We stopped at Martinelli on a weekend trip through Napa and went for the pinot noir & cheeseboard…read moretasting. Everything was tasty, but the tasting itself felt a bit rushed, both the velocity of pours as well as the explanations we got. Definitely make use of the outdoor patio if the weather allows you. It's a bit of a shame it's this closeby to the road, the noise pollution of the passing cars is noticeable.

Was at another winery up the road a few weeks ago celebrating my birthday with a group of friends…read morewhen we decided we wanted to continue the party somewhere else. So we stopped here on our way back home. We were not disappointed. First and most importantly, there is a winery cat! I repeat, a winery cat! And he is so sweet! So if that's not enough to get you in then I guess we'll move on to the wine and the service! They were so friendly and welcoming when we walked in the door. They explained our tasting options and since we hadn't been there before we decided to go with the one that had more of a variety. It did not disappoint. The wines were all excellent and I walked away with a few of them. Inside is really cool as well, its like a museum that tells the history of the vineyard so you get a whole experience while wine tasting. Will definitely be back!

Stopped in today last minute on my way home from Sea Ranch, and I'm so glad I did! The wine is top…read morenotch, and the gardens lovely. But most of all, the staff are warm, welcoming, and know how to make a person feel extra special. Thank you for the conversation and taking such good care of me, Tome! - Beth :-)

You will not be disappointed with the excellent wines at Lynmar…read more I have had the pleasure to visit with my friends and loved ones many vineyards along the west coast many times, traveling from Chapel Hill, NC. The owners, Lynn and Anisysa certainly are sharing their love and investment with those that appreciate great wine. My friends and family will confirm my pleasure of enjoying their Pinot Noir (my preference) and their Chardonnay. You will truly enjoy Trey serving you an excellent wines as Lynmar. Trey is a joy and witty! Truly, Richard, Donna and Bill (Willy Wine World Instagram).

Dustin was the best host we've ever had at any winery. 10/10 would recommend asking for him!read more

We had a very nice tasting here last week! The garden was beautiful to sit in, and we enjoyed our…read morewines and charcuterie board. We went with our 2 year-old, and it was very kid-friendly. Dustin, our server, was great and shared interesting information about the wines, as well as some pretty cool magic tricks!

Boutique wine at its finest! Had the pleasure of being hosted by Robbie for an early morning…read moretasting overlooking the back side of the vineyard. We explored six of their Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs varietals. I was blown away by the quality of their wines and hearing about their wine making philosophy. It was a no brainer to purchase a bottle as their wines are only in select restaurants and able to be purchased on site. What Ted Lemon has created is truly something special!

Expensive tasting, wine was meh, kind of pretentious. Walking around their farm was kind of nice…read morethough.

If you're looking for a wonderful wine tasting experience look no further than…read more Bruliam Wines! Kerith, the winemaker and owner, is extremely knowledgeable regarding chemistry, grape growing, and wine making. It was a lot of fun speaking with and learning from her while tasting some delightful wines (we left there with a mixed case - something we rarely do). No question that we will be returning in the near future. Highly recommended!

Tastings at Bruliam Wines are so much fun! I know that most people like to visit the vineyards in…read moreNapa or Sonoma but I prefer to go where the wine is good and the experience is insightful. Kerith makes amazing wines that are balanced and smooth. Every sip is soft and easy to drink. You'll just want to keep on drinking! During our tasting, we had 6 different wines, mostly Pinot Noir since that's what she specializes in. Kerith also leads the tasting herself! Every wine she makes has a story, from the label to the vineyards she sources her grapes from. She pays attention to every little detail and since she used to be a doctor, she happily dives into the chemistry of what makes her wines complete. This is one of those tastings where you'll leave not only "happy" from the wine but also learned something new. To visit Bruliam, you'll need to make a reservation. When we went as a group of 4, our tasting was held in a cute and comfortable room that had a large garage-like door opened to the outside so it felt like an indoor outdoor space. We spent most of our time chatting around the table, discussing the wine, but were also given a short tour of the facility where the wine was made during the tasting, so we could get a real sense of the wine making process. If you're looking for a more intimate and personal wine tasting experience go to Bruliam. This experience is so different and unique, it's incomparable to your average tourist filled, mainstream vineyard tastings. I can't speak highly enough about Bruliam!

Wine trip to enjoy California wine in Sonoma County…read more Benovia Winery and stayed at their beautiful VRBO. Adolfo Hernandez, Winemaker, personal helped us with so many tasting. What a special treat and service was amazing. Purchase some amazing wines. 2023 Marcella Chardonnay 2023 Stilton Hill Chardonnay 2022 Marcella Pinot Noir 2022 Stilton Hill Pinot Noir 2022 Cohn Vineyars Pinot Noir A must visit and a great place to stay too. #supportsmallbusiness #california #wines

I was celebrating my birthday and decided to go wine tasting, my favorite thing! Since I did not…read moreknow the Santa Rosa area and had not made any reservations, I started calling around at 10am on a Saturday. I prefer smaller, less know wineries and even tough Kendall-Jackson and La Crema are in the area, I decided to call unknown places and found this gem! I prefer bubbly or white wines and this place had just started to offer a white flight! I was able to get a booking and the tasting was only $20 to celebrate them being in business for 20 years. Santa Rosa surprisingly has many, many wineries. While driving to Benovia, I must have passed at least 5 other places that were open and offered tastings. Benovia sits on 70 acres of which 20 acres are used to grow grapes, it was a beautiful drive through acres of grapes to get to the tasting room. This place is also conveniently located about 5-6 miles from central Santa Rosa. We were greeted with a glass of their rose, which was delicious. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and since the view was beautiful, we choose to sit outside. It was quiet, serene and altogether gorgeous. There are 5 pours in the tasting, starting off with a nice bubbly, followed by a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc (I really dislike the taste of this particular wine in general but this was unexpected and very drinkable), the rest of the pours are chardonnays with an extra surprise pour. All the wines were delicious but a bit pricey, I would highly recommend!

Pinot Noir lover?? Then it would behoove you to make a stop at Merry Edwards. We came because we…read moreknew this winery is a Pinot Noir champion. It has many accolades and it lived up to all the hype. Scott was our wine tasting room associate and he was personable and knowledgeable in both the wine and history of the winery. We both chose the reserve tasting at $90 each. Each tasting is waved with a 3 bottle purchase which we both did since we loved the wines so much. Note: beautiful outdoor, dog friendly seating area.

We decided to check out Merry Edwards for their pinot noir, but the sauvignon blanc was a fantastic…read moresurprise. My husband booked the reserve tasting ($90, but one tasting fee is waived with the purchase of 3 bottles - which we took advantage of). Their pinot noirs are fantastic - you can smell and taste the french oak. Scott was our host and he was awesome. Really personable, knowledgeable, and friendly - would definitely request him again (if we're able) when we come back next! Upon arrival, we checked in and got to choose where we wanted to sit -inside or outside. It's a relatively small space, but we enjoyed our spot outside, as it was great weather that day. Everyone has a different palette, but we enjoyed the Warren's Hill pinot - which had a grippier, more tannin-heavy taste (than typical pinot noirs we were associated with). Aromatic, umami, darker berry fruit forward. As I preluded, the sauvignon blanc was fantastic - very fruity on the nose. Clean and bright, and I get predominantly pineapple/tropical notes. Would definitely come back again. We joined their allocation list, as they don't offer a typical wine club experience.

If you love wine, have a dog, are in need of a nice winery with cozy vibe and passing through the…read moreHealdsburg area, you HAVE TO stop by Merriam!!! We've been to Merriam in February 2024 for their valentine wine tasting paired with chocolates. At that time, it was a sunny day and we spent the afternoon in their courtyard while our dog ran around playing with Yogi the winery pup. We were so impressed back then but haven't had chance to come back till recently. We were on our way back from the Mendocino Coast area and it was raining cats and dogs. We decided to stop by Merriam to take shelter from the rain and let my pup (and us!) released a bit :) Merriam is conveniently located right off the 101 freeway. You can actually spot it out when you travel down 101 South. The white exterior paint, the truck and cute greeneries around the front area of the wineries and vineyard make it welcoming. We feel like we've come to a friend's house instead of a business. That is in fact the vibe we felt! As soon as we walked in, Yogi the pup run up to us, wagging his tail happily like he recognized us. The staff were so friendly and accommodating. They gave us time to settle in and offered extra blankets. We appreciated Rhonda who patiently explained about all the wines while pouring them for us. We ended up cuddling cozily on the couch in the corner, looking at the rain while sipping on wines ! Wine tastings for 2 people plus 2 bottles of wines to bring home costed us around $150, which is a really great deal in my opinion! $150 won't get you far in Napa the overpriced and overrated wine spot! We left Merriam feeling pampered and happy! Such a cherry on top for our amazing Mendocino trip ! With many choices of wineries and vineyards, give Merriam a chance and you can thank me later

What's there not to love about Merriam? Merriam starts off by welcoming you and your party with a…read moreglass of wine seconds upon arriving to the beautiful estate property (what service!?) and then you are greeted to your table either in the garden area (low comfy chairs) or at the main tasting area with tables and water feature. Andrew (who is our absolute favorite to taste with) just makes it so much fun; a little wine, a little knowledge, and of course a lot of wine. Plus how can you not love that there are multiple dogs roaming around the property. Make Merriam apart of your day and you won't be disappointed.