Went exploring after my weekend in Napa. The meads were so delicious. Can't wait to come back and…read moreget some more of that black currant. Also the tasting flights were an excellent deal. Look at this cute ship outside the building.

We set out originally with the intention to land at a winery for the afternoon. Instead we came…read moreacross Strad and felt like we needed to try as meaderies are few and far in between in the area. We were not disappointed! The location is unassuming from the outside, positioned in an industrial park near the Folsom Canal. The interior was surprisingly quaint with a lot of character and a good mixture of indoor, outdoor, and bar seating. The staff was very friendly and down to earth and gave us a thorough rundown of the local events happening nearby for Halloween festivities. The Mead itself was delicious, full of flavor but not sickeningly sweet. We got flights (for a good price, $10/flight) and sampled the original, pomegranate, yuzu, and strawberry jalapeño. The yuzu was an easy favorite, very unique flavor and a perfect balance of sweetness. The strawberry jalapeño will kick you in the teeth but in the best way, especially if you are a whiskey fan. Overall I'd highly recommend stopping by if you are up for trying something a little different, you won't be disappointed.

Jack Russell brewing in Apple Hill area is such a great place. A very wide selection of beer and…read moreciders available, there were 30 choices on our visit. Staff was very friendly and let us try a few before we settled in our choices. We went during Winter so their hours are different than shown on google or even their website. They opened at Noon on Saturday. Some days they have food trucks and entertainment, we went just a few days after a snow storm so the place was pretty quiet. This place will definitely be a stop for us whenever we visit Apple Hill

Really nice brewery in Apple Hill with a wine "cave" in the back. It's not really a cave, more of a…read morelittle room. We got drinks there and I had a flight, they let you mix and match anything on the menu up to 6 items so I tried most of the ciders and let me tell you, even the flight size will get you feeling toasty! They have a coupe food trucks outside that rotate, this time was Mexican food and pizza. Lots of seating outdoors and the service was really great!

Did you know you can ferment honey to make a wine? Yup. Honey, yeast and water fermented under an…read moreexpert eye makes mead wine. I recently enjoyed my first (and definitely not my last) dining experience at the HIVE tasting room and kitchen in Woodland, CA. I enjoyed it; the food was delicious and customer service on point. I went there with the intent of mead wine tasting but ended up not since I had driving duties. [Fun fact: mead wine has less alcohol content than grape wine.] Instead I ordered lunch and washed it down with their honey ice tea. The iced tea had a prominent honey taste. Hubs luved his, but my tastebuds were confused. Odd though because I luv honey and iced tea. We also ordered a Ruben sandwich $22 and an order of waffles. The sandwich was classic with the familiar flavors. Nice quality cut of meat, thinly shaved. The waffles $17 were topped with blueberries, slivered almonds, and orange blossom whipped ricotta cream which I asked for on the side. The ricotta cream was divine. The waffles tasted pretty darn good. However the pricing for both entrees seemed high for the serving size. But this is a type of place where folks can eat and linger to enjoy the grounds, atmosphere, and each other's company without anyone rushing you out. We enjoyed our meal out in the back outdoor patio. The landscaping is all organic with lots of pollinating and drought resistant plants and trees. The building is a zero energy building with an onsite brewing facility. The interior has a brand newish look and feel. There is a honey tasting and mead wine tasting counter, gift shop, and dining area. All of this is in an open floor plan. The indoor seating capacity is limited. The place can be rented out for events (such as a garden wedding), private facility tours. Plus they host community events. Take a peek at their website. Some events are free. Events range from tours, book readings, yoga classes, flower bouquet class, gardening... etc.

I really enjoyed a beautiful Sunday brunch here. Arrived right at 11 when they opened and was…read moreimpressed with the beautiful ambiance and garden. The menu had a lot to choose from so we got some small bites to share. I also tried the mead spritzer which was refreshing! My favorite thing I had was the whipped goat cheese. After brunch we did a honey tasting! The staff was so friendly! I will definitely be coming back to try more items on the menu. This is tucked in an industrial area but worth discovering!

I try not to use the phrase a "hidden gem" too often or not at all, but Sonoma Aperitif should fall…read moreinto that category if it indeed a legitimate term to use! I had loose plans to visit Sonoma Aperitif on a weekend a few months back, but was not committed due to other plans. Well I had some spare time and figured I'd try to stop by and see if I could do a walk in tasting/sample. Laura who is the owner graciously accepted us into her old style barn converted into a tasting room. It really displays the Petaluma hospitality as well as the true country vibe of the aesthetics inside. For those a tad confused about Aperitifs, it is not your normal cocktail you will throw back or glass of wine/beer. They are typically served before or after (Sometimes depending on the country/region) to cleanse the palette. This is not to say you cannot make cocktails with it, but typically from what I have been told it is an after or before meal "sipper". Back to the tasting, Laura had a few that she was pouring today ranging from Lime/Citrus to Buddhas hand and Grapefruit. All had their very own distinction from each other. The real jewel of the tasting was the fact that Laura was pairing everything with very simple ingredients to make delicious cocktails! To give an example a aperitif splash with a rosemary shrub gave the aperitif a whole different level of complexity. The tasting itself was very affordable, and at the time included a wine tasting at the same bar by another company (No longer being offered though). Flavors may change throughout the year due to the seasons of various fruits though, so what one may see on one visit, may be gone the next depending on inventory, so keep that in mind if you really like any of the aperitifs. I could easily recommend this to someone who is looking for an alternative to Wine and Beer tastings.

Apéritif is a French word derived from the Latin verb aperire, which means "to open". An apéritif…read moreis an alcoholic beverage usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite, and is therefore usually dry rather than sweet." Fantastic alternative from ciders and wine tasting. (But I still love ciders and wine :) I've never experienced aperitif. Laura, the creative mistress and owner was highly informative and had so much passion with her creations. Her previous career led her to this wonderful libation. The public gets to reap the rewards. This tasting bar shares the barn themed building. We came in to taste her aperitif creations and ciders from a very new up and coming cidery, "Acre and Spade" (see my Yelp review) After our cider tastimg, she placed 3 different tall slim bottles of aperitifs and poured each one in a very tiny martini stemmed glass, along with a ceramic bucket to pour any extra aperitif. As she poured each aperitif one flavor at a time, she offered the flavor profile. It's great with a bit of ice, which is extra perfect on hot days. She then made a cocktail using a lemon flavored "shrub *" and one of the aperitif (sorry I forgot which one). It was delish. I felt so "classy" lol. She added a sprig of fresh rosemary, so as your sipping, your nose picks up the Rosemary aroma. We offered our opinion for each aperitif and she listened intently as we slowly tasted each one. Their was no wrong answer as each flavor description is subjective to our own taste buds. This visit was eye opening, informative and very enjoyable. Our group ended up purchasing a pack of cider and few bottles of aperitif. She mentioned she had a few strawberry aperitif which we were lucky to enjoy. These aperitifs will be part of holiday dinners or any festive group gatherings. But equally fantastic for summer parties or warm/hot weather. * "The term "shrub" can also be applied to the sweetened vinegar-based syrup, from which the cocktail is made; the syrup is also known as drinking vinegar. Drinking vinegar is often infused with fruit juice, herbs and spices for use in mixed drinks."

Came here during their strawberry days and it was so fun! They had plenty of strawberry flavored…read moreitems including pastries, jam, popcorn, and more! They had lots of produce and preserved veggies in jars! They also had a sample area where you could try various apples, pickled veggies, fudge and apple cider! We decided to have sweets before lunch and ordered their strawberry ice cream sandwich and strawberry pie! The strawberry ice cream and donut combo was delicious!! We would order it again in a heartbeat! The strawberry pie tasted like it was just strawberry jam as the filling and we didn't really like it much. Their burgers were so delicious and the sauce they offered were so good!! They had a chipotle and BBQ sauce that was so good that we regretted not asking if they sold it there to bring home with us! Can't wait to be back in the fall for more!!

First time visiting here was for the Watermelon days event. Indeed felt like a scam. I was…read moredisappointed that they barely had any watermelons for sale, and I was told they were imported for Mexico since it's not in season in California. The selection for watermelon flavored things were small too. I only ordered the watermelon ice cream, which tasted good. It was an artificial creamy watermelon flavor. The lady who took my order wasn't very nice though.. It was nice getting to try the free samples of apples, and other things. The watermelon sample wasn't sweet at all, so I ended up not buying a watermelon from here. There were a few vendors that had some cool things but I didn't end up buying anything. Totally not worth driving an hour for this event. Maybe I would come check out these fruit themed events if I lived closer. I ended up buying a watermelon at Costco instead..

Always enjoy my visits here. They have good bubbles (my fave is their sparkling Rose - hints of…read morestrawberry) and this time they had a really good Roussane (white) that was a lovely fresh, clean palate that would compliment a good prosciutto and melon. Their Barrel aged Petit Syrah was on point, too....very jammy and bold - good with a steak. Got some aged gouda, almond honey, and crackers to round out our tasting...bellisima!

My fellow educators and I couldn't stay away from $1 wines! Of course we came hungry and much…read moredollars later we were full off their yummy pizza and brussel sprouts. Servers were kind but at times we had to flag them down. But who can say no to $1 wines??

When I'm out n about driving thru the Capay Valley on Route 16, Seka Hills tasting room is always a…read moremust stop. I recall on my first visit (many years ago), they were selling olive oil and tastings only. Fast forward to present day, they have expanded to include wine tastings, and selling balsamic vinegars, wines, honey, beef jerky, and nuts. All local grown from Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation land. Very cool. They also sell kitchen and giftable items; and serve food made to order and also offering prepackaged to go. The staff are always so kind and helpful. The building and brewing facility is a beautiful architectural design. Even the outside landscaping and patio area are thoughtfully designed. The views are gorgeous overlooking the adjoining almond and olive orchards, and the Valley. The kind of scenery they put in sappy Hallmark movie backdrops. So darn lucky to live within driving distance. I have not tasted wine here before. But have tasted their olive oils and vinegars. Mmm. Actually we picked up some bottles since they had a sale and marked down some bottles from the prior year varieties. My favorite flavors of SH olive oil are Arbequina (classic EVOO) and Frantoio (this one has nutty, herby flavors with slight pepperiness). It's right off Route 16 and super close to the Cache Creek casino resort which is also a Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation venture. So if you happen to be at the casino, drive less than five minute to the tasting room. Plus if you need a rest stop for a restroom, Seka Hills tasting room has real nice ones.

After doing some berry picking, we saw Seka Hills Tasting Room. A gorgeous estate with a spacious…read moreneatly-kept outdoor seating area to enjoy the grove of olive trees and surrounding area. The ambience was very peaceful and tranquil. You could browse and shop for many charcuterie accessories, dried fruits, nuts, olive oil, flavored basalmic vinegar, wine, etc. During our olive oil tasting session, we tried samples of... Taggiasca: This elegant oil has aromas of sweet almond followed by herbaceous notes of dried thyme and fresh herbs. Frantoio: The flavor of this oil is fragrant with almond and floral notes with grassy flavors. Some bitterness, this oil has a lasting pepperiness. Lovely as a dipping and finishing oil. Arbequina Olive Oil: The flavor is a fresh herbaceous aroma, this harmonious oil has pleasant pungency with a slight bitterness. Its balanced complexity results in a long, satisfying finish. Use in baking, marinades, sauteing, roasting, as a drizzling and dipping oil and any sauce calling for EVOO. Picual Olive: the flavor is Green tomato and olive aromas, this distinct and harmonious oil is followed by nuanced flavors of fresh herbs, green tea and black pepper. Use it to enhance salads, vegetables, fish and grilled chicken and meats and drizzle over grilled peaches and pineapple. Tribal Blend: the flavor is bright and herbaceous aroma with fresh green notes followed by nuanced layers of green almond, sweet almond, and ripe banana with a smooth, buttery mouthfeel. Support your local business.

Always a great experience at this restaurant! A round of applause from my family to the chef &…read morehelpers ! The food was amazing! Never disappoints . Is best to make reservations but walk ins are welcome! We had burgers, steak, beet salad ,biscuits, Mac & cheese, chocolate chips cookies and ice cream, everything was so delicious!!! the waitress was super attentive & checked on us often! Highly recommended all the food tastes fresh

Went there for a late dinner…read more Still light outside and it was nice to have a view of the busy restaurant and back and side gardens. Good service and knowledgeable staff. Sishito peppers were the started with the beet salad. Both were super fresh. Beets were cooked perfectly and generous dressing was applied! Peppers were not hot but were blistered nicely and dipping sauce was perfect for balance with acidity. We shared the special meat platter. It was ok.... Pulled pork was tough. Not a good choice in future as it is on the lunch menu Ribs were great. 3 ribs were cooked and seasoned well. Nice acidity so The sauce was not too sweet. Slaw was great and provided balance Mac and cheese was made with white cheese and while rich it was not overwhelming Chicken wings were a hit. Cooked perfectly and seasoned with a bbq sauce that was well balanced. A hit for next time.

We celebrated our anniversary at Michael David Winery with our Yelp friends, and it was an…read moreabsolutely beautiful experience from start to finish. The winery grounds are stunning, with plenty of seating areas to relax, enjoy wine, and take in the scenery. It truly feels like an all-in-one destination--they have a winery, café, bistro, and even a shop where you can pick up snacks and local goods. Everything is thoughtfully designed so you can spend the entire day there without needing to leave. The bakery selection was a highlight. They had an impressive variety, from full-size pies to single slices, along with cookies and brownies. The apricot items stood out during our visit, and the chocolate chip cookies and brownies were especially delicious. The persimmon cookie was unique and unforgettable. For food, a barbecue food truck was catering the pickup party. The burger they served was fantastic, and the brisket was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. It came with a really good potato salad and fresh watermelon that paired perfectly with the winery's reds. Our favorite wine of the day was the Earthquake red--bold, rich, and perfect with the heavier foods. There was also live music, perfect weather, and a very relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. The staff was friendly and accommodating, and everything was clean and well maintained. The gardens were in full bloom, offering beautiful photo spots--especially the sunflowers and fountains scattered throughout the property. Overall, it's the kind of place you can spend an entire day at--starting with a morning visit and easily staying through lunch and into the late afternoon. Whether you go as a couple, with friends, or a larger group, it's a perfect weekend destination for wine, food, and relaxation. Can't wait for the next pick up! :)

The barbecue brisket sandwich was incredibly tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. Every bite was…read moredelicious! The potato salad was seasoned so well that I ended up finishing the entire serving, which, almost never happens. Of course, the Michael David wines was outstanding, as always. Pair that with live music, a beautiful garden setting, and good friends, and it made for the perfect evening. The peaceful atmosphere was the cherry on top. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the night.

An enjoyable tasting experience, with tasty estate wines. The facility is beautiful & the…read moreowner/winemaker is very personable. Definitely worth checking out, you won't be disappointed.

We had a fabulous time tasting wines at this little winery in the Sierra Foothills, right in our…read moreown backyard. The owner Guy was very knowledgeable, friendly, and quite fun to be around. He also makes delicious red wines, my favorite was his Cab Franc