Enjoyed my tasting at FJ yesterday so much! I have tasted here many times as I am a wine club member and always enjoy doing a tasting of their current offerings when I pick up my wine club allotment. I love all the FJ wines and the Kuleto Estate reds never disappoint. Which is an added benefit to tasting here. Xander was our server - he was new and couldn't have been more wonderful! Xander handled our tasting like a true pro and spoke so well about the wines. Educating us with knowledge and grace. Xander added a special element to our tasting. Hope to see him when I return in a couple months. Go Golden Knights read more

Literally, no. Just don't. Don't waste your time or money. I have been to dozens of wineries and this was such a disappointment. We get there having made a reservation and the woman who checked us in (on a Saturday) couldn't compute that we wanted to possibly do 2 versions of the tasting (1) regular tasting or (2) the more "expensive" and she couldn't compute that, she literally said it. So we opted for their cheaper option because it was easier for her. We also brought our own snacks which is standard in napa valley and they said "absolutely not" - instead charged us $25 for a charcuterie which is laughable. I'm so disappointed by the service and the experience especially after visiting Davies (Stewart and several other wineries). Just embarrassing to have brought my mom here for a big 50th birthday. read more

Not a fan - went for a tasting. Poor customer service. We had been there an hour with one tasting poured. Server pushed expensive bottles of wine on us, most infuriatingly wine that they didn't let us try before telling us to buy it. Smallest pours for $55 you will ever see. With 1000s of vineyards in the area, you can most definitely do better. Others here mentioned the $25 charcuterie board - good crackers but otherwise some average cheese and salami (not even nicely decorated, and hey that can add something) for that price. read more

This place is definitely not worth it nor worth visiting. Almost every other vineyard in Napa allows you to bring your own snacks, yet this place says no and charges you $25 for a charcuterie with almost nothing in it. The service is also horrendous when you consider what other vineyards in the area provide. They pour your first pour at the counter when you check in and then barely check on you after you check in. As someone who has visited numerous wineries in the area I would highly recommend that you pass on this one....also no toilet paper in the restroom nor did we have change glasses when switching between red and whites or any of the wines read more

Had a terrible experience there yesterday. We were on a tour and when we checked in there was a problem with the reservation. No biggie if they couldn't fit us in we'd go somewhere else. So they were able to accommodate our party of 7. First tasting at the bar then we moved outside. So right off the bat out host or wine guide whatever they are called tells us " so this is going to be a rushed experience since we didn't have you scheduled". That rubbed us the wrong way then he ask what's our next stop so we tell him and he says oh yeah they should be able to fit you guys in without being rushed. He poured our wines not much detail we were so put off we decided to cut our tastings short and leave. Customer service is key. If they couldn't accommodate us and provide great customer service at the saMe time then don't take us in. Making us feel rushed and uninterested isn't a good look for business. read more

It would have been an okay experience if it wasn't for our server, Skyler. He was pretentious and turned incredibly rude when we asked to try the rosé stating "you should have started with that". Well duh, but it was not on the tasting flight and I wasn't gonna stop him mid tasting and ask for it. He just treated us like we were cheap because we were getting free tasting due to having a membership at a sister winery. He acted like we knew nothing about wine. We still all purchased a bottle of their over priced wine. Their wine isn't good enough for how expensive it is. And definitely not worth a $55 tasting fee for 4 small pours. Their patio is nice, Skyler is not. I won't return here and won't recommend their wines. read more

************************** 580 **************************** When I first started drinking wines, I was anxious for the high Cabernet overpriced of Napa Valley. As I got older, better broker, open up my pallette, and price sensitive, I wouldn't pay more for certain wines! Especially when the vines here and the one next winery are the same lot, and I have to pay 4 times more? No No to me! I'm more into blended wines such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piedmont, and others, but I still love to drink small produced lot from a family owned winery like Sawyer Cellars. A small tasting room, RSVP in advance, you got to tour the cellar, and hear our host Natalie explained away the family of wine making, and how limited they produced each year. Their wines are good and so reasonable. Sauvignon Blanc is aromatic, wonderful for brunch with my loved ones on Sunday! I especially adore the Meritage, picked up a case! I don't love particular grape varietal as how US wines produce, I like a blend, so their Meritage is just so perfect for my liking! Warm and welcoming service, we will definitely come back for more. read more

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Great location. Beautiful patio. Perfect for a beautiful day. Grab a seat out front and have your tastings outdoors. The staff will bring the pours to you. This is another winery that my friends are members at. If you bring a large group, and make a reservation, you can reserve the room with the Scrabble table - something fun and slightly different. Side note - my friend also raves about their breadsticks. Not sure what's so special about them, except that they do pair well with the wines. *Good for dogs if you want to bring one along. read more

I'm a local, and when friends from out of town come to visit they almost always want to go to Napa. Based on my experience there a few days back with two of our out-of-town friends I now know where to bring EVERYONE!! This place is absolutely wonderful. The grounds are beautiful, large, and welcoming, the staff is professional, knowledgeable, and friendly (Tyson, the Tasting Room Manager, is fantastic!); they go out of their way to make you feel like a VIP. And the wines...wow! Knock-your-socks-off delicious. I had a very difficult time figuring out which one I liked best. Do yourself a favor and book the Tour and Tasting with the winemaker, Gio. He is an amazingly talented winemaker, very knowledgeable, and just a great guy---you will learn a lot! An added bonus: their wine club. There are just soooo many benefits, including tastings at their many (I think it's 16) sister properties. You just can't go wrong with this amazing winery and wine club. Cheers! read more

We stopped in for a tasting and sat outside on the patio. They have a nice selection of wines including Sauvignon Blanc, a Meritage, and a Cabernet. Our party enjoyed all of the wines as well as the great service provided by Mark Biale. Mark was kind enough to give us local food recommendations and share his knowledge of wines as well. We would definitely recommend this place as a casual and relaxing place to taste some good wine. read more

Great tasting with great hosts thanks Erica! Estate Cab #1 on our pallet! Right off 29, no reservations needed! Will let you sit outside and taste with your own store brought picnic. read more

Foley Johnson Winery - Beautiful setting! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Rutherford, California

We have driven by the red barn of Foley Johnson Winery several times on our way to St. Helena ... glad we finally made an appointment for a tasting. As wine club members at Langtry Estate in Lake County, we have "sister property" privileges through Foley Family Wines. That meant we had a complimentary tasting for up to four people, plus 10% off wine and merchandise. (Our brochure said 20% off wine and 10% off merchandise so perhaps there has been a change?) It was a sunny September morning, and we enjoyed relaxing on the patio for our private tasting with Allison as our hostess. She was warm, fun, and knowledgeable. We learned a lot! And most importantly, we enjoyed the wines, especially the reds. The interior of the winery is sleek and modern, quite the opposite of the old barn exterior. The gift shop offers some high quality gift items, but is not "overstocked" like some wineries. On the day of our visit Lauren was behind the counter. Like Allison, she made us feel very welcome. For DH and myself, customer service is part of the wine experience. Yes, we want good wine, but we also wanted to be treated well and feel valued as guests at the winery. Foley Johnson hits the mark with both valuing guests at their wine tasting and offering high quality wine. We will definitely return to Foley Johnson ... and pass the word to friends. read more

Foley Johnson is located right off Hwy 29 and is very easy to get to. It is a small tasting room with a tasting bar, patio tables outside, and one larger, private tasting room (for groups I think). I love their sauvignon blanc and their handmade wines are almost always great. The tasting room associates are always friendly and I used to love petting their winery dog (a golden retriever?) while drinking wine. I haven't been since COVID-19 started but I can't wait to come back and sit on their patio overlooking the vineyards. read more

Spent an afternoon here with my girlfriends a few weeks back. Loved the winery and the wine, especially the Meritage. We would have really enjoyed the tasting and atmosphere more if not for a tall, thin guy with glasses who worked there. Got creepy, aggressive vibes from the way he would stare at women and was so pushy, which made us want to move along. Would recommend the wine but avoid that guy. read more

We went to this winery because one of our party was a member at Sebastiani. It is unfortunate but this was our worst visit on the trip. The staff was super nice and the dog there was so cute, but that was really all there was to say. The wines are very inconsistent - they had three years of the blends out to try - and the older they got the worse they got. The tasting was essentially worthless because all of the other wines they were serving were so young they were almost undrinkable. read more

With so many choices in the area, this winery is not really worth your time. We ended up pouring out most of the wines poured for us. The already cheap Sav Blanc was on sale "2 for 1" apparently because no one wants to buy it. It's a new winery, and one of their cabs apparently scored well with a well known wine magazine, but they have a way to go before their overall quality is up to par with Napa. Tasting room was small but pleasant enough. Staff was friendly and inviting. read more

Zander was excellent and very accommodating. Good overview of Foley Wineries. Good wines

Fantastic! Must Stop when in Napa! Excellent care for detail on their wine making and wine tasting experience! Great pairing with the ultimate list for tasting!! Go Knights! read more

Super friendly staff and tasty wine. We really liked that the tasting was comped when we bought a couple bottles of wine.

I'm a pretty good read when it comes to these folks behind the bar. I could tell immediately which winetender I wanted, but he had a crowd around him that wasn't thinning out any time soon. So we got stuck with the bald guy at the other end of the bar.. he had a lackluster personality and barely said anything to us besides the name of the varietal he was pouring. The Sauvignon Blanc smelled like ass and tasted pretty flat. See, if I had a cool winetender, I would have shared that with him so he could change bottles, as this one was obviously tainted. I barely recall any of the reds, as nothing stood out. We paid for the tasting and got the hell out of here. Nice chandelier though. read more

The property is nicely put together and very clean. I enjoyed looking around and felt that everything was in its place. Our wine waiter guy was pretty cool and down to earth and the setting was pretty laid back. The wine was pretty good and the art room is a nice touch to such a small showroom. read more

Foley Johnson Winery - Picasso Baby (in my Jay Z voice) - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Rutherford, California

As always, when I find special places like this I am reluctant to give a good review in fear that it will draw too many people to it and it will lose its special charm. That said, wineries don't come much better than Sawyer, so I owe this to them for years of impeccable service. I started going to Sawyer about three years ago based on the name alone (It's also a friends last name and I wanted to get her a bottle), but fell in love with the place immediately. The wines are amazing. The Meritage is consistently some of the best wine I've ever had - and I'm a Napa Winery pro. The Rose' - which most people would turn up their nose at, is lovely and approachable. A wine for those who are wine novices, who want an inexpensive summer pool wine, or who don't think they like wine. Their whites are good, but based on my experience, their reds are killer! As for the staff, Charlie Sawyer is a good 'ol Georgia boy. He takes great pride in the product that his winery produces, is very hands on, and takes the time to get to know his customers and wine club members. Candice (in the tasting room) is AMAZING! On our first visit, she took the time to give us an understanding of where their grapes are grown and how the soil content and ash deposits impact the outcome of the final product. On a subsequent visit, she took us to the library and down into the barrel room. I have never had anything but top notch service from the Sawyer group and I always feel valued as a guest first and a customer second. Incidentally, don't let the "by appointment only" status deter you from stopping by. I "stopped by" on my first visit and now I'm a lifelong fan. And for those griping about the tasting fee - if $6.50 is going to knot your knickers - move along. read more

This place is so cute. It's got a modern feel and the atmosphere is so laid back. Keep a look out for the sign when trying to get to this spot. If you miss it be prepared to fight traffic to make a u turn. John was our host he gave us the history of the wine with some fun facts. read more

Foley Johnson Winery - Sold!!!! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Rutherford, California

I've been living in the bay area for over 30 years and don't get to go to Napa often. My friend and member Gregg took me to your wonderful establishment yesterday - it was the most amazing time in Napa we have had - special thanks to Erica and her wonderful customer service during our wine tasting. Your wines are fantastic I can't wait to go back soon. read more

I've been wanting to stop here for years, but never stopped in because of the silly "appointment rule". I enjoyed the wines, though they weren't my cup of tea. Everyone else I was with was raging about them. We received great very friendly and knowledge service. This winery is beyond charming. Set back from the 29 and definitely not the 29 "scene". It's a beautiful setting for photos and a taste. We left with a bottle of sauvignon blanc and a merlot. Tip: Make an appointment, they are required, and they do accept walk-ins, but better safe than sorry. Tasting Fee: $10 read more

We loved it here, I don't know why we have never been there before. The customer service is outstanding! They are so so nice. The wines were all excellent, especially the Petite Verdot. The next time we're in town we will for sure have a picnic there and place some bocce. It's a fantastic place to visit. read more

Foley Johnson Winery - A little tasting from the tanks - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Rutherford, California

Even though we were popping in at closing time the ladies were nice enough to serve us anyway and I didn't feel rushed. My only problem was it's another winery that charges for tastings even if you purchase a bottle of wine. Don't get me wrong I liked the wine, but it wasn't cheap at $44 for a bottle of Meritage. The $6.90 + tax tasting fee should be waved even though it was a cheap fee for Napa Valley. We are working our way through all the wineries. Looking for the next club to join. We went here April 2009 but just getting to the review. read more

Yep, overrated and won't be back. Always on the hunt for great tucked away places and this was kinda one (tucked away that is). The wine was nice, but expensive for what they sell and there are so many better places to get just as good wine for $10 - $20 cheaper. Head over the hill to Sonoma or NW to Mendocino or even around the corner. What ruined it was that they still charged a tasting fee when we bought wine. Come on, too many great places to go, and this ain't one of them. I will be spreading the word in SF to avoid this place. read more

Went here last weekend and so wanted to like this place. The wines were very good but there are a lot of very good wines out there. I am writing this review totally on customer service or lack there of. I don't remember my pourers name but he was a larger gentleman and I am being nice calling him a gentleman. I thought he was very rude and condescending. I'm not sure customer service is his cup of tea. I really doubt I'll ever come back. read more

Very pleasant atmosphere, we were immediately greeted by the owner and cellarmaster Brad Warner. Thank you Brad if you read this site. We were on a more or less business trip and Brad and his wife made this stop a memorable one. Tastings were generous along with full descriptions of each wine along with a tour of his modest facility. We ended up purchasing a few bottles, but the most memorable one of them was the Meritage which was REALLY good. For the price you really cannot beat their quality and service. They were very professional along with a real genuine "labor of love" passion for their wines. God when I go back to LA I'm having beer to reverse all these wine-crazed headaches :( read more

I love this place!! The atmosphere is perfect. If you are wanting to taste while having a picnic this is your place. Never really crowded so the service is always on point. Jessica is very friendly. We decided to join the club here, which is really awesome because you can go to the other foley properties for free! Great value for great wine. Plus if you want to take some bottles home with you, it won't break the bank. read more

I had a great time !! I was able to visit Foley Johnson as part of my club membership within the Foley Family of wines on a beautiful Saturday. They were my last winery visit on a day of wine pickup parties. The grounds are very modern and beautiful, with tasting options both indoors and outdoors. They place is very nice and modern with lots of window views of the Valley and their vineyards. I was greet by Jessica who is simply amazing!! She was extremely personable and welcoming to me and my friends. She was very proud of their wines and was more than happy to describe the details for each. She spent time at our table and made everyone feel like we are welcome. This is not as common as you would hope in Napa Valley when some wineries treat you like a number. The Foley family of wineries have always delivered an extremely classy experience with Foley Johnson delivering ! Jessica was also very funny and knowledgeable about Napa Valley. She was joined by Mikayla, who was also extremely friendly and personable. As a team they are unbeatable and provide a very professional and classy face for Foley Johnson winery. I can't say enough positives. My group purchased some world-class wines from our experience and we most definitely plan on returning for more. The funny thing was that there was an enormous event taking place on the winery premises at the time and we never felt that were part of a crowd. The entire experience was custom-designed, personable, friendly and very much a positive. Thanks Jessica and Mikayla !!!! read more

We came across this winery by accident. It had a different feel to it than the others because it was small and more intimate. No pretensions made for it to be a more relaxed experience. Great conversations and jokes with the guy who served us. Oh...the wine is incredible! read more

Fantastic wine and great experience! They always go out of their way here to make it fun and interesting. I love their wines! Dog friendly and they help make additional suggestions for tasting. read more

Great tasting room and staff, good variety of good wines and one of the best wine clubs out there. We have visited several times and we are greeted by name. We usually leave with a case or more. We have attended several events as wine club members and they were very enjoyable. Foley family really goes out of their way to make a fun memorable experience. read more

Glad I came back. Exceptional staff, beyond friendly to our group (of 8). We stayed and bought several bottles. The wine is a fantastic value(solid sales) and tasty. If you're looking for tasting plus being with friends, this is the spot. Highly recommend. read more

My favorite of all the wineries I visited. The tour guide was awesome. Informative and entertaining. They had a lovely wine library where they did the tasting and even had cashmere blankets if you got too cool. I enjoyed the sauvignon blanc and their reserve wine. Is very intimate and not hugely popular. So just go. Put it on your list and dont take it off. read more

Overrated is right. I came here on a recommendation to see a specific person (Candace) who did seem nice. However, she was busy with other tasters, and we got the big ole Texan snob. Boy did she think she was special, though we left scratching our heads as to why. Admittedly we did not have an appointment, but given that we were the only other tasters there, we clearly weren't putting anyone out. For such mediocre wine, you would think they'd waive the tasting fee if you buy their swill. We only tasted about half the wines on the list because they just weren't that good. We still walked out with a couple bottles of wine, but that's because we had decided before realizing we were being charged for full tastings regardless. read more

Overrated. Our first stop of the day and what a disappointment it was. The women behind the bar were very sweet, but they declined to waive any tasting fees, even though Dawn bought a case or two of wine. We were a bachelorette party, for goodness' sake! I bought a bottle of the Sauvignon Blanc anyway, but I have to say I was let down that the purveyor of two-buck Chuck was not more reasonable. Will not be back. Three stars only b/c they make an SB that is not grapefruity, the way I like it. read more

With very good wine and friendly staff, Sawyer Cellars is a small family winery that produces small amounts of premium wine. It is located along Highway 29 in Rutherford and is part of the land where George Yount planted grapes over 160 years ago. The property was replanted in 1984 and purchased by the Sawyer family in 1994. The vineyard extends back to the Napa River and is planted mostly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, although they also grow some Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc. Total production is only 6,400 cases, and all of their wines are estate grown and bottled. They sell off about 40% of the grapes they grow. A tasting is $10. The tour and tasting is $25. Reservations are required but easily made. Candace was very friendly and informative. Our tasting began with the 2010 Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($32). It had a pleasant aroma with a dry, well-balanced, refreshing presentation and a nice finish. This was followed by the $39 2007 Estate Merlot that began with a very pronounced and pleasant cherry nose with bright cherry on the palate. This is bigger and more interesting than most Merlots. Only 625 cases were produced. Next was the 2007 Bradford Meritage ($46). This is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. It is aged for 24 months on French oak. I got a light nose with mostly blackberry on the palate and a little spice on the finish. It was quit nice. Our favorite of the current release wines was the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($49) that is 100% Cab and spent 24 months in French oak. It had a nice nose of blackberry with a touch of cedar followed by a cherry like palate that was well balanced with good, integrated tannins. The reliable Wine Enthusiast gave this 92 points. It was very good and extremely drinkable. We purchased several bottles. We also sampled some 2004 Estate Library Reserve that sells for $110. This was a big wine with a lot of complexity and bold but balanced tannins. I liked it better than my friend did but it probably would have opened up better with more air. We enjoyed all the wines that we sampled and enthusiastically recommend a visit to Sawyer Cellars. read more