Loved this winery in Sutter Creek, and the combination of excellent wines and friendly staff has me ready 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. read more

Matthew Gibson Winery - the tasting room - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Ione, California

Matthew Gibson needs to become a major name in the field of wine making. With his first wine tasting 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. read more

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Great wine and great host. Family run and they do it all. Plant the vines, tend and pick the grapes, blend and bottle the wines. We'll be going back soon, Matt is the man! read more

My husband and I were greeted by the owner who gave a personal tour and went above and beyond. We joined the wine membership instantly because of the exceptional wine and his passion as a winemaker. We we're very impressed with the entire production being done on site from the estate grown grapes to the bottling process. We are happy to be part of the family. read more

I loved all the wine here! It was all reds when we came in, but they all stood out as different and unique. My favorite was the petite Syrah which had a hit of lavender and vanilla. It was so balanced, easy to drink and special. I'm sad I didn't get to bring a bottle home. The wines varied in flavor and there was something here for everyone. I'm looking forward to bringing my boyfriend here so he can try some of the wine. It was an adorable tasting room run by a married couple who makes awesome wine. What's not to like!? read more

Amazing wine and fantastic service!! We walked in pretty close to closing and they were still willing to serve us! Amazing tasting with several great reds. We really liked the 2014 cab and purchased a bottle. Mitchell served us and was very personable. We really enjoyed our chat with him! We were having so much fun talking, we kept forgetting to drink our wine. He knew a lot about the wine and recommended other places in the area as well. Thanks for the amazing experience! read more

Best tasting experience! Loved the wines and especially loved the couple who was pouring the wine!

A Touch of the Piedmont Here in Ione I have known Matt Gibson since his days as a home winemaker. Even then, his wines were first class. By the time he opened what was then known as Martin Lane Winery, he was a superb winemaker. My father-in-law, who introduced me to some of the finest wines from around the world, summed it up: Matt is the best winemaker in California. I love his big Syrahs, Cabs, and Primitivos and happily have many of them still in my wine collection dating back several years. But recently, I opened a 2015 Nebbiolo. Not to detract from his earlier Nebbiolos, but the 2015 is a taste of the Piedmont. Through a close friend in Italy, I met one of the world-renowned Brunello producers. He referred to American wines as sunshine wines. In California, vineyard managers can leave fruit on the vines to build up sugar and produce robust, fruit-forward wines that appeal to the American palate. Lovers of Italy's best wines, including Barolos, Barbarescos and other Nebbiolos from the Piedmont, appreciate the virtues of less overwhelming fruit and more nuance. Matt has captured the essential of the Piedmont in his 2015 Nebbiolo. Much less fruit-forward than his earlier Nebbiolos, his 2015 has good acidity with cherry fruit that is nuanced. My wife and I fell in love with it immediately. This past summer, we had to cancel a trip to the Piedmont because of the pandemic. But I told her that, at least for now, we didn't need to go there: we could sip Matt's 2015. I promised that I will make a wild boar ragu in time for our next bottle of this amazing wine. With Matt's 2015 Nebbiolo and a wild boar ragu, we can close our eyes and be in the Piedmont. read more

The wine from the Matthew Gibson Winery [grown in Ione, CA] was so meticulously developed that there have been great rewards from Mother Nature. She does not appreciate being pushed around. To have the brix develop naturally and the flavors to come alive was her gift to the fine hands and smart decisions indicative to the Matthew Gibson Winery. It is a family owned business from its beginning. Bravo to this wine and to the Gibson family. read more

Came for a tasting. Was disappointed the nebbiolo was sold out! Had it before, was awesome. Relaxed atmosphere and great service, knowledgeable. The 2012 Sarah was great! read more

My husband and I love to travel up to Northern California to go wine tasting and check out old California gold mining towns. Naturally that prompted a trip to Sutter Creek. My husband is in the wine business so he researched all the local wineries as well as tasting rooms in Sutter Creek at which time we set our sights on Matthew Gibson Winery tasting room. What an experience we had. It is a family owned winery and such a cute tasting room. We met Matt the winemaker and his wife Kim. They were so welcoming and friendly, Matt was excited to talk to us about the wine he makes and the journey he has been on to get where they are today. Their wines are excellent! A perfect balance of Old World and New World styles. Their prices are very friendly and their tasting pours are perfect. We were pleased to hear about upcoming varietals, being invited to revisit a taste of our favorite in their portfolio and the very friendly and knowledgeable atmosphere. This tasting room is off the Main Street just around the corner and the Wine is WELL worth the few extra steps. Cheers! read more

Drove up to Sutter Creek with my family to try different tastings in the area and this one was by far our favorite! The area is awesome with really great options to go and eat dinner after. The owners were incredibly nice and informative on each of the different wines. Brought a few bottles back home because we couldn't get enough of them! Will definitely be going back more often. read more

Matt's wines are definitely the best I have tasted. There are other wines that are comparable, but you can count on these wines being very good and worth the price. I especially love the Cabernet and the Primitivo. I highly recommend this vineyard!!! read more