One of the better tastings I've ever been to. I found this winery on Napa.com searching for small…read morefamily run wineries that produce outstanding wines. This is a VERY small winery. Very easy to miss the gate even if following GPS. Don't be afraid to call if you can't find it. Just make sure you have an appointment first. On arrival, Caitlin met us. She only had started 2 weeks prior, but gave us a tour of the vineyard and a little history of the property. From there, we met with Karin, one of the owners, and tasted the Chardonnay. Wow. I rarely drink whites, but this was amazing. And it's built to age as well. Karin said it could age gracefully for 20+ years. We tasted the current release, and one that I think was 2 years older. The other owner, and Karin's husband, Justin, joined us and we then tasted the Tesserae Red Blend. They age the Tesserae wine in barrel and bottle for 7 years. Its 2023 and the current release is the 2015. This is absolutely unique and quite a risk considering potential wildfires. Again the tasting was the current release and another one 2 years older. I love these comparative tasting so you can taste how the wine develops over time. We talked more about their history and their process. They have had a partnership arrangement with the same family for 3 generations to look after the vines. They credit this family for their success. The one thing they uniquely do is pick the fruit at night when its cool. They believe this in integral to the taste of their wines. The wine is only available direct to consumers, mostly allocated through their mailing list. Overall we were there for over 2 hours. I will definitely be back to buy more bottles. The Tesserae is not cheap at $135 a bottle, but its a relative bargain compared the more corporate wineries, particularly those in Napa. Keep in mind, with even those wineries, you're not buying something that has 7 years of bottle life. It was very cool to actually meet the owners and see the passion they have for their craft and their land. I highly recommend a trip to visit Garden Creek Winery. Big Mahalo to Caitlin, Karin, and Justin.

Heaven on earth location. Fantastic wines as well. Justin and Karin are two of the best people on…read moreearth.

Good Times w/ Margo on Saturday! She drove us around to 3…read moredifferent wineries for our wine adventures. We started with UNTI, then headed to Capo Creek for a luncheon tasting extravaganza and finished off the day at Jaxon Keys. So, we were literally all over the place. She's fun and engaging, and has a history with the area so ask her about her favorites if you need some inspo.

Cannot tell you how much we enjoyed our day! We were picked up at home, tasted amazing wines with…read morethe most beautiful views, sat down for a lovely lunch before being whisked off to one more tastings. Margo made sure we felt like VIPs, ensuring every detail down to the pictures were planned out for us. Thank you so much for making sure the birthday celebration was special!

I love when Kim drives us. I have recommended her to my guests and still continue to do so. She's…read moreso professional and just a doll to have in the car. I always tell everyone the only downfall is that she can't join us! She is a native Californian from Sonoma County all her life and can tell you just how this amazing place has grown, the history and even tell you stories of how her grandmother made blueberry pies. She's also very reasonable and is willing to work with you and your group. She just makes whatever plans you have happen by doing all she can to make your day as pleasant as possible.

We had a day of wine tasting and needed a driver. Kim was a perfect fit. She is from the area and…read moreas we drove around she filled us in on the history and info on the wineries and their owners in the Healdsburg region. Very nice and also knowledgeable. I would recommend Kim.

Great experience! We visited some unique and fun wineries and felt very special. The team was very…read moreaccommodating to changes in schedule (we had a hard time leaving each winery!! and had to shuffle a bit).

I've been a longtime lurker and decided to reserve my first review for an exceptional business:…read moreGene and Debbie Warren's Healdsburg Area Winery Tours. I contacted Gene several weeks in advance of our trip and he managed to address all of our varied interests. Specifically, we were interested in learning more about the winemaking process, biodynamic wineries, and tasting bold reds and some sparkling wine. Gene put together the following schedule for us, and we could not be more thrilled. Stonestreet Winery - Pretty good, but pricey, Cabernet Sauvignon. Too bad because the tasting room staff were really knowledgeable and friendly. Lancaster Estate - Our favorite! Here Gene scheduled a private tour of the estate and wine cave (where the barrels are stored). They only make four wines (sauvignon blanc, a cuvee, a cab, and a signature bordeaux blend), all of which are absolutely impeccable. We even considered joining the wine club, but the waiting list was too long for my patience. Robert Young Estate - Good scion; also known for their chardonnay but I personally found it too buttery. Tasting room staff was kinda tipsy too... Truett Hurst - A biodynamic winery specializing in zinfandel. I especially love their 2006 Red Rooster zin, which is really spicy and unusual (think cloves and cardamom). Montemaggiore - A small (10 acre), organic, estate winery owned by a family that's recently entered the winemaking trade. Gene scheduled an hour-long private chat with the owner/winemaker, and it was a phenomenal educational experience! Highly recommended. Many of the winery staff also seemed to really know and respect Gene, so they also gave us considerably more attention when we would walk in with Gene =) Go to tripadvisor.com if you want to see more reviews of Gene's services.

My husband took me here for my birthday. I couldnt have asked for a better place to celebrate this…read moreday. From when we parked I started falling in love. They have a beautiful walkable garden near the parking lot and free cucumbers and peppers at the door. We were early but the waitress seated us anyway in a very cute place toward the back with a window. The place is very unique and eclectic. You wouldn't think the interior design would work, a mix of old and new, quirky and refined, everything blended nicely which is my while feeling about the place. It's not pretentious yet it could be. The service was impeccable and the food was divine. We started with oysters, then some delicious escargot. The latter were very yummy but not something I'd order again. We followed that up with scallops for me and the pork tenderloin for my husband. These dishes were both to die for! Both were cooked to perfection and you can tell that the cook takes pride in their work. I received a surprise profiteroles with pistachio ice cream and although that I was full, I couldn't pass this up. The bignè was soft yet crisp and the ice cream was nutty and light with chucks of pistachio. We will definitely make it a tradition to return. Fabulous bday!!! Oh the wine from the winery that they service is delicious. Pinot noir divine.

We recently were tasting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at the winery. It was a very comfortable low…read morekey and informative tasting. There were several different vineyard designations of both. The North Slope and Russian River Vineyard were our favorites but all tasted well. Besides taking wine home, I I now know that we can order Walter Hansel wine with confidence at the Walter Hansel Wine and Bistro the next time we dine there.

Denise and Dennis are amazing. Denise booked all of our reservations and was very knowledgable of…read morethe local wineries. Dennis was our driver on the wine tour. He drove safely and responsibly, so we could just enjoy our day wine tasting. His knowledge of the area was superior, providing interesting tidbits and stories about the area making the tour more personal. Dennis also added special touches for a picnic lunch, providing plates and utensils and delicious appetizers. He gave us our space to enjoy our gal time, but also felt like a good friend available for help and recommendations when we needed it. Highly recommend Da Vine Wine Tours to help you enjoy a safe and wonderful day in the wine country.

Dennis and Denise were a real pleasure to work with. Denise planned our itinerary and Dennis…read moreexecuted flawlessly as our driver. Dennis knows the area very well and is quite knowledgeable about wine country. Dennis was super attentive the whole day, which made us feel very special. He setup a wonderful picnic with nice utensils, special snacks (cheeses, fancy bread, marconi almonds), etc. I would definitely recommend DaVine to my friends.

Amazing food and wine tour in Healdsburg. Walking around town with Tammy is like walking around…read morewith a celebrity. Folks on the street recognize her, she seems to know a lot of local people. The stopovers are wonderful, well thought out, and WAY MORE food and wine than you can imagine. Love this tour, highly recommend it!

An absolutely terrific tour! Small group so you get to know each other and have the personal…read moreintimate outing. Great selection of restaurants/wineries included in the your. Such a great way to get to know the city. Our tour guide was amazing as well. I would definitely recommend this to anybody who wants to have a great eating/drinking experience without all the headaches associated with the planning.

Each wine that we tasted gave off a different vibe and transported you. If you want to visit a…read morewinery with delicious wines that make an impact while overlooking fantastic views, this is the winery for you! The first wine, DARE Cabernet Franc, was bright, fruity, and fun. It's a wine that I would be excited to bring to a dinner party because it would impress and please almost anyone's palate. The next wine we tried was the VIADER "Signature" blend. This is their flagship wine that put them on the map. When Delia {the winery owner} originally planted her vines most of the wine community said she was crazy. "The crazy lady at the top of the hill they used to call me" she says. When Delia purchased the property she decided to plant a Cabernet Franc vineyard on a 1,375ft elevation, 32% slope. Alan {Delia's son, vineyard manager, and winemaker} showed us how they carefully picked the grapes on such a slope. The pickers have to drag their leg down the hill while harvesting to keep their balance. To give you a little context 1,375ft elevation and 32% slope is a double diamond ski slope. So when sipping this wine not only do you enjoy the deliciously rich flavors, but you are enjoying wine from an incredibly unique place and vineyard. The terroir expresses itself in the glass leaving your palate full of vivacious flavors. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and the percentages shift each year depending on the vintage. Only the best lots go into Viader creating the liquid cashmere quality they are known for. Our third wine of the day was the Viader Black Label. This is Alan's version of Viader. It was great to see the difference in the wines. One wine is more Delia's palate and the other more Alan's. The Viader Black Label had some more robust characteristics than the flagship Viader. Mostly made up Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec, it was a vibrant and intense wine. Alan used 4-5 different yeasts, sometimes allowing the native yeast to take off and inoculating later to ensure more of a terroir presence in the wine. A spicy, robust, and delicious wine, Alan's blend can be served with a steak or spicy and bold dishes like those from his wife's home country of Colombia. Alan really put his imprint on his wine, a little more extraction, a little more oak infusion, and his first solo project as a winemaker. The final wine of the day was their unreleased Homenaje. This wine spoke to me for so many reasons. It had incredible fruit and complexity, with so much love behind it. The Homenaje was created to pay homage to the previous generations of Viader. Alan's grandfather, his mother Delia, and Viader Vineyard and Winery's 30-year anniversary. Alan says, "I want to show where we are now and where we have been in this wine." The blend is made up of predominately Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, with a small amount of Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. They did a lot of phenolic sampling up to harvest to ensure they had a high color, high tannin, and good longevity filled wine. This new blend is something completely different for them. Alan interned in Mendoza, Argentina - the Malbec capitol of the world, and now he is bringing his passion for Malbec to the family brand. "I've embraced Cabernet Franc, but have been dabbling in Malbec and that is where my passion lies, like her {Delia} with Cabernet Franc. I wanted to make a statement too." Alcohol + tannins + acid = a harmonious wine. This wine embodies all of that and packs a delicious punch. Notes of dark fruit, smoky complexity, and a supple finish - the Homenaje blend will make the Viader family proud. Incredible wines, incredible people, and incredible views. Viader is a MUST visit in Napa Valley.

Viader is a small family winery on Howell Mountain. Jenny was our host for our trip back during…read moreColumbus Day weekend. She was very friendly and knowledgeable about the wine she was serving and the property it came from. Estate grown fruit so all the wine we got to taste was incredible. Tasting room overlooks their vineyards so you will have a great view the whole time and a nice tour of their underground cave. It is definitely worth a visit!