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Viansa Winery (Sonoma County)

Address: 25200 Arnold Drive Sonoma Ca. 95476

Viansa Winery is situated on a hilltop with a distinctive Italian atmosphere and charming old world architectural design. It was founded in 1990 by Sam and Vicky Sebastiani which were both Tuscan born and Sonoma raised. But in 2018, the winery was taken over by Jun and Christian Sebastiani which are both 4th generation Sebastiani family. Viansa is famous for it’s iconic 270 degree views of the Sonoma Valley, good wine selections and it’s wood- fire pizza. The Viansa Winery is about 1 hour and 5 minutes (45 miles) from San Francisco/Daly City via US-101 North. It is open 7 days a week from 10 am- 5 pm. The Viansa Winery is currently by reservation but also accepts walk-in customers. Children and dogs are allowed but keep your dogs on leash and outdoors.

We arrived early at around 10 am which our appointment was scheduled at 10:30 am. Since we arrived too early, we decided to check out the surrounding area and took pictures of the property. The winery grounds are very clean, relaxing, beautiful and full of colorful roses and flowers in it’s garden. We checked in at the Marketplace/Deli and were assisted/greeted by the two friendly hostesses named Tonya and Denise. We were immediately escorted to our outside Private Outlook table area which are perched along the vineyards with an amazing view of the Sonoma Vineyard and Valley floor. There were also a lot of outdoor tables situated all over the property with a gorgeous view of the vineyard. And most of the tables have sunshades to keep their customers cool on a sunny day. We also noticed that there were a lot of playful and colorful birds flying near the private outlook. And there were only 3 custom private outlook situated infront of the hill overlooking the vineyard below.

We were immediately greeted by our server/sommelier Gabriel who was very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, fast, and provided us with excellent service. He brought our first set of wine for tasting and followed by our charcuterie board good for 3 people with a wide variety of cheeses, meats, fruits and jams. I ordered a bottle of water while my daughter had a bottle of apple juice. We were given compostable plates, spoons, forks, and knives. We also ordered their famous wood-fired pizza for $20 but we had to walk over to the Pizza station and placed our own order. We were given a pager and notified us when it was ready and had to take the pizza to our table by ourselves. We didn’t order dessert as we were full with all the food that we had ordered. Before we left my wife purchased 2 bottles of wine and bought the delicious Fig jam and Brie cheese at their Marketplace/Italian Deli. The Marketplace sells real food such as freshly prepared sandwiches, drinks, souvenirs, breads, crackers, fruits and many more.

Here are some of Viansa Winery’s current wine tasting options and all prices are per person.

Summit Tasting seated on a hilltop terrace good for 2-10 guests with a price of $35 for non members and $28 for winery members. Vista Lounge Tasting good for 2-10 guests for lounge and 2-4 guests for the firepit area. The price is $50 non members and $40 for wine members. Private Outlook Tasting perched along the hillside vineyards good for 2-6 guests. The price is $75 non members and $60 for wine members. Fireside Tasting in the rustic loggia alcove good for 2-10 guests. The price is $75 non members and $60 for wine members. Wine Library Tasting good for 4-10 guests for the price of $95 non members and $76 for wine members.

Overall, we were satisfied with the quality of the food and the outstanding service of our sommelier Gabriel, Hostesses Tanya and Denise . It’s a magical place that transported us back to Tuscany Italy due to it’s casual relaxing atmosphere and architectural property design. The relaxing views of the Valley floor, the outstanding service, and the warm sunny weather made our wine tasting experience at Viansa very memorable. Our experience at our Private reserved custom outlook area is worth the costs due to it’s amazing unobstructed view of the Vineyard and the Sonoma Valley.

Tips:  They have a large parking lot area for all their customers. The parking lot area is made up of sand and gravel. They also have a live performance on weekends to entertain their customers. There is a cafe called Sonoma’s Best at Cornerstone Sonoma Shopping Mall that served delicious Gelato (Peanut Butter flavor) which costs $10 for 3 scoops. And there is an Olive Tasting experience at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards. Both locations are very close to Viansa Winery. There were also some picnic tables in the back by the lawn and Pizza station area but without a view. And also on the side of the property under the shaded Trees with a partial view.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Viansa Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel or place to stay near Viansa Winery close in Sonoma.

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Bistro Don Giovanni Restaurant (Napa)

Address: 4110 Howard Ln, Napa, CA 94558

Bistro Don Giovanni Restaurant is a fancy Italian dining restaurant that serves fresh traditional Italian dishes and is open for lunch and dinner. In 1993, Giovanni and Donna Scala opened Bistro Don Giovanni Restaurant in Napa. Donna Scala who is a renowned Chef later died in 2014. Chef Donna Scala’s legacy was continued by his husband Giovanni and current Chef Scott Warner. Bistro Don Giovanni Restaurant is one of the famous Restaurant in Napa.

The Restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor heated seating with colorful sun shade. We arrived for lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni restaurant at around 11:30 a.m. which is the time when the restaurant just opened. We were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess and was seated at one of their outdoor heated table closest to the beautiful vineyard. There was a beautiful, whimsical water fountain situated in the middle of the garden. And all their outdoor tables were situated in their relaxing garden overlooking the beautiful mountains and the vineyards.

We decided to celebrate our Easter Sunday lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni Restaurant in Napa. The friendly waiter named Juan provided us with a Fresh Focaccia bread with olive oil to dip the fresh warm bread. We started out with an appetizer and ordered the famous “Grilled Octopus” with frisee, arugula, potatoes, olives, lemon and olive oil for $18. The grilled octopus was soft, flavorful and not too rubbery or tough and was grilled to perfection. And for our main entrees, we ordered “Pollo Alla Diavola” which is an oven roasted spicy rocky junior half chicken, Linda’s brocolli, natural jus for $35. The chicken’s skin is crunchy outside but very soft and moist in the inside. “Ravioli” with spinach, pecorino, bellwether ricotta lemon cream for $18. And my wife had a special menu of the day which is a fresh fish with capers and a special creamy sauce on top with a side of vegetables and potatoes. And for our dessert we ordered their special mango and coconut sorbet which is shaped like an Easter egg and a duck shaped cookie. The special sorbet dessert is so refreshing and melts in the mouth. As for our cocktail drinks my wife ordered the “La Vida Flora” made up of La Vida Mezcal, Amaro Montenegro and pineapple juice for $16.

Overall, we were satisfied with the quality of the food that we ordered. The gorgeous view of the mountain and vineyards, the great service, outdoor seating and the beautiful sunny warm weather made our experience extra special. We would highly recommend the Bistro Don Giovanni Restaurant due to the quality of food and the amazing Napa view. The best part was meeting the owner Don Giovanni and took a picture with him and my family. He was approachable, friendly, inviting and a warm personality.

Tips: Make sure that you reserve the earliest time since they get so busy on weekends. The restaurant is close to Meritage Resort and Spa with a bowling alley, Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse, Town of Yountville with Bouchon Bistro and Bakery famous for their sweet and delicious pastries. V. Sattui Winery which is about 20 minutes drive and famous for their dessert wine “Muscato”.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Bistro Don Giovanni Restaurant after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel/room close to Bistro Don Giovanni Restaurant in Napa Ca.

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Chateau Montelena Winery (Napa County)

Address: 1429 Tubbs Lane Calistoga, California 94515

*** On your visit please mention to Chateau Montelena Winery that you’ve seen the review via our travel blog at www.explore2places.com

The Chateau Montelena Winery was founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs and built the famous stunning French inspired Stone Castle that was carved into a hillside overlooking the vineyards, Chinese Garden and Jade Lake. The winery is one of the oldest six wineries in Napa and is located in Calistoga and grows good quality wine grapes and award winning wines. Chateau Montelena is a French inspired castle and California grown wines. It won the Paris Wine Tasting competition in 1976. The winery is about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours (85 miles) from San Francisco via US-101 North. It is open 7 days a week from 9:30 am- 5 pm. Reservations are highly recommended but also accepts walk-in customers. All visitors must be 21 years old or older.

I contacted the winery the same day and was informed that they accept walk-in customers only until 3 pm. The scenic drive to the winery was very relaxing with the gorgeous view of the mountains and beautiful wineries. But be careful as you drive through the Petrified Forest Road as it is a two way winding road. We arrived at Chateau Montelena at around 3:15 pm and the weather was a mix of light rain, cloudy and sun. The property grounds are beautiful, clean, and relaxing with lots of trees and colorful flowers. The amazing view of the famous Stone Castle on top of Jade Lake was so picturesque, beautiful and rustic.

As we arrived at the door of the Chateau, we were immediately greeted by the friendly and welcoming wine tasting room staff members. They were very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, fast, and provided us with an excellent service. The architectural design inside of the wine tasting room is very modern with French influenced. And their semi-private wine tasting rooms were renovated and previously living quarters. Since we arrived late and they usually stop taking walk-ins at 3 pm. We just purchased their 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon based on their recommendation. My wife purchased a small (37.5 liters) bottle of their popular 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon wine for $120. The friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating Tasting Room Assistant Manager “Mark” provided us a brief history of the winery and showed us around. Mark took a picture with us and signed our wine bottle that we purchased for our travel blog.

As per my wife, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon’s flavor is robust but not overpowering and deceptively soft on each sip. She paired the wine with a hearty harvest salad with balsamic dressing.

Overall, we were very satisfied with the quality of the wine and the outstanding service of the Assistant Tasting Room Manager Mark Rettig and the entire staff. The unobstructed view of the beautiful vineyard, outstanding service, the beautiful Chinese Garden, and the Jade Lake made our wine tasting experience very memorable. The best part of our experience was getting our wine bottle signed, saw the ice snow on top of Mount St. Helena and the beautiful white swan swimming in the middle of the beautiful Jade Lake with the Pagoda in the background. It was like a scene from a famous Movie.

Tips: Don’t forget to visit the Jade Lake which is located near the customer parking area. They have a large parking lot area made up of sand and gravel for their customers. Chateau Montelena is about a 15-20 minutes drive from Safari West. Drive safely as you pass through the Petrified Forest (about 8 miles) as the road is winding. The winery is also close to a few wineries such as Tamber Bey which have horses in the winery, Newton Winery and the Old Faithful Geyser.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Chateau Montelena Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you. Please don’t forget to subscibe to our blog.

Click here to find a hotel/room close to Chateau Montelena Winery in Calistoga Ca.

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Trattore Farms Tasting Room & Terrace Winery (Sonoma County)

Address: 7878 Dry Creek Rd, Geyserville, CA 95441

*** On your visit please mention to Trattore Winery that you’ve seen the review via our travel blog www.explore2places.com

The Trattore Winery is a boutique winery situated high a top a hill with an amazing view of the valley/vineyards. The winery is located west of Healdsburg in Dry Creek Valley and grows both good quality wine grapes and award winning olive oil. Trattore Winery is owned by Mr. Tim Bucher and his wife Mary Louise Bucher. Trattore means tractor in Italian due to the owners love for tractors. In fact, they have a few cool and beautiful red tractors on display inside their spacious wine tasting bar area. And the winery features Rhone-style wines, olive oils, vinegar, charcuterie, panini, and seasonal wood-fired pizzas. The Trattore Winery is about 1 hour and 30 minutes (85 miles) from San Francisco via US-101 North. It is open Thursday-Sunday from 11 am- 5 pm and closed on Tuesday-Wednesday.

The Trattore Winery accepts both reservation and walk-in customers. I contacted the winery the same day when we were in the area and was lucky that they have availability. The scenic drive to the winery was very relaxing with the gorgeous view of the mountains and beautiful wineries. The fun part was driving through all the wineries with our Mustang convertible on a warm sunny day. We had to pass through the winery gate and drove up the long winding driveway that led us to the top of the hill. The property grounds are beautiful, clean, and relaxing with olive trees. The amazing view on top of the property was so picturesque and relaxing.

As we arrived at the door, we were immediately greeted by the friendly and welcoming owner Mary Louise. We were then escorted to our table with an unobstructed view of the valley/vineyards. The table was on a large outdoor patio, very clean and have sunshade available to keep their customers cool on a warm sunny day. The view is amazing, picturesque and looks like a picture on a postcard. We were served by both the owner Mary Louise and Candis (Manager) They were very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, fast, and provided us with an excellent service. My daughter ordered a glass of fruit juice and while my wife had the 5 small glasses of their signature wine sampler. There were a wide variety of appetizers or food pairings on the menu but we ordered the Trattore Charcuterie (serves 2-4) which is a selection of Journeyman Meat Company salumi, local artisan cheeses, dried fruit, nuts, arugula salad and house made crostini for $35. The delicious Grilled Seasonal Chipotle Chicken panini sandwiches with roasted tomatoes, white cheddar, and DCOC Chipotle olive oil for $20. The Italian with Ham Panini sandwiches with Black Forest ham, journeyman’s salumi, mozzarella and pesto for $20. My favorite is the Italian Ham Panini since I love anything with pesto. We didn’t order dessert as we were all satisfied and full with the food that we ordered. My wife bought one bottle of their popular “Two Lakes” wine and we’re lucky enough that the Vineyard owner Mary Louise signed the wine bottle with my daughter’s name on it. My daughter was surprised, very happy and thankful for the kind gesture.

Overall, we were very satisfied with the quality of the food and the outstanding service of the owner Mary Louise and the entire staff. The unobstructed view of the beautiful vineyard, the outstanding service, and the beautiful sunny warm weather made our wine tasting experience very memorable. It made our early Valentines Day celebration for my wife and daughter a success. The best part of our experience was when the owner Mary Louise signed (with my daughter’s name) the “Two Lakes” bottle that we purchased.

Tips: All their outdoor seating have a view of the vineyard. They have a large parking lot area for all their customers. Dogs and children are welcome in the winery. Lake Sonoma is about a 15-20 minutes drive from the winery. Try to visit the overlook area with a view of Lake Sonoma but drive safely as the road is winding. The winery is also close to Truett Hurst Winery which allow children and have farm animals onsite. Trattore also have a display of cool tractors inside their wine tasting bar area. You can book an “Estate Tour” or “Private Event” online or by calling them. The winery also offer seasonal wood-fired pizza on Sundays from April-October. They also offer wine club membership to customers.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Trattore Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you. Please don’t forget to subscibe to our blog.

Click here to find a hotel close to the Trattore Winery in Geyserville Ca.

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La Crema Estate at SaraLee’s Vineyard (Windsor, Ca.)

Address: 3575 Slusser Road. Windsor, CA. 95492

La Crema Estate at SaraLee’s Vineyard is one of Russian River Valley’s Pioneering wineries. It was founded in 1979, and was called La Crema Vinera which translates to “Best of the Vine”. La Crema is well known for it’s Burgundian- style Chadonnay and Pinot Noir. Mr. Rod Berglund founded La Crema and the current winemaker is Mr. Craig McAllister. The Estate Winery also has a old, remodeled historical barn dated back in 1900. The rustic, historic barn has a floor to ceiling glass windows with an amazing views on all angles of the Vineyard in the hills. The La Crema Estate at SaraLee’s Vineyard is about 1 hour and 20 minutes (70 miles) away from San Francisco/Daly City via US-101 North. The winery is open 7 days a week from 10 am- 5 pm. The La Crema Winery is currently by reservation and also accepts walk-in customers.

We arrived early at the winery around 10 am which our appointment was scheduled for 10:30 am. Our short drive from the main gate to the wine tasting room was relaxing as we saw rows of vineyards with colorful flowers. Since we arrived early, we decided to check out the surrounding area and took pictures of the property and the Historic Barn. As we went to the historic barn, we were immediately greeted by our server/sommelier “Kayla” who was very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, fast, and provided us with excellent service. Kayla checked us in and showed us the area where the reserved picnic tables are located and later brought the wine out to our picnic table. The winery grounds were very clean, relaxing, beautiful and surrounded by colorful roses and flowers all over the property. There were also a lot of outdoor tables situated all over the property with a gorgeous view of the private vineyard. And most of the outdoor tables have sunshades to keep their customers cool on a sunny day.

One of the best part of our experience was when we went inside the old, rustic, historical remodeled barn dated in 1900 and was converted into a beautiful tasting rooms for all their guests. The architectural design of the historical barn was very detailed with floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking the vineyards, rustic lighting, spiral staircase, large outdoor patios and cozy sofas for guests to relax while drinking their wines. The setting or cozy architectural design inside made us want to stay there all day.

Here are some of La Crema’s Estate Winery wine tasting options and all prices are per person/guest except the picnic table package. All package prices are discounted for wine club members.

Estate Tasting is a seated wine tasting in one of their outdoor patio overlooking the vineyard with 6 wines to try and sample. The price is $40 per guest for non members with a maximum of 10 guests including non tasters. 9 Barrel Tasting is an intimate wine tasting experience with the view of the vineyard. You will sample 5 of their small production high tier wines for $80 per non-member guest, maximum of 8 guests and available Mon-Thursday. Picnic Table is a reserved table good for 8 guests maximum and is located in front of SaraLee’s beautiful vineyards where you get to bring your own food/snacks for $50 but a minimum of one bottle purchase is required. Our picnic table reservation fee was waived since we bought 3 bottles of wines. And finally the Tour & tasting is a unique tour around the beautiful vineyard via a golf cart, the price is $85 per guest for non members and available from Monday- Thursday.

Overall, we were satisfied with the quality of the wine (my wife tasted and bought the 2018 Kelli Ann for $55/bottle), ambiance, the beautiful historical barn and the outstanding service of the staff members especially Kayla. It’s a magical place that transported us back in time due to it’s casual relaxing atmosphere, and rustic architectural property design. Their reserved picnic tables with the relaxing views of the beautiful vineyards with ripened grapes, the outstanding service, and the warm sunny weather made our wine tasting experience at La Crema memorable. Our intimate or private setting of our picnic table is worth the cost due to it’s amazing unobstructed view of the rows of vineyards.

Tips:  They have a large parking lot area for all their customers. One parking lot area is made up of sand/gravel while the other one is cemented. We bought some snacks such as cheese, crackers, dried fruits, water and juice at Mike’s Truck Garden Produce Market along the way. Don’t forget to ask the receptionist information about the self guided tour of the property. You may walk around their property especially the vineyards with all the ripened grapes. There a re a lot of great photo opportunities all over the entire property. The picnic table has a time limit of 90 minutes while kids and dogs are welcome in the property.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the La Crema Estate at SaraLee’s Vineyard after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel or place to stay near La Crema Estate at SaraLee’s Vineyard close in Sonoma.

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Russian River Vineyards (Forestville)

Address: 5700 Hwy. 116 N, Forestville, CA 95436

The Russian River Valley is one of the world’s greatest winemaking regions. Russian River Vineyards is owned by a fourth generation farmer and aspiring winemaker Mr. Giovanni Balistreri, and has a farm-to-table outdoor dining settings. The vineyard features authentic farm-to-table menu selections and is vegetarian-friendly offering vegan options. Mr. Balistreri won the “Best Red Wine in Sonoma County” award in 2016 at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Russian River Vineyards estate-grown Pinot was also named as the “Best Pinot Noir” by North Bay Biz Magazine. The Russian River Vineyards is about 1 hour and 20 minutes (72 miles) from San Francisco via US-101 North. It is open Monday-Thursday from 12 pm- 5 pm and Friday to Sunday from 12 pm- 6pm.

The Russian River Vineyards is by reservation and also accepts walk-in customers. We arrived early for lunch at the restaurant at around 12 noon which our appointment was scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Since, we arrived too early, we decided to check out the surrounding area. The property grounds are beautiful, clean, and relaxing. I also took a picture of a cool green truck that is in the middle of the parking lot area and owned by the winery. We were finally called, seated on an outside table with an amazing view of the vineyard. There were a lot of outdoor tables situated all over the property. And most of the tables have sunshade to keep their customers stay cool on a sunny day.

Our server/sommelier Leo was very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, fast, and provided us with an excellent service. We first ordered an apple juice and soda drink for both myself and my daughter while my wife had the wine “Chester” as a complimentary drink. There were a wide variety of appetizers but we ordered the appetizing Artisanal Cheese Board with local & artisanal cheese, seasonal fruit, & honey roasted nuts served with Costeaux specialty bread for $31. Pulled Pork Sliders with sweet and tangy BBQ pork on sesame slider with coleslaw for $15. Roasted Beet Salad with roasted golden & red beets, goat cheese, shaved red onion, candied pecans, & arugula tossed in balsamic for $15. Grilled Veggie Focaccia with roasted eggplant, zucchini, winter squash, caramelized red onion, marinara sauce, arugula & mozzarella cheese for $18. Meat Lovers Focaccia with journeyman cured meats, mozzarella cheese, topped with parmesan & arugula for $18. All the food that we ordered was served on compostable plates, spoons, forks, and knives. We didn’t order dessert as we were all satisfied and full with all the food that we ordered. My wife bought 2 bottles of wines and we’re lucky enough that the Vineyard owner signed one of our wine bottle that we had purchased.

Overall, we were satisfied with the quality of the food and the outstanding service of our sommelier Leo, and the entire staff. The relaxing view of their amazing vineyard, the outstanding service, and the beautiful sunny warm weather made our farm-to-table experience very memorable. Covid safety protocols are in place, such as compostable tableware, low-touch wine service, and cleaning/disinfecting between seatings.

Tips: There is a good cheese factory called Bohemian where you can purchase a wide variety of good, quality cheese. Request for outdoor seating with a view of the vineyard when making a reservation and be there early as it gets crowded by noon. They have a large parking lot area for all their customers. They also have a live performance to entertain their customers. Dogs and kids are allowed in the winery. The parking lot area is made up of sand and gravel.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Russian River Vineyard after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to the Russian River Vineyard in Forestville.

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Grgich Hill Estate Winery (Napa Valley)

Address: 1829 St. Helena Highway Rutherford, Ca. 94573

Grgich Hill Winery is located in Rutherford California in the heart of Napa Valley. Grgich Hill Winery was established in 1977 by Miljenko “Mike” Grgich which is a peasant in the communist country of Yugoslavia and came to America who later became a winery owner. It was in 1977 when Mike Grgich and Austin Hill started to build Grgich Hills Cellar. Grgich Hill Winery is natural wine-growing farming without artificial fertilizers, pesticides being used. Their vineyard is also certified organic and biodynamic. They offer wine tasting, winery tours, and seasonal grape stomping experience.

It took us about 1 hour and 30 minutes (70 miles) to drive from San Francisco to Grgich Hill Winery via I-80 East and CA-29 North. We arrived at the winery around 10:30 a.m. to avoid the crowd and get to finish early. The winery is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. We were greeted by a friendly staff member and were politely directed to the grape stomping area. We paid $20 per person that came with a t-shirt and a grape stomping experience. There were 3 barrels with crushed grapes already prepared for the customers in the stomping area. There was already a group of people waiting in line for their turn. We were instructed to remove our socks/shoes and each one of us hopped inside our respective cur off wine barrel. It was a cold, mushy feeling but we weren’t bothered because we were excited and having fun. They kept on adding a few fresh grapes while we happily stomped and dance on them. After our stomping, we all then stepped out and placed both our feet on the t-shirt with our stained footprints. The staff member immediately hang our shirts to let them dry and informed us that we can walk around their garden or vineyard while waiting for our shirts. The cool thing is that they allowed us to picked the grapes right off the vines for us to taste their wide variety of fresh grapes.

We even took a picture of the unique go-kart that was on display in front of their wine tasting room. After the grape stomping we then proceeded to the tasting room as my wife tasted a few wine samples and my daughter enjoyed the olive oil samples. It was very nice inside the wine tasting room with all the beautiful wine barrels on display while we enjoyed our tasting experience. Overall, we had a great, fun and unique grape stomping experience that we will never forget.

Tips: The grape stomping experience is only available during Sept-October. The grape stomping is not offered this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. The place is also a kid and dog friendly winery. They also have a beautiful area in the back terrace with a gorgeous views of the vineyard.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Grgich Hill Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Gowan’s Family Orchard (Apple Wine Cider Orchard Tasting)

Address: 6320 CA- 128 Philo, Ca. 95466

Gowan’s Cider tasting in the Orchard is California’s first ever cider tasting orchard. It is located in Philo, California which is about 2 hours and 45 minutes from San Francisco via 101 North and CA-128 West. Gowan’s Orchard are renowned for rare, exceptional heirloom apples and established in 1876. Apple wine is fermented apple cider similar to the wines made from grapes which are simply fermented grapes. Gowan’s Family Orchard famous apple wines cider are Heirloom, Gravenstein, Macintosh, Rose, Spiced Apple and Sierra Beauty.

We found Gowan’s Family Orchard by accident while we were driving on CA-128 coming from Mendocino County. As we passed through a few wineries along CA-128, we immediately saw the big sign of Gowan’s Apple wine tasting on the side of the road. We were curious as this is our first-time apple wine tasting on an old apple tree orchard. There were a lot of clean picnic tables set up underneath an apple tree all over the Orchard. It was a very nice and relaxing setting that made me want to just enjoy and drink apple wine underneath an old apple tree. We proceeded to a tent with all their famous apple wines displayed on the table. We were immediately warmly greeted by the owner herself Ms. Sharon Gowan. She recommended a few apple wines to my wife and provided my daughter their popular apple cider slushies(non-alcoholic beverage). I tried my daughter’s apple cider slushies which were so refreshing and soothing on a warm beautiful day.

We then proceeded to the orchard and selected a nice picnic table near an apple tree with some sunshade to keep us cool. Sharon educated us about the apple wine, its history, the different flavors available and served the apple wine on the glass to my wife. My wife loved, enjoyed the Rose and the Sierra Beauty Heirloom apple wine cider which she later purchased. We felt a relaxing ambiance just sitting or standing underneath an old apple tree while drinking our favorite refreshing apple wine cider.

Overall, it’s our first time experiencing an apple wine tasting on an apple tree orchard. It was a very memorable, unique experience for us and a family-friendly place to just enjoy and drink some apple wine tasting on an orchard. Super friendly owners and delicious apple ciders.

Tips: They have a few portable porta-potties available onsite for customers. The parking area is on a dirt area composed of sand and gravel. There is also a great winery close to the Gowan’s Family Orchard called Navarro Vineyard and Winery. Be careful and cautious while driving as CA-128 has a lot of switchbacks and very winding roads in some areas. They also accept walk-ins such as in our case.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Gowan’s Family Orchard apple wine tasting after your visit in the comments below. And kindly subscribe, comment, and share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you

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Matanzas Creek Winery

Address: 6097 Bennett Valley Road Santa Rosa Ca. 95404.

Matanzas Creek Winery is situated in a remote area of the Bennett Valley region of Sonoma. The winery’s fruit comes from sustainably farmed estate vineyards. Matanzas Creek has a great landscape and lots of picnic tables for rental. It is also famous for its lavender gardens. Some lavender products are available for purchase at their gift shop.

We passed and drove through a narrow winding road in the Bennett Valley to get to the winery. Matanzas is perched up on the hill and it is across the Bennett Valley golf course. There was a sign posted in the entrance and we drove through a long two-way road all the way to the winery. As we arrived, we were greeted by Russell and Nicole which provided us with great customer service. My wife bought their popular bottle of 2017 Sauvignon Blanc. Nicole showed us the picnic areas and it was in a nice location under the old oak tree. We picnicked, open the bottle of wine, and ate our lunch with beautiful scenery of the winery and the lavender garden.

After our lunch, we walked around the property and enjoyed their beautiful landscaping. We took a lot of pictures of their Bocce ball areas and the lavender garden. My wife enjoyed her glass of wine on the Adirondack chairs located in the middle of the garden. The month of July is when the lavender is in full blossom. We also took a picture of their unique water fountain on our way out.

Overall, this is a good winery if you want a secluded place, have kids, and love having a picnic, drink wine and enjoy a lavender garden. They have clean restrooms and friendly staff members.

Tips: We bought some sandwiches at Glen Ellen Market which are so delicious and are only 20 minutes away from Matanzas Creek Winery. We also loved their premium black truffle potato chips and pull apart sourdough bread with olive oil.

Let me know if you have any questions and what you think about Matanzas Creek Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Tamber Bey Vineyards

Address: 1255 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga Ca. 94515

Situated at the north end of Napa Valley with a view of Mount St. Helena. Tamber Bey Vineyards is a combination of a winery and amazing equestrian settings. The owner is very passionate about both wines and horses.

We drove thru a long driveway and saw a few horses throughout the property. We were greeted by the friendly staff members Robert and Cher. Robert seated us on the outside table with a beautiful view of Mount St. Helena. There is also a bocce ball and some tables were set up on both sides near the horse’s stables. My wife opted for the wine tasting package while my daughter and I ordered the delicious boxed lunch package. The staff and guests were all wearing a mask and practiced social distancing. Restrooms are available on-premises and are clean.

My wife tasted and bought a bottle of the 2019 Rose Fore Family Vineyard and the 2018 Rabicano Deux Chevaux Vineyard wines. Robert provided us with drinking water on a very nice wine bottle with the Tamber Bey logo which we later purchased.

Robert was very patient, helpful professional, and well versed with the wine selections. We opted to do the wine tasting first, then the tour and lunch. During our property tour, we saw a variety of different breeds of horses such as miniature horses, Arabian, and Mustang. We even saw a few farm animals on the property. My daughter was so happy and excited when she saw the miniature horses and it was the main highlight of our tour.

For our lunch, we ordered the Turkey Pesto sandwich with black truffle chips (which is so good) and the Roast Beef & Mozzarella sandwich with salt & vinegar chips.

Overall, it was a very relaxing and unique experience to do both wine tasting and enjoyed the beautiful horses on the property. For safety, there were signs to do not touch the horses or get too close to the fence. And guests are not allowed to wander around or visit the horses on their stables without a staff member being present.

Tips: You can purchase the truffle chips at Sam’s General Store. And if you want a good barbeque visit Buster’s Original Southern BBQ in Calistoga. Both places are about 10-15 minutes away from Tamber Bey.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Tamber Bey Vineyards after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site to your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.