Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery — Restaurant in Forestville

This is a mixed review.

STAFF: 2 stars. We had an appointment for 1 pm but arrived about 20 minutes early. We waited at the hostess stand for 5 minutes while staff walked by ignoring us. We then walked around the corner into the tasting room, where 4 or 5 staff looked busy cleaning stemware. Despite a group of 6 people, they largely ignored us until one of us spoke up. When I informed them of our appointment, they said "We'll see you AT 1 pm", emphasizing the AT. No smile. Nothing. We then went onto the patio where another staff member shushed us for being apparently too boisterous. Well, excuuuuse us for speaking. At 1 pm promptly, a certified somm brought us into the private tasting room. Only after 20 minutes of being with our raucous group did the frost thaw from her icey personality and she finally began to warm up to us. Had we not read about the wines and known about Gary Farrell's reputation for winemaking, we would have walked out and this would end the review. Fortunately, for this winery, their products stand head and shoulders above the impenetrable snobbiness of the staff.

WINE & FACILITY: 5 stars. There aren't enough superlatives to describe the excellent wines that we tasted and truly enjoyed as part of our private tasting. Each was excellent and more than one stood out as cellar-worthy. We took the high road here and overlooked our rude treatment and went ahead and purchased several bottles.

I can only hope that future visitors are given a warmer and more respectful welcoming than was afforded to us. If we return, it will be for...

My wife and I have been to Gary Farrell two times for tastings, the most recent at the end of July 2022, and the experiences have always been superb. The location is absolutely beautiful and the staff are immensely knowledgeable about wine and genuinely love to share what they know. The tasting experience at Gary Farrell is a "quieter" one than some other wineries, which we really appreciate. They also do an excellent job of pairing individual wines with different cheeses.

Our most recent visit was in July 2022, when we brought two friends with us to celebrate one of them turning 75. The hospitality staff created a VERY memorable occasion for our friends.

The wines are as good as the tasting experience. We drink both pinot noir and chardonnay from Gary Farrell on a regular basis and have shared them with friends (who ALWAYS...

A friend recommended Gary Farrell winery, and I’m so glad he did! From the moment my friend and I walked into the winery, we were made to feel that this was going to be a special experience. In fact, we visited three other wineries and this was our best tasting experience!

We had a reservation for the tour & tasting and Ellen was our very personable host. She did a fantastic job of explaining the winery’s history, why Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes grow so well there, and their wine making process. It was clear that Ellen loves her job and was proud to be working at Gary Farrell! Also, the tasting set-up was beautifully done and the food pairings were perfect. Lastly, the property is gorgeous without being ostentatious.

I live locally and will definitely...