How have I never heard of this lovely winery? I had the pleasure of attending their Summer Music…read moreseries, but was immediately struck with the gorgeous views of the property. Stunning views of the bay, rolling mountainside with grape vines, and then the lush green of the redwood forest carved out this magical micro climate in the Saratoga Hills. There was a red-forward tasting menu, and I fell in love with the heavy, and complex pour on the Bourrée and the refreshing fresh sangria. But there wasn't one wine that I was upset about drinking, and I sipped each new sample with delight. I can't tell you what I loved more: the wines, or the lovely and attentive customer service of Lisa. Thank you for making me feel instantly at home in a new space. The entire grounds was a photoshoot waiting to happen, and I heard there are some lovely hiking trails right through this winery. It's hidden gems like this that make me fall in love with my hood a little more with every discovery.

Lovely spot. Chardonnay is good. Staff is great…read more However, next to the self-service water jug was a sign saying "Don't fill your personal water bottles." Besides the absurdity (you could take one or more of their plastic water glasses and refill them as many times as you want), I wonder why someone who has chosen to be in the hospitality business also chose to display such an inhospitable (rude, even) message. Perhaps their intention was something like "If you refill your own water bottle (thanks for bringing it!), please ensure that the bottle does not touch the spigot." Or perhaps "Please help conserve water." Instead, it basically said "If you absolutely must have some water, we begrudgingly allow you to have a little bit of ours." Come on.

Lovely place -- the drive up is really tough though! Last two miles are completely unpaved so you'd…read morebetter bring an SUV or some other car with off-road capabilities. They were happy to accommodate me without an appointment as it wasn't very busy the afternoon that I made the trek, however you certainly should try to call in advance and use their proper reservation system as directed, if possible. The wine is incredible value at the price point and I look forward to serving it alongside some seafood preparations in the near future. 2022 vintage chardonnays will release in April and August this year I believe! They currently only have up to 2021 vintages.

The woman that was talking care of my friend and me was so pleasant. She kept the serene feeling…read morewhile we were giggling and having a good time and was honestly just so sweet and knowledgeable! She was positive even though it was such a rainy day and even offered me plenty of crackers. I will say I wish this winery offered a cheese plate. I wasn't prepared to only have crackers as a snacks and tbh that was my bad. Would happily return

Beautiful winery nestled into the wilds of Saratoga! A few…read morethings to note: 1. The wine is all aeronautically themed with a very unique flavor that made the tastings quite memorable. We only tried the reds, FYI, but they had a nice selection of whites too. 2. If you buy 2 bottles you get 1 free tasting, 3 bottles, they comp two tastings. 3. Be sure to visit the little house with a bunch of memorabilia. The history of the farm is super cool. They have free recipe cards too! 4. Horses! They currently board a LOT of horses, and have clear signage posted to keep your distance as to not spook them. 5. Bring walking shoes! There are trails you can explore around the winery and there's lots of dusty areas, so keep the dress shoes at home (or bring a change of footwear). Caveat anyone with motion sickness in the car, as the drive there is WINDY, but beautiful. I can't wait to return and explore the grounds more!

As a former horse girl and present wine lover, this place was a perfect birthday activity spot. We…read morecame on a Sunday morning/afternoon with our two toddlers and well-behaved chihuahua for a pony ride + wine tasting. (Bonus points for being dog and toddler friendly) Our older toddler had a blast on her first real pony ride, even after taking a bit of a tumble when Max got spooked. The staff said this usually doesn't happen and were super apologetic. My baby girl was fine and took it like a champ. She still had lots of fun! On the wine tasting: Wines: Awesome! I ordered their white wine flight, the chardonnay and rose were standouts for me even though I tend to like sauvignon blanc profiled wine more. Service: Great too, the staff was attentive and friendly Snacks/food: Ok, so like other reviews have said...my only critique of the wine tasting experience was that the cheese, meats, crackers, olives arrived completely packaged with flimsy plastic utensils. I was expecting a cute charcuterie board; basically the "platter" presentation just saves me a trip to Whole Foods -- but if you bring your own food, they will banish you 5 feet away to the less comfortable bench tables. It seems like they don't have a kitchen license, which is the reason for the packaged food. That said, I think the provided olives could have at least been the pitted variety. Anyway, literal champagne problems Vibes: The wine tasting area was shaded, relaxing, and comes with a great view of all the pretty horses coming and going.

We had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful and talented Diana Ross last night. She put on an…read moreamazing show. I loved all the songs she sang and her beautiful outfits. To me, she still sounded amazing and looked amazing. She mentioned to the audience that she is 82 years old and honestly, it doesn't show. We have been to the mountain winery many times over the years for other concerts. Every new year they release a schedule of the upcoming concerts series. This venue is unique because it's small and more intimate. Every seat has an amazing view of the stage. They do have wine tasting tours on Saturdays. You can also purchase wine to enjoy during the concerts. They have several options for food. You can reserve a table at the Chateau La Cresta. The is a fine dining experience and offers guests a full sit-down 3-course meal, overlooking the breathtaking views of the valley. We have been to the Chateau La Cresta several times when we opted for the dinner and a show. The food is usually very good. The views from the Chateau deck are amazing. The last time we ate at to the Chateau was to see Daryl Hall, and our meal wasn't the best. All the other times we've had a meal here have been very good. Parking can get sparse the later you arrive. I recommend coming at least an hour before the event, especially if you need ADA parking. Getting out of the parking lot, after concert, gets very congested. They do have attendance handling the parking traffic, which helps. It can get chilly in the evening, so I recommend wearing layers or being a light jacket or sweater. Some people even bring blankets. I'm looking forward to see what the 2027 concert series has to offer. We will definitely be back next year.

We saw Fia here with a few island reggae/R&B openers, and the entire night felt magical. This is…read moreeasily one of the nicest venues and overall vibes I've experienced for this type of show. The grounds are gorgeous -- towering redwoods, beautiful lighting, huge wine barrels, and incredible views out over Silicon Valley. There are all these tucked-away little areas to wander, grab a drink, and hang out, which makes the whole place feel like a thoughtfully curated experience rather than just a concert venue. The venue itself is huge, and nothing felt crowded or corporate. The aisles were clean and spacious, there were plenty of bars, plus wine, champagne, and beer carts circulating through the venue. The bar menu also had actual food, not just snacks. Restrooms were clean, parking was easy for us, and we were able to park surprisingly close to the entrance. Every single person we interacted with -- security, bartenders, and other staff -- was genuinely friendly and helpful. People went above and beyond to show us around, explain the different areas, and recommend good spots to hang out. The crowd and programming felt very Bay Area, right down to an MC who clearly knew his audience. Combined with perfect weather and barely any wind, it was just an incredible night. I'll definitely be watching their calendar for more shows that fit my vibe and would love to come back for a daytime wine tasting too. The Mountain Winery is a magical place, and I really hope they maintain this level of experience for years to come.

Very casual tasting on hilltop setting below winemakers mansion. Close to Palo Alto…read more Wines were all tasty casual with many of the grapes grown on the grounds. Surprisingly good quality. Friendly servers. No snooty attitudes at this place. Like the vibe. $35 tasting seems a bit high but it is the high rent district.

I planned one of my best friend's birthdays here and it was a wonderful experience. Stephanie was…read moregreat to work with and very accommodating to our group's dietary restrictions. The venue is situated on a beautiful property and our group had the best photos. During our reservation, we were warmly looked after by Tamara, Owen and Corbin. Each provided great service and were wonderful hosts! For the wines, our group's favorites were the Sauvignon blanc and GSM. Since it was quite hot, the Sauvignon blanc was perfect! Despite the heat, we were very comfortable because of all of the umbrellas providing ample shade. A huge plus for us was that they were dog friendly too so we were able to bring 2 of our pups with us. We'll definitely be back here again!

this place is closed - they should update it here! went over sete for a wine tasting but no success…read more(didn't know it was abandoned until we get there)

If you and your friends and/or family are looking for a wine tasting "experience" that you won't…read moreforget, look no further - Charles Usher Wines is the place! My friends and I had the pleasure of meeting Kathleen and Loren at the 2014 Saratoga Holiday Wine Stroll. We were not familiar with the wines, but were extremely impressed after tasting the wines. I even ended up ordering a case of the "Seven is Heaven" Cabernet Sauvignon for some of the folks in the office for Christmas. Kathleen and Loren had customized labels made for me - rave reviews from all who received a bottle. Yesterday a group of 16 of us had a wine tasting experience of a lifetime. For a group who considers ourselves to be "professional wine tasters", this says a lot. When we first arrived, we were greeted with such a warm reception by both Kathleen and Loren. They made all of us feel as if we were family. As soon as we walked into the tasting room, all the oohs and aahs could be immediately heard. The tasting room and views are absolutely breathtaking - beautiful views of the mountain and vineyards. Loren wow'd us with his extensive knowledge of wines and endless number of "fun facts". Such an educational experience! Kathleen made certain that none of our glasses were empty. Definitely a "bottomless wine tasting". Oh, and let me not forget to mention the food! Endless varietals of cheeses, meats, olives, olive bread, dried fruit, nuts . . . . . Seriously, thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Every wine on the tasting line up was excellent however, my personal favorites were the barbara, the syrah, and of course the "Seven is Heaven" Cab. I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this tasting experience. This is a tasting experience that you won't want to miss!!

Was looking for an afternoon cap before heading home and we were walking around downtown Saratoga…read morehoping to find a place that was open before 5 PM and we found Roudon-Smith. Al the owner was there working and happy to serve us! My girlfriend and I shared a tasting, it comes with 7 wines. I believe 2 whites, a rose, and 4 reds. Most of the wines he was serving were vintages and the some of the case pricings he is offering are great deals! I really enjoyed the lighter wines, the Voigner, Chardonnay and the Rose were quite good. I bought a bottle of Chard and Rose, and looking forward to opening them on a warm sunny day. Wish I grabbed two of the Chard but I work close by so I can drop in again.

We wanted to go to wine room walking distance from our dinner in downtown Saratoga…read more This place is small and bare bones with a short bar and some high top tables for two, but what really makes it experience is the owner. I wasn't expecting to be there for more than an hour, but he really walked us through and told stories about every wine on the flight which I enjoyed. (It bugs me when they just dumped wine in your glass and have you read the description on your own) Seven tastings of whites and reds for 10 bucks!! I had read reviews of someone complaining that they were mostly vintages, but first of all the wines arranged from 2013 to 2023, and secondly there wasn't a single wine on the tasting that I didn't enjoy. Even the Chardonnay, which is typically my least favorite type of white wine wasn't too buttery. At $10 a flight I didn't feel compelled to buy out my flight but you can with two bottles which we ended up doing since we enjoyed the flights. The bottles were really affordable ranging from 25 to 35 . I really couldn't decide between the Cabernet franc and the Zinfandel which were both complex yet with an easy finish Overall, a really nice experience to have before having dinner in downtown Saratoga

We had such a wonderful experience with this wedding venue! Tony and Melia were professional, kind,…read moreresponsive, and a pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. Tony's expertise made our wedding day that much more enjoyable and stress-free. We truly appreciated their attention to detail and commitment to making everything special. We would absolutely recommend them to any couple planning their wedding!

Somebody as Hakone Gardens needs to update the website and social media better when the cherry…read moreblossoms bloom. I drove 45 minutes to Hakone Gardens recently at the end of March and found out that most of the cherry blossoms were gone. I was like whaaaa....I usually go during the end of March and they would be in full bloom. Apparently, they bloomed earlier this year. I was looking forward to seeing the wonderful pink color all around. Anyways, Hakone is still a treat to walk around and is very nice when the flowers are blooming. I love sitting near the beginning of the trail and looking at the ponds, bridge, koi fish and all the trees. It transports me to Japan without the airfare and passport. Parking can be difficult on busy days and will be waiting for awhile for someone to leave. Gift shop is cute and there are many cute finds in there. Admission is now $12 but parking is still free.

Best wine ever! I recommend it to all wine lovers. Best wine ever. Wonderful people and great…read morewine maker. Katherine's son*****

There are a lot of wineries in the Santa Cruz mountains. Many are very good. A few are stellar…read more Kathryn Kennedy is is a class of the ultra stellar. I have been a fan of this winery since the early 80s. Some of my most memorable wine experiences include these wines. Marty Mathis, Kathryn's son and owner/winemaker is an artist. Originally known for their Cabernet, make no mistake, any bottle with their name on it will impress and be memorable. Their bubbles in it opinion are as good as it gets. I think one would be hard pressed to classify them as domestic. They are classy. These wines are small production. Seek out these wines. If you ever see an event where you can meet the winemaker, go! In the Santa Cruz mountain appellation there are a few wineries that set the benchmark, these folks are one!

I organized a group meet up here and I was surprised at how great it turned out! We grabbed a…read morepicnic table thinking there were just a few but walking up a bit, we saw a whole row more! Very low key, chill vibes compared to Napa's 'need to impress' feels. The staff were super friendly and helpful and our group ended up doing bottles in buckets! Their set up was SO cute! Their wine was good too! I didn't get a chance to buy a bottle while there but thankfully, they are close so can swing by another time!

This is a hidden gem. It's right next to a hiking trail - a great spot to hang out with friends…read moreafter a long hike. A bottle of wine ranges from $45- $75 (as I recall), very reasonable considering you can use their picnic tables throughout the day. It's on a first come first served basis, and they don't rent out their space for private parties. One feedback though - since I haven't had their wine before, I asked for a small sip between the two wine before purchasing and they said "buy the full tasting".