Brutocao Family Vineyards Tasting Room — Attraction in Lakeport

This is a review specifically for Contento Vineyard event space, but our experience in the tasting room was also fantastic!

This venue was the single best decision I made for my wedding (aside from my choice in husband, of course). I LOVE BRUTOCAO--everything about it. The people, the wine, the venue, the value, the service.

I did a DEEP search on The Knot for an affordable venue in the area that could accommodate our party (135 guests). For not having a huge budget, I had a long want/need list. I wanted an outdoor space with an indoor option--just in case. I wanted a venue that I could spend longer than 6-8 hours in. I wanted to pick my own vendors. I didn't have high hopes for what a venue in my budget might look like. Then I found Brutocao. I reached out and was contacted by Kathy R. who does the events at Brutocao--they have several different venue options on their property but we went with the Contento Vineyard. She responded to me with a LONG message with vendors that I could use in the area, including other venues! Upon meeting Kathy, it was apparent that while she cared about her business, she cared more about couples and her community in Hopland. She was so friendly, easy going and helpful and made choosing our venue an easy choice.

On my birthday a few of my bridesmaids came to town so we all toured a few venues together, along with my husband. Our tour of Brutocao came with a free wine tasting. This place is GORGEOUS. I saw it initially in the fall and then had my wedding in the spring and I honestly don't know what was prettier. In addition to the stunning views, there were so many workable spaces at the venue. We had access to the property the day before the wedding for set up and the day after for tear down so on the day of my wedding, we could just focus on the wedding! Kathy provided a long list of vendors, but we were free to choose our own.

We ended up purchasing wine from Brutocao, not because we had to (no mandatory vendor list), but because it was DELICIOUS. I will be a life-long Brutocao drinker not just for the nostalgia, but because it is that good! My mom and I visited the venue twice while planning and had a wine tasting with Chris in the tasting room both times who took such great care of us and was a pleasure to hang out with.

The weekend of the wedding, everything was set up for our use. There are outlets and lighting spread throughout the venue, there is a 3-walled barn (we used as a smoking lounge), a pole barn (where we did our dancing) and a huge canvas tent (wall-less) that was ready for up to four plug in chandeliers. The lighting in the barn was cute and dimmable. There were some tables and various other things on site that were available for our use, which helped with my event rental tab. Speaking of tabs, this venue was also the most affordable of all of the venues that I researched and toured which blows my mind!

I could go on and on about how amazing this venue and the people that run it are, but I highly recommend checking it out for yourself. I hope to visit over and over, maybe each year on our anniversary. If I ever have another event to host in this area, I will, without hesitation, book at Contento Vineyard...

Nestled in the charming town of Hopland, Brutocao Family Vineyards offers not only a delightful tasting room but also the chance to immerse yourself in a unique wine-blending experience. We recently attended a blending event with friends and stayed overnight in their parking lot through Harvest Host, enjoying both the convenience and the warm, welcoming atmosphere.

From the start of the day at 10 AM, the event was filled with laughter, learning, and—of course—plenty of wine. We experimented with blending different varietals, creating our own personalized bottles while snacking on delicious hors d’oeuvres. The staff was wonderfully attentive and kept the experience both educational and entertaining.

We tried our hand at mixing varietals like Carignane, Primitivo, Petit Syrah, and Zinfandel. Tallying our experiments on bright pink sheets, we found our perfect blend with helpful advice from the knowledgeable hosts.

When midday rolled around, lunch was served—a hearty spread of lasagna, garlic bread, and a fresh salad. The homemade flavors truly elevated the experience and helped soak up all the wine we had been sampling. Afterward, our group headed over to the tasting room for a leisurely afternoon of additional tastings.

Compared to previous wine tasting experiences, Brutocao’s blending event stands out for its hands-on approach. Many tasting rooms offer sampling, but the opportunity to craft your own custom blend sets this experience apart.

Chris, who was working the wine bar, was a standout—friendly, helpful, and ready with suggestions for both wine and parking.

Our group’s highlight was definitely labeling the large format bottle with quirky percentages of “fun-loving” and “sarcasm.” It’s little moments like these—plus Chris’s hospitality at the bar—that make an event truly special. We’ll be back soon to try our hand at blending a new vintage!

All in all, Brutocao Family Vineyards provides a memorable day of hands-on wine blending, a hearty lunch, and the added perk of an overnight stay—making the experience both fun and hassle-free. We’d happily rate this experience a solid 5 out of 5 for its unique offerings and top-notch hospitality. We left with bottles of our personalized blends, full bellies,...

We stopped in randomly on our travels south to L.A. and I'm so glad we did. This was our first time doing a wine tasting and our guy Kevin really hooked us up. Brutocao has a laid back and welcoming atmosphere. The tasting was complementary and it was difficult to choose a bottle to purchase because they were all delicious (coming from someone who doesn't know much about wine)....