Sierra Starr Vineyard & Winery — Attraction in Grass Valley

I have known the Starrs since 2009 or so, when I moved full-time to Nevada County. Phil and Jackson are gifted winemakers - neither is afraid of bold flavors and complexity, and they know how to let the varietal's character lead the way, with a perfectly choreographed backing symphony of the winemakers' own styles. Their estate wines are top notch and the wines made from outsourced grapes are equal. Jackson's blends are really special, as evidenced by their short lived availability. The tasting room is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon, tasting wine and chatting with Anne. I moved away from California two years ago, to a different wine region. I am surrounded by wineries but I still have a case of Sierra Starr sent four times a year. I have found no wines that inspire me like the Starrs'. I like all of their offerings, but my absolute faves are the Celestial Reserve Chardonnay, which is crisp, buttery, and oaky; the Cab Franc, Old Clone Zin, and especially Phil's Zin, all of which are big and well rounded, fruit forward, and spicy. The Claret is great with strong red meats, like lamb, (all the reds are); and the new Barbera, which is a perfect example of that Sierra Foothills...

Had a lovely wine tasting at Sierra Starr, the experience was quite fun and was everything we would want from a tasting.

The location is in the heart of downtown Grass Valley and the storefront is very welcoming. The shop has a wonderfully ornate carved wooden door, and the interior has a rustic brick and wood vibe. There is not a lot of seating inside, but there were only a few people there when we stopped in, so it was quite and uncrowded.

The woman working was very nice; she greeted us promptly and we picked a seat. She offered us menus and walked us through what wines they had available. She was very attentive and checked in regularly, offering suggestions or answering questions we had.

We tried a selection of their wines, all of which were enjoyable. Ended up leaving with a couple of bottles, and then were able to wander downtown and check out the shops. Ultimately, even I you only vaguely like wine, Sierra Starr likely has at least one wine you...

Sierra Starr is a wonderful family run winery in the foothills that makes super yummy wines. We have been wine club members of theirs for years and always look forward to our next wine club shipment. We were attending their fall open house at the vineyard which is always fun with the wine sampling, food, and demonstrations. The vineyard is a great place to bring a picnic lunch and relax for the afternoon also. They also have a nice tasting room in downtown...