I had my first taste of Charles R at a Sauvignon and seafood event last month and wanted to visit to try a wider selection of their wines. Situated in the hills, you drive down a gravely dirt road of which they have amusing signs attached to barrels letting you know you're ALMOST there. Once you pull into the clearing, a cute tasting room is situated amongst the trees and opens up to a scenic patio canopied by nature. While I didn't take any bottles home this time around, I did enjoy my tasting and look forward to another future visit. read more

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The wines weren't really to our taste. Most were light and not complex. The sparkling wine was semi sweet. Mostly fruity wines with an exception of an earthy cabernet. We walked in on a Sunday around 1pm. It was Valentines weekend but it wasn't busy. Only one male staff helping pour the wines. He was knowledgeable about the wines. $20 to taste 6 wines. They have outside and inside seating. It's a smaller winery. It was a bit of an off road to get to the winery. read more

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What a wonderful experience at a fun and cute winery. My hubby and I stumbled upon this winery while using our wine passport. We hadn't heard of it before and figured we should try it especially since it had several great reviews. The entrance is discrete and at the end of the road. The access roads are gravel and unpaved so be careful driving into the site. Tasting room is located right at the middle of the site and is a cute and cozy tasting room. Upon entering we were greeted so warmly by the bartender Trevor. We tried their tasting menu. I really enjoyed their sparkling, sauvignon blanc and cabernet. We also opted to try their port and that was excellent! The wine was wonderful but what made our experience exceptional was Trevor. We had a wonderful conversation with him and enjoyed his company for the afternoon. Thank you Charles R winery and especially Trevor for showing us a wonderful time and sharing great stories and wines with us! We'll most definitely be back soon! read more

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Overall 4.5 out of 5 My wife and I have been members for 2 or 3 years now. THE GOOD ° The wine itself is EXCELLENT ° Continually improving wines and innovating ° The staff is super friendly and personable ° Located in a crease of two hills. Nice location ° Dog Friendly THE BAD ° Interior could use some love and refinement - Dress it up a bit more, clean it up ° Some kind of food options would be nice, even if it was a charcuterie or something THE UGLY ° Really wish they'd pave the driveway and parking lot - Makes it so we don't want to take the nicer car to Livermore read more

Charles R Winery - Rose Grenache. Simply delicious and refreshing when chilled! - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

This is probably one of our new favorite wineries and tasting rooms to visit! Quaint, charming and a little secluded. We went in for a tasting and Bruce, the manager, took care of us. Made us feel right at home and walked us through the tasting. I'm not a big fan of white wines or rosés but they have a very nice selection that's worth a try. My wife and I are big fans of the reds. Once you've sampled some of their offerings, ask about their events and other tastings. We're very excited to come back and attend some of their events and experience their outdoor patio when the sunny weather returns. Thank you again, Bruce and Charles R. Vineyard for the awesome hospitality and the great selections from today's tasting! read more

Charles R Winery - wine glasses and menu on a barrel - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

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Half star rating. Horrible service! I brought my friends visiting from the east coast & I was so embarrassed by our host. He clearly was not feeling good, why was he working? Made us come back inside each time to get our tastings. Of the 5 tastings he came out to pour the last 2. When it was the last pour, the cab that everyone was excited to try, he told us he ran out of it & was unable to open a new bottle just for us. Wow!!! Never have I ever. I had to tell him yes we want to try the cab. We SPECIFICALLY came for the cab. I couldn't believe how unwelcoming he made us feel. Taking this off my list to bring visitors. I won't deal with horrible customer service like this again. read more

Tastings were $15 pp and included 5 pours as well as 1 bonus pour and 1 revisit. We really enjoyed our experience here. The garden space is lovely and the employees were incredibly friendly. It wasn't the best wine we've had but based on the experience we would come back. read more

Charles R Winery - Tasting menu Oct 2022 - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

This place took a turn for the worse due to their Covid protocols. Came here for a tasting on a day where it was like 95 outside and there was no in door tasting, we had sit sit outside to do a tasting. It was not a fun tasing, at all,it was so bad that we did not even finish our tasting and just payed to go some where with ac. Wont be coming back here and do not recommend this place till Covid is gone. read more

We had such a lovely afternoon at this gem tucked away in the hills. There was a wonderful selection of wines included in the tasting and for $15 it was a steal compared to the rest of Livermore wineries. It definitely is a lowkey mom & pop winery without any big fancy vibe, which I appreciate rather than the big names. We were even treated with a port and the famous brownie at the end. Excellent service and such a fun manager at the tasting bar. read more

Charles R Winery - Tasting table - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

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Mother's Day was busy but well worth a visit especially last minute. They were friendly and accommodating. The out door area is so nicely laid out with beautiful trees and flowers. Most of the outdoor space was nicely shaded which is a plus! Some people brought in snacks but for Mothers Day they offered strawberry cake and roses for the moms. Next time would ask since we bought a bottle we get it cold or with a bottle holder. I know they were super busy though. Can't wait to visit again. read more

Charles R was the host of Wine Wednesday this week. I forget how great the back patio is until I come back here and sit down with a bottle of wine. Great setting and great wine. read more

Charles R Winery - a glass of wine and a menu on a table - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

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Great place to relax and catch up with friends. The inside of the tasting room is a descent size. The winery's garden-grounds at the back is big with various size tables with shades/pergola. Rion and Mary were kind, helpful, and attentive to their guests. I'm not a wine expert or drink it much but I personally thought the wine bottles my friend purchased were good. We were allowed to bring our own food which is a plus and had the best afternoon celebrating friendship after not seeing each other for over a year due to the pandemic. We'll be back! read more

Charles R Winery - two glasses of white wine on a tray - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

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Really nice place to come wine tasting. Small indoor seating area and large back patio. Wines are delicious- there was an extra fee to taste the port, but it came with a home made brownie. All the wines were good, but we really liked the port, so we were glad we paid a little extra to add that on. We also like the chardonnay, and we don't usually like whites, so that was a nice surprise. Everyone was welcoming and friendly and helpful. If you happen to be in Livermore and you are wine tasting, you might want to stop in here. It will be a big change from the huge commercial outfits like Wente and Concannon. A nice change. read more

Charles R Winery - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

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My wife and I had a lovely time at Charles R Winery. Wine was good and the staff was great.

Beyoncé couldn't say it any better: "My friends, real friends, better than your friends...No foe, real friends, we ain't even got to pretend!" Yes, Yes, YES!! How true is that? Real friends are SO hard to find. I mean, you need friends that's gun' inspire you and keep it 100%, right? So when my friends from San Jose texted me and said it's been a minute since they had seen me, I knew I needed to reconnect. They sent me an invite to wine taste on a lovely Sunday and I said, "What the heck! Why not?!" Boy, how I missed wine tasting with great company! We met up and headed to Livermore to view their lovely wineries. Who would have ever known that Livermore was filled with an abundance of amazing wineries? Let alone, delicious white wines?! Like my friend said, "How come you don't know about this place? It's right in your backyard!" Honestly- I feel really crazy to say this, but I didn't know that I was missing out on so many great wine places so close to my house! Charles R Vineyards is one of those places I was sleeping on! The winery is located at the end of the dirt road on Crane Ridge Rd, nestled in the hills with plenty of parking. It's a cute little sweet boutique style vineyard with a wonderful back patio area for big groups and events! I enjoyed the tasting room, but spent most of my time in the lovely patio and garden area with shaded spots, just hanging out with friends and laughing! INTERESTED IN TASTING: Then this is the place for you! They do white and red varietals as well as a dessert wine. My favorite you may ask? The Port! The call it the Port Lovers Special, and honey, its true! It had me wantin' more! It's a tasty 2009 Vino de Amor; do yourself the favor and pay that $3 to taste it! Thanks to the lovely Bonnie, who made them specifically for our group visit! It's $10 to taste 5 different wines (2 whites and 3 reds). I am a white wine lover so my favorite was the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, which I just HAD to buy! BIG THANK YOU TO STAFF! Yes, you heard me right! The staff here are wonderful! Everyone from Mike and John to the lovely, sweet Steve, who took very good care of me! Let me not forget that we had the lovely pleasure of meeting the one and only Charles! He is such a wonderful and sweet man! You know I couldn't leave without getting my picture with him. Overall, I had a wonderful time with my friends sipping, laughing and catching up! Beyoncé said it best: "We smoke, we laugh, your stress, my stress...Closer than kin, I'm blessed, you blessed (blessed)". read more

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P went to pick up her wine club order at this winery,and I went along for a midweek tasting. And taste I did! I tried every wine they offered that day I think there were 8 or 10 and I liked them all including the whites. I was limiting my purchases to one bottle and decided on a very pleasant 2007 Zin. The winery is at the end of the road, through a gate and then down a dusty driveway to the tasting room. The tasting room is large and has some interesting art on the wall. I enjoyed the non-corporate--winemaker lives on the site vibe, and of course the wines that they produce! read more

Charles R Winery - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

one of Livermore's original wineries ... at the very end of Greenville Road ... has improve greatly with age -- just like their wines ... Bonnie and Dick are lovely hosts ... if you enjoy chocolate -- try their signature Port and with a piece of Bonnie's Chocolate Port Brownie ... read more

Powerhouse. It's not a trip that one would find regret in, not unless you hate great wines, good vibes, refined cheese and crackers, breathless surroundings in the cool breeze meadows and the high hills. I was hospitably told that families are welcome at "Charles R.", because the young tots have a yard to run around in or a bag of blocks to dive into. Five stars. Now your question is, how does "Charles R." or any neighboring vineyard's tasting room really gonna stand tall with Napa Valley, Paso Roblas or Solvang? The answer is the wines of Livermore are legit. With all sincerity, Livermore wineries can play with the big boys. More on that later. Top Three at Charles R.: 1. Sauvignon Blanc 2013, 2. Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, 3. Vino de Amor Port 2009; the latter I picked up. Quite a singular Port that's ticklish just enough, but subdued so there isn't too much sweetness overkill. In my fifteen year wine swilling hobby I've only picked up three Ports, so this Vino de Amor would only be my fourth Port I've taken home in such time span. I love the man and wife who run this place. I want to, I dunno, eat brownies and sip wine while talking families, weekend getaways and Livermore geography with them all day. I wanna exchange Valentines cards with them, and get all cheesy. Let's lower the curtain. If you've had that snobby attitude that Napa Valley and Sonoma are the only true wine-tasting expeditions worth taking, then please allow the consideration that Livermore is under the radar and a sport worth taking up. In my thirties now and getting closer to forty then I am back to age thirty, so yes, wine swilling is a sport. Jump in the car. Take a whirl into Livermore. Put your phone down. Done. An hour or two later. You're here now so pick your phone up again. Mosey on in, feel that breeze. Look around, looks like a Town and Country magazine doesn't it? Place yourself at the bar. Agree to low tasting fee. Tell them you're going wine tasting all day. Done. They say we're glad you started with us. Done. Say there was a Sean C. on Yelp who said to start here. Done. They say, I think I remember that guy, he wrote a sparkling review. Done. They pour. Tip your class, put your nose in, breathe in, and say, Thank you Jesus, Joseph and Mary. Yeah, you know it. You're going to have a wonderful day in Livermore wine country -- "it's gonna be our new thing..." #mouthwatering #sublime read more

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THIRD STOP at the livermore valley harvest wine celebration: samples: chardonnay - this was served outside in front of the property. after a bit of a walk under the hot sun, this was a nice, refreshing, cool drink to begin our time here. loved the crisp apple notes in this white wine. syrah - this was served on the back patio, behind the tasting room. this was not as bitter as i'd expected, and i could taste some deep berry notes on this red wine. perks: +live music outside in the back patio +outdoor patio seating, mostly underneath an awning to keep cool +local vendors selling arts and crafts on the side of the tasting room +food tent in the back, by the band and patio, selling salads, tacos, corn bread, and sodas +cool, wine lovers/divas tshirts inside the tasting room for sale other: additional wine tasting inside the tasting room read more

The grounds are beautiful and the tasting area is very cute. The the older women pouring the wines are funny in a rough-around-the-edges way, but watch out because they will drip wine all over you when they pour your tastings. Of our group of seven, five of us walked away with stains on our clothes/shoes. Very unexpected. I could get over this, honestly, if the wine was any good. None of us liked any of the wines we tried. The whites were completely flat, I couldn't finish any of them. Then came the reds. There was one so unmemorable that literally looked like prune juice: it was cloudy in a brownish-red murkiness, and tasted like juice. With all the great wineries in Livermore (and many who aren't dog-averse as I take it from the other reviews), I would not come back. read more

Charles R just might be my favorite stop in Livermore. I've been there 4 times at least, and I am always pleasantly surprised by the consistency and just how great everything is here. I love how it's a little off the beaten path, but once you walk in, it's like stepping into someone's well-appointed living room. I've had amazing some amazing zins and cabs from here, that manage to taste just as splendid there as they did back at my place. Somehow this place is never super crowded,although it really should be. The service is always top notch as well! read more

One of the best, family owned wineries in the area! Always enjoys visiting and tasting. Never a full experienced!

Nice little winery at the end of Crane Ridge Road. Ron (the pourer) was very knowledgable and engaging. We got to try a number of their wines, many of which won silver or gold medals from the San Francisco Chronicle. We ended up getting the '07 Zinfandel, although their Petite Sirah and Port were equally as good. Overall a very good experience! read more

Charles R Winery - Charles R Vineyard 2007 Zinfandel. http://Facebook.com/GoodEatsStacy - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

I really liked this small but mighty place! Great tasting wines are made more enjoyable sipping them outside in their meticulously landscaped cove. This is the place I want to unwind at and enjoy my glass of wine without feeling rushed. The hospitality is excellent!!! read more

First time here on a Summer Saturday afternoon and they were not that busy. Located at the very end of the road just beyond McGrail, 3 Steves and The Big White house. Along with this place and Bent Creek you could spend all day tasting without getting back in your car. From the parking area this place does not look like much. The tasking room and rear grounds though are very nice. The pourers were very friendly and we enjoyed our experience here. On the downside there were not very many wines to taste and they were average for Livermore. I liked the Petite Sirah but at $38.00 its a bit high compared to other places with similar quality. Applying the $10.00 tasting fee made it and easy buy for me. Overall a nice stop I plan to return sometime. read more

Cute little Vinyard tucked away at the end of the road in livermore. Just past big white house winery. Stay right and go on the dirt road to get there. Charming place, very nice larger outdoor patio area. They lit the fire pit for us to keep us warm :) Went home with the port $29, great with the brownies. The $10 tasting fee is waived when buying. I like the livermore winery area because it is way less crowded than Napa and you can take your time to enjoy more. Beautiful views of the green mountains driving in today. read more

Some of the best local wine ever. Tasting room is been reopened and was a wonderful place to stay cool while having some great wine on a hot Labor Day weekend. Everyone should try this place at least once. read more

If you love a small boutique winery where you're treated like one of the family, Charles R Vineyards is the place for you! Located at the end of the road in a quaint winery setting Charles R Vineyards will charm you with their lovely patio sitting area where you can enjoy the sun and green hills on a warm day and the fire pit on a chilly day, all while sipping on their delicious wines. We recommend the port for sure...you may even end up taking some home with you! Over all, a lovely place to talk, relax, and sip thanks to the warm welcome of the Bartlett family. read more

driving up a one lane road, Charles R Vinegar literally looked like the end. i yield to oncoming cars. parked in dirt. walked into a tasting room, was told the "cella had the barrel tasting. it was a 10 minute hike. event:LVBTW(3/22/15) barrel tastes: cab 2013, -very smooth, no tannin, had body. -informed grapes cames from "Louis?" nearby. inventor of wines in cellar didn't exceed 10 pallets. -impressed with R's wine history, i descended the hill and lingered at the front desk to rest. i was quietly offered more pours of CAB's (09), (10)? they were so smooth, pricing was 20-$30@, membership free, purchases have disconts . one dAY a sober one amongst is taking some wine home someday... read more

The 2 Stars: Great hidden spot Excellent Port Brownies Why their missing the other stars: Lady please don't take a double take when you look at me and then purposely look away like UGH "The Lesbian tatted and pierced crew is here hurry put the wine away". Trust me you're not my type and neither is your Chardonnay. No ambiance at all, instead it felt like we where the big pink elephant in the tasting room. I still can't get past the Char being so tasteless. Me being The Drunk Lover I never waste alcohol I poured it out. read more

In a beautiful, secluded space we enjoyed delicious wines poured for free by nice volunteers who gave us port brownies, the Mother's Day discount and a long stemmed rose (even though I am not a mom). read more

Charles R Vineyard is one of Livermore Valley's big wine secrets....well maybe that's not true with 40 some reviews, but before a couple months ago, I'd never heard of it. Have you? Well you should know it now, because Charles R is so great, I joined up. Here's why: ***Great wines at decent prices: The Sauvignon Blanc that they just made is light, crisp and delicious for only $18 and I love their cabs which are $26/28. If you go a few doors down the prices get higher and in my opinion the wine does not get better. And of course if you go a couple hours down the way to Napa, the price doubles/quadruples, but then you have a bottle to save for a special occasion...what about the wine you want to bring over to a friends for dinner or the one you want to open when you're just watching TV? ***Service with a smile: It doesn't matter how many people are packed into this little tasting room, I always have the nicest people helping us who love to chat about wine ***The Charles R Experience: From the sitting on their patio nibbling on food you brought while savoring a glass of their wine to tasting in their tasting room, the overall experience at this place is so "laid-back Livermore". I used to love the Livermore wine region because it has excellent wineries that are not Napa Valley pretentious and don't charge $20 tasting fees. This has changed for me over the years as some of the wineries here are a little more snooty... but Charles R is still perfect old-school wine-loving Livermore....come check it out for yourself Yelp 100 Challenge: 38/100 read more

This is a true family business. Randy and his family are not only very nice, but they make fantastic wine as well. They'll tell you that the Syrah is best but I prefer the cabernet. The sav blanc is fantastic as well. They are at the far end of the road, way out in the country. the wine club just started and should have it's first shipment next month they tell me. Check it out. One of the real up and comers in Livermore wine! read more

Stop 5 on our wine tasting day trip to Livermore: Short review: If you've reached Charles R, you've gone too far. Slightly longer review: After going to McGrail and 3 Steves, my girlfriend and I decided to continue on down the road to Charles R. The vineyard is a bit secluded and the tasting room looks like a nice, well-lit quaint cottage. The place was a bit busy when we arrived, so we played checkers for a bit at one of their tables. This place demonstrates just how important good customer service is. We actually enjoyed some of their red wines, but we decided not to buy based on how our pourer treated us. This was the fifth place we had been to, so my girlfriend and I were a bit tipsy. Consequently, we decided to share a tasting instead of each getting one. The pourer didn't seem to like this. She gave us less than a full pour of each wine and ignored us for the most part. Warning: If you like white wines, this next part might be painful to read. The white wines were not chilled properly! They were still pretty warm, about the temperature consistent with being in the fridge for five minutes after previously being at room temperature. Maybe the whites would have tasted fine chilled, but they were quite bad in the state they were in. As stated before, the reds were good, but we weren't going to buy from a place that treated us like we weren't as important as the other customers. Also, they had some acai berries which they gave to some customers, and then put under the bar. We were wondering why none were offered to us. It's so weird to me that places are stingy about 50 cents worth of berries when they are trying to sell you $25 bottles of wine. Overall, this place seemed snobby, which is unusual considering that their wines are not expensive. I would not recommend this place. read more

In a nutshell: Go talk to Randy, taste his wine, be impressed. Okay, the longer version: It is definitely at the end of a long road and a long rocky driveway that leads you winding through a little wine barrel course. However at the end of the driveway you will find a little tasting room with very friendly people and very good wine. Randy's descriptions of the wines are right on, there aren't any surprises and there definitely isn't that thought of did you drink the same wine I had after you taste it like some places. The Syrah is great for a nice red during the hot summer days and the Sauvignon fits the bill too if you enjoy whites for summer days. My recommendation is, bring a lunch and picnic here. They have a porch out front and out back for those that want to do that. Of course every Livermore winery does, but since this winery isn't crowded, it's a better bet. read more

A very beautiful winery with a medium space tasting room and a backyard with a gazebo. The owner of the winery was there and came to talk to us. He explained that this winery was made because his children wanted some wine and it became a hobby. (Quite an amazing father, I would say, to buy and create a vineyard just for your kids.) He was a sweet gentlemen. However, we were served by two ladies, both a bit older, and we got good service and mediocre service. One was very affable and talkative, while the other was slightly standoffish. Then there was the wine, I didn't like a single tasting. I felt like they didn't let the wine mature enough, most of their reds, I didn't get the mouth feel at all - no tannins. Personally, I wouldn't come back. Tasting fee - $10, not worth it. Although, I did enjoy the view, so if you want to come try it place out, since you're down the street, please do. read more

I just wasn't that impressed by this place. The ambiance of this place was just off. I had a friendly enough winetender, but I wasn't impressed by any of their wines. It's a rare moment in life when I don't like chocolate.. but that lame lil brownie they serve with that port was weak.. I gave it to my friend. He said I was bein snooty, and maybe I was, maybe I have reason to be snooty about brownies since I know a good one from a bad one. At one point, I looked at my friend and said "I'm SO bored". I don't think I've ever said that at a winery (even though Rosenblum in Alameda is rather boring) Sadly, nothing impressed me here... not one thing. OK well maybe that bunny with the big ears was slightly impressive.. never in my life have I seen such a huge bunny! read more

If there was something less than one star, I'd select that... except Pam, she gets 5 stars, Pam is the only thing holding this place together #gopam. If you look like this adorable little harmless puppy, then you'll be kicked out immediately. The wine is mediocre at best, and then you ask me to control my puppy who wouldn't hurt a fly.....please. Charles you're rude and crotchety, get over yourself....we were the only people drinking at your winery and now we are at Wente. Peace out and get some manners! read more

Charles R Winery - Wineries Near Me - Livermore, California

We had a wonderful time at last night's Fourth Friday - Uncorked event. The staff was friendly and informative. We enjoyed the food, the music and wine, while meeting new people along the way! The owners are always welcoming, which we love about this place! The winery has one of the best locations for tasting in Livermore. The tasting room is a good size, but the patio is wonderful! We enjoyed watching the little bunnies bouncing around the back patio. read more

Make sure to hit Charles R for Harvest Fest weekend! Always a good time and they will have great music. And the wine....It will spoil you for some of the other wineries...Randy has outdone himself with some of the new(er) offerings.... I hate to say what wines are the best because they are all so good...but my faves are still the Sav Blanc and the Syrah...but you have got to try the Pinot Grigio, the Cab and the Zin. Is that every thing they offer? Just about. Can't go wrong here. read more