-
November 2023 by Daralyn Schmitt
Super nice staff. Very knowledgeable and great sense of humor ? ?.
-
September 2023 by Bruce O.
J. Rickard Winery, Cloverdale, CA - September 1, 2023We were staying at the Cloverdale/Healdsberg KOA campground and came across this winery on Yelp. They had good Yelp reviews, their tasting price was very reasonable ($25/person, waived with 2 bottle purchase) compared to other wineries the area that have $40+/person tasting fee, and they were very close to the KOA campground. We made a reservation and were the first to arrive at 11 AM on a Friday. Our server's name was Marvin. What a delightful guy! Friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. We spent about the next hour and a half of our morning with him tasting wine and learning about the Vineyard and the wine making process. Owner Jim Rickard also stopped by and we had a wonderful talk with him as well. He shared with us the special Alexander Valley climate that makes it far cooler than its neighboring Napa Valley to the east. He also shared a little bit about the history of their winery which dates back to the early 1900s. Jim bought the land in 1976 and used it as a cattle ranch in the beginning. He developed the property over the subsequent decades, including planting about 50 acres of wine grapes and building a wine cave, in addition to building the other wine making infrastructure. It's a very nice family owned winemaking operation.We enjoyed all the wines that we tasted and by about the fourth taste, Marvin asked if we would like to take a walk around the property. Sure we said as Marvin added more wine to each of our glasses. We checked out the impressive wine cave that was built sometime around 2015. It used the same construction design that CalTrans uses for some of its tunnels. We walked around the vineyard and sampled a few of the grapes that were beginning to come to maturity. There is a nice outside picnic area here as well. "We'll be back!" And yes, the tenacity and sticktoitiveness of Jim does remind me a little of Mr. Universe!
-
September 2023 by Elliott Rasters
Absolutely the best time me and my wife have ever had. Dam, good wine, and the staff made us feel like part of the family. The view was great. We will most definitely be back.
-
August 2023 by Jeff A.
This place makes a huge variety of rather average wines, sold at pretty affordable prices. The tasting is cheap, and is waived if you buy a couple bottles. This is a dying trend in Napa/Sonoma, so for that reason and a few others, I'm going to give this place 5 stars.PROS:1) Rather beautiful location with easy parking and friendly people2) There's a barn dog that is friendly and loves everyone3) The tasting is only $20 or $25 (can't remember which) and is waived if you buy 2 bottles4) Bottles are cheap starting around $305) The tasting is flexible. I told him I only wanted reds, and that wasn't a problem6) There's a rather crazy selection of wines. Like WAY too many. But if you like choice this should be a plusCONS:1) The wines are overly sweet and designed to be consumed sooner rather than later. This might be a pro for some people. 2) They will not open anything not opened. I ended up purchasing two bottles that they had available for sale, but would not let me sample because they were not open. Can't really complain since it was a cheap tasting that ended up being free due to the bottle purchase.
-
July 2023 by Kong P.
We were camping in the area. Left the kids and husband for a little break. Found this gem. Christine and Tara were the best! My girlfriends and I had such a great time with them. We laughed so hard and was able to WINE-down.
-
July 2023 by William D.
If there were ten stars I would leave a ten star review. The vineyard is a great place to visit with a nice view. The only thing better than the vineyard and the views is the wine they are producing. Add to that a friendly environment and you have one of the best wine tasting experiences you could enjoy!
-
July 2023 by Robin W.
Absolutely my favorite winery in Sonoma County! It's a small, family run winery - not a large corporate winery that seems to rule these days. It's perched on a hill, with lovely views. We had a picnic while tasting some incredible wines. The employees who work there are very attentive and poured us many yummy award winning wines. We also had a nice chat with the owner, Mr. Jim Rickards. We learned how their grapes have been sustainably farmed for years. This small winery has been progressive way before it became fashionable. Kudos to the J Rickards Winery!
-
June 2023 by Kathryn Siegel
Had a great stop on the Platypus tour. Jim walked us all around and told us his story and all about his wines. Very hospitable and personable. We also enjoyed the dog Tilly!
-
February 2023 by Scarlett H.
Amazing wine, family run, truly a gem and a must visit! Jim is a legend and his staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Cozy indoor and outdoor seating.
-
January 2023 by Paulette Blake
We had a beautiful tasting.Very enjoyable! Love the passion for the wine!
-
January 2023 by JD Rinde
Great view of Russian river valley and vines enhanced our tasting experience , which was outside on picnic tables. Our engaging server Jay provided us with about 10 different wines to sample. Very knowledgeable about the history of this property. He gave us a tour of the $1.3 wine cave storage facility. The 2019 Left Bank blend was outstanding, combining Cab and several other varietals. The 2019 Petite Syrah was silky with a chocolate aroma. Fun and informative ?
-
January 2023 by Stan Levenger
Beautiful setting, amazing wines and very friendly family winery.Our tasting guide was the brother of the owner. The owner is very approachable having engaging conversations with our group for at least 20 minutes. Not very many wineries can offer this friendly family atmosphere which makes for a very relaxing and informative tasting visit.Regarding the wine. WOW we were very amazed by the quality/taste of all wines tasted. The Old Vine Zin, Cab, and Barbara wines in particular were incredible being better than or equivalent to any other area wineries visited in this area.The wine club is very cost effective with flexible selections and very reasonable shipping. Highly recommend doing a testing at Rickards and joining the wine club if you enjoy fine wines and also enjoy tasting in a scenic and friendly place.
-
January 2023 by Susan McKay
Beautiful winery, family friendly, and great wines! We really enjoyed the tasting atmosphere - they even did grape tasting off the vine for the kids and gave out popsicles too. Loved the giant agaves and was happy to snag a small one for myself!
-
January 2023 by Amo Vino
Very organized from moment of arrival to winery. We met our server Jay, a very friendly, charming and wine knowledgeable person. Started with a lovely, fruit forward 2021 viognier. Tasted 3 flavorful Zins that knocked our socks off each in a different way, a spicy Petite Sirah that I couldn't get enough of. Was silky, inky and a light vanilla on palate. Jim, the owner stopped by our table to give us more information. Was very approachable. Will definitely be back for another visit.
-
January 2023 by Tiffany White
Best winery experience EVER!! We were treated to not only great wines at reasonable prices but also the best chemistry class about winemaking with Jim, the owner! This is a family owned winery with a very personal touch and a passionate owner! Can’t wait to come back! Thank you soooo much!
