So excited to see this winery back in business after a horrible fire many years ago. It was one of the first wineries i visited to wine taste at. Also happy they have their Slug gulch red an easy on the palate red blend they were known for. The tasting room is cozy but they also have a patio outside you can sit at. Tyler was very friendly and happy to serve us and give us discounts for Nevada day! Definitely on the rotation for our next visit! read more

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What a fun winery this is. Many years ago, we always went to Oakstone, then the devastating fire happened. So happy to visit again. The staff are so friendly and helpful to us. We visited on Nevada Day weekend, and there were very generous with us with club discounts. Also thrilled the Slug Gulch Red is back. Well come back for another visit next fall. read more

Oakstone Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Somerset, California

Camping in the area and checked out Oakstone Winery entirely based on the reviews and they did not lie. Fantastic selection of wines and very nice wines on the palette. To top it off, dog friendly and awesome customer service! I highly recommend a visit to this off the beaten path winery as it's totally worth it!! read more

This winery was recommend from the local B&B we were staying at. The wine here tasted amazing! Every wine we had was great. The back patio looked really nice and a great picture backdrop but it was way too hot when we came to really enjoy it. We will definitely be back! read more

Oakstone Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Somerset, California

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First time tasting here. Beautiful view, great wines and service. Looking forward to our next visit. Cheers! read more

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I love this little winery. Every one of their reds is delicious, and I love tasting out on their beautiful deck. Everyone there is very friendly and accommodating. We join there, one club several years ago, and I always look forward to opening a bottle. It's a nice drive from Stockton where we live, and I always look forward to visiting this hidden gem. read more

Great service, good wine and wonderful conversation with Adrian. What a great find! We will be back for sure.

What a hidden gem. Loved all of their reds! Very quaint and cozy tasting room. Amazing deck with views. It was way to hot to sit out there. I can't wait to come back and enjoy some wine on their deck. Do not pass this winery up! read more

I absolutely love the wine here! Not only is the wine great but the people who work here are really fun! The owner John is a kick and when we were there he did a mystery wine tasting where whoever guessed the wine correctly, won it. It's nice to be around people who obviously enjoy what they do and want you to enjoy yourself during your visit. Every single wine I tasted was great. The only wine I didn't care for was the mystery wine that wasn't even made there! If I could have afforded it, I would have brought home 2 of everything! I only managed to walk out with some sauces and a couple of bottles of the Slug Gulch Red which was very drinkable and would pair nicely with anything. The only white wine I tasted was the apple and it was quite nice. http://www.oakstone-winery.com/ read more

Oakstone Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Somerset, California

Sometimes I'm reluctant to give an exceptional review because everybody will swarm the place however, this winery deserves more stars than are available. We had a fantastic tasting facilitated by our knowledgeable host TYLER. Every wine we tasted was noteworthy and it was actually difficult to decide which ones to purchase. Do not bypass this small winery when visiting the Fair Play area! read more

This was my first job in 2003. I pressed the grapes after school and cleaned the tasting room during the week. Loved the place

I came here with my fiance on valentines day. Tyler was a fantastic host, it was great chatting with him about the different grape varietals popular in the Sierra Foothills. I learned quite a lot about alicante bouchet, a pretty rare varietal grown at Oakstone Winery. For anyone checking reviews, definitely give this place a visit on your next trip. The wine is fantastic and the view from their patio deck is absolutely stunning. We couldn't ask for anything more. read more

Anohter visit to Oakstone winery yesterday. We tasted and bought. That's what it's all about isn't it? The winery is owned and operated by Liz and Steve Ryan. We love that it's family run with great wines but small enough to have a good vibe about the place. It's fun being in this friendly atmosphere and learning about their wines. Steve is the winemaker and really knows his stuff. The view is drop dead gorgeous, too. We're recently quit a couple of the larger wineries to concentrate on smaller more intimate places. read more

Authentic, that was the word that went though my mind as we drove away from Oakstone Winery this past Sunday. It's a word that proves elusive to most wineries, but not at Oakstone. After spending 15 years in the wine industry managing the Direct to Consumer business of wineries in Napa/Sonoma, the thought of going wine tasting is not generally high on my list. I tend to focus on the experience first and wine second, that's not to say that I don't have high expectations for both. Oakstone Winery gets five stars for both. We have a friend who loves tasting wines in the foothills and not being familiar with the area we followed her lead. We stopped in a at couple of places before we got to Oakstone and the experience to that point was pretty pedestrian. It sure seems like food is a big draw here in the foothills, I counted three places that advertised food. I suppose that's a nice option, but it's really not what I'm looking for. It also seems the staff isn't as engaged or experienced as they should be when dealing with customers who have the potential not only to buy wine but also to become brand ambassadors. That all changed when we pulled into Oakstone. They were having an event where they were tasting what seemed to be their full lineup of wines in their barrel storage area along with a barrel tasting of their port style wine. It's a working area of the winery, but it was immaculate. From a wine-making perspective, good hygiene is mission critical. I imagine outside of the occasional event, customers can only enjoy this space from the view down from the tasting room. As we walk in we were handed our glass by a young man who I assume is related to the owners, big smile on his face, the great first impression that cost the winery nothing, but is so important when you are in the hospitality business. Liz greeted us with a big smile, (starting to see a trend here) and explained the event and setup and we headed over to the long tables to see what was on tap. It's wasn't overly crowded, as it was toward the end of the day so there was no shoulder to shoulder jostling, but l'm sure they get busy. The hosts behind the tables were knowledgeable and genuinely interested in us, explaining the wines and answering our questions, making us feel as though we were "part of the club" even through it was our first time there. Steve, who along with his wife Liz are the proprietors, was at the end of the table pouring wines and handling the barrel tasting of the Port style wine. Extremely gracious and generous with his time and knowledge, he capped off what turned out to be one of the best wine tasting experiences I have enjoyed in quite some time. In a word: Authentic. We look forward to returning to enjoy and purchase more wines and taking in the stunning view from the deck. Oh, the wines? While my tastes run to the old world, it's nice tasting Zinfandel that isn't: 1) a heat-seeking weapon of mass palate destruction or 2) a casket of oak, acid and meager fruit. The wines are rich and round with great depth and moderate alcohol. The 100 Anniversary 1916 Century blend is definitely one to seek out. Simply a stunning example of old vine Zinfandel from a winemaker who obviously understands this variety. Well done! read more

I was surprised just how many great little wineries are appearing in the Placerville area - and Oakstone is a favorite for the Mrs. and myself. How many tasting rooms do you know of where the owner / vintner is there pouring? It's an added bonus that lets you know he's not only interested in his passion, but interested in your enjoyment of his wines as well. John Smith is not only very happy to pour for you, but is just as willing to tell his wine's story to a seasoned oenophile or neophyte alike. He had a very special relationship with Robert Mondavi as an amateur winemaker. The vigor and determination to bottle only the finest he can has not left him in the ensuing years - thank goodness! read more

What another beautiful winery in el dorado. I'm beginning to love the wines in this area and I very much enjoy the since of friendliness these wineries exude. The charbono wine was my favorite. It was fun tasting all the different wines the had. And learning all about the winery and how they started the obscure label. Please go and check them out!! The views are great, the balcony is picturesque to taste on and Liz and Steve make you feel right at home! Thank you! I will be returning read more

Here is what I wrote in the summer of 2014 on Facebook: We dropped in on a whim today and loved every single wine on the tasting list. Each was distinct with plenty of complexity. We joined the wine club and went home with bottles of our top 3: Phoenix Rising Red, "Old Man Murrill" Zin and Petite Sirah red dessert wine. The staff and owners are wonderful and the view from the deck is spectacular. Now it is almost a year later, and this has become our favorite Amador/El Dorado winery. Liz and Steve are friendly, fun, knowledgeable about wine, and love what they do. We went from keeping a few bottles of their wines on hand at home to keeping a few cases. Each release of the Phoenix Rising Red is different, and yet complex and enjoyable. Their dessert wines are always incredible and the "Old Man Murrill" Zin continues to be a favorite. Oh, and they are producing Malbec, which I always love! Tip: If you taste something here and love it, buy more than you think you "need." You'll be sorry when you go back to get more and it's gone! Fans of Oakstone/Obscurity can snap up limited runs quickly! read more

Great place with affordable wine. Tasting is free and they taste about 20 different ones including some that aren't on the menu. John, one of the owners is pretty funny as well if you get a chance to say hello you should. They also serve some pretty awesome chipolte salsa. The only reason that I didn't give this a 5 is that there are a lot of other wineries in the area that offer comparable and better wines. However, for 9.95 check out their Slug #22 which is a blend of four grapes, it's very well done for the price. read more

Malbec port was scrumptious! I like this place. It's nestled on a beautiful piece of property. When you come here, bring a camera! read more

Our favorite place to wine taste, Steve and Liz are the best and their wine is amazing, good place to picnic while you taste and the kids can run around safely while you experience the best wine in the state. read more

Oakstone Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Somerset, California

Another awesome wine tasting room. There was a little party going on here with catered food for the holiday weekend. Again owners are super friendly as was everyone. They have a beautiful view of vineyards. They also have this cool sign your name board of visitors past. I did leave "my I was here" mark. Lol ! Good pours on tastings. Gotta have the Barbera which I purchased. read more

Oakstone Winery - Signing the I was here board if you will. Left my stamp. Cool to see past visitors places. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Somerset, California

What can I say, fantastic wine. A bonus was when we came out our tire was flat, the winemaker brought out an air tank to fill it up. Would that ever happen in Napa? I think not! This place rocks. read more

Every time I'm 100 miles near this place, I always stop in for a few bottles/boxes of superior wine. Even got a couple of crates of Meritage for the Ultimate Commitment Ceremony a couple of years' back. One can never go wrong here...even their table wine - Slug Gulch Red - is better than the average swill others serve. read more

How can you not stop at a winery on Slug Gulch road??? Hilarious!!! I was here for the 2011 Barrel Tasting and what a gem this spot was. Everyone was super sweet and patient explaining the weather affects on the grapes and how it changes the wine. I was in love with the Meritage here...very affordable and pleasant. Thank You Oakstone! Cant wait to be back! read more

Best wine in the entire state. Amazing views from the balcony. Steve and Liz are everything in the world you could want from wine makers/owners. Bring them a double IPA to see a happy smile. read more

Oakstone is a gem of a winery, producing simply outstanding reds from the higher elevations of Amador and Eldorado area. Not only are the wines high quality but the gentleman behind the bar shares his dry sense of humor when he doesn't think you are listening. Well worth the trip to taste some of the best California has to offer. read more

Full disclosure: we are wine club members. On our first visit, we had absolutely no intention of joining our 4th wine club. 3 was plenty, and we already had a membership in the Amador/Fair Play area. After tasting 6 or 7 wines and talking with Steve and Liz, the owners, I knew they had the best winery in the area, and there are some excellent wineries. We didn't sign up for their club that day, but we did come back to Oakstone on our next trip to the foothills... and signed up then! We couldn't help it! The wine was just too good not to buy, and if you're buying, why not buy at club prices?!? I would put Oakstone up against any of the Napa wineries I've tried any day, any time. Steve and Liz are just great people and gracious hosts. The wine is amazing. Rich, smooth, well-balanced, and perfect. We've been going back for several years now. It's not a fluke. Every vintage is very high quality. Steve really knows his winemaking stuff and it shows in the consistent quality of the wine. Oh, and the best part, they're such nice people! The exact opposite of wine snobs. If you're ever tasting in the Amador area, you gotta try Oakstone. I would suggest going there last. If you visit another winery after going to Oakstone, you'll just be disappointed. read more

The owners, Steve and Liz, always make us feel like old friends when we stop in. Beyond the atmosphere, Steve is one hell of a winemaker. We joined the wine club years ago and we always look forward to the club releases. The events they hold are a good time and we usually meet interesting folks. If you are in the Fairplay area, you should do yourself a favor and stop in at this little gem of a winery. You will be glad you did. read more

I'm a local and have been going there for decades. Unfortunately it has recently burned down...what a shame! I hear they will rebuild but will miss this place until they do. Great wines, great people and great location. read more