Likely a beautiful winery, extremely disappointing experience We chose Thomas Fogarty Winery as part of a special 70th birthday celebration and were really looking forward to enjoying the property and views that the winery is known for. Unfortunately, when we arrived we learned that the property had been rented out for a private event. We were never informed of the full buyout when we made our reservation. As a result, instead of being able to enjoy the grounds, we were seated in the front area next to the parking lot and essentially excluded from the part of the property that was a major reason we chose Thomas Fogarty in the first place. I completely understand hosting private events. What I don't understand is continuing to accept tasting reservations without clearly telling guests in advance that their experience will be significantly restricted. Had we been told, we simply would have chosen another winery for such an important occasion. The wine wasn't the issue. The problem was paying for and planning around a Thomas Fogarty winery experience and then arriving to discover that the experience we reasonably expected wasn't available and the service staff was rude and dismissive. For a normal afternoon this would have been disappointing. For a milestone 70th birthday that we specifically planned in advance, it was extremely frustrating. If the property is substantially unavailable because of a private buyout, customers holding tasting reservations deserve to know before they arrive. read more

I can't recommend Thomas Fogarty Winery enough! My husband and I held the kick-off event for our daughter's graduation weekend there. Booking for our 13-person wine tasting party was easy over the phone. All of my questions were answered to my satisfaction, including about the level of difficulty of the walking tour we could add to the reservation. When we arrived, the views from atop the hill were breathtaking! The property is gorgeous! We had an indoor or outdoor seating option, based on the weather. We luckily had a spectacular, sunny day, so the outdoor patio was quickly set up for us. Our hostess, Jodi, was wonderful! She was very accommodating and knowledgeable about the history of the winery. She shared informative and entertaining stories about the founder, his family, and about day to day operations. We had a wonderful, festive time! The wines we tasted, and ordered glasses of, were delicious! A more robust snack game would have been welcomed, but the charcuterie and cracker packs were just enough to keep the alcohol from going too much to our heads. I would definitely go back to the Thomas Fogarty winery when I'm in the area again! read more

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I got a text from this winery re. some promotions that they were having and decided to take them up on 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!! read more

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I love the drive to this winery - so beautiful! We are lucky to have such a gorgeous winery so close 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. read more

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Great wine, great staff! I've been here a couple of times and I'm glad they moved to the other room with the view!

Thomas Fogarty has always been a gem in the Santa Cruz mountains. The tasting room staff is always friendly and the wine is spectacular. The view of the bay is to die for. The drive can be a bit trickery, but me being a local boy is not a hassle at all. Worth coming back for a splash or a library tasting. The Lexington label is my favorite at this time, but I am a sucker for good Pinot noir. read more

We came here for an afternoon wine tasting on the patio. The drive up the mountain was a bit nerve wracking but worth it. We arrived a bit early for our reservation and the hostess was able to find us a place to sit which was very nice. A flight is $45 and comes with 5 preselected wines, and you can choose between two menus. We were also given a complimentary tasting of the rosé since the bottle was open, which was not originally on the tasting menu. We enjoyed the wines on the Fogarty menu, although we both prefer white wines so the three reds were a little too heavy for us (but probably tasty for those who like reds). We enjoyed the two chardonnays, but didn't wind up purchasing anything. Sitting on the patio was really nice, although sad we didn't get to look out over the city as the view was only visible from the other side of the property. We wandered around after our tasting and were able to enjoy the views, and they did not disappoint! This seems like a beautiful place to have a (small to medium sized) wedding. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

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Only giving Thomas Fogarty Winery two stars because the wine is good. My husband and I went wine tasting here a few months ago and decided to sign up for the membership. The tasting room was lovely and the staff was very friendly. About a month later I filled out a tock request form for their "Off-Road Vineyard Excursion (Request)" on June 25th. According to the details they respond to the request within 48 hours. Since it was a Saturday when I submitted the request I gave extra time for a response. A week later zero response whatsoever....other than the generic "we received your request email". A week and one day after submitting the request we went to the Summer Cookout event. Food was standard bbq (burgers/hotdogs) and wine tasting. During the event I spoke to 4 different people about the excursion request and received multiple answers from "We will find you an let you know by the end of the event (didn't happen)" to "Oh the tock system doesn't always work and we probably didn't get the request" (note they didn't even verify if they got the actual request or not). Another response was "Oh we are super busy that weekend because it's a holiday weekend (September 5th)" ...not an excuse you have a calendar and it takes a few minutes to see if you have availability or not. Another response was "we have all you information and we will let you know in another 48 hours". That was Sunday afternoon (August 2nd). I waited 48 hours and by Tuesday afternoon at 4:30pm (they close at 5 pm) I heard absolutely nothing from them. So I went online and cancelled the excursion request and our membership. I will not support a business with clearly bad business practices and poor customer service. This is a low margin business and this disorganization doesn't bode well for long term value. As a result we will no longer patronize anything from Fogarty Winery and we ensure our friends, families, and colleagues have all been informed to stay away and pursue other small local wineries in the area. We were thinking of having my husband's 50th bday party here; however, after they couldn't even coordinate/respond to a small 4 people winery tour (listed and booked via their website) there was no way I would entrust them to respond to a large event. BTW it's Saturday August 8th and I never heard from Fogarty Winery in any capacity whatsoever. read more

Thomas Fogarty's winery was very peaceful. Once inside the tasting room, I noticed that they had some delicious crackers in their jar. Also, the view of Portola Valley was very scenic, and out there was a nice close-up of Palo Alto and Menlo Park together, with a bit of Redwood City to be seen. Beautiful place to visit. read more

The service was amazing. She had great knowledge about the wine and where the grapes came from and the history of the grapes collected that year. They do allow people to bring their own food and dogs are welcome. They don't have food such as a charcuterie board etc. for purchase (but she did mention that they may have it sometime in the future). The place is beautiful with a great view and several great hikes nearby. I do wish they have a wine and food pairing event for members. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Wine Tasting Flight - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

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*Note* Review is strictly for attending a wedding here As a wedding venue, it's not too shabby. It's definitely hard to get to as many have already mentioned. It's not for the weak stomach as it has a myriad of twists turns and well not so great after drinking a bunch of wine and heading home. Parking is a little tricky as there's some spots near the tasting area but for the wedding venue you should continue further. There's a small lot that's closest to the area where we had the ceremony and a larger lot a little further down closer afterwards if you have your reception in the main building. Anyhoo, we started outside for the ceremony which overlooked the vineyard, which was pretty and quaint. Afterwards we went down to the wooden deck for small bites and drinks. They had a few wines which for someone who doesn't really drink wine and thinks sweet wines are the best, I'm not the best person to ask if the wines were good. Now if you're asking if I liked any? I didn't. They all tasted a bit too acidic to me. Now the fruit punch was delicious. We had the main dinner inside the "house" where it was nice that they kept the windows open for ventilation. There are two single toilets on either side of the dance area. But just hope your guests are clean as it can get a bit messy in there if folks are not. Either way, if it does get late into the night, the sky is GORGEOUS when there's no clouds. You see so many stars. As someone who loves stars it's night and day from down where we live and here which was basically darkness so you could see all the tinier ones that you typically don't see when you're closer to a city with lights. Now the only gripe I had with this place was that the gate did not open when we were trying to leave. It was shut. We had no idea how to open it. No one was there to help out. So there were a couple of us who tried to figure out if there was a sensor. And we still don't know what triggered it but the second time round when it opened, we quickly ran into the cars and jetted out before the doors shut again. I have no idea how the others made it out but it would've been nice to have some kind of lighting or some kind of instructions on how to leave because it was late and we all just wanted to go home. Also make note, that the gates swing in so be careful how close you get to the gate. Otherwise, it was a nice venue. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - View - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

Extremely Disappointing Experience - Poor Management and Service I've visited many wineries in both the U.S. and France, and unfortunately, Thomas Fogarty ranks as one of the worst experiences We drove 40 minutes after seeing "casual walk-in mini flight" on their website, only to wait 20 minutes before being told they couldn't accommodate us -- even with open tables. Only two staff were serving both inside and out, clearly short-handed and poorly managed. The lack of communication and respect ruined what should've been a relaxing afternoon. Wines are also overpriced for the quality. Definitely not worth the trip. read more

I had been wanting to come here for a while but had been postponing it since it's pretty far into the woods and the roads are so windy. I'm glad we finally made the trek though, as the wines were spectacular. When we arrived, we were a little disappointed because the tasting area is by a road, and you can't see much at all since it's at the base of the vineyards. If anything there was a better view at the parking lot since you can actually see the fields of vineyards from there. There weren't those magnificent sweeping views that you see in the pictures. Apparently there was a wedding so we couldn't even peak at the view. There's a member's only tasting patio where you are next to and can actually see the vineyards. There is also an indoor standing only tasting area where you do at least have a view of the Bay. Our tasting flight and server more than made up for our disappointment though! There were two flights to choose from- both with reds and whites, and both $35 for 5 drinks. I liked that one menu had lighter reds like pinot noirs, and the other menu had bolder, heavier reds. Our server also gave us an extra pour to try. We liked every single pour we got which was a problem since the average bottle price on the tasting menu was $70 Tasting fee is waived with $100 dollar purchase. read more

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3.5 We had a special "Library Tasting" in the Redwood Room. Thank goodness we did because of all the other complaints of being in the main room near the parking lot. I thought the wine pouring was a good portion. Excellent views to sit back and relax, liked that we weren't rushed. However for a place that takes pride in wines, they had a mediocre cheese and fruit plate. They only had white cheddar and grapes. It was placed on a paper boat. The cheese would be left all day so some of them were getting stale. No effort for any pairings. No toothpicks or forks. The woman pouring was nice explaining the wines and even remembered us by keeping track of how many we've had. I'm not really into red wine (I do like the Apex) but came for the view and luxury experience. It was an okay place. read more

Very disappointing experience. There were no signs saying they were at capacity, and we saw empty tables. A staff member welcomed us and said they'd take care of us, but another abruptly turned us away when she heard we didn't have a reservation. The attitude felt rude and dismissive, and the interaction came across as discriminatory. Poor customer service--we won't be back. read more

I wish the wine was as great as the view. They now offer two different tastings at 35 pp, a flight full with reds and another with a mix of reds and two Chardonnays. Their wine is super expensive 65-100 per bottle and I just feel like the price is hard to justify, even coming from someone who is a regular at Napa. Even their splash of apex wasn't that amazing to me, and I usually like blends more heavy on merlot. The upside: the staff are so nice!! Some of the most welcoming people I have met at a vineyard. They let you bring snacks and eat outside. The amazing view! (Go on a clear day, because the drive up will is a bit stressful and a lot of blind sharp corners if you're coming from the north). You don't do your tastings near the view, but they let you walked towards the area where weddings and events are held if there isn't a party going on. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

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Thomas Fogarty Winery is one of the best wedding venues in the Silicon Valley. Especially at dusk, you can enjoy the dreamy view of the South Bay from the high platform of the winery. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Thomas Fogarty Winery - A picturesque winery hidden in the West Hills of Silicon Valley. - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

Disclaimer: This review is based on visiting the establishment as a wedding venue only, and not as a winery. I had some of their wines, but not their wine tasting. Came here for my cousin's wedding. I couldn't believe how difficult it was to drive up there, but good thing my cousin arranged buses for us. I'm just glad I didn't have to drive. The winery was tucked away, but had an absolutely gorgeous view. Due to COVID times, we were outdoors most of the time including dinner. The weather was almost perfect even as it cooled down during the evening, it was still not too cold. Only got to taste their Pinot Noir, which was easy to drink and good enough for me. Looking on their website, a bottle of Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noir costs $38. Not too shabby. The dance floor indoor was a bit small that maybe only 20-30 people could all dance at the same time, but other than the small space, the design was fine. Given its facilities, spectacular views, and nice weather, this place was great for a wedding. I had a wonderful time. read more

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Went with two friends for a beautiful Saturday afternoon tasting on their patio. Beautiful estate, very knowledgeable and friendly waitress, and delicious Pinot Noirs. Will definitely visit again! read more

The wines were pretty decent we enjoyed almost all of them. However, the service was kind of slowwwww. What was supposed to be a 1.5 hour tasting turned into us being there for 3 hours just due to slow service. Definitely wasn't expecting the patio set up. It's a small patio with maybe 15 tables? Just a view of a roadway and part of one vineyard . Nothing to write home about as you had to walk around the property to see the beautiful views of the peninsula . read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

If you're coming here for a memorable wine tasting experience, I recommend going elsewhere. We arrived and were *very* shocked to discover that the great view that they claim to boast was inaccessible due to a wedding happening at the winery. However, this was more or less a non-factor because after reading other reviews, I now realize that they conduct nearly all of their wine tastings in the same parking lot that we found ourselves in. The lack of a view coupled with the service is what contributes to my rating. When we visited, they were understaffed and we had to wait longer than we'd liked to be serviced in between each tasting option. I mean the type of waiting that prompted my friend to track down our server more than once. The wine was fine but when I think of wine tasting, I think of the experience. While we were empathetic and patient, I really expected more from the service and the view. To say my experience was underwhelming would be a massive understatement. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Lexington Tasting Flight menu ($35) - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

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My home base for Santa Cruz mountain wineries. Took the tour and tasting and became hooked. The winery sits on a beautiful and well maintained property with a fantastic view of the bay area. Reservations must be made at this time still but it's easily done through the tock app. As far as the wine it is made in more of an old world style - balanced and more delicate on the palate. It's a great place for people getting into wine and long time drinkers alike. read more

We chose to visit Thomas Fogarty based on the Yelp photos that showed a beautiful outdoor patio area with nice views and thought it would be a lovely place to hang out in the afternoon since we were in the area. We were able to make a same day reservation and we arrived a bit early, but were still seated. To our disappointment, everyone was seated near the entrance of the winery that was facing the parking lot with no view. The tasting area looked nothing like what is shown on Yelp - perhaps the outdoor patio with the view is reserved for large events but it seems like such a waste to not allow the public/regular visitors to enjoy the space. We opted for the wine tasting ($35pp) and although the service was great, the pours were VERY light and uneven - my friend who got the pour first always got more than me! I'm aware that it isn't wine country but the pours were so small, it was literally just a small sip. None of the wines really wow'd me and given the fact that there was no view to enjoy, we quickly finished our tasting and left. Sadly, this winery is a pass for me. read more

A true gem in the bay area. If you are a chardonnay or pinot noir lover, this is the place for you. Thomas Fogarty Winery boasts gorgeous views, premium wines and an impressive history. I love their wine because they are honestly producing (in my opinion) some of the best versions of each varietal they specialize in. I'm usually not a Chardonnay drinker because I'm not a huge fan of the typical over-oaked ones that are being produced in California, but they make a really well balanced Chardonnay that has a crisp acidity with subtle oak that is very pleasant to drink. Their Pinot Noirs are excellent. They come at a higher price tag, but once you taste them you understand why. They have a wide range of Pinot Noirs so it's fun to try them as a flight to really understand the differences between the different Pinots they produce. If you're looking for something unique, they also have a dry Gewürztraminer and an orange wine (super cool and funky) that are very good as well. Lastly, I had the pleasure of attending a wedding here a few years back and it was SO gorgeous. The views are incredible. 100% worth a visit! Such a great spot. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Views of the vines - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

This is a good stop on the wine trail. We came on a Wednesday. Just so you know, most of the wineries in the area are closed on Wednesdays. But the ones that are closed, all recommended this place. We loved the rosé of Pinot and Alma Gist Ranch Estate. read more

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An amazing place!! I have been here twice and the experience was great. Quite a winding drive up, but the location and views are worth it. The staff were very polite and accommodating. The wine tasted really good. The owner is also very friendly and dropped by for a quick "checking-in" chat. Will definitely come back with friends. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - View from the deck - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

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It was an amazing experience at Thomas Fogarty winery. The service was immaculate and the view was gorgeous even from in the tasting room. I recommend taking a little stroll after a few glasses and going to see the views outside! Can't go wrong with a 5 wine flight they have a plethora of good wines. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Beautiful view, they let us take our drinks outside and go on a little stroll - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

We had our wedding here this past weekend and had an amazing time! This was the second (and last) venue we visited in our search and we knew at once it was perfect for us. The location is so beautiful, really a hidden bay area gem! (As other reviewers mention, it is a bit of an intense drive to get here, but so worth it! We had shuttles so guests wouldn't have to deal with the stress of getting up and down the mountain). The venue provided some great vendor recommendations, is dog friendly and offered nice flexibility for us to add our own personal touches while still maintaining structure to ensure a successful event. Big props to Kaitlin who was with us every step of the way. We really appreciated her professionalism throughout the process! We're looking forward to coming back and reliving our wedding day paired with some yummy wine! read more

I'm shocked by some of the lower reviews on here for service- we had the best time visiting and while part of that was for the wine itself, our servers made the experience. We came in last minute and they were able to fit us in for a tasting- my husband and I each tried a different flight experience and we enjoyed it so much that we ended up becoming members! Ryan was our server and he is awesome- he brought so much personality and knowledge to our tasting and we cannot wait to come back and bring our friends! read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Tasting - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

Okay, so Google maps took me on a long detour but I finally found it!!! TBH, you'll need at least a 2.5L car engine to climb up some steep parts. Just a note: if you see Alice's Restaurant and the Trading Post, you are about 4 more miles away! Parking: really spacious! Or maybe we got lucky... +1 Beautiful and quaint winery. -1 Tasting room is pretty small/old/musty, but +1 prices are really reasonable. $19 minimum, $25 max. 3 different sets, see photos attached! +/-1 Service was hit or miss. Our wine guy looked like he was having some intense stomach pain... +/-1 Kind of stinks this place is always hosting weddings..the nicest views are hogged! But lucky couple! I would come here again! Support local wineries and vineyards! read more

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This is a great winery. Service from the friendly staff is always top notch. They have that perfect balance of being knowledgeable and cordial. The variety of wines here is always impressive. The drive up the hills can be a bit taxing, but the amazing views of the entire south end of San Francisco Bay are worth it. read more

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We came here for some wine tasting on a Saturday afternoon, it was pretty booked out ( you can go there by reservation only). It was a total of 6 wines they let you taste for 35$. Our server was super friendly and made it a fun experience. They have an events area which is gorgeous and faces the vineyards but the tasting was unfortunately facing the parking lot which wasn't ideal, the wines weren't extraordinary but it was still a great experience overall. They do not serve any food right now but let you bring your own snacks :) Do go inside the tasting room, the view on the other side is just stunning, if you keep walking ahead from the tasting you see some amazing views too. read more

Came here for a wine tasting with my dad. The vineyards are beautiful and there's a great view of the bay from the backside of the winery. We made reservations the day of- we went at an earlier time slot(12:30pm) because the afternoon slots were full. We were able to choose one of two tasting menus, each with 5 different wines. The server was very nice and gave us a description of each type of wine. The pours were generous and we didn't feel rushed at all. We didn't know this, but you are allowed to bring food! Next time we would definitely bring cheese and crackers or some lunch to go with the wine tasting. The winery has a deal that for every $100 spent on wine, you get a free tasting. We ended up buying over $200 of wine, so our tastings were free. The wine itself was very good. I loved both the pinot's and Chardonnay's. I would definitely come back for another tasting! read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Pinot noir windy hill vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

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We had my son's wedding here. the venue is spectacular. As the mother of the groom I didn't need to worry about the arrangements. I was, however, in charge of the wine and beer. We selected two reds, two whites, and a sparking for the wedding. I was really impressed with the wine, especially one of the reds. My in-laws were kind enough to join the wine club so we got a nice discount on the wine and beer. The venue works with various service providers and things went very smoothly. I cannot think of anything that went wrong. I will note that because of the long drive up to the venue, we did have shuttle busses to make sure our guests arrived safely and on time. That was a really good thing. If you are looking for a wedding or special event venue I would highly recommend TFW for consideration. read more

Attended a wedding here recently and it was a delight! 1. Location is lovely 2. Food was delicious 3. Wines were yummy 4. Service staff were friendly and efficient I hope more friends choose to have their wedding here :) read more

The TF winery website doesn't make it clear that reservations ARE required and they don't generally take walk-ins. After driving on some narrow backroads, we made it to the winery about 45 minutes before closing. Just wanted to do a simple tasting and were turned away--despite the counter being empty and some open tables outside. We were told we could purchase a bottle and pay a corkage fee and drink in our car...for something I had never tried. Not a great customer experience--though we made up for it by finding a wonderful chocolate shop--with tastings--in Palo Alto later in the day (Alegio). read more

We had a wonderful afternoon starting with a wine tasting then sharing a bottle of one of our favorites before leaving with a few more. We found the staff to be very friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend! read more

Wine rating will be 5 starts but the overall experience is rated 3 stars. The seating area: The property can do major structural changes to engage more visitors by switching the patio area. Currently, it is in the back with no views. It misses out on the fantastic scenic views it has to offer. Removing the kitchen area to allow open seating would be a great idea; even though you can see the playhouse of the residency next door, is better than no views. Wine: The wine is fantastic! We were offered two off the list menu wines to taste. One that resembles Chablis wines and another one that has the Georgian concept of wine making. Overall, I think they can make changes to the overall visiting feel. read more

Thomas Fogarty Winery - Rosalee wine pour with the Sabra Cruz Mountains map in the back - Wineries Near Me - Woodside, California

Service behind the bar is generally poor which is likely due to the manager, Dushan, who sets the tone. The staff behind the bar try to do as little as possible and as slowly as possible. Their outdoor tasting area is in the parking lot a foot or so away from parked car bumpers. Seriously!! The winery has fantastic views of the forest covered mountains but you won't be able to see that while you sip wine. No, you will instead be seated among black top surfaces and car bumpers where you can hear the clanging of cooling hot engines. It doesn't matter whether they have an event, you'll will still be seated in the parking lot area any day of the week. The event staff however is courteous and personable. read more

Terrible service. We were seated but then had to wait without no service when people that showed up after us received service. Not what I was expecting from a winery. I was looking forward to tasting their wines. read more