A very beautiful winery with a medium space tasting room and a backyard with a gazebo. The owner of the winery was there and came to talk to us. He explained that this winery was made because his children wanted some wine and it became a hobby. (Quite an amazing father, I would say, to buy and create a vineyard just for your kids.) He was a sweet gentlemen. However, we were served by two ladies, both a bit older, and we got good service and mediocre service. One was very affable and talkative, while the other was slightly standoffish. Then there was the wine, I didn't like a single tasting. I felt like they didn't let the wine mature enough, most of their reds, I didn't get the mouth feel at all - no tannins. Personally, I wouldn't come back. Tasting fee - $10, not worth it. Although, I did enjoy the view, so if you want to come try it place out, since you're down the street, please do. read more

If there was something less than one star, I'd select that... except Pam, she gets 5 stars, Pam is the only thing holding this place together #gopam. If you look like this adorable little harmless puppy, then you'll be kicked out immediately. The wine is mediocre at best, and then you ask me to control my puppy who wouldn't hurt a fly.....please. Charles you're rude and crotchety, get over yourself....we were the only people drinking at your winery and now we are at Wente. Peace out and get some manners! read more

Charles R Winery - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

I LOVE CHARLES R! Charles R is a hidden gem at the end of the dusty road. Family owned business, tasting room was built by the owner and the winemaker themselves. GREAT PLACE TO GO! Charles R himself is in the tasting room all the time, extremely nice and he's an absolute hoot. The winemaker is there just as often, he's full of knowledge and know what he is talking about. All of the tasting room staff was fun to talk to and know what they are talking about. My favorite wines here are the 2007 Pinot Grigio and the 2006 Cab. The Pinot would be great for a hot summer day nice crisp, clean, soft flavor. The Cab is a great red, awesome with a steak dinner, definitely one of my favs. At the end of your tasting you get PORT BROWNIES! And they are soooooo goooooood. I am not usually a port person but the way these brownies complement their port is great. You have to give this place a try its my favorite winery in the Livermore Valley! read more

We had a fabulous experience here. At the very end of the dirt road we had no idea what to expect. Walking in the couple who owned the winery and lived on premises greeted us and started us on our tastings. One of my friends only drinks whites and they offered all of us a tasting of their sauvignon blanc, only available to club members. They spoke to us the whole time about their wines, what they paired well with and which ones were their best sellers. I ended up buying the chardonnay since it was so light and refreshing, it was the only wine I bought of the 6 wineries we visited. I will definitely be back due to the great atmosphere, free tastings, and I want to buy their smores packets and roast them by the outdoor fire pit. read more

Good wines and live music. Barbara was very nice and definitely recommend shelling out the 2$ for the port tasting and port brownies at the end. My group bought 2 of the ports and if you substitute water for the port in any brownie mix, prepare to have your Tastebuds thanking you! read more

This place is amazing. Time and time again, and today took the cake! I've been here several times, and each time my guests and I are welcomed warmly. Sometimes they pour extra generously, but even when they don't pour more than usual, their flight is usually about 8 different wines, so you definitely get your money's worth. And they're always so friendly and really show us their passion for what they do, which I definitely appreciate. I love the small, family owned feel to this place. So I actually coordinated with one of their volunteers to plan for my 30th birthday party, which was today. They were super wonderful and accommodating, right from the start. We had a group tour of the barn, and Jean is very knowledgeable about the whole wine making process, which made the tour fun. We had tables reserved for all of our food, and I had a band come in to play music, and it was just the best time! Jean was also on top of everything, making sure everyone got their wine and also giving us insight into their wine. The atmosphere is great, the people are awesome, and the wine is fabulous - they actually turned me into a red wine drinker because they age their wine longer so that there's less to no tannin left in the wine to make it leave that bitter aftertaste that I don't like. I like all of their red wines a lot, and their port is to die for! Especially paired with the port brownies! It's just truly awesome and I'm looking forward to the next time we're going out there! read more

I was with friends who were checking out the wine scene for the first time. We stumbled across Charles R as it's at the end of a road. To get to the tasting room, you'll have to travel down a pebble graded road. Once you get to the tasting room you'll be well rewarded by the Randy and his family. I talked to Bonnie, Randy's mother while tasting a great Syrah. They're membership has been sold out but just recently they've reopened it as they're production has increased. I really liked them and Livermore is so close to Silicon Valley. This place is about 20 mins from Fremont. read more

At the end of Crane Ridge Road sits Charles R Vineyard. I mean, literally at the end. My friend Denise, who's a bigger wine snob than me, insisted we go plus she swears by their '06 Pinot. Unfortunately, only 50 cases were made and it's long gone. She still has two bottles so I'll be very nice to her in the months ahead. Fun place, good wine and really cool people working the tasting room. You can look outside and see rabbits chasing each other. Idyllic to say the least. They also hand out fresh brownies with their port. One of the better Livermore Valley Wineries. read more

I had a blast at this place! To be honest, I don't recall even really tasting the wine. I was really just focused on the couple who was totally drunk and acting a fool. Ok, maybe not acting a fool but they were hilarious! The guy who helped us out, Randy, was super friendly. He just kept pouring and we kept drinking. I remembered really liking the Syrah though it had a bit of a kick to it. Overall, this place is really great. I liked the ambiance and the tasting room is spacious and the decor was simple. I'll be back as well. And what are these port brownies that I keep reading about? I want to try those! So then I'll definitely be back! Can't you tell that I really enjoyed my Livermore Valley wine tasting experience? read more

At the end of the road you find a long driveway. At the end of that you find Charles R. This is a delightful little winery with a charming staff. We left with the Pinot Grigio, the Cab and the Chard. _____________________________________ 5/26/08 UPDATE: The Chard was a big mistake. Either that or we got a bad bottle. It was completely undrinkable. It was brown and almost looked like beer. I had to pour it out. read more

There are so many fantastic things about this place: -Delicious wine. -The ambiance in the tasting room is fun and friendly. -We always have a good time chatting with the knowledgeable pourers. -The tasting is complimentary. -There are tables in the back with a view of a meadow so it's a great -place for a picnic. read more

We were on our way back from Brentwood after picking 15 pounds of peaches and nectarines! So what else could we do but stop in Livermore for some wine tasting! This was our second stop and it was great! We had our 18 month old with us and they had an area with toys and books for kids to play with. It is a great idea and it made our wine tasting experience more relaxing knowing that she could play and not beg us to go outside (she's an outdoors baby)! I know 90% of the time you don't bring kids to wineries, but the fact that they had this available was awesome! We bought a bottle of the port. They had it paired with some brownies that were also made with the port. We are going to make the brownies (with the port) and drink the port as well! Poor Kiera will be sawing logs by the time the brownies are done though! ;) Oh, in case you want to try this recipe, it's just boxed brownie mix and you substitute the water for port :) read more

Here tonight for a friends birthday party. Beautiful locale. The layout of the winery was very nice. Lots of room for everybody and still we could visit nicely. From the beginning to the end, the staff was fabulous. They were so helpful and courteous which was very refreshing. They remembered exactly which wine I was drinking the whole night. Amazing! At the end when we were working to clean up, they weren't pushy or rude... just helping us get the job done! Well done!! read more

We really enjoyed this winery. It was a bit disappointing that our fee for the Livermore Wine Harvest Celebration weekend only covered 2 tastings - I have not yet figured out what our $45 covered.... However, once we paid the upgrade fee to go inside for tastings, we were pleasantly surprised. The folks pouring were very friendly and the wines quite tasty. Nice patio area with music outside. This was actually the only place we purchased wines on our outing today and we will return! read more

Friendly and amazing wine! We joined their wine club. Every wine we have there is awesome!

ZERO stars! We would NEVER return. The owner walked by our group and my son's sweet but shy dog, sitting down on a leash, growled at him and he stopped to get very ugly and say "I'll shoot that dog if it ever growls at me again!" I took issue with him about making that rude and insensitive remark. He just became uglier and louder, told me I had an attitude and shouted about getting bit one time by an aggressive dog. We basically just got our family up and out and commented that we'd never return. What a wretched, miserable old man. He is an A-hole and lost our business. Really? I'll SHOOT your dog?? Stay far away. there are too many fun wineries that welcome and invite furry friends. read more

We love this place! Go, and I promise you will love it too! It all started one sunny morning a bit before 11am when my husband and I found ourselves truly at the end of a dirt road. (We have been told to check this place out....keep going past the "road ends" sign to find a hidden gem.) We found ourselves there before the tasting room opened. We made ourselves comfortable sitting on the stone bridge. Along comes a pick up truck driven by a friendly man who says, ready for some wine tasting? And even though they technically weren't open yet, Randy (who we later learned is the wine maker and son at this lovely family business) opened the doors for us and charmed us with his personality and his wine. We were extremely impressed with every wine - we haven't found we don't love and we think they have the best wines in Livermore, hands down. We joined the wine club and we go back for tasting as often as we can. We always walk away with a couple bottles of wine and port...have I mentioned the port....the BEST! And if you are lucky you will get to try some port brownies that mom (Bonnie) makes - she is awesome! And Charles (dad) is a hoot...you just have to love them all and their wines. The atmosphere is fun and relaxed. A great time is always had by all. read more

In regards to the "tipsy" person who had been to at least 4 other winery's before staggering in and then being too cheap to pay $5 so he split it with his friend. Really Ravi S., how tight can you be? Obviously more tipsy than you imagined. This winery is small, family owned and run, and just plain laid back with good people and good wines. I like their low key atmosphere and being an end of the rode destination it is rustic. Every wine I tried was a wonderful version of that particular variety. Service is friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend. And no need for a bocce court, this is a winery not a mega restaurant which charges double to taste. read more

I have not yet had a chance to visit the actually winery, but my parents looooove it and have a membership. The other night my dad opened a 2005 Cab and it was so good. So so so so so good. read more

The wine here is pretty average but a cute tasting room. Unfortunatley the pourer had friends in the room and ignored us completely but we did not need to be babysat. Six free wine tastings which made this not a complete waste of time but don't come here for a lesson in wine. read more

Friendly, happy place to go. I like the Chardonnay and love their Vino de Amor Port! The Fourth Friday evening with a picnic, live music and a great wine can't be beat for a wonderful summer evening! read more

We couldn't decide between the Syrah or Petite Sirah so we got a bottle of each. Free tastings. Worth the trip

Their 2006 Pinot Noir is the best pinot I have ever tasted. That was my conclusion the first time I visited and picked up a couple of bottles. I went back a few weeks ago and purchased four more. It is unbelieveably good, and this sentiment is echoed by my wine-savvy VSP. The port's to die for as well. Everyone in the family is friendly and helpful. Randy, the winemaker, is a genius and a hell of a nice guy. read more

I cannot eat brownies the same ever again because of Charles R! They make their brownies with their port instead of water! Drinking the port before and after eating their homemade brownies really makes a difference! I think this might be love. read more

We had such a sweet experience here! Everyone working in the tasting room is so nice and pleasant, and they truly speak of their little family winery with such pride. We came with a large group and celebrating a birthday, two of us walked away with memberships and boy did they spoil us. It was a busy Saturday and they still checked in on us often, we sat at a nice table under the outside gazebo and truly relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. I am trying to convince my friend to get married here, their garden outside is lovely. read more

Really nice people. The owner, Bonnie, warmly welcomed us and had some chips and dip out. Tasting awas $5, comped if you buy a bottle. We were treated to some limited edition Cabernet. Everything tasted good to me but then again I'm willing to admit that I have a standard human palette with little regard for the sommelier experience. I go for the ambiance, crowd, and conversation. Setting was nice, tasting room was a good size. Checkers and some other simple games to keep the kids occupied. I probably won't be back soon. Nothing against the place - it was really nice. I just have other vineyards in the area I prefer and there wasn't anything super unique to make me want to come back. Install a bocce ball court though, and you may see me again frequently! Maybe some other fun games like croquet? read more

Is absolutely the Best when it comes to wines. Julio grapes produce quite a lovely variety of Petite Syrah's and Cab's. A must try for you wine lovers, worth the trip. read more

I really liked all their wines. Unfortunately, I only bought their Petite Sirah. I will be back.

This is a great family run business, we even got to shake hands with Charles R. this past visit. But I am consistently underwhelmed by their wines. The Zinfandel through the instant decantor is nice. We will still be checking in though just in case. read more

I agree with the other posters, a great Sauvignon Blanc. My wife and I generally hate it, too bold, bright, and acidic. There's is smooth and soft, very nice. Great Syrah too. Another cool winery that is springing up in Livermore. They're off the paved road, down a slope and around a bend but still easy enough to get to and well worth it. read more

This vineyard is probably my favorite out of all the ones I've visited. Great wine selection and the owner and stuff are delightful. Everything from the tasting menu I enjoyed and the last one is a great one to end. A Pinot with a brownie made from the same Pinot. The brownie really enchanes the flavors of the wine. I bet you won't forget about the brownie if you stop in here :) read more

Charles R. poured our wine, which was fun. The tasting experience was very nice, I just didn't particularly like any of the wines.

Worthy of five stars based on the port alone. Seriously, the best port I've had in Livermore -- and, given the enthusiastic port fan that I am, I've sampled a lot. Randy is always extremely friendly and hospitable. If you're visiting the Livermore wineries for the first time, definitely stop by Charles R and be prepared to be wowed by their delicious wines, welcoming tasting room atmosphere, and to-die-for port. read more

Hidden away at the end of Greenville Road was Charles R Vineyard. The quaint new tasting room was very nice. On this particular day the winemaker was pouring the days selections. He was friendly, informative, served some great wines and tasting was free. Livermore is much easier on the pocket book when it comes to tasting. We purchased the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a place to return. read more

I went here twice and it is out there in the country but very personable people. Charles R signed my bottle himself.

a long bumpy road to crappy wines at a premium. the winery was cool looking but make sure you have a slightly offroad type vehicle since its located at the end of a long bumpy gravel/dirt road..no low riders here. the winery itself was your run of the mill winery..nothing special. its off the beaten path so save yourself the time and effort and skip this place.. the wine is blah and the prices are high read more

Great little tasting room! I enjoyed the wine and tried to join their club but they don't ship to AZ. That's OK! I'll have something to look forward to for when I visit Livermore again! ;) read more

Have been to several wineries in the area. Location is really nice and wines are good too. We really liked the sauv blanc for a light summer wine. Well worth the trip. read more

Very nice tasting room and the wines are decent. I love the winery location. Nice area to sit outside having some cheese and bread with some wine. Check them out! read more

Funny location bu oh the zinfandel and petite sirah! Pinot noir flat and unremarkable which is one reason they have stopped producing it. Pinot and Livermore just don't mix. Ron and Dave doing the pouring, great experience as well as meeting the owner Charles. Great experience you do not want to miss. read more