Great place for wine, Tanis made spice, infused oli and sauce! Small gift shop as well. Andrew the…read moreowner is a wonderful person! New wine that I fell in love with it is the Verdelho - just wow

This winery is a favorite of ours when we are in town. The owner is very hospitable, the tasting…read moreroom is always pleasant, and the Wines are fruit forward and delicious! When in the area, Remember to check the business hours! Unfortunately location was closed on Monday, so we will catch you next time! .

Loved this winery in Sutter Creek, and the combination of excellent wines and friendly staff has me…read moreready to declare it my favorite in the area. On a perfect fall day, I was in town helping out with the big Yelp event series in town and was fortunate to pop into this winery in between events. From the minute we walked in they took great care of us, never let us have an empty glass, had palate cleansing snacks available, and were great to chat with. Their vineyard is right down the road, which is always cool. I wish I could comment on the wines we tried but since it's been a month I'd be doing a disservice trying to remember all the details. The good news is that they will absolutely have you walking out like a aficionado after walking you through the tastings. Wonderful spot, and if it weren't for TSA rules I'd have grabbed a few bottles of this to take back to the midwest.

Matthew Gibson needs to become a major name in the field of wine making. With his first wine…read moretasting room located in the tony hamlet of the Sutter Creek, which is in the direct line of the Shenandoah Valley in Amador County in the Sierra Nevada foothills, he and his winery is well on its way. I spent the day getting to know winemaker Matthew Gibson and his wife Kim, who serves as his operations manager. Gibson starting his life in the banking industry, then moved to a legal career, and finally ending up in Lodi to realize his passion for winemaking. He settled in Gold Country because it reminded him of what Napa used to represent in the seventies, rich in character not to mention terroir. They only opened their tasting room just a year and a half ago, but have been producing small lot premium artisan crafted wines for their label for a number of years. He planted his grapes back in 2006 and now he's celebrated eight years of vintages. They're proud to feature all natural wines at Matthew Gibson Winery, as they don't use tarteric acid, like many other wineries tend to use. Gibson's goal is to grow his grapes and let them sit there to make Mother Nature do the rest. They have high density vineyards with over three thousand acres and everything they make they use for their own label which is rare in this industry. At Gibson, they like to focus on all reds as Matthew basically makes what he likes to drink. Today, I sampled four pours of their 2012 Estate Primitivo, 2013 Estate Syrah, 2013 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and Matthew's favorite their unique 2014 Nebbiolo, which despite it being a red was light and fruity and featured plenty of tannins. All four wines would pair nicely with any charcuterie, cheese, or artisan bread platter at your next party. In fact, Gibson prides himself on his wines having an abundance of tannins on the nose because how his grapes are grown affects how the way his wine is made. Gibson told me that he tries to make good wines as they are truly his babies. I was so enamored with my experience that I knew I had to make a purchase because who knows when I would get the chance to make another appearance here in Gold Country to sample and mull another purchase of these unique wines. So the vintage Cabernet Sauvignon was the one I went with and I could not be more pleased. This is a bottle I am going to cherish, not unlike how owner Gibson cherishes his babies, I will cherish this experience for years to come.

Disappointed by my first time to Lucca. A friend and I arrived around 4:10 to do a tasting. When we…read morearrived we were not informed that they closed at 5. Instead we were alerted that they close at 5 when the woman refused to serve us past 5:00 despite only having 5 out of the 7 wines. Shockingly the price was not 5/7ths of what a tasting normally cost. If she had let us know from the start that they would cut off our wine tasting before finishing, we would not have joined them at evening and come another time. Or if she had to give less time between the pours so we could be out right at the 5:00 closing time then we also would have understood. But instead no heads up, at her mercy of the timing of the pours, and didn't get to finish the tasting that we paid for. Rip off!

Good service! The wines are good and there are some light snacks to pair with the wines. Prices are…read moregood and the tasting fee is waved if you purchase a bottle.

What an amazing venue! My gf and I came here for a Fundraiser to help raise money for Ranger Road,…read morewhich is an organization that helps Veterans transition from Military to civilian life through extraordinary experiences. The wine was amazing and they continuously heavy-poured our wine glasses. The food and service was amazing too!

Our group of six apologize for rolling in at 3:30 when the tasting room closes at 4 pm on Saturday…read more But in our defense it was so worth it. The gentleman behind the counter is such a gem. He presented us with a Halloween candy and wine pairing menu. What fun and the combinations really complimented each other well. It also gave us a broad taste of the winery's offerings. The tasting room is very spacious with a large central bar and a couple of sofa seating areas. But the patio is where it's at. In the afternoon there is plenty of shade and all day a fabulous view of the rolling hills of grape vines. Plenty of easy parking right out front. Next year we come earlier in the day.

This winery is so beautiful. The tasting menu is long and complex. There's a wine for everyone's…read moretaste. Highly recommend joining their wine club!

Another place I've been driving past for years, but never stopped in. However, the tasting room…read morehours now extend to 5pm in the spring and summer. A bad ski day ended early, and I found myself cruising by at 4. Note: you enter through the gate, which is hard to figure out if you don't naturally think in "yards" when reading roadside signs. The Greenstone wines are made from a mix of grapes grown on-site and those from other Amador regions. An excellent Petite Syrah (2001), loaded with flavor, texture, and finish, was memorable and as good as some of the Livermore Valley offerings, and surprisingly inexpensive. The Sangiovese, only brought out because a club member requested it, had the right flavor profile and a taste that should really develop well with a little aging, or maybe some decanting and aeration. They also sold a sweet Zinfandel port, which went well with the free chocolate. Like many foothills wines, the smells were unique, sometimes odd, often aggressive, but always interesting. Napa, Sonoma, and Livermore all have uniform regional smells, while up here you'll discover new sensory experiences. Prices ranged in the $10s and $20s, with several bottles on sale. I bought the Sangiovese and the Petite Syrah. I'm going to grab more of the latter on my next trip to the mountains. UPDATED: you know, this place is growing on me now that I've cracked the bottles I brought home. The Sangiovese, with food, was a great dry Chianti-style wine, and the Petite Syrah, at the existing price point, is quite caseworthy. They are currently (4/27) doing a closeout sale on the 2001's and I stocked up for pennies on the dollar. Buy a case. REUPDATED: Check out the Chalaye and "R" blends. A little mixing of the sometimes rowdy Foothills varietals makes for a smoother, richer red.

Update: We drove out to Clos Du Lac recently and the zins being offered for tasting were way more…read morerun-of-the-mill than the one I rave about below. But they had a big, jammy port that was kicking so I bought two bottles. Great with Stilton cheese. About ten years ago I bought one of the best zins I've ever had the pleasure of drinking from this label. It had a big jammy boysenberry-forward taste, light tanins, an intriguing complexity (as do most of the Amador County zins--that barnyard humusy body provided by the soils there), and a long satisfying finish. It was about $20 and I haven't had its equal since. I recommend you stop by when you're in their neighborhood.

I believe they have a great Wine tasting Barn in front of…read more200 acres of manicured Vineyards! Where they serve elegant lunches!

Loved the vibe and Shane & Aaron are fantastic to interact with! Their tasting room is so inviting…read moreand you can tell wine is their passion! Great interesting wines too!

As we pulled into the drive it looks so secluded you have to wonder if anyone will actually be…read morethere in the tasting room, but sure enough the winemaker was waiting there and we had the place to ourselves. The tasting room is just a little converted barn or garage with a counter and the barrels. Nothing fancy, just functional. Everything we tasted was great, but I have to say I really enjoyed discussing the wine making process with the owner. He is very knowledgeable, having come from a family in the wine business in Livermore and studying viticulture at Davis. We took a bottle of the Barbera and he let us know where the next tasting room down the road was.

Nuadair is off the beaten path, but it is definitely worth the journey. There are a few wineries up…read moreWillow Creek Road that if you don't visit you will be missing out. At Nuadair you can find a lot of the regular varieties offered in the Amador area, however, they are all older than you will normally find. Just last week I tried a 10 and 11 year old bottle of Barbera- both were delicious and had a complexity that a lot of the newer vintages in the area lack. Also at the tasting room I have tried a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah also from probably about 10 years ago. I believe the man pouring in the tasting room is the owner and wine maker. He is very kind and you will have a great conversation. His wines are very affordable around $20 a bottle.

What a jewel amongst the vineyards! If you are looking for a 5 star place to stay for that special…read moreoccasion, this is the place. From the linens to the décor, super luxurious accommodations set amongst acres of vineyards, each suite with it's own private deck overlooking Tuscany-style views in the heart of Amador wine country. Our host, Linda, made an incredible stay that much more homey. Each morning's breakfast was a feast, seated outside on the covered patio with stunning views. The meals were uber fresh (filling enough that we skipped lunch both days!). Every day around 5 you're treated to wine and cheese. Perfect location to wine taste on property or venture out to the growing number of top rated wineries. Walk amongst the vineyards or take out one the beach cruisers or trikes for a ride around. At night, the fire pits are a nice touch, or just lounge on you private deck for a sunset and a moonset. Looking forward to our return!

Perfectly Peaceful…read more My husband and I recently spent several days at GRI. From the first glimpse of this Tuscany-like villa, we knew we were in for an incredible experience. Our suite (one of five) was absolutely stunning. The Innkeeper (the first of three amazing Innkeepers) had the gas fireplace lit, and wonderful instrumental music playing, as she showed us our suite. The food was phenomenal: gourmet breakfasts, 5:00 wine and cheese, and homemade cookies in the evening. My favorite part was the patio with a fire pit overlooking the vineyard. It is difficult to find such peace and serenity anywhere. Aah... We anticipate return visits

Absolutely beautiful outdoor area that is perfect for spring weather! They don't serve food here…read moreso you have to bring your own. It is also dog friendly inside and outside as long as it is leashed. They also have 6 different sparkling wines to select from for $10. You pick 5 but they let us taste the 6th for free.

Paul, aka Cupcake, was the best to hang out with and have pour us some wine! He was so…read moreknowledgeable, and the tasting room is incredibly inviting and unpretentious. It's definitely our favorite stop whenever we're in the area!