIOUS. I will be a life-long Brutocao drinker not just for the nostalgia, but because it is that good! My mom and I visited the venue twice while planning and had a wine tasting with Chris in the tasting room both times who took such great care of us and was a pleasure to hang out with. The weekend of the wedding, everything was set up for our use. There are outlets and lighting spread throughout the venue, there is a 3-walled barn (we used as a smoking lounge), a pole barn (where we did our dancing) and a huge canvas tent (wall-less) that was ready for up to four plug in chandeliers. The lighting in the barn was cute and dimmable. There were some tables and various other things on site that were available for our use, which helped with my event rental tab. Speaking of tabs, this venue was also the most affordable of all of the venues that I researched and toured which blows my mind! I could go on and on about how amazing this venue and the people that run it are, but I highly recommend checking it out for yourself. I hope to visit over and over, maybe each year on our anniversary. If I ever have another event to host in this area, I will, without hesitation, book at Contento Vineyard at Brutocao. read more

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Splendid wine and splendid times! I have been a fan of Brutocao's wines for quite some time now. I used to frequent their old tasting room in Philo many moons ago before they closed it down. Not sure why it took me so long to visit this Hopland tasting room, but boy is it fun! Came here during a wine tasting event and had such a wonderful time. I love the fact that this is a full family operation. The winemaker and his wife were in full swing pouring all of the wines during the event. This is one of those wineries that produces many different varietals but knows how to execute them well. I love their emphasis on Italian varietals as this region is typically known for Pinot and Chardonnay. They have a lovely patio space with a large bocce ball court in the back and several tasting areas in their standing tasting bar. They also have a front room for dining. They were serving pizza during the event which was quite delicious. If you're a shopper, there are so many cute little items for sale here from dining ware to postcards to fun winery trinkets. They also have periodic wine sales where you can get deep discounts on some great wine! The wine is simply amazing and the variety is pretty much unparalleled. It's Mendocino county so their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is absolutely golden here! Couldn't leave without purchasing a couple bottles of these. However, I must admit that their Italian varietals are really tasty too. Their Uber Tuscan and Ribolla Giallo were both delicious. I'm a big fan of Italian red blends and these really sang to my palate. Plus, I loved that they had something bolder and a little more complex on their tasting menu. You really can't lose when it comes to the wine here. Brutocao is a fine choice for wine tasting when in Hopland, especially if you're looking to have a fun time socializing and playing some bocce ball. Plus, the wine will have you lingering for more. read more

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One of my favorite days of wedding planning was the day we found Contento Vineyards! Contento is part of Brutocao's property, and the venue was everything we could have imagined. I can still remember touring the grounds, sipping on wine and basking in the sun - my fiance and I knew right away it was the perfect place for us. The winery, the venue, the staff- everything was amazing from start to finish. Kathy the coordinator was so kind and helpful!! Contento is the perfect place if you want wine country / rustic / DIY with gorgeous views. Although the DIY part is a lot of work, we wanted a venue that would offer us the flexibility to make it how we wanted and Contento was wonderful at supporting our requests and not pigeonholing us into choosing certain vendors. They also offer their wine at a discount for the wedding if you wish to go that route. We were able to rent a handful of tables and chairs straight from Brutocao which helped us save a lot of money with Encore rentals.They were flexible about so many things, which allowed the weekend to be such a success! We had friends and family come from all over and they still talk about how GORGEOUS the views were from the venue. We got married on April 30th, and the only adjustment I would make next time is to rent sides for the tent to block the wind, but I don't think I realized it was an option at the time. But a little wind didn't hurt a thing, overall the day was sunny and gorgeous and we cannot wait to come back to visit! read more

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Been a wine club member for 10 years. Great value and taste. Chris runs the tasting room very well. read more

An all time favorite stop in Hopland! Such an amazing afternoon tasting fabulous wines. We enjoyed our time with Chris sharing some local stories. We have been coming here for what seems like 20 + years and it never disappoints! read more

Brutocao Cellars - Just a few bottles that we purchased today! - Wineries Near Me - Hopland, California

Awesome afternoon tasting delicious wines! We stopped with a few friends to taste local wines and would highly recommend Brutocao Cellars. The location was so interesting. Wonderful history of the area and friendly staff. Can't wait to visit again and for a wine shipment! read more

We stopped in for a glass of wine on our way from Trinidad back to the Bay Area. The wine was excellent, and we bought some bottles to take home. The guy working there was super friendly and had lots of interesting information to share about the winery. We sat out on the patio which was a great way to relax in the middle of a 5 hour drive. The location is extra cool because it used to be a high school. Highly recommend! read more

My husband and I stopped in on a warm Monday afternoon to check out the tasting room. They offered both a free and a $10 tasting flight. The $10 flight fee was waived with the purchase of any bottle. A lovely woman was working the tasting counter. She was very helpful and made great recommendations. There was no pressure to buy either, which I always appreciate. A couple of gems we found at this location would also make great gifts: a lemon infused olive oil, various flavors of balsamic vinegars, and a cherry Merlot fudge! There were several bocce ball courts outside of the tasting room as well. Great spot to try out some new wines! read more

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Great wine tastings and friendly, helpful staff! Also, delicious lemon-infused olive oil amazing taste on salads along with delicious balsalmic vinegars. Beautiful grounds inside and outside and bocce ball courts outside! A fun wine-tasting experience! read more

I was driving back to East Bay from Mendocino and needed a place to stop before I enter the reality of the traffic back home. This was the perfect spot to stop! The grounds were peaceful for me to enjoy my lunch. But not before I went for tasting of port! I love port which is often hard to find places that have a selection rather than just one. Brutocao had 3 for me this day! Chris was a wonderful journey master into this tasting of port as the Zinfandel was amazing, the Tawny was a classic and Mistrelle was music especially with added flair of some sparkling wine. I couldn't resist and not get them all! If you love port, this is a place to stop. And don't forget to enjoy the property before you head back into reality! read more

Another of my favorites, so disappointed that they closed their Philo tasting room, not a fan of the bigger Napa Valley wineries starting to invade the Anderson Valley. read more

This was such a fun tasting room! We came here a few minutes after they opened for the day and it was a fun way to start our tasting in Hopland. They had about nineteen (!) different wines available for complimentary tasting. The gentleman serving us was knowledgeable, friendly, and cracking jokes with us. If you like white wine, you are in luck here. My favorites were the chardonnay (very smooth), reserve chardonnay, rosé (tastes like summer strawberries in a glass), dolcetto (light red wine), pinot noir (notes of cherry cola), primitivo (another light red wine), sangiovese, and the port zinfandel which was amazing. The best was saved for last though and it is what I ended up purchasing... the 2010 mistelle for $24, an incredibly delicious desert wine. The tasting room is spacious and the grounds are beautiful with the bocce courts. read more

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Extremely disappointed with staff and manager, this is such a beautiful spot but have to concept of the lost opportunity. I have watched this location become so disheveled over the last 10 years, I used to go here often but now it just a stone building along the road with no allure. read more

Cute place with lovely, friendly people. Wines are delicious and easy to drink for fair prices. We walked out with a case and are glad to share it with friends. Tastings are FREE! I do enjoy that 4 letter F word :) read more

This winery is located in the old school house, which makes the location quite unique. They have a lovely store with lots of cute knick-knacky stuff, most of it wine related. Our wine guy was pretty good - not the more personable chap - he could definitely brush up on the people skills. The wines were good, as well as the selection. We ended up buying their zin, which we really enjoyed later when we opened it up. They have a very nice looking restaurant in there as well, and the outdoor patio are was beautiful. They also have weekly bacci ball games, which I know would be a blast. read more

Possibly the most friendly winery I have ever been to in Mendocino. The staff are expert when it comes to their wine, they all work closely with the wine maker and know their stuff! Nice comfy chairs outside and a great Bacci ball court. The wine prices are modest and the wine is very good. I like this place. read more

Came with a friend's recommendation on Saturday. We were lucky to have Kevin Brutocao, 4th generation grape grower (now turn in to wine maker) pour some of the best wines for us. Our favorites were just released 2013 Coro Mendocino, 2014 Torrent blend, and lovely Port Zin which we finished the tasting with Italian Cherry Fudge. Great place to visit and relax. Worth the drive to get away from Napa /Sonoma crowds. Free tasting and friendly service reminded of us how Napa used to be 20 years ago... We might cancel our Wine Club memberships in Napa and join Brutocao Club. Thanks Kevin for great time and we will see you soon! read more

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Just finished a wonderful Uber Zin that was sent to us through one of the clubs we belong to.Haven't had the pleasure of a winery visit at Brutocao but will make a point of it on our next visit to Ca. How is the winery pronounced? Brut-a-cow? Brut-a-k-o? I could go on.... The only stupid question is the one not asked. read more

Very spacious tasting room with a wide selection to taste from including dessert wines. The three of us agreed their stand-out was the Syrah. No fees, no benches/seating area. Not as scenic as cozy as other wineries. read more

Our last stop on our way home after a week in Northern CA. Nice gift shop...as Stacy said, mostly wine related...even bibs for the babies with grapes on them! We tasted a couple chardonneys and a zin before trying a couple of their dessert wines. Also agree with Stacey...our wine guy could have done better with his people skills. We did buy a bottle of port to take home, and look forward to sipping that after our Labor Day bar-b-que! read more

Excellent wine! I ordered wine for Christmas gifts aNd the recipients were very pleased!

We stopped at the Brutocao tasting room in the old Hopland High School on our way back from a weekend in the Humboldt Redwoods to SFO, and had the best time! Every wine we tasted was delicious, our person pouring was hilarious and full of history tidbits for the area, and our group of four had a wonderful afternoon. This was a perfect place to stop! While we couldn't bring bottles back on the plane, I'm about to order a case to deliver. The stop is absolutely worth it. read more

Copy of a post from an old account of mine: I will drive from the south bay just to visit this place. I am a huge fan of their reds, especially the zin. They also have flavored oils and vinegars, which can't be beat. Two in particular are the black fig vinegar and the cherry vinegar. read more

This place is exceptional. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. They have a great variety of white and red wines. They also have a sparkling wine which is a wonderful treat! read more

Brutocao has really good wines overall. Been enjoying their stuff for a while. We usually stop and taste at the actual winery on 128, but this last time we were in Hopland, we decided to hit their tasting room there. Mistake mistake mistake. The wines were good, the gift shop was extensive and lovely...but there was just one staff member pouring and he was definitely lacking in not only people skills but several social graces as well. He catered to the two wine club members standing next to us and more or less blew us off. At one point it was literally five minutes before he came over to pour us the next wine. And when I tried to get his attention, he snapped at me. Swear on a stack of bibles, I did nothing to provoke his behavior. He is just really lacking in the people skills area. I highly recommend visiting the winery proper if you have the time. It's a much better experience. read more

Perhaps the fanciest tasting room in Hopland, which may be because it is attached to a restraunt. A range of wines, fewer whites but they were good and the Sangiovese Rose was very nice. The reds range from fair [Zin just isn't my style] to excellent and several are rather cheap. read more

Love all of their wines!! Family owned. A must try!! If you like Italian varietals you'll be impressed with these wines. My favorites are their cabs. and merlots. They also have delicious olive oils too. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Brutocao Cellars. They are a wonderful company with wonderful staff! We just had our wedding at the Hopland Schoolhouse Venue and it was perfect in every aspect! Kathy the event coordinator was a sweetheart and just AMAZING! The venue it self was beautiful and had everything that we looked for in a wedding venue. There is a beautiful outside ceremony site with a cute steeple and a large grass area. The inside reception area is the perfect size with a room to get ready in and a full size bar. Their wine is yummy too! Highly recommend this venue and winery to anyone and everyone! read more

Stopped by this place after seeing the chooclate and port tasting sign. I love chocolate so this was a must. This place has wonderful wines. I ended up buying a port myself which is unheard of. They have about 16 wines and I think I tasted 12. I bought 2 Pinots and the chocolate as well. Overall great experience and wonderful wine. read more

Definitely some decent wine at some reasonable prices. We were met by two older gentlemen who were extremely knowledgeable about their wines. Bought three bottles. One of the few places in California where I have seen Primitivo available. Definitely worth a stop! read more

Free tastings and good wine. A great gem in Mendocino County...

If you're wine tasting in Mendocino this place is a MUST! My friends (who are avid winos) and myself (first time wino) had a blast. It was great wine accompanied by a great atmosphere and a top notch staff. Needless to say I can't wait for our next visit! read more

I will drive from the south bay just to visit this place. I am a huge fan of their reds, especially the zin. They also have flavored oils and vinegars, which can't be beat. Two in particular are the black fig vinegar and the cherry vinegar. read more

Intentionally stopped here on my way back to the bay area after a weekend in Mendocino because I read they do wine AND chocolate tastings. The chocolate tasting is more of a chocolate spread tasting btw, which is still good (I bought the chocolate truffle spread I believe) but I digress. Generous free wine tastings and very friendly staff. It felt very comfortable and unassuming unlike some other tasting rooms, especially in the Napa and Sonoma areas. I really enjoyed their Cab, it was new and not on the menu but the gentleman gave me a taste and it was by far my favorite. I also bought a bottle of the Merlot Mistelle I'm not usually a sweet wine person but this was delicious! I would definitely go back and will probably buy a case of that Cab! read more

I love this place! Mike and Chris took care of us! rose and Sauvignon blanc. Bocce. So accommodating and sweet. We love it here and will be back! read more

We spent a week touring the wineries in the Napa area and had the best time in Hopland wine tasting here. The staff was friendly, funny and very informative. It was a lot more personal attention and not quite as stuffy as some of the larger Napa wineries. Now for the best part....the wine was wonderfull and affordable. Love the Primitivo, Uber Tuscan, Zin, and Pinot Noir. We would love to visit the Brutocao cellers again. read more