I called a few days before we were scheduled to go to Temecula to get a reservation for tasting. When I got there, I was not in the system. That is the only check mark off. The rest of the experience was great. Jacob was a great server and was very customer oriented. The one thing I miss is being able to sit with somebody and talk about each of the wines/sparkles that we were tasting. Having it listed on the sheet makes it a little impersonal. BUT - the sparkling wines were fantastic! They even made my frugal friend pull out her wallet to buy a bottle! Our favorite stop on our trip. read more

Great service !!! Super clean !!! Food was delicious!!! The chicken was outstanding cleaned it to the bone . The sweet wine flight was outstanding! The bread pudding was definitely delicious !!! Definitely becoming members and coming back :) read more

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I am sitting here in the parking lot on the bricks surrounding the flower bed with a $17 plastic glass of ..... Not the business Too old for this. There should be some type of reasonable food and drink available prior to being let into the show area. Do better or lose business read more

Thornton Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

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I am a 'member' here, so I'm a little biased. However, a few observations I have about Thornton lately. (1) The chef is VERY good, never have I had a bad meal there. We usually eat lunch there, love the Pesto Chicken Sandwich. (2) They don't appear to be investing much over the last 5 years into the outdoor seating Tables are old and most don't stand flat, they rock. Just no physical improvements whatsoever in the ambiance of the outdoor seating areas. Same as it was 8 years ago! (3) The handicapped parking spot I used (bad ankle) had a sign that was so faded you could barely make out what it said. In fact, all 4 Handicapped spots had horribly faded signs. It takes YEARS for this to happen to a sign, so that tells you they just don't really care anymore about the physical look of the place. (4) Effective 2/1 they recently reduced the number of glasses in the Champagne flight from 4 to 3. Said it was a 'menu' change. Comes off as a Vegas ploy where the consumer is being gauged, since the price stayed the same! read more

Thornton Winery - Faded Parking Signs..... - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

My friend and I came here Tuesday for lunch right when they opened so it wasn't busy at all. Ashlee was our server and she was super friendly and attentive. We started with the baked Brie which was delicious and could have served as our dessert. It does not come with any bread or crackers by the way (see my picture). My friend got the Bacon Cheeseburger which had a healthy sized patty and cooked to juiciness. Yum! I got the Green Tea Salmon which was on their special Valentines Day menu for the week. The salmon was cooked perfectly and even had the crunchy salmon skin which I love. We each had 2 glasses of wine. I had a Pinot Grigio and Barbera and my friend had the Cab-Syrah and Thorny's Coat Red. None of the wines were anything to write home about. Food and service were great but food was a little on the pricey side which I'm guessing is because it's a tourist area. read more

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First of all, what gorgeous grounds and view! Came to watch the band, B. I. G. and everyone showed up and showed out! Great vibes and entertainment all night! read more

Thornton Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

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Stopped by for a sip and a snack with friends. Ordered the Champagne and White flight with charcuterie board. From these flights I prefer the NV Brut Reserve Natural; crisp, dry with citrus and apple on the finish; not overly dry, or deep, just where it needs to be to be refreshing. As for white, I prefer the Vermentino 2021 it has a crisp citrus/grapefruit flavor with good body on the palate that pairs well. The charcuterie board seemed simple, as if I could have made it at home, HOWEVER, everything on it was a quality ingredient. Cheeses are: Machego, Wine, & Sage; Meats are: different salamis, ham, prosciutto. I can't emphasize enough how all these ingredients from the fruits, nuts, jam, mustard, pickles, olives, and crackers along with the meats and cheeses complemented each other and the wines so well, and it was enough for four, it beats a large, overdone charcuterie board on flavor alone. Kudos to whomever was the mind behind it. I went off-season as it is much quieter and not busy. I enjoyed the beautiful grounds and decor, lots of photo opportunities. read more

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The vibe here is on another level. They have great music playing and their brunch was tasty. We spent more time here than anticipated because we just didn't want to leave. They have a great live music series coming up now through the end of the year which you should definitely check out! Their flights are popular and with reason. I ordered the sweet sparkling wine flight and it was chef's kiss! Will definitely be coming back! read more

Thornton Winery - Sweet Sparking Wine Flight - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

Arrived on a weekday a few min after they opened. Asked for a wine tasting & we said that we would also be making a wine purchase. We were told to wait outside at a table which we patiently did for 20 min. When nobody came to help us after sitting where we were told to sit we got up, cancelled the tasting and left. Went to a different winery across the street and were immediately greeted and served. There are too many winery choices in Temecula so don't put up with lousy (or no) service and just pick another place. read more

The audience at Thornton is middle aged to older adults and we should be treated with respect. My husband, with health conditions, can't bring a bottle of water into the winery. We will go to places where we can bring our own water. The winery should be aware of their clientele. read more

Decent if you're stopping by for a glass. They used to have a strawberry chocolate wine that was actually pretty incredible. Not sure why they don't have it anymore. Overall wine is solid. Food is way overpriced even for the area. Miramonte has much better food for the price. This review is for members. Three times now we went as members and had to stand with our glasses. They had plenty of room but refused to bring out chairs for the members. Told us we had to buy food of we wanted to sit. Zero customer service for wine members. read more

A great place for lunch or dinner and a sip of wine and concert. We found this place amongst the mass of wineries in Temecula. Their restaurant came highly recommended. We started off with two of the wine flights so we could try as many as we could. Their wine selection is vast and their flights are perfect to try so many different types to find what you like. We never ran into any bad tasting ones just a few that were a bit too sweet for our tastes. The service was fantastic, always checked on us; and it matched the hearty welcoming atmosphere. They have live music outside on the regular as well. We ordered a cheese and meat platter and flatbread to go with our flights. Both were delicious and were a great plate to share; their cheese plate also had a great variety. This place is great, sit outside and enjoy the wine and the food! read more

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We purchased 2 table table seating there was empty table left empty tables with 30 minutes left of our concert with Dw3 playing we were willing to pay for the covered seating. They just cost the company from earing an extra 2 to 300 hundreds of dollars. They said No' your two friends Can not sit here... the concert is 30 min before they shut down. They are NOT NICE AT ALL...PAYING CUSTOMERS WILLING TO GIVE MORE MONEY. LOSERS I WONT BE BACK ... THORTON INPROVE ON YOUR HOSPITALITY. read more

Looking out at the gorgeous vines, sipping champagne, enjoying the gentle breeze... You can't do much better than that for a relaxing Sunday afternoon! We came here for a birthday meal and enjoyed ourselves incredibly! Parking in the lot is easy peasy. The outdoor dining area is covered and has plenty of fans, so we were cool and didn't sweat even in the muggy heat. We tried two flights of wine, the Sweet Sparkling Wines and the Mixed Wines (which has a selection of red, white, bubbly and dessert). We finished them all. My favorite was the Almond wine which had flavors of almond, pear, apple and vanilla - delicious! For food we got the charcuterie board and the artichoke flatbread. Devoured both.. I guess there's a reason so many cultures like bread and cheese. The restaurant also surprised us with a birthday dessert, an Italian chocolate cupcakey concoction that was sublime. Finally, our lovely server Lisa was attentive, kept our glasses full, and checked in on us the right amount. She even offered to take our photo by the Thornton arch, which was so nice. Thank you Lisa :) Give this beautiful place a try! Delicious food and wine, amazing service, and a wonderful view of Temecula - you can't beat it! read more

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Came here for a Journey tribute band dinner/ event. First, I'd like to say that the space is beautiful. I loved the garden where they use the fruit, veggies, and herbs in the kitchen! The courtyard was perfect as a stage and dance floor. However, the view isn't nearly the best compared to other wineries. Service was good. Friendly, and not overbearing. I liked how nicely spaced the outdoor tables were for the event. The food was also pretty good! I got the short ribs and my husband got the burger. He said his was okay, I really liked mine! We also got a mushroom crostini appetizer. It was pretty good. The wine itself was great! We got the petite Syrah and it went perfectly with dinner! We also got some chocolate wines as a dessert and I LOVED mine! I got the milk chocolate and my husband got the coffee one. I am taking off a star because the food was astronomically priced. I understand $50 for a short rib dish, but not $35 for an okay burger and $15 for an extra patty. We ended up spending over $250 on dinner alone. I would like to go back for another concert event, but I think we'll stick to the wine and eat before we come. read more

Thornton Winery - Journey tribute band night - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

Wine was okay but the food was very much a letdown. When paying $30 for a burger, I would at minimum expect that they could tell how done a burger is, I learned this at 16. Not a lot of flavor other than the bacon and the bun seemed like it was just covered in butter or oil for no reason other than to make it shiny. Fries were okay but definitely not hot or extra crispy like I had asked for them to be. It's kinda sad when the best thing other than the bacon is when I believe to be a store bought pickle. Seating is cramped here and for a holiday weekend, it seemed like they were short staffed but our waitress was nice and attentive, the best part of the experience actually. The wine was okay, I wouldn't say good and the fact that my SO bought zero bottles of wine here when there was a sale going on will tell you what she thought of it and she really is the one with the best palate for wine. If I wasn't running low on blood sugar all of a sudden, we wouldn't have stopped here. $100 later. I wish I had turned around and just done fast food instead, would have been at least as good and a whole lot less money. read more

Thornton Winery - Only the very outside edge was close to med-rare, as you can tell, not juicy either. Pickles were from my SO's meh burger. - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

Took my mom to the winery for live music and dinner. Made memories that will last a lifetime! Such an amazing vibe, great audience, great performers and super attentive staff. Limited food menu allowed quick service while still being tasty. read more

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Most of the wineries were closed New Year's Day and we were excited to find that Thornton winery was open as well as it specializes in flavorful champagne. The restaurant is actually named champagne Café how appropriate to spend New Year's Day there for lunch. The food was amazing as well as the wine. The atmosphere was relaxed yet energetic. Our waiter had a wonderful personality - he was so busy working on a holiday, but he still took the time to make sure our table had all that we needed and in a timely manner. He had great recommendations and our friends from out of town really enjoyed it. We even got in a game of cornhole after lunch to burn some calories. It has a beautiful view and you can't go wrong with the lobster ravioli. I would definitely go there again and I highly recommend it. read more

Thornton Winery - Thornton winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

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Came here for lunch and some wine tasting. We did a sandwich, salad and a flight of white wine to share. Everything was very good and then we tried their chocolate wine. I ended up buying a bottle for home. read more

We were seated at 4:15 and didn't even get offered a drink until 4:45. It only gets worse. Appetizer was served an hour and 15 minutes after seating while we watched people seated around us go their entire meal. Finally a hour and 45 minutes after being seated we get our entrees and to eliminate further wait immediately asked for dessert. The food was not good. They forgot my Brussels sprouts and when I requested them I received 4. Then the bill comes and we are charged 50$ tip with holiday circled on it. This place is a joke. Bad service, bad food. Save your money. read more

Thornton Winery - Cafe - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

Not only was the ambiance amazing the food and wine was phenomenal! Lisa our beautiful server was amazing and convinced me to join the wine club. read more

Thornton Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

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Weather was perfect had the white /champagne flights and a delish beef dip sandwich with home made chips. Our server was friendly and informative Highly recommend read more

Thornton Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

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I had the dire need to stop at Thornton winery today. I haven't visited this winery in probably a few years. I don't know why I felt the urge to stop in, but I did a lot of change. It's very different. But sometimes changes is good. The first thing I fell in love with was Lisa she was above and beyond and very hospitable. It starts with Service and the entire staff was down to the wines. My recommendation is a kiss of chocolate. Thank you, Lisa for the amazing time and experience. I look forward to coming back again. read more

Thornton Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

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My first time to Thornton Winery and it was a great experience. Went to go see Candy Dulfer and Marion Meadows had a great time. The food was excellent. The service was great. The view of the stage could have been a little better, however the property is absolutely beautiful. The only complaint that I do have is that the servers were picking up drinks and plates when we were still eating and drinking and kind of rushing us to get out the door. So that was the only downfall. Other than that, it's a beautiful property and they have some really good wine choices. Not too expensive but if you're into cabernetes and chardonnays they have some really good ones. read more

My husband and I were driving around and saw the "best burgers" sign! We turned in- didn't have the burger, but enjoyed a delicious red wine and champagne flight! We got seated right away! We had amazing service by Jacob! It was a very enjoyable Saturday! read more

Thornton Winery - Champagne flight - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

I had never heard of Chocolate Wine until visiting Thornton Winery. It was great that the spot was open until 7 pm as many places nearby close early. The front patio is also dog friendly! I was very intrigued by the Chocolate Wine on the menu. We got one of each a glass of A Kiss of Milk and A Kiss of Chocolate. Both were incredible! I was very skeptical before my first sip knowing this could be one of the best things I've ever had or worst things I've ever tasted and thankfully it was the first. Make sure to stop by for a perfect dessert and try it! They even sell bottles to take home. (After hearing of Chocolate Wine's existence I already have friends asking me what it is, how it tastes, and to bring some back.) I will be spreading the word about Thornton Winery's Chocolate Wine! read more

Thornton Winery - Chocolate Wine! - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

For those of you who are first time visitors to Thornton Winery, Temecula.. on Friday Night Music nite, it will be quite the spot.. We have gone yearly multiple times during Friday Nights. This year was back to back family birthdays celebrations (Sept&Oct). We always get the VIP tables .. Service: was improved in last weekends visit vs Sept. Sept we had guests serving their own water and trying to chill down the sparkling wine served. The servers were not attentive. A struggle just to get orders and fit the food on those narrow tables to eat. Oct: servers we had were on point. Very attentive to ensure all received water, food orders, and that things were at an optimal level at our tables. Food: The menu has shrunk compared to past pre Covid visits but the prices didn't shrink for menu offer rings. Also, you get a small clear picnic cup you wines and all beverages rather than glasses like in past but prices didn't shrink..depending on what you ordered the food was hit and miss. Bacon burgers/fries were ok if you didn't mind your meat being cooked medium (pink) the menu says that's what you get which was not how we prefer our meat..We felt with meat, we should be able to select how well our meat is or isn't cooked for health reasons IJS.. Fish was ordered by couple of folks and they didn't care for those meals. Some folks ordered pot roast that had a great presentation but was not seasoned and did not taste as well as presented etc .. Deserts.. Not much of a selection. It was nice of them to bring out a piece of chocolate cake & candle for birthday person only, but that chocolate on chocolate is quite intense. Hopefully you're really a chocolate lover & not allergic or it will be a gesture only. Pre Covid, the larger tables for 10pp were a bit wider so seating when eating more comfortable, now 2 narrow rectangle tables pushed together end to end and seating is like a train design very close together when eating. But I guess this allows for the fitting in more ppl at table seatings. Ambience: Always a beautiful surrounding for pictures and nice evening mood lighting. Usually good DJs for between band breaks.. The band was B.I.G. and they always bring a large crowd with their style music and entertainment. It was noticed per crowd comments that the band show was shorter than past times. This band was 6:30-9p .. price was the same as when they played til 10p. It was especially noticed when the lead singer announced this was the last appearance for them this summer so folks should get on the dance floor, ending promptly at 9p and goodnight. Some crowd people walked away commenting that if it was our last show for summer time, they could have at least given a full show ending at 10p..for same monies. Some felt maybe this band is getting tired.. Otherwise we made the best of things..improved service, ambiance, music was good & good crowd who enjoyed an evening of dancing made for nice evening out for birthday. 4 **** With every season there should be improvements and customers will return for the experience. Take care all.. read more

I came to see Dave Koz. I sat on stage! My daddy mixes for Dave Koz. Great food! I enjoed looking at the cars!

Came to this winery for a concert. We arrived 30 minutes before it started and had to sit in a section where we couldn't see the stage. The seating is arranged in a way that about 1/3 of the seating is for the birds. When the concert was over the parking attendants were very disorganized and at one point one of them became frustrated, threw their hands up and said "Just let them do whatever." So they tried that. It didn't work. Best part of the night was good music. We will come back but as soon as they open the gates next time so we can see. read more

This is my third time coming here - for drinks. Their wine is essentially dessert and makes a great gift. Food is always prepped well and quickly here. I love sitting outdoors and able to look at the main road and the wineries. Their service is quick and friendly. I definitely got the flight to try the various wines and you can't go wrong. The wines are little bit on the lighter side and I would definitely be here for a sweet wine! Also helps with the Yelp check-in! read more

Thornton Winery - Wineries Near Me - Temecula, California

We went out of our way to come to this winery while we were in California. We've been to it a couple of other times and always got their chocolate flight for wine tasting. We were disappointed to see it wasn't an option this time. They ran out of some of them, but are slowly bringing them back. Maybe next time. We went with a sweet sparkling fruity flight instead. They were all delicious. The surroundings were gorgeous this fall, such a beautiful area. I didn't notice until I went to review our visit that I could've checked in and gotten a free wine tasting flight. Lesson learned--always check on Yelp before going anywhere! read more

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Came here for brunch to celebrate a baptism. I didn't realize that the menu was limited to the one menu (my fault). I ordered the Caesar salad with shrimp, my daughter and husband ordered the burger without bacon, and my other daughter ordered the French toast. Everyone's food came out except for the French toast. Not sure why it took so long but it was about an additional 10 minute wait. My daughter said it was okay. She pretty much picked through it. My husband said the burger was fine, but not worth $32. My salad was okay; I wish when restaurants make salads, they remove most of the salad butts. Any hoo, I only had five shrimp in my salad. I paid an additional $13 for five shrimp. Regarding drinks, I had the peach sparkling wine, and my husband had the raspberry sparkling win. The peach sparkling was one was meh. My husband's raspberry was good (I should have got that one). Neither one was worth $16 a glass. Needless to say that we will not be returning unless there is a concert that we want to attend. Food is definitely not worth the price, and the service was just okay. Nothing outstanding but nothing horrible. read more

Amazing Food, Great Service, Rainy day but the Ambiance inside was wonderful. I would recommend this winery for their fine wines.

Thornton Winery is a place that my family and I had to come back to once again after our first time here during the COVID pandemic. Back then, the service was limited due to pandemic precautions, but now, the service is back in full and we were able to get seated after making a quick reservation after seeing how notoriously packed Wilson Creek Winery was. The place looks chill and rustic as I remembered it the first time I came here, and it's right on a hillside above the road. We got to enjoy a couple flights of wine (the Sweet Sparkling Wines + the Chocolate/Sparkling Flights) and a blood orange mimosa to start us off, and I was pleasantly surprised with the almond wine from my flight that I even bought a bottle at the next door gift store. As for the food here, we got to enjoy a charcuterie platter and ordered fish and chips plus their artesian flatbread (I don't remember what was called, but it was directly below the fish and chips). The waiters were well-attentive when it came to when our wine glasses were empty, and even provided good food-wine pairings that would go with our food! Will come again when I'm back in the area! read more

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The first stop on a work gathering. I liked the vibe, but they were more familiar with the area and wanted to go somewhere else. I was disappointed that they wanted to leave because I truly enjoyed the vibe here. Good music I will definitely return with my family and friends. read more

Came here for an Eric Benet concert and loved every bit of it. We were able to get good seats even though it was general admission, it did not seem too packed and it was such a beautiful night. We did not have any food but it smelled really good. Also $29 for a burger was a bit beyond my desire spending limit. That being said, I would definitely return for another concert. read more

This review is solely for the concert venue on 9/30. It had been nine years since we visited to see Jonathan Butler. This night, my 60th BDAY, we were treated to the incomparable Jeffrey Osborne. I am SO GLAD that we purchased tickets to enjoy his talent/energy & showmanship. Jeffrey Osborne at 75 could have run laps around almost everyone in the audience including myself. He shared most of his big hits and he was 100% invested in the show. We waited about an hour to enter for our GA seats and we ended up about 20 feet from the mic. It was also a pleasure to share this special event with all the other concert goers, no shenanigans or unruly attendees to speak of. Now, the negatives. When the best food options are a $6 cookie and a Pepsi, a menu change needs to be considered. The burgers are $34 and other sandwich options sniffed $40. The beer my brother-in-law had was $15, so that wasn't too bad. We had eaten earlier so I am only posting it to forewarn. Lastly, they zip-tied all the chairs in each row together. Everyone was cramped, unless you had the physical framing of BTS singers which I do not. Our row consisted of 20 chairs. How many seats would they have lost with some extra room? Probably 1-2 at most and guess what? The patrons that love the intimate setting, even throughout the mistiness would have been much happier without the intended confinement. Leaving the parking lot was very well coordinated by the staff they had on hand. It could have been very messy but they did their job well. Back in 2014 we came in a hotter climate, so this late September schedule may just be the way to go. read more

We contemplated tastings/lunch between Callaway Winery and Thornton. Thornton won the toss; as it was a Saturday afternoon, of course we expected it to be busy. I called in advance to reserve a table as we were a party of 8. Great phone and in person service by Nikki. As we arrived she took us to our table as well as gave us our menus to look over. We waited patiently for about 30 minutes as no one has came to check on us in which case I got up and went to Nikki and asked if we were supposed to order at a different location as no one has came. She was surprised and said someone should have been there by now. I said ok we are ready to order and headed back to our table. another 20 minutes goes by and no one comes yet. We watch as every other table around us is served and catered to. As the server finished servicing the table next to us and walks by our table, my wife calls out "excuse me, do you know who is supposed to serve us?" The waitress (Brook) replied "Oh yes, that's me! What can I get you? "We asked some questions on the wines, and ordered 2 bottles of champagne, peach and almon as well as a Syrah plus our individual dishes. Already having sat there over an hour and the sun setting behind the building no bottles/glasses in our sight with our nice view of the valley and now is starting to get cold out. We requested to move inside, this is the last we saw of Brook. A manager came to escort us to a makeshift round table connected to a small square. Understandably this is non issue for a last minute change request. After we get reseated, our bottles come about 15 minutes thereafter and Scott our new server (completely different personality) comes, letting us know our food will be out shortly. The wine is delicious but another 10-15 minutes goes by and no sign of food but Scott comes again to check in, in which case we order some waters. This takes about another 10 minutes and the glasses come out dirty and mine even had something floating on it. The food finally arrives. I got the Lobster Ravioli and boy was I disappointed already frustrated with the time it took but wow, it was luke warm and sauced looked like it was dumped out of a frozen container (See Photos). We had 3 ordered of these and all were the same. Others in our party had a Chicken naan which I tried was just a pita wrap which wasn't anything special bacon cheeseburger (he said In N Out tasted better) another had a vegan chicken sandwich whom said was crispy but lacked flavor. The rest had caeser salads which were quite large for their portions, but you can't really go wrong with them so those were the best dishes from our 8 orders. All in all the wine is actually pretty good unfortunately our experience, quality and more importantly taste of the food was overpowering and thus we will not be back here again anytime soon (maybe to grab a bottle if anything). I wish I could blame the employee shortage happening but they were staffed appropriately from what we saw but they must do better all-around if they desire to keep wine lovers back. read more

The food is delicious and a little pricey. Ambiance is excellent and can romantic at night. I love their sparkling wines. When they're not too busy the service awesome. I love their entertainment specially on Fridays nights prices are reasonable. Thornton is also known for their Saturday evening and occasional Sunday evening live top of the line Artists and exceptional entertainment with great customer accommodations, offering general admission with food & drinks available for purchase, as well as table seating with gourmet dinner. For these reasons I keep my membership with Thornton Winery. read more

2.5 stars today. A disappointing birthday lunch for 5 people What we liked best: The salads, the wine and burger, with or w/out bacon What we didn't like: The appetizer of charred artichokes, dry bread, small portions w/no sides on lunch menu. High prices. Even the most expensive lunch item, the steak had no side veggie and was left half-eaten. Sorry Thornton, there are a lot better lunch menus in the wine country. read more

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