Hidden gem. Mount Eden and Domaine Eden are pretty much sister wineries. You can taste wines from…read moreboth vineyards at both locations (ME is only open weekdays, DE only open weekends) We shared a chardonnay flight $40, pinot noir flight $45, and cabernet flight $65. Each consisted of 3 - 3 oz pours. The 3 flights covered all the wines they had available for tasting. Not a single bad wine and we liked most of them. Prices are on the higher end, but wines are high quality They allow outside food. Have both indoor and outdoor seating. Decent views. Service was excellent. Tasting by appointment only The drive there is no fun, literally on a dirt road hiking path for a mile or 2. Not enough room for 2 way traffic, but luckily we didn't encounter any other cars on the road going there or leaving. Worth checking out

We made reservations for Saturday 3:30pm and it was not busy at all. Only two other tables were…read moretaken outside. It seems like a pretty chill winery. They just opened last year so I guess not many people know about it. But the drive up is rough and winding. The one way dirt road is shared with hikers too. It is sister winery to Mount Eden. Mount Eden is only open weekdays while Domaine Eden is only open weekends. They serve both wineries' wines for tasting. They have 5 tasting flights varying from $30, $40, $45, $60, and $65. 3 wines per flight and they pour a good portion. We got to try 3 different flights to share. Mount Eden Estate , Chardonnay, and Cabernet flight. All the wines were pretty good. Fruit forward and bold. Our favorites were the first Chardonnay , Pinot noir Tanaka project , and Cab from Mount Eden library. I believe it was 3 bottles purchase to waive a tasting fee. Pricey wines. There was only one male staff. He was friendly and made sure we had enough shade when the umbrella shade moved. You can bring outside food. Nice Mountain View.

- They sell two dessert wines, and they are both my favorite of the wines they sell: a late-harvest…read moreMerlot called "Mane", and their port wine. Most of their wines have a light, acidic, astringent flavor that is typical of the Santa Cruz Mountains; it's not my fav style. - Go on the cave tour. Chris was our guide, and crammed lots of interesting info between sips. - They have a hiking trail! It's great. It takes about 1 hour to hike. It's a little over-grown, but with very sparse foliage.

Cute and cosy vinery tucked away in the Santa Cruz mountains. Went here on a rainy day and enjoyed…read morethe conversation with the wine-tender lady the most. Very good customer service, the staff was very warm and friendly. Wine tasting starts at $25 per flight + tips, and ends with the most magical Moscato. A good spot for a 1-2 stopover when visiting Santa Cruz. There are cave tours on Saturdays, and an option to become a member/ get a wine subscription. The vineyard sits on 8 acres of land, but the whole property is ~100 acres, with a lookout to the ocean, and multiple hikes starting from the property. A private dining experience inside the wine cave is also offered altho I am not sure of the price or value for money.

An absolutely beautiful winery tucked into the hills of Almaden, somewhere you wouldn't expect to…read morefind a vineyard. The outdoor tasting area is surrounded by vines and has a lovely view of the Almaden Reservoir. We came in on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed a tasting and the picnic we brought. The tasting consisted of 4 wines, though you could pay $5 more and taste the port as well. The pours weren't stingy and did give you enough to really enjoy each wine. More knowledge was shared about the bottles than the actual wines themselves, but we did have a menu we could follow along with. We tasted 2 whites, a rosé, and one red while we were there. I noticed all the syrah grapes while walking into the property, so I did ask for a taste of that since they had it open and was given a small splash. I enjoyed most of the wines we had, but thought they were a little pricey for whites/rosé. They're reservation only and you do have to prepay when making the reservation. Though tastings are $25, with tax and the already included tip, our tasting for 3 came out to $100. It seemed like there was a $5/pp included gratuity, which I thought was odd having to pay for in advance. One tasting is waived with a 3 bottle purchase. Not sure if I would come back for a tasting, but would definitely come back to picnic with a bottle of wine! The view is truly fantastic!

I loved the atmosphere and service. Very attentive. And not pushy. We just enjoyed a lovely…read moreafternoon sipping some fine wines overlooking the reservoir, fog over the hills and beautiful scenery of an backyard oasis. It was far from civilization but not really! A piece of tranquility. We loved the chairs, picnic tables, shades.. vineyards.. small reservations area so we felt so at peace with little crowds. Make a reservation as I'm not sure they take walk ins

As a former horse girl and present wine lover, this place was a perfect birthday activity spot. We…read morecame on a Sunday morning/afternoon with our two toddlers and well-behaved chihuahua for a pony ride + wine tasting. (Bonus points for being dog and toddler friendly) Our older toddler had a blast on her first real pony ride, even after taking a bit of a tumble when Max got spooked. The staff said this usually doesn't happen and were super apologetic. My baby girl was fine and took it like a champ. She still had lots of fun! On the wine tasting: Wines: Awesome! I ordered their white wine flight, the chardonnay and rose were standouts for me even though I tend to like sauvignon blanc profiled wine more. Service: Great too, the staff was attentive and friendly Snacks/food: Ok, so like other reviews have said...my only critique of the wine tasting experience was that the cheese, meats, crackers, olives arrived completely packaged with flimsy plastic utensils. I was expecting a cute charcuterie board; basically the "platter" presentation just saves me a trip to Whole Foods -- but if you bring your own food, they will banish you 5 feet away to the less comfortable bench tables. It seems like they don't have a kitchen license, which is the reason for the packaged food. That said, I think the provided olives could have at least been the pitted variety. Anyway, literal champagne problems Vibes: The wine tasting area was shaded, relaxing, and comes with a great view of all the pretty horses coming and going.

It's a vineyard overlooking a stable, with live cello music playing in the background…read more Vibe Check: The vineyard exudes rustic elegance, where rolling vines meet countryside charm. This boutique estate offers a refined, artisanal approach to winemaking. A special shoutout to the cellist, who made the entire experience both musical and beautiful. Crowd: Having a reservation definitely helps to get a table here. The vineyard was filled with large groups of people, most accompanied by family and friends, including us. Service: I arrived with my entire family, and we were able to secure a table right away since we had reservations. Although the vineyard was busy, the staff approached us promptly with menus and walked us through their offerings. The overall vibe was relaxed and approachable, less formal than a sommelier, which is perfect for a casual wine-tasting experience. The Sip: We chose the light flight, which included red, white, and rosé. The wines were well-balanced and thoughtfully crafted. Going into the tasting, I expected to prefer the rosé, as that's usually my favorite. However, the Pinot Noir surprised me the most because it was light and smooth, with subtle earthiness and soft tannins, which to me is a true classic Pinot Noir. Overall, it was a strong lineup with no weak points, but the Pinot Noir clearly stood out for me. The Pairing: We ordered crackers, cheese, fig spread, and roasted almonds, which paired perfectly with the wines. This vineyard also allows minors to accompany adults, which I really appreciated. We were joined by my six-year-old nephew, and it was great to see that they offer non-alcoholic beverages as well. He ordered a Sanpellegrino Limonata and proudly enjoyed his own "tasting," which was honestly adorable. The One Drawback: The smell from the horse stable. While the stable adds a unique opportunity to see beautiful horses up close, the smell can sometimes detract from the wine-tasting experience. Since tasting relies heavily on all olfactory senses, horse aroma wasn't exactly the afternote I was hoping for. The vineyard was quite a drive from our residence, but aside from the stable smell, it was a wonderful experience.

I feel so bad that I forgot to take pictures of this very cute spot! Ancora Vino is in San Jose's…read moreLittle Italy neighborhood. I just love this place! Hubs and I had gone the reopened, Japanese garden and Kelley Park on a Friday afternoon. We were looking for a little happy hour spot, so we decided to try Little Italy. When we arrived, we decided to give Ancora Vino a try. I've been here once before in the deep days of covid, so I wanted to see how they had fared. It seems to have flourished! We sat at the bar and had two glasses of wine. The server was knowledgeable and offered great insights into everything about the restaurant. They had great looking food, and pizzas. Their charcuterie boards looked enormous! They seem to be open most days for lunch and dinner. I definitely will return to eat some of that great looking food on another day. Thank you Ancora Vino, for a great happy hour!

Came here for a work event for a curated tasting! Host of the event was friendly and personable…read more Wines were very unique and tasty! They have a large selection. Definitely worth popping in to try something new!

Murrieta's Well exceeded every expectation, and the incredible staff made my best friend's surprise…read morebridal shower absolutely unforgettable. From the very beginning, Diane went above and beyond to help me plan this special day. She answered my many questions, worked through every accommodation with me, and made the entire booking process seamless. Her kindness, patience, and genuine enthusiasm made me feel like she was just as invested in the celebration as I was. By the end of the planning process, I had unofficially promoted her to honorary bridesmaid status. When we arrived, Valeria and Kayla were fantastic. They immediately jumped into "surprise mode," graciously playing along by checking us in at the host stand and escorting us to our table without giving anything away. Their teamwork helped keep the bride-to-be completely unsuspecting until she walked into a room full of family and friends. Valeria also accommodated my request to play a millennial throwback playlist, and every hit had us singing along--it was the perfect soundtrack for the afternoon. Our server, Skylar, was equally wonderful. She made excellent wine recommendations, was attentive without ever making us feel rushed, and truly made us feel at home. Even after our reserved time had ended, she warmly invited us to stay and continue enjoying ourselves. What was supposed to be a two-hour brunch turned into nearly four hours of laughter, wine, and celebrating, and we never once felt like we were inconveniencing anyone. The beautiful winery, delicious brunch, excellent wine, and stunning atmosphere were everything I had hoped for. But what truly made this experience exceptional was the people. Diane, Valeria, Kayla, Skylar, and the entire Murrieta's Well team created an experience that felt warm, personal, and genuinely special. Planning a surprise from start to finish can be stressful, but thanks to this incredible team, all I had to do was enjoy watching my best friend's reaction. Thank you for helping create memories we'll cherish for a lifetime. We can't wait to come back!

So I have very mixed feelings about this place. Some things are incredible. Some things are not…read moreso great. I am a member of the "Legends" club. So that to me means it's top of the line membership as indicated by their pricing and what we get. So I feel I should get top notch deals, pricing and service. Turns out, we get the same shaft as the lower club members. Starting with the good, the location is pristine. Nice area with lots of room for kids and adults to mingle and play. The wine is also pretty darn good. Of course there are some better than others but I enjoy most of their wine. The service is also for the most part very good. The waitstaff is very friendly and makes you feel welcome. Their food is also pretty darn good. It's not incredible, and a bit overpriced but it's fine enough. Their wine pricing is also fair (but of course with the highest membership we get the biggest discount). My biggest complaints would be the price gouging and lack of communication. We made arrangements on a Friday to show Sunday with 6 and asked for the "VIP space upgrade to lounge or upstairs Vista Patio Lounge (when available)". They said no problem. When we showed on Sunday they said it was closed with no notice. Just a sorry. OK whatever. We sit inside (6 people and 2 children) and they charge for 2 children a "non drinker" charge of $10 ($5 each). A head count charge for non-drinkers? For children? Total nonsense! I am spending over $1,200 a year here and you want to gouge me for someone's kids? Their tastings are $40 a pop which is really crazy. Our price is waived on this so that's fine but if you are not a member you are paying a lot for a little. The wines do take a bit of time to come and they don't give you a lot. Kind of a bummer waiting for the taste. We ended up with 4 appetizers (sliders $24, Charcuterie $25, Tater Tots $12 and Pretzel Bites with Grilled Sausage $16) 2 bottles of wine and $4.25 for water and the bill was over $250. Oh and top that off, with 6 people, they charge a mandatory 20% on the bill for a tip and are basing that with taxes (as the button default), not the actual sub-total so they are actually getting about 23%. All in all, I am not sure that the cost is worth what you get. I mean we are giving them a lot of money just to be members and then having to pay more and more for anything else that really should be included (like water and kids) makes this place just a bit too over-rated for me. Probably end my club membership in the fall and go someplace that doesn't place money first.

Became new members at the Pescadero location, so decided to drop by this tasting room on the way…read morehome. We ended up leaving with the Ananda Pinot Noir and a C3 Chardonnay that wasn't offered at the Pescadero location. They offer the same flight of 6 wines at both locations. My favorites are the Rose and Integrato Pinot Noir. Nobody was there when we arrived mid afternoon. After an hour, every table inside and out were filled. Katie did an impressive job catering to everyone on her own. We greatly appreciated her service, big kudos to her. This tasting room is connected to a shoe shop, so you could literally bring your glass over and shop while you sip. I liked the beautifully crafted hardwood tables inside, they really elevate the room and tasting experience, haha! I am not usually a Pinot Noir drinker, so if you're not either, I say don't be shy, give it a try!

Great wine, great atmosphere, great service, thank you Jen, and just all around great place.read more

Diana and I booked a tasting at the winery. On top of the ridge, we had the most spectacular views…read moreof Carmel Valley. We were fortunate enough to enjoy our tasting with Garrett, the wine maker and his wife Cassia. They both made the experience simply amazing. It was an intimate setting; with great conversations about their wine as well as the history behind their getting into the business. Of course, the wines were excellent. We would recommend a visit to their winery or their tasting rooms.

Lindsay was amazing attentive and gave a great presentation of the tasting and omg this wine a…read morelove!! thank you for creating a great experience for me!