I organized a group meet up here and I was surprised at how great it turned out! We grabbed a…read morepicnic table thinking there were just a few but walking up a bit, we saw a whole row more! Very low key, chill vibes compared to Napa's 'need to impress' feels. The staff were super friendly and helpful and our group ended up doing bottles in buckets! Their set up was SO cute! Their wine was good too! I didn't get a chance to buy a bottle while there but thankfully, they are close so can swing by another time!

This is a hidden gem. It's right next to a hiking trail - a great spot to hang out with friends…read moreafter a long hike. A bottle of wine ranges from $45- $75 (as I recall), very reasonable considering you can use their picnic tables throughout the day. It's on a first come first served basis, and they don't rent out their space for private parties. One feedback though - since I haven't had their wine before, I asked for a small sip between the two wine before purchasing and they said "buy the full tasting".

The best wine ever. You'll love it…read more Visit the tasting room in San Jose. The smoothest wine.

Highly recommend going here for a private tasting. I've been here before but it wasn't a private…read moretasting. We were celebrating my niece's 21st birthday and her first time drinking wine. My brother in law also had a great time, as it was his first time at a wine tasting. He was the one asking our hosts all the questions. Our hosts were Richard and Rich. They were entertaining and talked to us about the wines being served. They did it in a fun and engaging way as well. The charcuterie board was decent and there were plenty of crackers to go around. The tasting room was clean and nicely decorated. We had the room to ourselves for a good hour before other parties arrived. The restroom was really clean as well.

My wife and I attended a gorgeous wedding reception here…read more The ambience of the venue was magical. Nestled in mature trees with soft lights to guide you, we couldn't have asked for a better venue to celebrate our friends. Wine and champagne were served. I highly recommend their Pinot Noir, both were excellent. The staff was very kind and attentive. We had beef short rib for dinner and it was delicious. The venue would make a perfect date night stop or backdrop for a exquisite event.

Stopped for a tasting in the tasting room. It was easy to book a reservation online…read more Upon arriving, We were greeted by name by Diane. She was very welcoming and got us started on the tasting. We did one of each of the tastings to try the variety. There were good wines on both selections. Having been to Napa/Sonoma I'm familiar with the wine club pitch. It did come a bit early and listened to a lot of 'upsells' to others that had stopped in to get their wine club order. As someone in sales/commercial roles, I can appreciate the hustle and recognize that Diane is very good at her role. That said, we ordered a bottle to enjoy on the patio and took some with us for the wine suitcase to bring home. The stone buildings are pretty remarkable and the patio provides a lot of room to enjoy the venue.

My server had some attitude....maybe a little too much attitude, saying "Shame on you" when I told…read moreher I wasn't on their wine club, and was a little too serious with the tone of her voice. Well, OK then. But man, it's like being on the top of the world there, with great views of Loma Prieta and even the Monterrey Bay. And the wines are first rate, and they're one of the few places that make a Pinotage, a rare red varietal that he wonderful earthy, smokey flavors. Loved it! I also liked their tropical Chardonnay. It's a little pricey but the wines are strong. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could, so I'll generously round up to 5 stars.

We were not impressed by Loma Prieta - the upkeep nor the wines. Beautiful view and lots of…read morepotential, but likely won't come back. warning: the drive up is quite treacherous. DO NOT drink and drive. have a designated driver.

Loved this very small winery atmosphere. We were greeted by the owner/winemaker, Len, and treated…read moreto a tasting outdoors in a shady area with a communal picnic table. Most of the grapes are grown nearby and all of the wine was made by Len. This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience laced with philosophy and stories of the winemaker community in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Not to mention Bruno, the dog, who was eager to play and slightly demanding, but very sweet. Dessert wine (white port) was very unique. Portola holds Jazz concerts on Sunday evenings in the summer. I would recommend trying to buy tickets for these. Looks like a treat!

We come here every year for their jazz in the Grove series. It is such a great event. I highly…read morerecommend taking advantage of this. Where else can you grab a chair, sit out in the woods and listen to some jazz for an hour and a half while sipping wine?

What an amazing location so close to San Jose yet it feels like Im away! The setting, the views,…read morethe staff are fantastic! They are open Sat & Sun and they have live music and of course they have wonderful wines. You can taste most anything and the prices for the tastings and the bottles are great. You can book the place for events, weddings etc. That would be a wonderful setting for sure. Come check it out - I think you'll like this place!

I love the location of this winery. It's located up in the Milpitas Hills in the Santa Clara…read morecounty. Beautiful views of the Bay area and they are dog friendly! We did their "All Reds" flight and ordered a cheese and crackers platter. Their wines are pretty good. I liked a couple. The staff were friendly. The only complaint I would probably have and it's more of me being lazy I guess LOL is that they didn't go to your table to pour your next tastings. You had to get up and go to them. They had live music. They were ok. I'd prefer music that made me want to get up and dance or at least sing to. I didn't know a lot of the songs they were singing. I'd totally go back though!

WORLD RENOWNED! 5.0…read more Living in the Bay Area, we're fortunate to have Ridge Winery right in our own "backyard." Ridge's winemakers craft some of the most exceptional wines by blending a variety of grapes into the finished product...the wine in your glass. Everywhere we dine, both on land and at sea, the Ridge name is well known and highly respected for producing outstanding wines. From the base of the mountain, the 15-minute drive up Montebello Road is a winding route to the winery. Some of the turns have a very tight radius, and you'll be sharing the road with cyclists as well as oncoming traffic, so drive with extra caution. Before your visit, be sure to reserve a tasting on their website. Tastings are available for a fee for non-members. We belong to the Trio Membership, which includes ATP, Z List, and Monte Bello Collector. Ridge also offers private release events for members, along with additional benefits depending on the membership level (see their membership page for details). These events often feature exclusive tastings and wine releases accompanied by hors d'oeuvre stations arranged throughout the property. On non-event days, our tastings are complimentary, and we're allowed to bring up to two guests. Small bites, including cheeses, crackers, pâté, and salami, are available for purchase. When the weather is just right (not too hot or too cold) the winery opens several seating areas, including the covered barn, the shaded patio adjoining the barn, and multiple patio spaces at varying elevations throughout the property. Wear comfortable shoes, as you'll be walking along short but hilly paved pathways. One word of caution: you'll notice posted signs warning, "Beware of Rattlesnakes." Fortunately, we've yet to encounter one. The winery itself is absolutely beautiful, with impeccably manicured grounds. Meandering pathways lead you through the barn, out to the patios, and up to the top of the hill, where you're rewarded with breathtaking views of the valley. You know you're perched high above Silicon Valley when you look down and spot two iconic landmarks: Apple's Ring Building, better known as "The Spaceship," and Moffett Field's Hangar One. At an elevation of 2,300 feet, these massive structures appear surprisingly small. The winery's crème de la crème is the Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon. Not only does this wine age beautifully, but it has also appreciated significantly in value over the years. We currently have a 2009 bottle that will need to be opened soon. I recommend following the guidance printed on the back label, which suggests the ideal number of years to cellar the wine before opening. During our last tasting, I especially enjoyed the 2024 Paso Robles Zinfandel, which has a recommended drinking window of about seven years. It was already drinking beautifully, but I'm looking forward to tasting it again in 2031 and comparing how it has evolved. A visit to Ridge Winery always makes for a wonderful afternoon: a scenic, twisty drive, thoughtfully guided wine tastings, spectacular views, and, of course, a few bottles to bring home and enjoy later. This review isn't intended to analyze the subtleties and tasting notes of each wine. Rather, it's an invitation to experience Ridge for yourself, learn about its wines through a guided tasting, and discover your own favorites. Compare, explore, and elevate your palate.

Amazing winery operating as Ridge since mid 1960s. Beautiful location on top of a hill in the Santa…read moreCruz mountains near Palo Alto and nestled among the redwoods and mature oaks. Prior to Ridge, someone else owned the property with some vines over 100 years old. Producing over 1 million bottles a year Ridge wines are readily available throughout the United States and even OUS. Many visitors like us are familiar with Ridge. Visiting gives a whole new perspective on the interesting history of the winery, types of wines, and lovely Cabernet they produce right here on this property. We were welcomed by a gentlemen named Cosmo who was enthusiastic and proud of the wines and history of the Property. Well done Cosmo! Why four stars versus five.... Wine tasting was $110 for two people - minus half star. Their Cab Sav from this winery is $100 per bottle. It tastes like a $22 bottle - minus half star. The software to set up tasting is clunky and wasn't sure what we had bought. Their elite Cab Sav is world class but out of range for most including me at $500 per bottle retail. Their other whites and blended Zins are more reasonable and generally of good quality. Cheers Yelpers :)

An absolutely beautiful winery tucked into the hills of Almaden, somewhere you wouldn't expect to…read morefind a vineyard. The outdoor tasting area is surrounded by vines and has a lovely view of the Almaden Reservoir. We came in on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed a tasting and the picnic we brought. The tasting consisted of 4 wines, though you could pay $5 more and taste the port as well. The pours weren't stingy and did give you enough to really enjoy each wine. More knowledge was shared about the bottles than the actual wines themselves, but we did have a menu we could follow along with. We tasted 2 whites, a rosé, and one red while we were there. I noticed all the syrah grapes while walking into the property, so I did ask for a taste of that since they had it open and was given a small splash. I enjoyed most of the wines we had, but thought they were a little pricey for whites/rosé. They're reservation only and you do have to prepay when making the reservation. Though tastings are $25, with tax and the already included tip, our tasting for 3 came out to $100. It seemed like there was a $5/pp included gratuity, which I thought was odd having to pay for in advance. One tasting is waived with a 3 bottle purchase. Not sure if I would come back for a tasting, but would definitely come back to picnic with a bottle of wine! The view is truly fantastic!

I loved the atmosphere and service. Very attentive. And not pushy. We just enjoyed a lovely…read moreafternoon sipping some fine wines overlooking the reservoir, fog over the hills and beautiful scenery of an backyard oasis. It was far from civilization but not really! A piece of tranquility. We loved the chairs, picnic tables, shades.. vineyards.. small reservations area so we felt so at peace with little crowds. Make a reservation as I'm not sure they take walk ins

This is a family winery operated by the couple: R&W. They grow half an acre of grapes and buy from…read moreother growers. Clearly, this is a labor of passion. We visitors are sponsoring their expensive hobby and this is the best kind. We sampled and bought some of their products. We had a short tour and enjoyed the expansive and breath-taking view. We had a very nice chat and were on our way onward. Note that the wines are really not interesting. They were quite good, but the quantity is so small that you are unlikely to get the same next year. They make only Cabernet Sauvignon, by the way.

We were lucky to able to make an appointment for 3 of us on the day of. We arrived on time for our…read moreSaturday 1pm appointment. It was $10 for tasting 4 wines. 3 cabs and 1 syrah. We liked the 3rd cab on the list. The syrah tasted lighter than other syrahs I've tasted. I'm guessing there can only be at most 2 appointments at once. We were there at 1pm and another group came at 1:30pm. We all got to go on a short tour to the vineyard and the wine cellar basement. One bathroom in the house for guests to use. Driving up to the vineyard was very narrow and scary. There's 4-5 parking spaces. Very intimate and quiet tasting experience. Noelle and Bill were very friendly and welcoming. They only make about 300 wines. About 75 for each wine. Prices of the wines vary from $25-40. Their dog is very friendly. My husband got a nice extra splash for drinking his wine fast haha. Bill didn't want him to have an empty glass during the tour. Thoughtful of him! Definitely check out this vineyard if you like red wines and more intimate setting.

I've been wanting to try this place for a long time. I always passed it on my walk with my dog but…read moreit has always been closed. Their hours are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Today I planned my visit because I just knew I couldn't keep passing this place without trying it. Upon arrival, there was a food truck there. The food truck was called Fire and Rice. I quickly glanced at the menu and headed inside. They have nice outdoor seating and stand-up tables. There is seating inside and outdoors. We were greeted by one of the owners who told us all we needed to know about Coterie Cellars. We were told about the list of wines and their flavors. We tried 3 of their wines and went with Caries Corner's Pinot Noir. We also bought a bottle of another wine we tried to take home. We grabbed a seat inside the establishment after a lovely conversation with the owners and family. We enjoyed our wine and just had to try something from the food truck. I would definitely return. The vibes were chill, the wine was great, and so was the food truck. It was too crowded although there were a few guests but two tables were available when we were ready to be seated. Please Note: Food trucks are there on Fridays and its a new food truck each time. The menu changes every couple of weeks. Tastings are only on the weekends and not on Fridays.

We chose to come here as an activity while my mom was visiting. This place is truly a gem in the…read moremiddle of San Jose. I love that I don't need to drive 2 hours to wine country to get some good wine - it's just "right in my backyard"! While reservations aren't mandatory, I still made one anyways as you never know how busy a Sunday afternoon can be. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the owner Kyle and (I think) Marissa. Both were so kind and attentive to our needs. Our party of 4 each got a tasting and shared 1 cheese platter. Each tasting is $20 each and each cheese platter is $20 each. My boyfriend's favorite tasting was the Rosé and mine was the Syrah. And my mom and her friend enjoyed the Pinot Noir. Kyle also gave us an extra tasting - a dessert wine to park with the dried pineapple from the cheese platter. The espresso rubbed cheese from Cowgirl Creamery was SO GOOD, honestly, wanted more of that. Overall, we had such a great experience that I joined their membership. It happened to be one of the distribution months so our entire tasting was waved. I'm excited to be apart of this winery and can't wait to join some of their weekly events this summer. TLDR; if you are looking for a winery in SJ and don't feel like driving 2 hours, I recommended visiting this spot.