Ram's Gate matches some excellent wines with a variety of tasting experiences. The seating allows for sweeping views from the patio, along with spacious, yet cozy, indoor areas that are open yet intimate. The overall design of the winery is inviting and easily familiar. For the locals among us, it is a marvel to see the transformation from the former winery (now located elsewhere) to the newer, hipper Ram's Gate. Bravo! Over the years since this new iteration, we have found that the key feature of Ram's Gate is the staff. Their teamwork and seemingly choreographed service is unobtrusive yet reliable. We have come to truly appreciate Monica as our regular wine educator, and she has come to know our preferences for styles and varietals of wine. She is knowledgeable about the wines and has a way of describing them that draws a picture in your mind and makes each wine more accessible. This helps us focus on the new and different, as well as the "reliables' and "knowns" on the tasting menu. Having a constancy in the service makes it so the Wine Club experience is that much better. When we last visited, our guests were so impressed that they joined on the spot. As for the wines, Ram's Gate has a respectable spectrum of wines that include different levels of richness, complexity, and seriousness. We enjoy the Rosé, and their white wines (Sauv Blanc, and the fruit forward yet refreshing Pinot Blanc) as spritely refreshing summer wines, while we relish their bold and complex red wines for a serious moment, a good book, a noteworthy meal, or....just because. Falling between those two standards are what we enjoy so very much, are their Pinot Noirs. They have two Pinot Noirs that are distinctly different from one another, but equally remarkable. This allows you to enjoy them both for different moods, or hoard the one you prefer. You have uncomplicated choices for food pairing. Get "The Board" to share, or two of them for your foursome (they go fast!). Otherwise, you can have a multi-course dining experience, ... haute food, in a casual setting there on the patio. Membership, as has been said, has its privileges. We have found that reservations, tastings, specials, and events are better for members. I'm glad we singed up early on. read more

Ram's Gate Winery - A great way to start your experience, delicate Rosé - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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We have our favorite wineries, where the wines are top-notch and consistent, and Ram's Gate fits that description for us. The wines we know and love are reliable, and they will never disappoint with their latest venture with a varietal of a newly acquired vineyard or terroir. The staff exhibits the esprit d' corps that never lets a customer, club member, or visitor ever feel unattended. It's seldom that we ever have to ask for something before its anticipated and table side; truly professional service. Often, when we're there, Monica is there to greet us, and knows our preferences and what will spark our interest. Our recent guests commented, rightfully, "That Monica is really good at describing the wines, and making it all a better experience." True. Our go to habit is to order "The Board", a mix of cheeses, bread, rillets or pate, olives and even a some chocolate/caramel brittle or candied almonds for the sweeter wine pairings. All a delightful nosh for a beautiful day at Ram's Gate. A couple of things were really love as members....They have some fun and delicious events offered first, and foremost, to members. We particularly loved the Hawaiian event, it was so fun. Also, ... The Pond. We love to stroll The Pond. You can walk away from the hub-bub, down the hill, to a pond for a peaceful, bucolic stroll and some reflective scenery. We often find our way home with more than a few irresistible bottles.... that'll hold us over, just barely, til next time. This month we got a case of Rosé for our summer by the pool. Come on, summer! read more

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Beautiful spot for wine tasting and lunch! Both the food and the wine were excellent, and they were very accommodating with dietary preferences. Definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for a lovely wine and dining experience in Sonoma. Plan to spend about 2 hours here if you are coordinating a wine tasting day. read more

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My wife and I dropped in and were lucky to get a spot for a tasting. Paul took care of us and boy did we get the VIP treatment! He was so knowledgeable and passionate about the wine, it really elevated our tasting experience. We'll definitely be back soon! read more

Came here in March with a friend, and the weather was perfect for sitting outdoors. The grounds are super pretty and were by far the highlight of our tasting. It wasn't huge and commercial-feeling. It felt quaint and intimate. We were able to take a glass of wine down to the pond where they had a bunch of spaced out lawn chairs in the shade. Service was awesome, employees were very kind. I wish we could remember the name of our server, but he had tattoos and he was so nice. He really accommodated to the flavors we liked. One thing we were surprised about was that they don't accept tips with card aka you can't add it on to your bill. They only accept cash tips. Had we known that beforehand, we would have brought more cash to more appropriately tip our server. For the price, we had a good experience, but if we came back, we'd probably skip the cheese and charcuterie board. Everything on the board dried out really fast, and there were more crackers and nuts than anything else. read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Beautiful setting, excellent and knowledgeable service. Fabulous wines. Grapes sourced from Various vineyards.

A trendy, modern winery in clear view of the beautiful rolling hills in Sonoma. With close proximity to Marin and SF, this is a great spot for a lowkey wine date. Their ambiance and atmosphere is what I like the most, considering so many other wineries tend to be gaudy and tourist filled. Their wines are also delectable and we tend to pick up a few bottles each time we come. Don't get me started on their cheese and charcuterie! It's amazing. The toffee itself keeps me coming back. I make sure to purchase a bag to take home. read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Front entrance to rams gate - a great spot for photos! - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Fantastic winery in Sonoma that is easy to get to and is one of the first "estate-like" wineries you encounter on your way to wine country from SF. It is easily spotted from the main road by the large wooden gate standing seemingly in the middle of nowhere! Ram's Gate is on a great plot of land with a beautiful lake at the bottom of the hill. The tasting room is large but still cozy. Tastings run on the expensive side: $40 per person for a flight, and pairing cheese boards start at $32. The 2016 pinot noir in the tasting flight was delightful. By-the-glass ordering is only available to wine club members. The servers are very knowledgeable about their wines and are friendly and easygoing. We had a great time just chatting with our server. You don't need to make reservations in advance for tastings, but it's advised to do so during peak hours (like weekends). We got there around 4:30pm as our last stop of the day and were seated immediately. You have options of bar seating, table seating, or sofa seating by the fireplace. Great winery to relax and recharge at after a full day of touring wine country! read more

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Service! And wine! We booked a tasting and it took forever for anyone to acknowledge us! Beautiful ambiance and closest to the 101 freeway ................................. read more

Wow! Of course there's a Karen everywhere and anywhere you go. I came on a Monday, December 19th to enjoy some wine and time away from work. We were serviced by wonderful people and I hate leaving this review because Rachael, Mark, and Mercedes have been amazing and the most wonderful people you will experience there. Listen, I just became a member in October and it was due to their great customer service. To me customer service matters, but relationships is what keeps me going to a place over and over. While we were ordering our Uber/Lyft that was taking longer than usual, the team decided for us to wait in the members area with Rachael. There was a random woman who apparently works in Merchandise. She came in with a weird demeanor inside the members office and asked direct questions to Rachael about closing up shop. The way she said it was with an intent to notify us we were not welcomed there and we had to go. Yes, we understand the winery is closing, but you treat your members with respect or politely ask questions. Mind you it is 35 degrees outside and we are experiencing one of the coldest winters. She decided to make snarky comments for us to start leaving and it made not only the worker waiting there with us but myself and my friend super uncomfortable. The individual's name was Meredith because we knew to ask to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else. She had no compassion, was extremely selfish, and on top of it all --rude. She basically made us leave in the cold and kept the door in the members area open to signal for us to leave. Eventually we got an Uber and decided to say our goodbyes to Rachael because we knew this random person was trying to exert her power. I am still so bothered that this is still happening in the bay. Outside we asked her who she was and we told her how rude she was and she made a snarky comment about our Lyft being here already. So if you come here I hope you don't experience this and try to order your Lyft or Uber sooner before closing time. read more

What an absolutely gorgeous establishment. As an only semi frequent wine region visitor, Ram's Gate was one I was not too familiar with. However, it was just a stones throw away from the Sonoma racetrack, which I was in town to work at. And by stone's throw - you can still hear the cars on track while enjoying your wine tasting on the patio. My extremely generous boss arranged for a tasting for our staff. There was about 8 of us who went together. We were greeted with a delightful white wine to start as we were sat. Our sommelier was very knowledgable of the wines we were tasting and was very accommodating to anyone who may have wanted to switch a white for a red, or vice versa. All the wines were phenomenal. I am not one to be too choosy when trying wines, but all the ones in this tasting were great. And the pours heavy! We also had a charcuterie board which was delightful and enough to share for a group. Hope to go back in the future as it was a pleasant and enjoyable wine tasting experience. read more

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pretty good place for social distancing tasting (reservations required) and they are set up well with spacing, masks, gloves, etc. I would love to rate them higher because it's so tough to run a business in these times (august 2020) but tbh, the food and wine pairing was not worth the price ($105pp). $50 for the wine is high and $55 for for a light 3-course food pairing is not a good value, although the food was very inventive. read more

Amazing experience - we had a 12 person group and Mercedes made it a great experience. We couldn't have asked for a better day! read more

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2 minutes ago The property is stunning and a great place to spend an afternoon wine tasting. Being in the carneros area, their chardonnays are all very good. The pinot noir are also really nice. If in the area, it's a must visit! read more

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Amazing food wine and service! Our server Lauren was lovely and we had the best experience

Beautiful and spacious open facility. This is so important in the Covid world we now live. The tasting is $50 but the pours were very generous. We also did the food pairing which was pretty good but on the light side. After lunch, we were able to buy glasses to take down to the pond. Lots of open seating far far away from other people. If you're making a day trip up fr SF this winery is a lot closer than trekking all the way up to Napa & Yountville. Would definitely come again! read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Ask for Maggie. Period. I don't know if she mastered in creative writing, or does stand up comedy on the side but she makes it an Ex-peri-ence with a capital "E". PHE*clap*NO*clap*ME*clap*NAL #somalierflex. If I can't have Maggie, I don't want it. This place is it. You won't regret it. Clay provided a wonderful entré as well. read more

Right outside of the city! You almost forget the city is so close. Gorgeous views and a beautiful building. We loved our food and wine pairing. They all went so well together. Our service was great! It was her first time doing a good and wine pairing at rams gate and she did a wonderful job. read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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My wife and I went for a member's tasting recently and it was fantastic. The staff is top notch and the decision to allow kids/dogs has been a game changer. We have a newborn and thought we were going to have to cancel, but now this will be a regular family stop for us. read more

Cheese board ! We love a good board ! This one was great ,however for the $45.00 price the portions should a been a bit healthier! We ordered 2 flights and the board , bill was well over $150.00. Beautiful property, gorgeous setting. Service and knowledge of wine was awesome! read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Cheese board ! - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

I celebrated my 40th bday here and had a picnic through Picnic Potential next to the pond. It was a perfect experience! The day was beautiful. This is the most beautiful winery that I have visited in person! The staff were really friendly! read more

What sets tasting rooms apart from one another? When you can get your visitors to return to your tasting room & returning with more guests is even better. This is why I returned to experience Ram's Gate Winery with friends, one who had been here before, like myself, & one who was experiencing it for the first time. When making a reservation whether by calling or via online, you will be required to put down a $20 deposit per person. Making a reservation will guarantee you seating for your party. So around the first week of July I called to make a reservation for us at 11:30am for July 27. Upon my arrival I was cheerfully greeted at the entrance, the hostess looked up my reservations & then seated me out on the beautiful patio which is covered & overlooks their vineyards & pond. Unfortunately my friends were late due to traffic on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge & then the race traffic (NHRA weekend) but it was fortunate for me because while I was waiting our tasting room associate, Luis, gave me a taste of their new inaugural vintage of 2018 Rosé that is reserved for club members. This was a mix of Pinot & Grenache grapes blended together to make a very crisp & refreshing Rosé that was perfect for a hot day like the one we experience on the day of our tasting. Next, Luis brought me a glass of their North Coast Brut Sparkling Wine which was very refreshing. At that time my friends showed up & he brought both of them some sparkling wine while we looked over the two tastings they offered & as well as the various add-ons which were available for purchase for the 2 different tastings. After reviewing what was being offered we all decided to each get The Gateway tasting which was $40 each & the flight consisted of 4 pours; 2 each of a Chardonnay (Carneros & Ram's Gate Estate Vineyards) and Pinot Noirs (Sonoma Coast & Bush Crispo Vineyard, Russian River Valley) all of which were 2016 vintages. We ordered The Board to accompany our flights. This was $34, serves 2 to 4 people & was a nice assortment of cheeses (goat, brie & bleu cheese) a little charcuterie, breads, crostinis, crackers, duck liver parfait, smoked salmon parfait, mixed olives, fig jam, chocolate covered toffee pieces. pickles & candied almonds. It was so good that we ended up ordering a 2nd one. Though we did ask them to leave the duck liver parfait off the second order as it wasn't any of our cup of tea. The Board paired very well with The Gateway wines. They also offered their "Five Bites From Our Kitchen" for $20 which consisted of 5 canapes made in-house but those were paired with their premium wines known as The Vineyard Designate tasting which was $65 & consisted of 5 different pours. The tasting room is large due to the various rooms/areas for tasting, some for non-members & some for club members only (for instance, the library is for club members only). There's also outside seating where you can enjoy the grounds & views. If you don't want to do a full on tasting you can buy a bottle of wine from the tasting room & sit by the pond with friends enjoying the weather & scenery. Or if you're into wine & food pairing, make sure to call & make an appointment to try their wine & food pairing offerings. It is pricier than some of the higher end pairings but the food is delicious & pairs well with their wines. The food changes periodically so don't think if you try it you'll get the same thing 6 or 7 months down the road. Though plenty of people have put in their reviews not to come here when there is a race happening whether it be qualifiers or race day, let me just say there is no harm in coming especially if you are located North (Napa, Sonoma or Mendocino Counties, etc.) of the race track. If you're coming from the East Bay, Marin, San Francisco or the South Bay it can be difficult due to the heavy traffic that you'll encounter on Highway 37 & Highway 121 on race weekends. But when coming from the opposite direction of the race track it's a breeze. And if you happen to like the races you'll love hearing the roaring sound of the engines so sitting outside is a must! If you're not a fan of the noise, then opt to sit inside but definitely take a walk outside to explore the grounds. Another way to enjoy this delightful tasting room is via helicopter. Yes I said helicopter. I can't remember the name of the company, but when I mentioned seeing the helicopter landing in the parking lot upon my arrival Luis said that they've partner with a company in San Francisco where they will pick you up in SF & take you to Ram's Gate & a few other wineries for I believe it was $460 per person. What a cool way to go wine tasting! Though essentially I got 6 pours for my 4 pour tasting, I have to say that my absolute favorite was the 2018 Rosé, which was for club members only. Wish I could've bought a few bottles of it but since I'm not a club member.... read more

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Ram's Gate Winery location enables it to serve as the gateway to the beautiful wineries that dot lower Sonoma County for visitors who make their way to downtown Sonoma along Highway 121. A group of friends and I decided to make a return visit to Ram's Gate Winery after we had the chance to visit earlier in the year for a special event. There, we got the royal treatment which included a tour of their vast facilities that make up just part of their wine growing operations. They moved into this stunning property as recently as 2012 when they rebuilt their tasting room and facility from the ground up, in a lovely rustic country-style motif that emphasizes their farm to tasting room cuisine. They are also one of the few wineries in the area with a full-size kitchen to host wine lovers seven days a week looking for the perfect wine and food pairing that along with stunning views of the valley that stretches all the way to San Pablo Bay, which makes for the most unique experience one can have while in wine country. On this warm weekend afternoon, we made sure to make reservations ahead of time as we were escorted to their gorgeous outdoor patio area that overlooks their vineyard and own pond. There, walk-in guests can purchase a bottle and sip by the water with no reservations. As we decided which tasting best suited our needs, we were greeted by our own tasting room associate Luis, who served us with a splash of their North Coast Brute Sparkling Wine, which provided a nice bubbly precursor to an afternoon of planned wine tasting. As visitors to the winery, we had the option of two tastings: The Gateway, which in their words, serves as an ideal experience for first time visitors and was 40 dollars a person, or The Vineyard Designate Tasting which serves as an in depth look at the highest tier of Ram's Gate Wines and was 65 dollars a person. For both tastings you could choose to pair your tasting with The Board, which for 34 dollars you were served an assortment of cheese, charcuterie and other accompaniments and served roughly 2-4 guests. But only with the Vineyard Designate Tasting could you also order their "Five Bites From Our Kitchen, which for an additional 20 dollars you would receive one housemade canape to pair with each of their premium wines you tasted. Our group was seriously tempted by the Vineyard Designate Tasting especially since it was only that option could you order their Five Bites, but their Gateway Tasting with four pours, two Chardonnays and two Pinot Noirs had just enough punch to make for an exquisite experience out on their shaded patio among their vineyards and great views of the valley and bay. Although we were disappointed we were not allowed to order their "Five Bites" from their menu, their charcuterie board would have to suffice. We started with their two pours of the 2016 Chardonnays, one with grapes grown in the Carneros region, while the other bottle came from grapes grown right their on their estate. Their Carneros bottle was more medium bodied in taste, not too buttery or oakey in flavor, thanks to a deeper acid, while their Estate Chardonnay tasted both velvety and elegant thanks to touches of minerality with every sip. These two wines paired nicely with a number of things on our Board including candied almonds, toasted crostini, sourdough bread, salmon rilletes with chives, pickle slices, various olives, three cheeses including, brie, goat and bleu cheese. After finishing our glasses of white wine, we were then poured two glasses of their 2016 Pinot Noir, one from the Sonoma Coast, and the other from the Bush Crispo Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The former Pinot was more of a classic Pinot thanks to flavors of both cherries and plums, while the latter Pinot was more earthy and jammy which provided a more savory flavor. These wines paired well with the preserves served on our Board along with the warm toffee chocolates, which paired well with any red wine. In fact, we loved everything on our Board, with the sole exception of the pate, which was too salty even for my taste, that we decided to go all in and order a second Board to go with our tasting to maximize the flavors of our wines (with an extra dollop of salmon rillete to replace the aforementioned pate). We had a memorable time at Ram's Gate, my only suggestion is they consider providing a better food pairing option to go with their Gateway Tasting as sometimes visitors want to see what foods go well with their more affordable wines, and a board of cheeses and bread doesn't give you insight to what their kitchen has to offer. A "Four Bites" option would improve upon an already wonderful experience. Nevertheless, Ram's Gate Winery features a beautiful setting with great view, with sounds from the Sonoma Raceway down the hill providing entertainment on this afternoon, and a place for company to congregate. A perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon in wine country but still close enough to see the sparkling bay. read more

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We had a tasting with Gustavo! He was outstanding! Loved his energy, his explanations, and we made the wine tasting experience so wonderful! Would visit again for sure. read more

We had a wonderful time. Paul was so knowledgeable, friendly, and fun! We had a great Christmas time and will definitely come back next year! read more

We had an incredible visit to Ram's Gate last weekend. First off, the staff were absolutely incredible, friendly, and accommodating. Secondly, the wine was fantastic. Thirdly the food pairings that we ordered with our flights were spectacular. Finally, the vineyard has beautiful views. My girlfriend (now fiance) and I came to Ram's Gate last weekend to celebrate our anniversary. I had also secretly planned a proposal at the venue. I worked with Sophia to make sure everything would go smoothly with our reservation; she was wonderful and very accommodating in helping me figure out how to set up the special moment. On top of that, the entire staff was incredibly flexible when we took additional time after the proposal to take pictures with our photographer around the property. Our photographer even commented that most wineries are not as accommodating as Ram's Gate was! The 5 course food and wine pairing that we had was absolutely delicious. Many compliments to the chef for making some of the best food we've had. It was a little expensive but absolutely worth it if you're a foodie. The pan-seared scallops with yellow curry polenta, sweet potato agnolotti with trumpet mushrooms, and confit brisket with parsnip puree and black currant sauce were done to perfection (along with the other dishes). They apparently change the menu every 2 months; we'd love to come back and try some of the new courses in the future. Alex and the other servers were also very helpful during the entire experience as well. I also genuinely enjoyed every wine that was in the flight, and we took home a bottle of each one after we left. Ram's Gate has beautiful vineyards, a great view (since it's on the top of a hill), and even a nice lake with plenty of space to spread out. Because it was so spacious, we felt very comfortable with safety from a COVID perspective. We had an amazing time here and are looking forward to our next visit! read more

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A memorable event! Ram's Gate gave us an amazing overview of the Ram's Gate experience: wine, food, ambiance and an educational tour of the property! There was not want of anything. Generous and frequent pours and an abundance of amazing food. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Amazing food! This is not hyperbole. Amazing food! Greg Miller, estate director gave us a brief tour of the vines and then the prominent areas around the facilities explaining unique and interesting details of Ram's Gate that makes it unique and a good destination for a wine experience. Here are some of the intersting things I learned: - The French word "Terroir" can be tossed into your wine banter to describe the phenomena of soil, air, water, sun and temperature on the vines. We gosh Americans say "Microclimate" - a word that is small and plain to be sure. It lacks all sophistication, mystery the "Zut alors" effect which the French word contributes to our plain and limited vocabulary. Greg's affection for the contribution of soil to grapes made me think of my forestry days. One could know the soil types just by looking at the trees and seeing their condition. Here, it's the opposite - soils are examined to determine the type of grape that would do best. (Greg shared with me his suggested readings on soil - see my photo of "Soils for Fine Wines") - The area down by the pond for outdoor events featuring wine, food and music: a bucolic setting suitable for ladies in flowing gowns, parasols and dapper gentlemen wearing straw hats and fine patent leather shoes. - Greg explained the use of the French shovel used to dig around the root stocks to remove weeds. I never heard of a French shovel. The French shovel looks like a worn out American square pointed shovel. They probably rounded the corners of their shovel to avoid damage to the vines. Ram's Gate does not use herbicides or pesticides. As Rene Dubos - the French scientist has said "The most powerful forces in a system are those forces inherit to the system itself." Herbicides and pesticides are unnatural to any ecological system. - Greg also explains that Ram's Gate has a falconer who comes around to release terror and mayhem on the starlings that come to sample the grapes. (Greg didn't actually *say* that, but I know that's what he ment.) I was wondering how many starlings a falcon could bag in a day, but Greg further explains that it isn't bag count but the presence of the falcon that causes the starlings to move on. I could really get excited about watching the falconer work. I think the proper pairing for that event would be a bottle of Pinot and one of those Montecristo cigars from the library. Audubon Rule #72 of birding: "It's okay to hate starlings." Read it and weep. I hate them by the dozen. - Greg showed us the area where they stem and crush the grapes that come in. A crew of 10 can stem and crush two tons of grapes an hour! A friend and I work together to stem and crush one ton of grapes and it took us all day! Backbreaking work! Greg dropped us off at the pairing bar where Chef Stacey Combs provided us with the pairings for our tastings of Chardonnay and Pinot. Lucky me! I was able to grill her with questions about the cheesecake and pork that was served! Since she's a chef, I asked her to say something mean so that I could discover if she was like all the celebrity chefs on TV; but Stacey lacks those narcissistic qualities. She is thoughtful and kind. Here's the amazing things I learned: - She's not a pastry chef!!! This is how she started out, but she didn't enjoy the part of having to hang around in the kitchen taking care of the pastry end while the regular crew went out for beers after work. - The cheesecake she made was part goat cheese and mascarpone cheese to make the filling have a creamy taste. The goat cheese was one of the milder cheeses. The graham cracker crust contained powdered portobello mushrooms mixed in to give it an earthy flavor. - The pork was prepared by an overnight brine and then cooked with a sous vide and then briefly seared on both sides before serving. How good was it? It tasted a lot like prime rib! Delicious and a great reason to purchase a sous vide. This sealed the deal for me! I am working to come back for the 5 course dinner with pairings prepared by Chef Stacey! But wait!! There is more! - Right when I thought nothing could be better could happen, servers appeared with Chef Stacey's deep fried rosseto! Was she saving the best for last or just teasing us! What a treat! Her food is 5 star - every morsel, every crumb! Ram's Gate wines are deep with pinots and chardonnays. The pinots were all tasty and the chardonnay was good also; though I don't really enjoy chardonnay. They have a number of variations, but we did not try any of those. read more

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A dreadful experience. I have been to the tasting rooms here twice and on both occasions have brought my two small dogs with me (in a stroller- off the ground- 15lbs). On this occasion they refused us entry and were rude and obnoxious about it. Basically treated us like something on the bottom of their shoe. As someone that has a family winery- I find this quite shocking, To top it off, nowhere on their website or when booking do they mention this. I had a colleague with me that was visiting from London- he also thought the tone and words were appalling. A terrible first experience of Sonoma for him. Embarassing. There are many dog friendly and better options in Sonoma County and we will continue to support our fellow dog friendly wineries in both Sonoma and Napa. My favorite is Macrostie (see separate review), which is consistently excellent. To top it off, there was some kind of bachelor/ette party going off in there, that sounded like a bingo night at a working mens club. I was happy to go somewhere else. read more

I recently returned to Rams Gate to try the Cabana Experience again. Wow, did they get it spot on! This was truly a fantastic and five-star experience. Out attendant was immediately available for any request without hovering over us. The wines, as always, were specular. The charcuterie plates were representative of the fantastic chef, Stacey Combs, who has impressed me for years. I highly recommend trying it out. read more

BAD TASTE IN MOUTH: After what would have been a five star visit, Tobias, the tasting manager ruined it for us when he told our group we were being complained about for our "decibel levels." I can assure you we were nowhere near being inappropriate or out of the ordinary "loud." After purchasing many bottles of wine and spending on five course food pairings with tastings it will be hard to return in the future, let alone recommend Ram's Gate without mentioning they don't condone fun and laughter. read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

We always passed by the Ram's Gate entrance when driving to Sonoma, so figured it was finally time to give it a go! A few of the highlights from our trip: + Beautiful estate - lots of vines grown on site. + Friendly service: From the moment we checked in, everyone was super nice and approachable. Our server, Devin, was awesome! He was clearly knowledgeable about the wine but educated us in a way that was super approachable and fun. He also gave us enough space to enjoy our conversation and the estate - but we were never without a wine for too long. Excellent service! + Good wine! We tried both tasting options (gateway tasting and the other one .. name escapes me). Great place to go if you enjoy Pinot noirs and Chardonnays. A few cons worth noting... - Expensive wine. While the wine is good, it wasn't $70+ per bottle good. - Ideal place to come with a big party (we saw tons of bachelorette parties and tours). Not necessarily a pro or a con... depends on your desired experience. However, tourist destinations can lead to more rambunctious guest behavior.. or people throwing up in the bathrooms (as I witnessed yesterday) . Ideal stop in wine country if you have guests in town or you're hosting a wine tasting trip. I would put it in the same category as Castello di Amorosa and Sterling... amazing for guests, but I wouldn't necessarily come back just a casual wine tasting day. read more

Complete disappointment. My husband and I have always made Rams Gate and their food pairing as stable to our bi-yearly Napa visit. We just completed the wine/food pairing and I can only say that it was among the worst food I have ever encountered in ANY restaurant environment. Tasteless is an under statement. We sat out a table with strangers and the consensus was that it was a joke. At one point, we think they tried to present water as a "Lobster cappuccino." It was gross. Just plain gross. We will now replace the Rams Gate staple with another venue. Overall appalling. Very sad....... read more

Maggie really made our experience special. Not only was she so knowledgeable and helpful about the wine, but she has a dazzlingly fun and effervescent personality that really embodies the best kinds of warmth and culture that Sonoma has to offer. We've been coming up to wine country and Rams's Gate in particular for years on a regular basis and our experience with Maggie was easily one of the most memorable and fun experiences we've ever had. The wine at Ram's Gate is always spectacular but getting a chance to interact with Maggie was a special and unexpected treat. read more

What a great location!! It's the first winery you hit when you are crossing into Sonoma from Marin. If you like Chardonnay or Pinto noir this is the place for you. The tasting room is spacious with tall ceilings and a beautiful decor. We sat at the bar as we had no reservations, so I would recommend making reservations for a large group. Ian, our server/ wine pourer (?) was excellent. He was attentive and checked on us regularly. There were two options for tasting 40$ (for 4 wines), 65$ (for 6 wines), which was a little steep considering the wines were not that wonderful. But! If you buy 2 bottles, you get one tasting free! Woot! read more

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Ram's Gate is a beautiful facility that offers friendly service. Despite this, we found the overall experience slightly lacking in intimate charm and wine quality. Our host was very busy juggling our tasting with other tables they were responsible for. This is definitely not the host's fault, and they were doing the best they could; however, it speaks to the generally busy atmosphere & customer to staff ratio (at least on the particular day I visited). I would definitely recommend to others for a visit regardless. It was one of the better larger-scale wineries we visited while in Sonoma (when compared to the likes of Gloria Ferrer or Buena Vista). If you are making a trip to nearby wineries in Carneros like Gloria Ferrer, Domaine Carneros, or Anaba, it's worth adding to the list. read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Ram's Gate tasting room before it began to fill up. Reverse had a beautiful view or Sonoma Valley & Raceway. - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Ram'a Gate was our first winery stop of our Napa/Sonoma trip. We were checked in by a friendly hostess and taken to our table that had comfy chairs facing a beautiful view of their winery below. Their tasting room has such a great atmosphere, it reminded me of a Restoration Hardware living room. Our server was super knowledgeable and gave us a short history of their winery. We really enjoyed the selection of wines, they had a good mix of reds and whites. We had a great afternoon here and brought a bottle home for later. Would definitely come back next time I'm in the area! read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Sauvignon blanc - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

By far the best wine in the area, and an extremely friendly staff. Not to mention the most GORGEOUS architecture & landscaping. My boyfriend & I decided to make a reservation last minute and were able to sit at the bar for a tasting. The gentleman was very outgoing, easy to talk to, & he knew tons about the wine, which we always appreciate! They do only accept cash tips so make sure you have some before going! Cheers. read more

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We have always wanted to visit Ram's Gate since we always pass it on our way into Sonoma and we were finally able to visit on a Saturday afternoon with a group of 4. Aaron was our wonderful server and he was so knowledgeable, funny, kind and gave us such a great tasting experience. In addition to the tasting, we also purchased the charcuterie board which was fantastic as well. The grounds are beautiful and we had such a great time sitting outside on the patio. Will definitely be back for another tasting, hopefully with Aaron again! read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Great time at the Gate! We tasted several wines with a food pairing, great views & of course great wines. If you are wine tasting in the Sonoma Valley, Rams Gate is a must stop, but don't go during NASCAR or NHRA, because the racetrack is next to it & you can hear the roaring cars. Normally the last weekend of June & July. Stop by and taste their great selection of wines. read more

Ram's Gate Winery - 2017 Pinot Blanc with Kanpachi Crudo pairing. - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Had an AMAZING time at Ram's Gate today with our server Aaron. It was our first time visiting and we already can't wait to visit again. The wine was great and the charcuterie plate was delicious. The tasting at Ram's Gate is pricier than at some other wineries but you get significantly more wine. Well worth it! read more

Ram's Gate Winery - Tasting menu - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California