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Arrowood Vineyard & Winery
Categories: Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Arts & Entertainment Wineries Food Wineries Beer, Wine & Spirits, Wineries [Edit]
14347 Sonoma HwyGlen Ellen, CA 95442
(707) 935-2600
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 4:30 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Chateau St. Jean is a "must-see" winery in the Sonoma Valley offering guests a true Sonoma experience. Come discover, taste and savor the many… read more »
39 reviews for Arrowood Vineyard & Winery
Review Highlights
"2004 Select Late Harvest White Riesling."
(in 3 reviews)
"We loved the Cote de lune Rouge, Pinot Blanc and Syrah and..."
(in 3 reviews)
"2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale."
(in 3 reviews)
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39 reviews in English
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Review from Kristina G.
Forest Grove, OR
8/25/2011
This was one of our FAVORITE places in Sonoma!!! The three guys working were all friendly and helpful. Every single wine we tasted was delicious. If it hadn't been quite so warm, we would definitely have spent some time out on the porch enjoying the view.
We bought the Cote de Lune Rouge and are now kicking ourselves for not buying some of the other reds.
Can't wait to go back again!!! -
Review from Thomas N.
6/3/2011
Sonoma County is by far one of my favorite places to go wine tasting. It is less crowded than Napa, less pretentious, and overall, a better experience. Arrowood was a wine tasting experience to remember.
I went on a wine limo tour a couple years ago with a group of friends, but the one winery that stands out of the many we went to is Arrowood.
The service was exemplary. The staff poured us extra wines, and even the reserve wines. The highlight (which I ended up purchasing) was a reserve 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon.
What really made the experience magical was the overall layout and view of the place. The wine tasting counter/bar is backdropped by an amazing window that overlooks the vineyards. The wine tasting room itself is on a hill overlooking the vineyards, so all you see out the window is a sloping valley of gorgeous grape vines. On the particular day I went, the sun was breaking through the clouds and shining on the vineyards as I was tasting, creating a moment that cannot be repeated, but can only be described as magical.
Arrowood is an amazing winery with great wines, amazing and friendly staff, and a view to die for.Listed in: Wine me baby one more time!
Comment from Michele S. of Arrowood Vineyard & Winery 6/14/2011
Thank you for the kind words. Check out some upcoming… More » -
Review from Raina S.
11/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
Beautiful grounds, good wines. Our pourer was very knowledgeable, and seemed to enjoy his work. I love that this winery is certified organic!
If you're on your way to visit Imagery, be sure to check out Arrowood, as it's on the same road, just off the highway. I think you'll probably like Arrowood better. -
Review from Jun W.
Alhambra, CA
8/1/2010
Great winery, beautiful location. It sits slightly on top of a hill so you can overlook the valley.
I had one of the best Cabs here, it's the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Monte Rosso Vineyard. It's very smooth, well balanced, clean finish, and light tannins. It made me want to chomp down on a large piece of rib eye.
Joe was extremely friendly, he gave us some extra pours that's not on the tasting list. Prices are $5 for the classic and $10 for the reserve. I highly recommend the reserve so you can taste the Monte Rosso Cab. -
Review from Rhoda G.
7/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I came here from a recommendation and enjoyed ourselves.
Since it was a Friday, it was very quiet and not crowded at all. At most I saw 3 other small groups. Both of us decided to get the Classic Tasting ($5). I enjoyed everything especially the Gewurztraminer, Rose, and Cabernet. The Rose wasn't featured on the tasting menu, but our server gave us a taste. When drinking our Cabernet, we sat outside on the wrap around porch of the New England style farmhouse just enjoying the view since the winery sits on top of a small hill overlooking the valley. We also brought out some kettle korn and raspberries from the farmers market to eat. Very relaxing!
If you buy a bottle of wine, you get your tasting fee waived. I ended buying a bottle of Rose, which was $20. But there was a July special and ended up getting the bottle for $14. What a great deal! -
Review from Trevor S.
Sierra Madre, CA
8/5/2011
Stopped in a few days ago for a quick tasting at the end of our family vacation. The grounds were good and the wine was fine but the experience was a letdown.
The guy who helped us at the counter started off friendly enough but quickly got annoying. He made sure to tell us that he had been in the business for "25 years" yet even when asked he provided very little useful information about the wine or winery. He also took the time to mention that "ever since they switched us to hourly [wages]" he felt pressure "to push the wine club". He mentioned that he did not like pushing the club, but continued to do so. I told him that I was not interested in the club but that we preferred to buy wine on our own. After that he literally walked away and started harassing a new couple that had just walked in. In total the mentioned the club 6 times in 15 minutes. We were so put off that we hurried through the flight and couldn't wait to get out of there. I had to flag down another staff member to complete our purchase.
I hope that this guy was not representative of the other staff.
If you go, just be aware that they might push the club to the point of exhaustion. -
Review from matthew r.
San Francisco, CA
8/4/2008
The '06 Cote De Lune Blanc is light and floral, not too sweet but not sharp or bitter in the least.
The attitude from behind the counter in the tasting room had a certain character to it, but was kind of jarring and didn't finish well. -
Review from Nicole F.
4/3/2011
Slightly pretentious staff with a slightly more than decent view. Of all the wineries, this one charged the most for their reserve tastings, which were okay at best. We did, however, meet some very nice folk there, although that is not an accurate reflection of the winery itself!
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Review from Lauren B.
1/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is beautiful at sunset. The tasting room is elegant but not over crowded or too commercial. It's classy but not snotty . . . and they gave us free chocolate sauce with our wine.
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Review from Miriam W.
6/24/2006
The most enjoyable element of the Yelp Hot Summer Nights party for me was discovering the cool downstairs wine cellar and drinking Arrowood Syrah from the Russian River. It contains white wine Viognier in the blend - a combination that really works.
Hope soon to have the chance to visit the Winery. -
Review from Ben P.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2007
I'm ordinarily not a "winery experience" kind of guy. If I like the wine, I like the winery, even if its a barn (and some of them are). If I don't like the wine, the winery could be beautiful, and I wouldn't care. With Arrowood, it's a bit half-and-half. I like a number of their wines, although I'm not bowled over by many of them. I like the simplicity of their winery. And I love sitting on their deck, looking out over the vineyards, watching hawks and turkey buzzards lazily circle in the updrafts. It's hypnotically relaxing.
Definitely recommended. -
Review from DEE D.
Cary, IL
2/23/2011
Not really sure where others are coming off that this place is snooty?
While we were there Theresa was pouring wines, was extremely friendly, extremely informative and had a lot of great suggestions for us in the area........the tasting room itself is beautiful with that huge picturesque window overlooking the vineyards.
Absolutely loved the wines, I still say this winery and Simi were my favorites in the Sonoma Areas we visited as far as great tasting wines........as far as the beauty and at home feel, Arrowood wins that contest hands down!
I joined the club because I loved it so much and look forward to my first shipment in April -
Review from Linda T.
Oakland, CA
6/13/2011
Overall, wine is ok, winery has a view of the highway, other wineries in the Sonoma much prettier and the staff less pretentious. Being a native Californian I have had both the Napa and Sonoma valleys in my "backyard" and have enjoyed the occasional wine tasting experience. This winery was over-priced, and as one other reviewer commented a little more pretentious that they deserve.
My party was met at the door, which was around 4:10 pm on a beautiful saturday, by a middle-aged woman (I am also in my late fifties) who we thought might be welcoming us, but instead the first thing out of her mouth "was how many are in your party". My answer was 8, her answer was " we cannot serve you without a reservation, any parties over 6 require a reservation". We did get served since I indicated that we would then split up! Not a good way to greet your guests. I was more than a little put off and felt responsible since it was my suggestion that we end our day with Arrowood. Never again. I checked their website when I got home and there is no indication that one needs a reservation for a party of 8.
Suggestion for a lovely wine tasting experience:
Sonoma Valley: Chateau St. Jean, BRCohn
Napa Valley: Far Niente, Silver Oak, MondaviComment from Michele S. of Arrowood Vineyard & Winery 6/14/2011
Thank you for your business and feedback. I am very sorry… More » -
Review from Lindsey S.
New York, NY
4/8/2008
Arrowood is one of the wineries I always find myself wanting to go back to, not necessarily because of the wine itself, but more so because of the location and atmosphere. (What can I say - I guess I'm a sucker for style over substance!)
Arrowood is situated on a hillside and has a beautiful tasting room looking out over the surrounding area. They have 3 tastings - each of which is $5. I did the classic and my boyfriend tried the Syrah. Their wines are decent to good, but nothing that I would seek out in a store.
Employees are all quite friendly and they'll supply you with a nice cold bottle of water on your way out.
It's worth it to get a bottle and sit out on their deck looking at the scenery with friends. -
Review from e m.
San Francisco, CA
6/8/2010
The wine tasting was a bit expensive when you consider that most wineries offer comparable services free of charge.
I will say that the wine was upper shelf. The staff was polite and the location was nice. Nice being the operative term.
The experience was nice. -
Review from Arlene M.
1/23/2010
We thought it was an ok experience. Granted, our taste buds might have been a bit tired after the 7-course wine/food pairing at Mayo right before to fully enjoy the experience.
Out of the wines we tasted, we liked their syrah and reserve cab the best. However, we thought the cab was a bit too expensive, so we opted for a bottle of the syrah to take home.
It was a 3-star experience, but they did refund one of the tasting fees for buying a bottle so they get an extra star for that. -
Review from Jessica H.
San Francisco, CA
10/25/2010
Such a beautiful spot. Not super touristy so I recomend people go, get a bottle or glass and sit on the porch and look at the amazing view.
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Review from Ben S.
San Francisco, CA
6/8/2005
Dick Arrowood is a wonderful winemaker and has been in the industry since before MTV.
Despite selling to the corporate behemoth, Dick's managed to continue making a variety of great wines, at all price points and the winery is a great stop on a day in Sonoma.
Best recent offerings: While best known for his cabernet, and the 03 is no exception, I'd recommend Saralee's Vineyard Viognier and Saralee's Vineyard Syrah. -
Review from Roger H.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2009
Service: 4
Value: 4
Decor: 5
Beautiful view from the tasting room. The wines are not overpriced like many others. The tasting room is intimate and casual. I didn't feel like it was pretentious or commercialized or touristy like other places. Tasting fees were moderate and worth the price. I really like this hidden gem based on its value. -
Review from Mary M.
Fairfax, VA
11/26/2009 2 photos
A good experience overall. The taster who was with us knew a lot about the wines and wasn't just pimping them out.
This is also a good option if you're a white wine (but not Chardonnay) fan - they had plenty of non-Chard options! -
Review from Jeff P.
Oakland, CA
10/30/2010 1 photo
In addition to having the best views of any winery in Sonoma Valley, Arrowood also has the best wines. Their Chardonnays, Syrahs and Cabs are always amazing, But don't miss out on their other varietals particularly their whites namely their Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer.
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Review from Gary H.
Burlingame, CA
12/14/2010
Visiting this winery is always a treat. The view from the balcony is one of kind in the area. The wines however do not always appeal to my pallet. Don't get me wrong overall the wines are pretty good. They share many consistencies associated with French Wines. They're all drinkable, balanced, and smooth. If your in Sonoma with a loved one, it's a perfect place to stop. Just don't be surprised if a more refined pallet will walk away thinking less of the wines than expected.
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Review from Holly T.
9/24/2006 1 photo
Their syrahs are all right, but also kind of overrated, IMHO. The people in the tasting room weren't all that friendly and were a bit on the snooty side, but they did pour me a few extra wines. Nothing good enough that I wanted to buy it, especially at the prices they were charging. I don't mind paying more for good wine, but I just don't think their wines were quite that caliber to justify the price. There was a tasting fee, although I don't recall what it was exactly. I think I paid $10 so I could get the reserves. Overall, I was not very impressed with either the wines or the atmosphere. It was OK, but I don't really have any desire to go back.
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Review from Trina E.
CA
3/6/2007
At the recommendation of friends who have a house in Kenwood, I took another friend of mine visiting from the East Coast to Arrowood for a winery tour. As relative wine novices, we were completely impressed with the thoroughness with which our guide (whose name I've unfortunately forgotten) explained the winemaking process at Arrowood, and later how he poured us glass after glass of Cab and Syrah etc., even making sure we got to taste the Cab Reserve Speciale on hand (which, granted, were being opened and tested out by others in the tasting room anyway). I mean, clearly we weren't in the market for a $90 bottle of wine so I appreciated that consideration, and also the fact that we weren't condescended to at all during our visit. Ended up leaving with the Saralee's Vineyard Viognier and the late harvest Riesling, which we later enjoyed with a cheese course.
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Review from john c.
Burlingame, CA
3/12/2008
Nice tasting room with a very nice view. The chardonnay and the merlot was very good. If you are around this neck of the woods, it would be a nice place to visit and have a taste of their wines
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Review from Becky D.
Santa Rosa, CA
8/29/2010
Best Rose I had yet! Their 2009 La Rose, Sonoma Valley is just perfect.
Great views from the wrap around patio. Staff is extremely helpful and they always remember me when I visit. Highly recommend this winery. -
Review from Matt M.
Atlanta, GA
6/1/2010
Heading down into the Sonoma Valley, I stopped for a quick tasting in Glen Ellen at Arrowood. Arrowood is the namesake of famous Sonoma County winemaker Richard Arrowood, who still makes the wines there today. The winery is located along Highway 12, surrounded by a few parcels of their estate vineyards, and abutting the Mayacamus Mountain. The property is very much New England-style farmhouse in style, with a tasting room that overlooks Sonoma Valley. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the wines were uniformly good- a mix of Rhone, Burgundian, and Bordeaux varietals.
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Review from Rob M.
San Mateo, CA
6/24/2005
The wine was ok and extremely expensive, seemed awfully snooty as well. I just drive by.
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Review from Wes M.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2007
Out of the 4 wineries I went to on my last Sonoma trip, this was the only one where I didn't buy anything. The reason is simple: nothing on their standard tasting menu was very inspiring. One of our friends was here specifically to pick up some of the Chardonnay Reserve, but she had to pay for the premium tasting flight to taste it. We all took a sip--pretty good, but expensive. Plus the staff here wasn't as charismatic as at the other wineries. What I did like about the place is their awesome collection of wine country maps. Map fiends will find it worth a brief stop just for that.
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Review from Marla L.
San Francisco, CA
6/27/2006
I had such a blast at the Yelp Summer Nights party. However, I have to admit that much of my good time was attributed to the Arrowood wine and Arrowood staff. The wine was tasty and the people were friendly. I am definitely going to check out their winery. Yum! Thanks guys!
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Review from Powell Y.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/7/2008
original posted on http://winodepot.com
***
Date: January 5, 2008
Winery: Arrowood Vineyards
Winemaker: Richard Arrowood
Tasting: walk-in
Now part of the ever growing Jess Jackson portfolio, be interesting to see the direction of the winery from here on out.
Friendly host, took the time to guide us through anything we wanted to taste.
2004 Merlot
Overly minty, pine needles, definitely green.
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
Disappointing, another green wine.
Mote Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon
See previous two notes.
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale
Hey something different, but not in a good way. Overwheling oak.
[b]2002 Syrah Le Beau Melange
This is 100% Syrah. Good black pepper notes, touch game, short finish.
2003 Syrah Le Beau Melange
This vintage was co-fermented with 7% Vioginer. Soften the wine a bit as compared to the 2002. Can't really find the Viognier on the palate or nose.
2002 Saralee's Vineyard Syrah
Blended with 5% Viognier. Definitely can smell and taste the Viognier on this, especially on the finish.
2003 Saralee's Vineyard Syrah
Also blended with 5% Viognier.
2004 Select Late Harvest White Riesling
Not 100% boytritis. Lack acidity, perfect illustration of why terrior is important.
2004 Special Select Late Harvest White Riesling
100% boytritis. There is actually acidity in this wine. With that said, stick with German entries. -
Review from Jamie T.
Emerald Hills, CA
3/16/2005
If you can get your hands on the '94 cabernet it is well worth it!
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Review from Roelof B.
Menlo Park, CA
11/3/2004
We served their cabernet at our wedding - excellent stuff!
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Review from Bilal A.
Concord, CA
4/18/2005
Everthing tasted very good here. Recommended wine club. The winery is beautiful and it's nice to get a glass and hang out on the terrace.
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Review from Rose J.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2007
I will second (actually, third) the feeling that their wines are overpriced & the staff is snooty. We went once during an event & thought perhaps it was the large amounts of other wines we'd had. So we tried it on a regular tasting day. It's not bad, but I can get anything comparable for $10 at bevmo ~without the attitude.
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Review from Katie F.
Del Mar, CA
10/13/2009
My boyfriend and I love this winery. Beautiful tasting room and they wave the tasting fee if you buy a bottle-which you most likely will! We loved the Cote de lune Rouge, Pinot Blanc and Syrah and would have bought more! Everyone there was so nice and fun to talk to! I would recommend it to all!
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Review from p t.
San Rafael, CA
1/4/2010
This is by far my favorite winery, I have lived in the wine country most of my life and been to many, many, many wineries. First, let me start by saying Richard Arrowood is my hero! He does amazing things to grapes and while not all wines he creates are my favorite I can appreciate that they may be a favorite of someone else. These wines age beautifully, I just opened a bottle of '99 Reserve Cab and it was heavenly! I met Richard & Alise back in 2000 when my sister worked for the winery and I was a guest at a party at their home. Not only is Richard an amazing wine master, he and Alise are genuinely nice people.
I have always found the tasting room staff to be down to earth and knowledgeable so I don't understand some of the comments about the service being snooty but I know those people exist, and could be employed there.
The grounds are beautiful and the facilities are simple yet classically elegant. The veranda is perfect for enjoying a newly purchased bottle and some cheese (which you will need to bring with you).
I have never felt pressured to buy or join anything; although this last visit we did finally join the "First In Line" club. I cannot wait for the weather to warm up and bring some friends back for a private tasting and tour! -
Review from Autumn K.
9/8/2008
I would have liked this place more if they hadn't treated me like a common hooker when I walked in the door and bellied up to the tasting bar. I'm sorry that I'm like 6' tall in heels and I'm sorry that I'm blonde, and I'm sorry that it's 500 million bazillion degrees outside and I have no choice but to wear a strapless dress (it was Marc Jacobs and it was knee length...almost...ok, not at all). So I may have been a little heavy on the eye make up and I may have been a little tipsy. But I am still a paying customer. And it's quite foolish to judge and stare down someone who will happily shove a fistful of $20s in your hand in exchange for anything with an alcohol content. Did we like the wine? Sure. Did we buy any? Sure. The building itself is quite nice- lots of natural light inside, airy and spacious, great exterior and amazing views. The staff, however, need come down off the high horse they rode in on. Will I go back? Well there's alcohol there, so that's a given. But remember this, Arrowood people: I'm *not* a hooker, I'm just easy.
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Review from Clara K.
6/19/2007
i felt like this winery was a little impersonal, but we didn't take a tour, just did a tasting. i can see why other people are saying the staff seemed a little standoffish. maybe not unfriendly, but definitely not warm and welcoming. the only wine we liked enough to buy was the late harvest riesling -- none of the other wines really made an impression.
