October 8, 2025 - Madera, CA. This was our second visit to Ficklin Vineyards -- our first being several years ago. Remembering how much we enjoyed that first experience, we decided to drive a bit out of our way to stop by again. The staff was as friendly and knowledgeable as we remembered, making the tasting experience both enjoyable and informative. The port wines were excellent, and the fact that there's no tasting fee was a nice bonus. Also, they are dog-friendly! We enjoyed the visit so much that we joined the club, which includes three bottles twice a year (April and October). We purchased the April 2025 club shipment, featuring the Special Reserve Tawny, Adagio Port Blanc, and Roriz Vermelho Ruby. We are looking forward to the October Club release. Ficklin Vineyards is definitely worth the stop if you're anywhere near Madera! (I would recommend calling to verify their hours.) read more

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They could improve customer service, no responsiveness, extremely hard to make reservation.

Exceptional Wine Experience paired with Extraordinary Ports!!! Last week I had out of town guests visiting whom love ports took them to my favorite place Ficklin's!!! Your Sommelier named Peyton was Outstanding!!! She was so welcoming, engaging, and extremely knowledgeable about every port she poured for us it was like taking a journey through each barrel's story!!! Peyton also went above and beyond explaining your wonderful ports to my friend's sister who called in via satellite from Arizona needless to say they are now members and already received their shipment great service!!! My other friend took back a couple of bottles back to Stockton all raving new fans!!! Thank you again Ficklin's for making the most Incredible Ports in the world always such a pleasure visiting we will be back soon again!!! read more

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My husband and I used to visit the Sacramento downtown location and fell in love with their 10 year Tonnie port. But when the location close down we were so sad. And on a recent trip to Fresno California for work I decided to Google the location and Visit this winery to pick up a few of my favorite bottles! during my visit I found a couple new bottles that I fell in love with and the staff was so nice! I even had the pleasure of meeting the winemaker himself, Peter!! thank you for making all of your delicious port for us to enjoy! read more

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Long time customer at Ficklin and past Portfolio member. Have always enjoyed thier ports. Own two Tappit bottles. Was getting my Tappits refilled when I purchased a bottle of Ruby Port ($40) for a good buddies birthday. When we opened the bottle we found it extremely heavy with sediment. The bottle showing that after bottling and racking it had never been rotated. It's not unusual to find some sediment. But what we found in this bottle a disappointment. So...is this why I'm writing a review? Well no. It's because I emailed Ficklin expressing my disappointment in this Ruby Port and not receiving any communication in the slightest. A simply sorry would have gone a long way with me. I guess Peter has other priorities on his mind. read more

Ficklin Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Madera, California

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My most favorite winery and its tucked away in a little corner of the Central Valley. Sadly, I didn't discover it until I moved away from the Fresno area. The ports from here are delicious. I love gifting them to family and friends but sometimes just end up keeping them for myself. I've only done tastings here once and still buy my wine based on that. Definitely stop by and give them business! Currently tastings are by reservation only and definitely worth it. read more

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Wonderful winery to visit and tastes Ports in! Great service, nice ports! Great atmosphere!

Amazing history here and the BEST ports!! We've not been big port lovers but, going here gave us a taste of what ports could be. And, they have the ONLY port that has received 100 pts from Judges. Really nice, family owned place. Their selection is amazing and the history cannot be beat! Definitely worth a trip here anytime you are nearby. read more

I lived in the Valley for 10 years and been all over CA vineyards but never to Madera. Ficklin Vineyards is a little gem right smack in the middle of CA. It's the oldest strictly Port vineyard in the US. Their ports are simply amazing and a wonderful way to finish off wine tasting in Madera. One of the older ports was a 1957 port going for $600, if only money was not an object. They had a nice option while tasting, for an extra $5 you can do a chocolate pairing. Each port was paired with a different Chocolate from around the world. Marcy was such a wonderful host, allowing us to taste their flavored ports. We ended up buying the S'mores port which was so very good. Our other favorite was the 10 year old tawny port. read more

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My name is Wendy, and I am a port drinker. Most wines are not for me. But then there is Ficklin. And Ficklin exceeds my expectations. They dabble (maybe dabble is a poor choice of words) in a large variety of ports. Using the old solera process, they create beautifully mellow ones all the way up to full bodied ports, ranging in price from $10 up to $360 for the 1957 Vintage Port. And plenty of well deserved awards to show for them. Their ports are wonderful, all special. But, my favorites? Tawny Port Reserve and Ruby Port Reserve. Both so smooth. The gotcha for those two? We have to become PORTfolio Society members to buy them. At least we can taste them first. I am secretly working out a plan to convince Mr. B we should become members. And there goes that angel chorus ringing in my ears again. To me, a good port has a special connection with the heavenly bodies. So, did you know Ficklin is featured as part of the Madera Wine Trails? Who knew there was such a thing in the middle of dry, dusty Central California? Everyone knows about Napa/Sonoma, Santa Ynez, and Temecula. But now we know about Madera. And Ficklin is an old winery, established around 1946. Interesting history, interesting family, historic adobe brick winery. The tasting room is right there, in full view of the stacked old oak barrels, full and waiting for the next bottling. Well worth looking at their website and reading all about them. And as my friends all know, finding the Madera Wine Trails means there is yet another exciting new adventure ahead for Mr. B and I. And, ha ha, maybe a new membership. read more

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Wow. What an incredible experience. This was a very pleasant surprise. My husband and I, along with my parents, are Port aficionados so when I saw a port winery outside of Fresno, we were very skeptical. Boy were we proven wrong! We showed up 30 mins before closing but not once did Denise make us feel rushed. In fact, she took the time to thoroughly explain everything to us and add in personal stories. We LOVED all of the port we tasted. The Old Vine Tinta was a fan favorite and it just got a perfect score of 100 points in the Sunset International Wine Competition!! The best part? It's only $22! We all enjoyed our experience so much that both couples signed up for the PORTfolio Wine Club. It's $115 biannually, which is well worth it. You get 3 bottles of their latest release along with discounts and access to special events. If you don't live locally, they do ship for member's bianual boxes at a $19 flat rate and you're able to add on other bottles for that same shipping cost. Did I mention there are no tasting fees?? Please do yourself a favor and check out Ficklin, you will not be disappointed. read more

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The location is very pretty and their wine tasting room looks like a wine cellar/warehouse. However they ONLY serve PORTS. I'm not a fan of ports. But, the sommelier is incredibly kind. If you enjoy sweet wine, you would love this place. read more

We called before we stopped which was a good plan with so many businesses having to make changes due to covid. The woman that answered was so kind and told us to stop by, but let us know there were no tastings right now. We stopped at 4 on a Wednesday and she was really attentive to us explaining the history of the ports. We would have loved to stay longer but surprisingly 4 other customers came in which shows how popular the winery is even on a Wednesday. We ended up buying 3 ports to take home and are glad we did. The 10 year port sold with chocolate is what we've tried so far and love it. read more

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I've had Ficklin on my wine lists for over 20 years and these guys or should I say guy - Peter Ficklin makes the best American style port in America. I definitely think he competes with the big boys in Portugal and he should. They've started making port in 1940. Everything you buy is reasonably priced because so much care has gone into these wines - traditional grape varietals are used, they are not over sweet like some other producers. if you're ever even close to Madera / Fresno - Modesto - head into Ficklin and try some - you will be a fan. read more

Took a little port detour on our way to LA and left with about 10 bottles. Ficklin does FREE wine tastings, and since my bf is a club member, we got to try a lot of extras. By the end, we were definitely feeling it! The highlight was the 1991 Vintage Port, but I especially love the 10 yr Tawny Port and the Chocolate Passport (the chocolate one is only 10 bucks and a great little gift or stocking stuffer). Denise (I think that was her name?) poured the tastings for us, and she was very knowledgeable and friendly. We LOVE Ficklin, and this is where we always stock up on Port if we're driving to LA or Fresno. Highly recommended. read more

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Love their ports. So many different varieties. Owner is friendly and available. All staff was very amicable. I went during the holiday wine tour and became a member, without much convincing :) Great dessert wines for the holidays read more

Kenny was AWESOME!!!! My husband and I were visiting from NJ and luckily found a port winery, didn't know it's the only one is US. The tasting was perfect! He was so knowledgeable about not only these wines but he knew all about others! We had great conversation the whole time! He was so personable! Talk about excellent customer service! Very impressed with this winery! If you haven't given port a try, I suggest giving this a chance, plus for 1-4 people tasting is FREE. I've visited plenty of wineries and this is hard to come by!!! Thank you again Kenny! read more

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A great experience! Friendly staff that is very knowledgeable. Great place for the port lover! I loved the new table wine they offered. The tasting room is in located in their barrel room too, fun! read more

Ficklin Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Madera, California

No customer service. They don't return phone calls about undelivered wine that I have been charged for.

went to the business to exchange a bad bottle of port. The cork got compromised and air got into the bottle making it undrinkable. Sometimes this happens everybody knows that. they would not give me a new bottle to replace the old bottle. challenged them to open a new bottle and see if it's the same as the one I bought would not do that. Canceling my membership. Bad customer service read more

Never again!! We had our tour scheduled. Called twice to confirm. Was told no problem....but that they would call back if therer was any problem. Pulled in, unloaded a group of 90 year old WWII Marines, and was told they couldn't do our tasting. Shame on you Ficklin! Not only is that a crappy way to do business, but a terrible way to treat a group of men that fought for your freedom and ability to run your shitty little winery!! Bad bad bad!!! read more

Been members for over 10 years. Myself and two other members decided to take a group of our friends on the wine trail and skipped multiple wineries to make it to theirs before closing. We arrived understanding we would only have 5-6 min to re-fill our tappit hens, purchase bottles etc. it was never our intention to make them work late. I myself have to work the next day. We were denied entry to purchase bottles, refill tappit hens, and even use the facilities. Instead we were encouraged by the owner to go to apcal to use their facilities. :):) ?? Lol what?! I can totally understand them turning away tastings. What I couldn't understand was them turning away monetary transactions (to purchase) while still within operating hours. If you wish to be a member for a winery in which its owner advises its members to relieve themselves in the field - then this is the winery for you. Honestly, we only went to 3 other wineries. I am assuming they must have had some difficulty pulling off this event. It's too bad that three different wine member families will now be canceling memberships due to poor customer service. read more

Since I moved to Fresno, I give all my wine lover friends in the Bay Area and all over the US a bottle of Ficklin Port, when I visit them.. heck, i didn't even know Madera was a wine county.. and Ficklin makes pretty damn good port, and i love their chcolate port. Funny thing, neither do my friends knew that too.. Ficklin and Central California-- i am spreading the word.. read more

This is a great winery/tasting room, particularly if you're a fan of port. The tasting room/warehouse is very industrial-looking, with exposed metal beams and walls. Also, there are hundreds of wooden barrels filling up the majority of the space. It's not a run-of-the-mill pretty tasting room, and the change is refreshing. Now to the wines- There was a (free) tasting of about a half dozen ports, and there was not one we did not like. Additionally, the tasting room manager was very friendly and informative about the port-making process. If you're in Madera, I highly recommend a stop at Ficklin. Bonus- they are open every day! read more

Much more than a "dessert" wine. Ficklin is the only winery in U.S. that gets to use the name Port! That should give you a clue. I've been enjoying Ficklin port for over 20 years and have even been in their portfolio club, so I am familiar with their product. It's about time I share what a treasure they are. Just off Freeway 99. Drive through some of the old vines to arrive at the tasting location. You will be in a large and pleasant wine room where huge barrels are stacked. The smell is, well, heavenly. Don't be surprised if they are filling and labeling nearby. This is the real thing. The tasting room associate can share not only details about the Ports they are sharing, but also the fascinating history of Ficklin and thereabouts. Ficklin is known worldwide. (A man is never a prophet in his own village) I was fortunate enough to dine at one of the highest (like tall) restaurants in Singapore, perhaps one the finest presentation I have ever experienced. After dinner I asked for a Port. Two choices: one from Portugal...and Ficklin! Enjoy your visit, take a friend, and have a wonderful afternoon. read more

Marcee was awesome!! We had such an amazing experience :) thank you for the information and the tasting! Yummy ports!! read more

Ficklin is a real gem of a winery and tasting room, an oasis just a few miles off Highway 99. The ports are outstanding and great value at every price point, and they are very approachable if you're a port neophyte. Other than the port itself, tasting room host Jim is worth making the trip all on his own. He's tremendously knowledgeable, full of fun facts, and a great conversationalist. Leaving Ficklin without buying a bunch of port would be a real accomplishment, but it's never happened for me. read more

They make some of the best port in the ENTIRE WORLD! Their tour is informative, and the staff are courteous and knowledgeable. I wish I could have afforded to take home a bottle of everything they make! Their 20-year tawny is to die for, but a bit pricey. read more

Tastings are free!!! Tappets is a great deal for a great wine. They host great parties and chocolate pairings. I'm a wine club member and we think this is the best of the best port. read more

This vineyard is the funniest tasting experience we've had in all of our explorations! The staff is friendly and this is a truly unique experience. Many things are only available in the vineyard, so don't miss this rural gem! When we got to fill bottles from a barrel is the tasting room, we fell in love with this place. My hands down favorite is the white port. We got to drink that straight out of the barrel and we're broken hearted when it ran out. They had just tapped a great ruby port, so all was still good with the world! A great summer port is the rose. I had no idea they made a rose port before this stop. It is light and refreshing, not syrupy. It's perfect for an afternoon poolside. We sampled pretty much everything over our two visits here and purchased more than a case each time. The flavors are so delicious and varieties you cannot find in markets. The only ones we didn't care for were the flavored ones, like raspberry. Happy tasting! read more

If you like ports, then you have to check this place out. Its in Madera and easy to get to from the Freeway for all the out of town people. Ficklin is a big time wine maker and its right here! They have a number of diffrent ports. Its a great place to do some tasting as its in an working vinyard, with huge wooden casks all around. Its great for tasting or groups. Its not at all stuffy or trendy, you taste in a working enviroment which add to the experiance. Some really high quality stuff. This is also on the Madera Wine Trail, so check it out. read more

These are the best, most accommodating, down to earth people you will ever come across at a winery. It also is by far the most incredible port you will ever have. We have been members for years now and have had our friends and family join as well. This place is for port drinkers there's no other winery that can come close! We attend most of the events and no matter what they do it is wonderful! read more

I have been into port since the time I made French Onion Soup. For those of you who don't know what I mean, the recipe calls for port. I personally favor Prager's Port in Napa Valley but on the way from UCLA up to the Bay, I decided to hit Madera Wine Trail. I wanted to find something unique that makes you go wow and have a secret weapon to bring out at parties. I bought a bottle of the Tinta port for Valentines Day. SO sad to see that they were out of the white port but I will visit this little gem again. A bonus is that the tasting is free. Promise that your taste buds will tap dance once a drop of this delicious port reaches your tongue. read more

Best and likely only port-only winery in California. Do understand the bad reviews if service was not up to par, but we had no issues. We walked in on a Friday afternoon and we're greeted kindly. Tasting overall showcased their variety of ports. I'm not a port drinker so I had assumed they would taste similar - not the case. They do try to sell you onto their winery club and the tappit-hens idea is great (liken them to brewery growlers). Prices are high but we'll worth the product. Highlight of the tasting was a 1996 port which was graciously poured for us. It was like smooth caramel. read more

Ficklin Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Madera, California

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Have been here many times before and always had a pleasant experience. However, this time it was the worst!!! I Visited Friday for my Birthday with a party of 7. We had the worst customer service ever at any winery!!! The older female attending us was rude the minute we walked in! She told us it was $5 per person to taste and since we were "7" it was a flat $35. I told her that "2" would not be tasting and she rudely responded and telling me that it didn't matter and it will still be a flat $35 fee. I had my own special Birthday wine glass and the last 3 wineries we visited did not mind me tasting with my glass. This lady did not acknowledge it was my Birthday, she picked up my glass and set it aside and said I would be using her glass! Because they served many port wines there, I went back to my limo to get my truffle chocolates. My driver had parked further out down the parking lot instead of where he dropped us off at the front. My limo driver said that a man came out and told him to move the limo further out and that next time he had to call ahead and make an appointment, other wise they would not allow him to bring us into the winery! I checked the website and I even called to confirm on Thursday the day before and both the website and the man I talked to on the phone said, "reservations were only needed for party's of 8 or more". I personally would have left the tasting once the bad customer service started, but I stayed because a few members of my group had not visited this winery before and I didn't want to take the experience away from them! FICKLIN OWNERS you should be very careful on who you put to represent your product and your name in your tasting room!! They are giving you a bad rap!!! Although your wine is good, I will never be visiting your tasting room again and I will make sure to pass my experience around to those I always encourage to go wine tasting locally! Very bad customer service you have in your tasting room!!! read more

We were first met by Peter who was very knowledgeable and explained the whole Port process, and where it came from. Then a woman took over, I didn't get her name, she was also very knowledgeable and had great recommendations for the Port we purchased. I have to say I am definitely not a Port person but they changed my mind! read more

This is a great place to do a little wine tasting, the atmosphere is very cool, it's been around for some time, it's a must if you do the wine trail. read more

Great winery. The owner, Peter Ficklin, is usually on site and very friendly. Many wonderful events for members. Love the 20 year Tawny.

What a great little winery! Hector is amazing! He was very informative and just such a pleasure to be with. We will definitely come back and become members. Hopefully before the release party! Thank you Mr. Ficklin for making such amazing Ports! read more

One of the best tasting rooms on the Madera Wine Trail. Jim was very friendly and shared plenty of knowledge about the vineyard and the wines we tasted. We had twelve tastings for free, from whites to ports to dessert wines. Ficklin specializes in ports. read more