Established in 1999, VJB Vineyards & Cellars is small production that blends old world Italian winemaking with the terroir focused California approach. The company's wines are sold exclusively in its tasting room, Club Enoteca. Featured wines sold include Chardonnay, Prosecco, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Primitivo and more.
Situated among corn fields and tomato patches this charming, family-owned winery operates along Highway 113, not far from downtown Dixon, and offers a wide variety of fine wines that are made by vintner Jess Jones.
Jones and his wife, Mel, began growing grapes in 1997 and primarily sold them to winemakers. In 2000, Jess Jones, who studied winemaking at U.C. Davis, made his first wines from grapes he grows on three acres of his land.
Jones' first wines were Merlot and Cabernet. In 2004, Jones began producing his wines and today offers Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon along with two dessert wines and two ports.
Anyone traveling along Highway 113 can easily find the winery because of the many signs along the highway that lead wine lovers to it.
The tasting room is not pretentious although decorated with many news articles and accolades garnered by the winery. A large stuffed moose head and other critters overlook the tasting room and bar area.
Owners Jess and Mel Jones host many gatherings at the winery, including hosting the Dixon Chamber of Commerce, and hold several weddings, class reunions and functions. The winery welcomes any group who wishes to rent it out for the day and those who wish to bottle their own wines!
The winery also offers a wine club that's free to join.
Schweiger Vineyards & Winery is a family-owned vineyard offering tours daily by appointment. It produces artisan-style wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a Bordeaux-style blend. Wines can be purchased on the website.
Monte De Oro features a tasting room and offers tours. The tasting room features a 180-degree view of Temecula Wine Country, as well as a view of the barrel cellar from above, through a glass floor. The "Traditional Tasting Experience" includes 6 tastes and costs $10 per person and the "Private Tasting Experience" last 60 minutes, includes 6 tastings and a cheese plate and costs $25 per person. Wine types offered include Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and more.
The Robledo Family Winery is located in Sonoma and offers a wide range of red and white wine choices, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot. The winery is family owned and operated and offers a wide range of events, as well as membership opportunities and wine pairing events. The winery has a tasting room, which is always open to the public by appointment to visit, enjoy or purchase the wines. The tasting room houses many of the oak barrels the winery uses for the aging process. Check the main website for details on the history of the winery or to join the wine club.
Tin Barn Vineyards produces single vineyard wines. The "tin barn" name originally derives from Tin Barn Road, which winds along the remote Sonoma Coast to the source of their debut wine. Today, the "tin barn" houses the company's cellar and tasting room. Features wines include: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel Russian, Merlot and more.
Pride Mountain Vineyards is a 235-acre estate. Originally known as Summit Ranch, the winery and vineyards sit at the crest of the Mayacama Mountains, 2,000 feet above the floor of Napa Valley. Pride Mountain Vineyards releases many different wines each year, specializing in red wines. It offers several options for tours and tastings, which must be booked in advance. Special arrangements can be made to accommodate large groups.
Wilson Winery, family owned and operated, is one part of a group of local wineries in the local area. Ken and Dianne Wilson opened it in 1994 and have been making estate wines in the Dry Creek Valley ever since. Tastings are available every day. Membership to the wine club carries no fee; members have access to discounts of annual shipments, luxurious vineyard lodging and fun events.
A relatively new winery in the Healdsburg area, Merriam Vineyards nonetheless has "roots." Co-owner Peter Merriam is a lifelong friend of local radio personality Tom Simoneau, "The Wine Guy," who urged Peter and his wife to start making wine in Sonoma, even though they lived in Maine. The imposing tasting room and production facility sits atop a hillside vineyard south of town on Highway 101, on Los Amigos Road. There is plenty of room for picnicing on the grounds, and the wine store will soon be serving cheese, salami and other foods. Bordeaux varietals are the speciality, grown on the 11-acre property.
Arrowood Vineyards & Winery produces a variety of wines and offers tastings at the Hospitality House and Visitors Center and wine tours by appointment. Select wines are available for purchase at the facility or online.
Cane Vandehoof is the owner of Miramonte, a vineyard and winery established in 2000. Every Friday and Saturday night Miramonte hosts live entertainment; every third Thursday is for artists. It is currently expanding its 44 acres.
