holly's hill vineyard

Located off the beaten track, this boutique winery is warm and welcoming. From the cat who greets you as you arrive, to the informative staff, to stepping out onto the patio, it just works. The view from the back of the store is identical to the beautiful view we had from our gite in southern France.Our hostess was engaging, friendly, and able to answer all our questions about the wine and the region.

We recently visited Holly's Hill Vineyard on the recommendation of some friends. We do a lot of wine tasting in the El Dorado and Amador counties and had tried Holly's Hill about 10 years ago when they were getting started. Back then the wines were pretty good, but we gave them a miss for a few years. Wow, were we surprised when we went back recently. The wines were excellent. The wines are done in a Rhone style. They offer lovely mourvedre, syrah, counoise, roussanne and more. And their blends are equally enticing. Very, very impressed.

Family owned and operated this gem of a winery produces some of the best Rhône style wines available anywhere, and they are priced fairly. The winery hosts regular food and wine pairing events out on the lawn, that showcase Josh's culinary excellence. Carrie's palate is spot-on as she guides, coaxes and encourages the wine from crush to release. Tom and Holly (Carrie's Mom and Dad) will often be found directing visitors to parking spots or pouring in the tasting room. Ed and Linda (Josh's parents) are regularly found behind the counter serving food and pouring the paired wines at events. No art gallery or shopping emporium here, just fine wine, from mostly estate fruit, made with expertise and care from UC Davis trained viticulturists. The views from the back deck are panoramic and several picnic tables are available for visitors. Tasting is free ($5 per person for groups of 8 or more). The wine club offers many benefits. The tasting room staff (Connie and Peter are regularly there to pour) are knowledgeable and very friendly. When in the area don't miss one of the absolute best family winery experiences in the Sierra Foothills.

This was our first time to HH, but others in our group have been here, and one local is in the wine club. This days they were doing a wine & salami pairing. We arrived about 2pm and there was a nice but manageable crowd on hand.Outside they had the special wine & salami pairings while inside the tasting room you could simply sample the wines. I love salami, so I highly enjoyed the various types paired with different varietals.There are two outside areas with picnic tables, one between the winery & tasting room, and another down the back deck from the tasting room adjacent to the vineyard. Many guests brought their picnic munchies like us. After enjoying the pairings we bought a couple bottles of wine and sat near the vineyards.While everyone's palate is different, and we all enjoy specific varietals, I won't judge the wines. They all were good, but my favorite was the Petite Patriarche, a red meritage.The staff was very friendly and helpful. The tasting room has a modern feel to it, with a fire place on the back wall. The crowd this day included all ages, 25-80, but primarily a 65+ crowd.I would highly recommend

The owners at Holly's Hill really make every to make you feel like family! The events are fun and the food by Josh is ALWAYS amazing! Every one of their wines is extremely good for unbelievable prices. If you go on a weekend, see Peter O'Grady in the tasting room. He will take very good care of you. Tell him Tina sent you!

I live around here, so am partial to our Pleasant Valley wineries. Josh's wine making has really developed over the years and is now turning out consistently top quality product, especially his high-end blends. The outside area has a view of the Sierra foothills and is a perfect destination for visitors to the EDC wine country.

What a find. They only make Rhone style wines and do it well. A remarkable find perched upon a hill top. Wines are very good and a value. Great tasting room with a view and welcoming atmosphere.

Carrie has a passion for Rhone style wines. Holly's Hill's Patariache wine is my favorite wine and each year's unique characteristic leads to vintage comparisons at our table. This is a family owned winery. It is a common to see a family member in the tasting room and all them are welcoming and approachable. I appreciate Carrie's willingness to answer questions when she is available. One of my top three wineries in the area.

Beautiful location. Very nice people. Fantastic Rhone-style wines.

Was it the name dropping that put me off? Perhaps. "We only do French wines so you won't hear any sauvignons or merlots." Oh well, the wine was still good and the views from atop the hill are breathtaking on a blue bird day. You can see Mt. Aukum and on a good day, all the way to Mt. Diablo in Pleasant Hill.

The wines at Holly's Hill have been award-winners and recommended in Sunset Magazine. We've sampled wines at a variety of locations, but find we're always comparing them to the excellence of Holly's Hill wines.