goldeneye winery

The tasting was accompanied by a well-chosen selection of cheeses, nuts, fruit, and crackers. The reasonable pours were placed on individually printed coasters that expalined, in-depth about the wines, suggested pairings, etc.

What a wonderful wine tasting experience! We were graciously welcomed with a glass of Chardonnay and then sat at a table outside with a stunning view of the vineyards for the rest of the tasting. We were served a small plate of almonds and dried cherries to go along with the Pinot Noir tasting. It was so nice to sit, not be rushed and really enjoy the wine and the surrounding vineyards. The $15 wine tasting charge is worth every penny, the wine and the wine tasting experience is wonderful!

The tasting area is beautiful. Our tasting expert was knowledgeable and friendly. If you are in Valley you must stop here.

What a beautiful gracious experience. I was alone and on limited on time so only tasted a couple of Pinots standing at the counter although they offered to seat me. Still it was a gorgeous setting and courteous treatment. I bought a case of wine and don't know if they charged me for the tasting but I think not.

We stopped by Goldeneye for wine and cheese. It was a fantastic experience, sitting out on their back lawn, sampling some excellent wines featuring their Pinot Noir coupled with plates of cheese and nuts you can purchase to enhance the experience. The setting is gorgeous, looking out over the vineyard, with the samples of wine brought to your table in elegant stemless wine glasses. For me, this is clearly the best way to sample wines and one to be recommended. It definitely beats standing at a tasting counter going through the drill.

The tasting is $15 and they don't credit it if you purchase any bottles. There wasn't anyone else around for most of the time we were tasting, the fountain was going, and you had a beautiful view. It was serene and gorgeous. The wines were nice, and since they are part of a larger wine group (Duckhorn, Paraduxx, Migration, Goldeneye), they can offer a wide variety of options. They also cultivate different blocks around the valley, and do at least three block-specific wines, where the altitude and weather variation is evident. They do offer a cheese plate for purchase with your wine tasting.They also have picnic tables if you brought some food, which we took advantage of and which I would highly recommend.

Doug, our host, was worth the trip. Fantastic outdoor wine tasting area. $15 to taste 6 wines, then they bring you more. Would go back any time.

What a beautiful view sitting out on the patio looking at the hills and the vineyards sipping wine! The tasting was marvelous and the staff was very accommodating and informative when I asked questions. This place is just beautiful, even the bathrooms! If you are in the area don't miss this winery.

Terrific wines and a great tasting room. Do stop by and do a tasting here! Went in October which was a beautiful time to visit.

Great wines, hospitable but not officious staff, and the most comfortable setting for tasting wines, nestled up against spectacular vineyards. This is the "gold standard" for tasting rooms.

They do it right as they immediately start your tasting on their patio rather than inside. You get a great view of the hills past their vast vineyard. We didn't try any but they also have small plates so that you can take your time and have a snack while you taste which is a great idea at their property as this isn't one to just get through on your way to 6 tastings in a day. They also do very nice Pinot's and make a good effort to explain their wines and answer any questions. Overall, my wife and I would definitely go back!

I love this place! The back patio is stunning, especially in the fall. The wines are yummy. I think of the French countryside while stopping here for a respite. Brian is very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly (as well as everyone else). I've never felt this winery to be pretentious. I like that you can sit at your own table for a tasting and experience everything at your own pace, rather than elbow for room at a small bar. The tasting fee is perfectly reasonable for the amount of wine you taste. I always end up buying enough wine to cancel out the fee.

This was our third or fourth time to stop at Goldeneye, though we live half a continent away. We did four days of wine-tasting in the Sonoma and Anderson Valleys, and as usual, this was one of the standouts. The atmosphere is elegant, inside, but the tasting is done on the patio. You are seated at a very nice patio table, with an umbrella, and the wine is brought to you, in Riedel crystal. Our host, Doug, clearly identified each tray of "tastes", and was conversant on the unique qualities of each. He left us alone to sip and compare, then returned with the next flight as we completed the earlier tray. We have never been hurried on any of our visits. You have plenty of time to enjoy the wine and drink in the magnificent view of the Anderson Valley. The cost of tasting is on the high end, but we have always come away feeling that we had received excellent value for our money. An added plus is that there are excellent, always spotless restrooms, which are sometimes hard to find at tasting rooms. We have always left with some wine - and a lot of great memories.

Goldeneye was the fourth and final winery we visited during an afternoon trip to the Anderson Valley. We arrived at Goldeneye around 3:30, paid for our tastings and were given our first sample. The lady who made the first pour instructed us to head out to the patio where someone would take over service. Shortly thereafter, another staff member, Doug, arrived at our table with several wine samples and information cards on each wine. Doug gave us additional information on the wines and winery and told us he would stop by periodically to check on us. The tasting consisted of pinot noirs from the Migration label, Goldeneye's estate pinot, and several of the winery's single vineyard pinots. Once we worked our way through the tasting, Doug returned, asking us if there were any wines we would like to re-taste. After that, he offered us samples of a couple of additional wines not included in the standard tasting. All of the wines were very good to excellent, but they are pricey. Most of the wines we tasted were priced between $55 and $85 per bottle. With that said, I did find the tasting at $20 to be well worth the cost. (See below for a cost cutting tip.) It's not often one can sample so many wines at this price point at such a low cost.We were still at the winery at its 4:30 closing time, but not once were we hurried or asked to wrap things up. We were given to time to finish our conversation with another couple we had just met and take a short walk around the very scenic property before leaving. All in all, it was an excellent tasting experience. The wines, scenery and service were all top notch.Tip: Several hotels and inns in the area offer two for one tasting coupons for Goldeneye, thus making the $20 tasting fee far more affordable. Be sure to inquire about the coupons wherever you are staying.

Falcon3000- thank you for the feedback on your recent visit to Goldeneye. We do offer a uniquely different experience from many other area wineries, and I am sorry that was not the most memorable part of your visit. As we focus on many small production wines, we often have 2 tiers of tasting options, so that you may choose the best tasting for you. We are committed to offering a leisurely, elegant experience complete with table-service and Riedel glassware, to better showcase the nuances of our wines. I hope you enjoy the Russian River Chardonnay you purchased and that you will stop in again to try the 2012's next spring, with our compliments. Please drop me a line if you're headed our way.Jennifer KolivoskyHospitality Managerjkolivosky@goldeneyewinery.com