One of the prettiest estates I've ever seen. Got to tour in the caves and the tasting was in their library, which was incredible. The service was great and wines were very good. It was interesting learning about how sustainable their farming practices and operations are. read more

The wine is phenomenal, but unfortunately the host was extremely salesy and disrespectful (even noting that people pay $15k when they visit, implying we were cheap guests??) I loved the wine but please never go here - there are incredible places to visit in Sonoma! read more

Wow. It's not often you go somewhere the first time and immediately want to join their wine club! But, this wine was phenomenal, the ambassador/tour guide was fantastic, and the property and location was gorgeous. We'll be back! read more

Fantastic experience. Reservations required. Probably the best wines I've sampled in Sonoma. Beautiful atmosphere and magnificent views. More expensive than most tastings but you get what you pay for. read more

Hamel - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Truly some of the best food and wine we've ever had. From the drinks to the service to the atmosphere, perfect experience all around.

Excellent day at Hamel with the food and wine paring hosted by Dante. Brilliant cabs, beautiful caves and peaceful tasting room. 5-star tasting parings. Highly recommend. read more

Please be careful dealing with this winery! I canceled my reservation for October and after 2 months they have yet to refund my $645. I've wasted a lot of time on the phone and via email to no avail. read more

Incredible - we did the estate tour and Eric was amazing, so hospitable and knowledgeable. We came here for our honeymoon and they even had custom tasting menus printed! We experienced the utmost highest care in their dedication to guests. The grounds and views are outstanding and the wine was delicious as well, everything about our experience was amazing and we cannot recommend highly enough! read more

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Good wine, not the best. We only enjoyed a few of them which was a little disappointing. Our host was so awesome! We were the only group there so we weren't rushed. We loved the tasting library that's open to air. The water glasses to go were also a super cool touch! read more

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WOW!!!! Maybe I shouldn't write this review so that more people don't overcrowd this hidden gem! The unreal views don't even compare to the chef's creations for the food pairing (library experience) or the PHENOMENAL reds that matched with them. We became instant club members. Oh, and Eric was tremendous!!! He exudes Knowledge, integrity and tremendous caring for our experience - which is so hard to find! read more

When it comes to winery experiences in Sonoma County, Hamel Family Wines tops the list. They spare no expense, have amazing views, killer wines and a great food program to boot! Before I dig in I should note that this place is appointment only so make sure to call ahead or you won't be able to pass through the pearly gates. When you do reach the parking lot you're promptly greeted with a friendly smile from your host and mats outside your vehicle. Not sure why you need the mats but, it's a very nice touch. :) The wines are also great! I loved the sauvignon blanc, rosé and zinfandel. They also have some bdx blends that are pretty darn tasty. No shortage of great tastes. Do yourself a favor and give them a buzz, it's a truly unique experience. read more

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We had an appointment to taste. We showed up a bit early and the interior was empty. The woman in charge made us sit out front until our table was ready. It was so rude, the place was empty read more

Great property but okay wine and mediocre customer service. We signed up for their wine club after being impressed by the property. We made multiple attempts to go back to enjoy the space but they seemed to never be available on the dates we requested. Then when we asked what dates were available, they never replied and left us hanging. I would recommend going to enjoy the space but avoid at all cost signing up for a membership. read more

One of my dearest friends set up a wine pairing tasting for 8 of us ladies. We had an amazing time. Hamel has amazing views of Sonoma Valley and the folks who work here provide top notch service. Marty was our wine expert on the day we visited and he was incredibly knowledgable about the wines, vineyard etc. The food was amazing and the wine was incredible. We had the entire library area to ourselves and the setting was sophisticated, comfortable and welcoming. The chef was wonderful and the food paired perfectly with their wines. I'm definitely bringing my husband back here so he can try their wines. Their wines are delicious! Highly recommend. read more

Another Napa/Sonoma trip, another trip to Hamel. We made a reservation as club members for Monday afternoon for a group of five. After a tour of the vineyard, crush pad, and caves, we were treated to the Library for our tasting. We tasted the Rose, Sav. Blanc, Zinfandel, and Isthmus - and we treated to the Armor Plate Zin at our request. My prior reviews talk much more in depth about Hamel. The experience is one of a kind. You are treated to a one-on-one tasting with one of their ambassadors (no sharing a table with others or "bellying" up to a bar). Everyone is knowledgeable and friendly - and the winery is gorgeous (you will have plenty of instagram posting options). Oh yeh, some house made ricotta cheese with estate olive oil is awesome. We send almost everyone we meet to Hamel for a few reasons: They have a variety of offerings (whites, rose, reds) - my wife says that Hamel is the only winery that she loves each wine The winery is amazing - the architecture and view are phenomenal for sure The staff is top notch Be sure to check it out - especially if you're in Sonoma. Make sure to carve out a couple of hours for the tasting. Take your time and enjoy. Our 2017 Napa/Sonoma trip included Hamel Family Wines, Viader, Schramsberg, Neyers, and Lewis Cellars. Check out my reviews of the others for some comparisons. read more

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May be the most beautiful winery in Sonoma!! We did the food and wine pairing and the food may be the best pairing on our trip! It was so flavorful I could eaten a whole bowl of their lentil chili. Our host Eric was also the best!!!! He went above and beyond to ensure every detail was taken care off. He even offered me a glass of rose post our tastings as he knew I loves rose's and it is for their wine club members only. We sat in their library and looked out onto their gorgeous vineyard. We were given cute little glass water bottles to take home. Will be using it as a vase when I get home :) read more

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After visiting dozens of wineries in Napa and Sonoma over the years, Hamel Family Wines is the only wine club my wife and I have joined. If you care about the quality of your wines above all else, the reds here are first class. They're delicious and complex and taste like wines three or four times the price point. My personal favorites are the Armor Plate Zinfandel and the Hamel Family Ranch. Their ambassadors Eric and Zakk are also extremely down-to-earth. It's pretty common for wine ambassadors to give off a pretentious vibe (which always makes a tasting a bit awkward), but I've never felt that at Hamel. Finally, the property itself is amazing. The views when you look down into Sonoma Valley are breathtaking, and the smell of oak and wine when you first enter the cave is the stuff of dreams. I've already lost track of how many times I've visited Hamel Family Wines and look forward to coming back! read more

Interesting place - probably THE MOST amazing view along Rte 12 in Sonoma of any winery - incredible. The tasting is expensive (for me - $60) - but a nice tour of the property, amazing wine cave etc Our Host - Zack - was perfect - thx Zack! Their total case production is only about 5,000 cases which might explain the cost of the wines - a bit pricey but really really good. We had the 2015 Sav Blanc and the 2014 Sav Blanc Reserve (love this one). Then the 2014 Zinfandel and the 2013 Isthmus (loved this one too) and then we were treated to the 2012 Hamel Family Ranch blend. Zack first took us on a tour of the property and their very cool cave with this special "egg" used ferment one of their wines. The seated tasting also has an amazing house made creamed ricotta dizzled with their house made olive oil and salt harvested from our own sonoma coast - really really good. Everything about this place is "class" including our personalized tasting menus. It is a love place and highly recommended. read more

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We had so much fun here! Our group of six paid $60 to taste 5 wines and take a tour of the winery as well as try the grapes. Our guide was super patient as we took pictures and also took pictures of us. We spent about two hours here and would have spent even more time here if they weren't closing. They're also able to ship wine to you if you like something. We also got these super awesome glass reusable water bottles before we left which was a nice touch. read more

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Horrible customer service. They were unprepared & made it our fault. Rude & seem to not know that they are in a service industry. Sneaky with how they charged you & made you buy wine. Awful overall experience. Beautiful setting, but awful service. Do not go. read more

A warm and welcoming winery with great wine and beautiful scenery. We've been members for years and visit regularly.

I have yet to taste the wines, but if the beauty of this winery, along with the phenomenal views, is congruent with all of the awesome customer service we received yesterday on our small tour, then I cannot wait! I've been accustomed to going to busier wineries where everyone is packed into a small tasting room & it's definitely quantity over quality in the busier wineries. Hamel is definitely quality over quantity in that they schedule only exclusive, private wine tastings. I'm definitely looking forward to my next visit & to tasting their exclusive wine selection (8 read more

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Beautiful winery and it wasn't too crowded, we loved getting to walk around the grounds read more

Hamel - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Went here on a date very recently and my experience was outstanding. Pulled up to the gate for my 1pm appointment. Yes this place is appointment only but that only adds to your tasting experience once you are relaxing on the deck! I do wish the instructions were a bit larger and oriented so you can see them a bit easier as you are pulling up the gate and the speaker was a bit louder but those are only small side notes to what was an amazing tasting experience. Pulled into the parking lot and was greeted at the front door by Kirsten, our amazing and extremely knowledgeable hostess for the afternoon. We started straight off with an in-depth tour of their production facilities and caves with the story of the Hamel family and the winery which was very fun and my date thoroughly enjoyed as she had never been in a wine cave before. I don't want to ruin any of the experience but their caves have a couple nice additions that make them truly unique. We were lucky enough to be there on a nice day so we had our tasting set up and waiting for us outside on their gorgeous deck with a killer little view. After a bit more chatting about the growing region and the micro climates of the area we dove into our tasting which of course is the main attraction. The tasting came with some house made ricotta and crackers and we were offered a shaving of black truffles on top for an additional ten dollars which of course the correct response is hells yes! Well maybe something a bit more classy but you get the idea. Let me tell you the chef must have been in a good mood that day cause he let it rain truffles on that killer ricotta and it was great with all the wines. The wines were all outstanding, but i wont get too into that I will let you be your own detailed judge but well worth the cost of the visit. I even took a magnum of one of their tasty zins home. I do think their wine club benefits are a little off the mark for the price point, mainly in regards to the visits and only twice a year discounts on bottle purchases they offer for members but that's aside from my tasting experience so while I do think it's worth a mention, it does not take away from the tasting experience. My date and I both have already said we wish we were back on that deck sipping on those delicious wines, enjoying the view! Highly recommended and I will surly be back in the future. read more

Hamel is a wonderful wine experience right in Glen Ellen. First class service, wine and food. Hosts are always attentive without being pushy and it's nice not being mobbed by other people. I've always had a great time here and grateful that is such a wonderful local spot. It's expensive, but worth it for a special occasion. I love taking special guests here when visiting from out of town. Worth a trip for your special celebrations! read more

Without a doubt and hyperbole the best wine tasting experience I've ever had! First, the ambiance: first rate and very stylishly modern!! There are huge windows, massive and beautiful views on their vineyards and the valley, with a tasting area that is very sleek but refined. We also took a tour of their cellar and even that was an architectural wonder! Our wine guide or ambassador was Zakk and he was excellent!!! Not just very knowledgeable but very, very personable and down to earth with a nice balance of not hovering but also checking in if we had everything we needed. He mentioned he'd been in the industry for awhile and it showed in the best possible way. But wow, the star was the wine! We had the Collectors experience and frankly it was worth it. The pours were a good amount and enough to mix and pair with the items from the charcuterie board provided! The quality of the snacks/fare from the board and THE WINE were excellent and among the best I've had anywhere. Each wine was unique and flavorful and it was fun to pair it with what was served to us. If you have the opportunity to have the Pamelita 2015, it will absolutely blow your mind! While Hamel is on the pricey side, I think if you go in with that expectation that like with any higher end experience you're going to have to pay more, you will appreciate that the experience at Hamel is unique, beautiful, and worth every dollar. I would highly, highly recommend this winery! read more

This place was AMAZING. It was the first winery I've ever visited and now they all have to live up to it. We booked a tour and it ended up just being us and the tour estate ambassador Zakk. He was fantastic--super knowledgable, super funny, and super friendly. The place itself is gorgeous and concerned about sustainability, which is a huge plus for me. The architecture is beautiful and all the rooms are so tastefully designed. Every detail was thought out. We had a personalized little folder packet with information about the wine club and the wines we tasted and a cute little piece of badger paper. Oh, if you don't like badgers...you're out of luck. ;) OH! I should probably talk about the wine! WHICH WAS GREAT. The sauvignon blanc was so unique and delicious. The rest we tasted was all reds and ALL were amazing. Wine with a beautiful view and an attentive staff. I have food allergies/restrictions and they were accommodating of them. Their chef makes their own salt too! Literally takes a huge tub of ocean water and brings it in, boils it, and dehydrates etc. etc. until it's salt. It was delicious. Overall I just CANNOT say enough good things about this place. LOVE. read more

Hamel winery truly caters to their customers. Wonderful views, amazing wine, beautiful decor, the best of the best, and the staff was phenomenal. I had the pleasure of meeting Dawn and Nick who made the experience even better than it already was. I did the reserve experience , which included around 7 wine tastings and 4 well portioned meals, and a personal tour of the winery. Cannot wait to come back read more

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Hands down, the best tasting and experience we had in Sonoma on our trip. We visited about 20 different wineries and tasting rooms and this was our #1 pick. I'm really glad we saved this experience for the last day. It was a perfect ending to the trip. I'm sure if we had done this the first day, we would've been spoiled and expected much more from other places. First off, this is appointment only and you can't access the winery without telling them who you are first at the intercom, as the gate is closed to the public. You drive up the hill and the views are incredible! The building is beautiful and when you walk in, you feel as if you are in a 5 star resort. Micah, cheerfully greeted us and I'm so glad she was our hostess for the day. We sat down inside as it was a little too hot to sit outside. Our view was overlooking the vineyard with incredible views of the Sonoma mountains. The building has floor to ceiling windows with this amazing view. As our tasting began, I noticed the pours were way more than generous! I was a little worried as I didn't want to drink too much as this was only our second winery. Not to worry, Micah also brought out a delicious ricotta cheese plate with crackers that their chef makes in house topped with olive oil and salt he makes himself. I read some of the other reviews about the pours not being that good, but I can assure you that ours were very generous! The wines were fantastic! I was very impressed. We really enjoyed all of the red wines. The Zinfandels were all really good. The Isthmus was one of our favorites as was the reserves. We then took a tour of the property and the vineyard. This is a beautiful location and Micah did a fantastic job showing us around. We even had the chance to meet George Hamel who stopped to introduce himself. I thought this was very nice of him to do so and he was very humble and down to earth. We stayed at this property almost 3 hours. This was the longest we stayed any where. Micah was very east to talk to and she also wrote us a list of places to come back to visit. I would highly recommend her if you come for an appointment. We ended up buying a couple of bottles and contemplating on joining their wine club. At the moment we are trying to decide between Three Sticks, La Rochelle and Hamel. The attention to detail here is phenomenal! I noticed when I used the restroom, the toilet paper was folded in a triangle like how you see it in hotel rooms when you first check in. When I went back, it was like that again. When we left, they handed us two waters in milk glass bottles. We can now use these for future use. This was a very nice touch. Most places won't even give you plastic water bottles, let alone glass. To top it off, when we left to get in our car, they had put down rugs in the shape of their symbol the badger by the driver and passenger doors to wipe our feet before getting in. What?!! Such a great idea! Who though of that? Talk about making a really good impression! If you want a fantastic VIP experience then go to Hamel Wines. I hate to say it, as I don't word to get out about this little gem but it deserves a 5 star review! My recommendations for Sonoma for top wines and experiences are Hamel, Three Sticks and La Rochelle. This is out of the 20 places we visited and tasted at. Our worst experience was at Ty Caton. You can check out my other review on that. read more

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We did the reserve experience that had exceptional wines paired with truly unique and wonderfu food! We highly recommend this experience and Eric our sommelier was exceptional, fun, knowledgeable and made us feel like part of the Hamel family! We highly recommend this experience! read more

HFW has earned every one of their 5 stars. I came across this newer winery from the 7x7 magazine which played up the facility as an architect's dream but what should have been the focal point is the outstanding hospitality and customer service. If you're looking for a true wine tasting experience do not pass them up. It was definitely worth the $40 tasting fee! I really appreciate all of the attention to detail that the hosts and hostesses put into your visit and make you feel welcome. Although I was bummed they were sold out, my favorite was the 2012 Sauv Blanc-summer in a glass! Looking forward to our next visit and seeing them grow! read more

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This was the highlight of our Bachelorette trip in Napa! I've lived in Bay Area for over a decade, and this is the best winery I've been to. I'm not a big wine drinker, but I actually really liked how smooth their wines were. Not to mention the unbeatable ambience, amazing architecture (Doug Thornley is the Architect), and the breathtaking view. It's a little pricey, but oh trust me, it's worth it. read more

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Despite living in the Bay Area for a number of years, I somehow hadn't been to wine country yet and finally planned a last minute trip with my boyfriend during my birthday weekend. Napa was too expensive and booked to plan last minute, so we opted for Sonoma. I found Hamel on Yelp and made it my first stop of the day in Sonoma after making a reservation about two weeks ahead of time, and WOW - I can't recommend the experience there enough, especially for first-time wine country goers! Our wine expert Eric was there to greet us and offer water as soon as we entered the door, and immediately I noticed that the space is modern and absolutely beautiful. The boyfriend and I were very pleasantly surprised to learn that the tour of the winery and the wine cave that followed was completely private. While walking around the stunningly beautiful property and taking plenty of photos, we learned an incredible amount about wine, and Eric was happy to answer any questions we had along the way. After the tour, we went back into the main room for tasting the actual wine. They had pamphlets ready with all of the details of their wines and wine club, and a happy birthday note with my name was even printed on one of them - Such a great personal touch. We started with their Rose and were served some incredible ricotta cheese and crackers (both housemade!), which were incredibly addicting. That was followed by Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, and then a Cabernet Sauvignon blend, all with good amount pours and plenty of time between each glass to chat with Eric about each wine, chat just amongst ourselves, and just enjoy the beautiful view of the vineyards. The Zinfandel was particularly special for me because I couldn't recall ever enjoying Zinfandel before that glass, so we bought a bottle to bring home. For $60 a person, the whole experience was worth every penny for such a personalized and educational experience. I love that I walked away with my level of knowledge about wine & wine pairings having increased exponentially, and plus the ricotta and crackers were like crack. Would absolutely recommend! read more

Hamel is the best winery I have ever visited and I have visited a lot of wineries. First of all they are biodynamic and LEED gold certified. The grounds are stunning and laid out so that you can't see the road or hear the traffic from the tasting room. It is definitely by reservation only and if you can afford to, definitely do the Reserve Experience, which is a food pairing with their wines and a private tour of the caves - it was amazing! I could say more but you really need to experience it yourself. Fantastic. read more

Hamel - The caves - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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$60 for the estate tasting could not have been better spent. Sweeping views from the brand new, beautifully appointed tasting room and patio are both isolated from any sounds at all from the highway. What a getaway! The tour of the cave and production facility is fun. The staff were knowledgable, friendly, and highly professional. Oh - and they have goats and cows that love to be pet! And the wines... Delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed every single one. Hamel is the first wine club I've ever joined, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with next! read more

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Paid $100 for tasting six wines. The "chef's seasonal" contribution was one cracker and some fresh cheese. Wine was interesting and we would have bought a couple of bottles had we not been so put off by the whole experience. We live in Sonoma and have been to many wineries. We will not recommend this winery to anyone we know. read more

Hamel is what dreams are made of...seriously. You won't understand the beauty that is Hamel until you drive through the gates and catch your first glimpse of heaven (badger mats included, you'll know what I'm talking about post visit). This winery oozes sophistication and the wines are just as amazing. At first I feared that the staff might be pretentious because of just how picturesque and refined the place is but I was totally wrong and everyone was very friendly and attentive. I wasn't able to take a tour but the experience of sitting outside and enjoying the wonderful views, charcuterie board, and delicious wines was more than enough to rate my experience an A+. If I lived in San Francisco I would join their wine club in a heartbeat (although it's not inexpensive, it's definitely worth it). Hamel, I can't wait till we meet again. read more

Beautiful winery but horrible service. Snobby workers. Maybe they're all friends or never went anywhere else but treat ppl nicely when they are spending money there. hire new staff. I hope someone sees this review from there read more

So I thought this winery was going to be super pretentious and in your face uppity but I was so so wrong and I m so glad I was. Our host was AMAZING! We went on Halloween and he was dressed up and honestly we laughed so hard. Don't get me wrong this place is absolutely stunning the photos don't even come close to doing it justice and the wine is spectacular but it truly was the people that set it over the top for me. 100 stars wouldn't even be enough for this post, I truly enjoyed my time here so much and can't wait to come back! read more

Lovely experience at hamel family vineyards! Tour of the property with several course tasting and wine pairings was priceless. The vineyard was closed and they graciously toured us around and hosted our group. Caves were very unique. Thank you! read more

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