Loved this very small winery atmosphere. We were greeted by the owner/winemaker, Len, and treated…read moreto a tasting outdoors in a shady area with a communal picnic table. Most of the grapes are grown nearby and all of the wine was made by Len. This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience laced with philosophy and stories of the winemaker community in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Not to mention Bruno, the dog, who was eager to play and slightly demanding, but very sweet. Dessert wine (white port) was very unique. Portola holds Jazz concerts on Sunday evenings in the summer. I would recommend trying to buy tickets for these. Looks like a treat!

We come here every year for their jazz in the Grove series. It is such a great event. I highly…read morerecommend taking advantage of this. Where else can you grab a chair, sit out in the woods and listen to some jazz for an hour and a half while sipping wine?

I got a text from this winery re. some promotions that they were having and decided to take them up…read moreon the complimentary tasting. I have been to this winery before but it's been a while. The process of booking a time was flawless - response was immediate and the booking was made over text with a email reminder. I booked for a Sunday at 3:30pm, the tastings are 90 minutes and they close at 5pm. The drive is something else, it's beautiful but it is a long, slow drive up winding roads and I lost internet connection a couple of times on the drive but well worth it - the winery is on 360 acres, most of it undeveloped but you drive into the working portions. There is plenty of parking but some of it is far and the closest parking gets filled up quickly, especially on a beautiful day. I was told that it gets busy around 2pm so come before then to beat the crowd. I parked and checked in, you have to go inside to the tasting room to check in and pay. There is some seating outside and inside and also along the picturesque windows looking out into the vineyard. There is a private seating area, separate from the tasting room that is free to members or if you spend $500. The tastings themselves are $45 and they have 2 different flights. That is a bit expensive but not overly so. I picked the Pinot Noir and Chardonnary flight and they also have a darker red flight. You get 5 pours with each tasting. There were all women who were serving and they were GREAT - welcoming, friendly and helpful. I asked if they had any 2017 chardonnay left and the lady helping me made sure she checked and got me the answers to all my questions. The wines themselves are pretty pricey, the chardonnay's were $85. The Pinots are poured before the whites and when I asked about it, I was told that their chardonnays are acidic and pouring a red after makes the reds taste flat. All in all - a great visit. I would definitely recommend this winery and I will be going back!!

I love the drive to this winery - so beautiful! We are lucky to have such a gorgeous winery so…read moreclose to home. They are one of the few wineries that allow you to bring some cheese and crackers from outside and they have a small selection of things you can buy from them also. The servers give you just the right amount of time - you don't feel rushed or ignored. I enjoyed their Cab Franc and Apex wines.

Unbelievably excellent Pinot Noir. Quite Burgundian in style, offering a silky texture and…read moresurprising concentration of black rasberries. I loved the weight of the wine and how it was extracted with beautiful crushed cherry and black currents. Supple and juicy, with a restrained sweetness to the red fruit and spice flavors. The flavors do not cease as you drink it; but evolve in your palette as you go. Finishes fresh, with a dusting of tannins and good length. I was a bit sceptical at first as it is a young winery, however I will definately buy it again.

I am very happy to recommend Madsen in downtown Los Altos. The gallery is well curated by Amy with…read morea great selection of art and artists. I selected a perfect piece for my home. Thank you Amy you were a dream to work with.

Madsen Gallery has a fantastic range of contemporary art and the owner is helpful, without being…read morepushy. The exhibits change regularly, worth the time to see what's showing and the prices are competitive. Highly recommend!

Beautiful setting on a beautiful property. The wines were all top notch. The pizza, charcuterie,…read morecookies & brownies were also delicious!

I've been a regular at Haberdasher in downtown SJ because I appreciate a classy ambiance with a…read morehistoric 1920s speakeasy twist, so when I say that The Wine Room is a sophisticated elevation of that, take note. I would say it feels like a tavern for wealthy noblemen in 1800s England. Allow me to say where it fell short for me, and then I'll sing my praises. The wine... tasted like wine. I don't have a particularly refined palate when it comes to that. The charcuterie board was a collection of expensive items that I am personally not into: miniature pickles (too sour), meat pâté (bland), and what I think were pickled red peppers. There was no cheese, which was highly disappointing; however, if that style of charcuterie suits you, go for it. The music did not match the ambiance at all. They really should play piano or smooth jazz, because the 2010s pop was honestly annoying. DESPITE ALL OF THIS, the crowd was the real pull. Everyone was either on a first date or was an interesting adult. This makes for fun people-watching and stimulating conversations. People were very willing to walk up and talk to strangers. I saw many people doing so, I felt welcome to do so, and people approached me to converse. So even though the food wasn't great, and the music was horrible, I will return funnily enough because the decor and the people were worth it.

The Wine Room was a nice stop in the evening for a nightcap, with some bites from their menu and a…read morenice wine list. We stopped by before turning in, ordering the Fromage du Jour (a selection of domestic and imported cheeses), a Charcuterie plate (with thinly-sliced cured meats, pate de chevreuil, stoneground mustard, cornichon, and purple cabbage kraut), and the Marinated Olives. There is eating both in- and outside, but I recommend in dining al fresco to people watch. The place is small, but it gets busier, as it does open later in the day (4 PM to midnight)! Staff and the bar staff were friendly. +wine and cheeses +friendly staff +dine al fresco

This is an intimate wine shop with an interesting global selection and a knowledgeable team…read more There are a few seats inside, a decent size counter/bar, and a few outdoor tables as well. They have a wide selection of items on their tasting menu, and you can't go wrong with any of their coordinated flights. I appreciate that the team is not only knowledgeable, but there are also very friendly and down to earth. I stopped in a couple weeks ago and asked for a recommendation as I was preparing a ragu that evening. The bottle paired perfectly Most recently, I popped in to pick up a bottle to pair with a carbonara I was making that night. Once again, their recommendation was perfect. For those carbonara fans, that something extra that you see in my picture is actually sun-dried tomato ‍

This is a nice place. I'm zooming in the front but really nice inside knowledgeable staff good…read morewhite wines. I'd be careful with the reds unless you go with the elite class.. I tried the white sampler of champagne and other French white wines and they were superb. Don't be fooled by the tasting. They're actually about a third of a glass of wine quite a bit.

This is one of the few great wine stores that actually has an extensive collections of wines, and…read moreolder vintages that you will never get from Total Wine, BevMo, Draeger or even K&L! They also conduct Master Classes, inviting wine makers from all over the Old and New worlds. These classes are fun and they also pair food with the wines you will be tasting! If you have not been to Artisan, you should take a trip there to check it out!

Amazing wine store. Dont just go there to buy wine. Go there to talk to staff about what you would…read morelike. They know their stuff: not because they want you to buy wine, but because they LOVE wine. James and especially Christine are amazing sommeliers. And yes, prices are reasonable as well for their very, very wide selections.

The Stanford barn is one of the oldest structures on the Stanford University Campus…read more The Barn which was built in 1888 as a winery. Vast amount of grapes were planted on the farm, and according to the standards of the time produced a fine quality wine under the Palo Alto label. Leland Stanford was a big believer in the benefits of wine consumption. The building was built to last, and while the 1906 San Francisco earthquake damaged many building on campus, the Barn was untouched despite all the additional weight the wine imposed on the structure. With the inaction of Prohibition, the winery ceased operations and the surrounding land was used for conventional farming and cattle grazing.The barn was alternatively used by the carnation milk company and was also leased for the purposes of breeding purebred Troutmere. The barn continued to be used as a dairy for many years but gradually fell into disuse. With the encroachment of urban areas and the Stanford Shopping Center, it was considered for razing at one point. However, the Barn was someone restored and converted into sort of a mixed retail/restaurant/ office space. Present day there are several restaurants, and other small shops. The entire second levels are office space used by the medical school. It does have its own parking but its patrolled by private security who have that 'Mall cop" complex and can be quite aggressive even if you have business at the barn. There are no tours of the interior, but the you can walk around the extensive brick structure, and you can walk through the main part of it. There there few historical displays showing its history and allows easy access to the various shops and restaurants. Its not a destination in and of itself, but would be a fatntatic pairing with say the Cantor, or the Arizona cactus garden etc.