In their relaxed and friendly tasting room, smack dab in the middle of Grass Valley, we always try…read moreto stop by to indulge in their newest releases (like the 2022 Walker Ranch Barbera or Blondie's Blush- a Barbera rose'). Our "go to" wines are their Cab Franc - and Sauv Blanc. We are hooked. Their selections are interesting and varied and never disappoint. The knowledgeable pouring team is lead by the winemaker's wife, Anne, who graciously answers questions about all things wine, and will also offer great insight into local dining and entertainment. Considering we drive from Santa Rosa to buy their wonderful and affordable wines, speaks for itself.

Such a small pour but hey...let me buy a bottle. Chose the Zin…read more This tasting was so unorganized

A beautiful family owned winery! We arrived right at 11am on Saturday. It looks like you're pulling…read moreup to another house in the neighborhood, until you walk to the back. It was a beautiful day in March and we sat outside and enjoyed the sun and great tasting wine. The owner/wine maker and his family were kind and helpful. The wine was delicious! Highly recommend!

I had a lovely afternoon on my first visit to Montoliva. I was the guest of a member and was…read moregreeted warmly and made to feel at home from the moment we arrived. The staff are gracious and attentive and Mark is an engaging, if loquacious, host who is obviously passionate about wine and winemaking. The views alone are worth a visit. The wine is made from locally grown Italian grapes--but Mark will explain all that over a taste.

I would recommend the wine bar downtown for Lucchesi, not the actual winery which is literally in…read morethe mountains . The picture of this location is a tad deceiving but the view from up top was absolutely stunning ! I'm sure back then it was awesome but it needs some major renovations & some major cleaning. My husband suggested this winery which was our 1st time visit w/ family. I think we were all a bit taken back by the tasting room which was run down , the only organized room was the wine on the racks , the bathroom was dirty & eeeeek :/ & very cold ! Our wine host was not present when we arrived & we did have a reservation. I can't remember his name but he was genuinely nice but he came in from the vineyard & wasn't like your typical wine host you find in Napa, Plymouth or Livermore or Auburn/Newcastle, Paseo Robles . I will simply say that if you're a wine snob this is definitely not the place to venture too. Once again if you're a wine snob the wines will probably not be appealing to your palate. The wines are decent, we did purchase a sparkling which was the best out of all the ones we tasted. I don't like sparkling wines & this one was fairly decent. Remember your 1st impression is also your last impression upon entering the impression has been made & your mind has already been made up ! I didn't take picture of the inside, Please visit the wine bar not the actual vineyard .

5 stars to the young lady serving us. She was personable and very informative…read more I just felt bad...Cuz the wine was... not great. Which makes me sad and such because Amador/Jackson is nearby and they are an old favorite Zin haunt for me... I mean well over a decade now. Anyway, the wine is... Not to my taste. Just.... No depth, no big CA kick, just... just what it is. Which isn't super great. I really wanted to like it. I mean you got some pool time drinking wine. But nothing to pour and curl up with. Nothing to to serve and romance with. Sigh. Tasting room was nice and had some live music. Instrumental type, background goodness. Nice staff. I actually feel bad because the wine was just truly not as it should be. Cost was ok for a taste and an experience.

My wife and I stopped in on a late Friday afternoon and the place was empty. The tasting room,…read morewhich is located in downtown Grass Valley, is very small and simple, but inviting. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly and offered some suggestions on places to eat in and around town. Then, there was the wine.....which did nothing for either of us. Its not bad, it is just not what we like or appreciate. The majority of what they pour are blends of unusual and uncommon grape varietals, so its hard to compare or judge the wines to others in the region. The tasting fee is $10 a person for five samples, however, from the list of wines you have to choose from, there were many unavailable because they were sold out. That situation left us feeling like we only got to taste what nobody else wanted. Overall it was just "OK", but we probably won't return.

Lovely wine tasting experience! The hostess was very welcoming and informative. The wines had some…read moreunusual varieties and very tasty. We especially enjoyed the Cristallo, apparently from an ancient Greek grape variety, and the Montepulciano, an Italian red wine variety.

We dropped in on a Wednesday night to pick up our Wine Club selections and have some wine prior to…read moreour dinner at The Owl restaurant that is almost next door. The owner, Linda , as usual, was very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our white and red wines. The ambience is wine country with exposed brick walls and sometimes local artists artwork on display/ for sale. This particular night had a Tango Dance class in full swing so we were entertained too. Checkout the web site for weekend entertainment. Parking is in the public lot to the rear of the tasting room.

Great wines and staff. Linda and Brooke are fantastics hosts and very attentive. I personally find…read moreLucchesi wines to be the best in the Sierras. I haven't been to the winery / vineyard, but since it doubles as a wedding venue on View Forever Lane I can only imagine the setting and hope to see it soon. Oh, and they support local musicians on weekends with no cover charge.

Bob is amazing! I hate to write this review because I want this place to myself. Bob's palette…read moreis spot on and he makes wines he wants to drink. If you want wonderful, unique wines, where everyone is great in the bunch, then come here. But don't, cause he has limited supplies. So stay away!

Sign on the street says welcome...the host however was not welcoming at all. Winery owner was at a…read morelarge table doing a tasting for another group. We sat down and were completely ignored for over 10 minutes. Didn't even have the decency to look at us or let us know that he apparently was stopping tastings that day. Another person visiting informed me. Unbelievably rude.

Shopping for another wine club... Love supporting the…read morelocals. Quality/Quantity - What a great find. I am a red drinker, you would know if you are following. I liked all three of their available reds; all of which had a fruity sweet flavor. Even the port was light and sweet; it did not have a strong alcohol taste. Atmosphere - Beautiful views!! And you can see as far as Tahoe. 13.5 miles off of 80, and you have to drive through some "back roads;" not an easy place to find. Good thing for 4-wheel drive and GPS. One of the few wineries in this area that is open 7 days a week from noon to 5pm; Thank you! Plenty of parking. You can also bring your own picnic baskets. :) It is so nice that you also host weddings here - 8 just last year! Service - Linda Clough (founder) is amazing. As we did not know our schedule today, we did not make an appointment, but I wanted to drive and check out the winery anyway. They let us in with no problems. :) The friendly employee greeted us as we entered the gate and called Linda to meet us at the tasting room. What service! Linda gave us a tasting, then suggested we get a glass while touring the vineyard. Then we relaxed on the patio overlooking the vineyards towards Lake Tahoe. What a great place to take a break from our road trips. We talked about our kids and that they both lived in Southern CA; I will be in Santa Monica in April, so hope to run into you there. :) Oh, and there is a friendly family dog who ended up joining us on the patio. Price - See pictures of the menu. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2000, I am sure we will see each other again.

Great service and incredible view to enjoy your glass. Sparklings were sweet but good. Bought a…read morebottle of Chardonnay

Avanguardia was that rare experience when visiting a smaller wine region where you not only enjoy a…read morerelaxing afternoon with countryside views but the wines themselves are amazing and creative even for serious wine lovers and collectors. The winemaker-owner himself hosted us and had great stories to tell about the rare Italian varietals he works with plus wines including hybrid varieties from UC Davis' wine program. Other red blends combined better known Italian varietals like Barbera, Dolcetto and Montepuliciano with small amounts of those lesser known grapes. From Grass Valley drive in from Main Street and scenic Newton Road (rather than the unmaintained, high clearance gravel road that connects to Highway 49 on Google Maps). Or you can also enjoy their wines at a tasting room right on Mill Street pedestrian area in Grass Valley itself. As a wine lover myself I can't recommend them enough!

Love everything about this winery. Owner Rob Chrisman gave us some excellent tutelage on the…read morevarietal wines they offer. We tried 10 different wines-including white, red and sparkling-they were all excellent. Highly recommend visiting this winery-completely unique experience and wines in the area!

What a great find . Was visiting town and happened upon this little gem. Server was amazing…read more----full of information. . And I opted for a flight ----very good and reasonable at $20. But better yet ...free if buying two or more bottles . So I did! She seated me outside and lit the table top fire . It was a delightful time. I'll be back.

Beautiful drive over to Nevada City, California today for some wine tasting and browsing around the…read moretown. Very quaint and friendly people here. Our tasting was made special by Paula, pours were generous, charcuterie board enough for the three of us, Wines were excellent! Indoors or outdoors seating available, Loved the heating at the table, just a little chill in the air, beautiful setting. Bought some gifts and wine and look forward to our next trip back!

Such a fun wine tasting venue! I've only come in the winter for the mulled wine, but love the…read moreenvironment and the employees! It's always busy when I come so be prepared to wait a few min for a seat at the bar.

We went in today just to escape the rain. We settled in and started chatting with a "regular" and…read morehis wife. Everything was fine until he made a comment asking whether I cover my lesbian partner in olive oil or coconut oil. The owner heard it and said nothing. I hope they lose business over this. $60 for four small glasses of wine--and a side of homophobia.