This is a late review for an awesome wine tour guide/company. A few months ago for my birthday, my…read moresister surprised me with a lovely wine tour. Rick came all the way out to Chino to pick up our group of six. I answered the door not knowing who he was, and after accusing him of being a stripper in costume, he assured me he wasn't and explained who he was, his company, and the itinerary for the day. Whew! Let's Go! I happily clicked my heels and skipped on over to the super plush limo tour van (seats about six comfortably, tinted windows, leather seats, stereo, table, ice chest, drink holders, etc.).
We stopped at 3 wineries, possibly 4?, things got fuzzy toward the end of the day! The first one was Leoness Cellars, and was by far the most beautiful. Exquisite views, lovely restaurant/patio area, and gorgeous tasting room. Rick is quite knowledgable about wine and showed us around, gave us a little orientation, and then let us loose in the tasting room. I enjoyed the Zinfandel here the most, and I'm kicking myself for not buying a bottle. I thought I was being a little quick to pull the trigger and was going to hold out for some of the other places, but I was wrong. Wine taster's regret! Then we headed over to Cougar winery, yes, that's really the name! I bought a shirt to prove it! Very friendly service here, and the staff was happy to tailor the tastings to our preferences. The environment was casual, laid back, more sports bar like. And they too have food! So this is where Rick arranged for our lunch--gourmet sandwiches, chips, salad, and huge brownie. Needless to say, nothing went to waste!
Our next stop was Danza del Sol Winery. This seemed like a nice hangout for locals and tasters alike--huge patio out front where I got to talk to some locals and pet their rescue dog. Tasting room was very busy and cramped but Rick got us a spot. Tasting was fun and they even gave us little bites of crackers and chocolate with the tasting. And then yes there was a fourth and final stop at Lorimar Winery. Not sure if it was the time of day, or this winery is one of the most popular, but it was extremely crowded. We squeezed our way up to the tasting bar and shared the space with a fun couple who welcomed the company. And then we took our glasses and headed out to the patio area for some live music. Rick encouraged us to come out and enjoy the vocals of a lovely bluesy singer named Missy Anderson. The bummer came near 5:00'when the winery was closing up and we had to leave. So, we reluctantly got back on the limo van and headed home. Overall, a wonderful experience. Highly recommend.