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Hannah Nicole Vineyards & Winery
Categories: Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Arts & Entertainment Wineries Food Wineries Venues & Event Spaces, Wineries [Edit]
6700 Balfour RdBrentwood, CA 94513
(925) 240-9463
- Hours:
Wed-Sun 11 am - 5 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
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$$
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
28 reviews for Hannah Nicole Vineyards & Winery
28 reviews in English
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Review from Geri D.
Manor, TX
Updated - 10/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Love this place, a must visit when I am in Northern California
1 Previous Review:
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3/26/2011
Great wine, great hospitality, a must and worth the trip.
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Review from Walter W.
Danville, CA
2/7/2012
we went for a tasting a while ago and I didn't like any of the wine. Ive had a lot of local wines and theirs by far the the worst. Sorry. Staff was just OK, nothing special.
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Review from Tatjana M.
Antioch, CA
7/13/2011
My Husband took me there this last Sunday & surprised me by inviting our very good friends to meet us there. We had a great time!! The music was great, the wine was awesome, the food delicious & the staff could not have been more welcoming. Come to find out they do that every Sunday, what a fabulous way to spend an afternoon!! We loved it & became members as did our friends. Looking forward to the Friday night concerts & the Iron Chefs Challlenge on the 28th. What a gem we discovered in our own backyard!!! Can't say enough, it's a must visit.
Tatjana & John McGrath -
Review from Sarah B.
Brentwood, CA
6/29/2011
My review mostly reflects their wine/wine club
While I thought the grounds were beautiful, and the customer service (tasting room) was wonderful, the wine just wasn't there for me. I really like their Le Melange Rose but that's about as far as it went. I signed up for the wine club on my very first visit just to try it out for a few months, and see if it was worth it. I live very close to the winery and after having just moved to the area I thought it would be pretty cool to have something so close, like those lucky bastards in Sonoma!
Unfortunately, every time I've had company that wants to go tasting, they were closed (Mondays and Tuesdays). Currently, it's summer and people are out and about...why would any winery be closed two days a week? That just seems silly to me.
Also, club members at my level are only allowed one free tasting a month, but if you give them more money for a higher membership level you get more free (but not really free) tastings a month. That's absolutely unheard of with the other wine clubs we belong to in Sonoma. The fee that they have for their tasting is a bit high as well. I know they have that new tasting room to pay for, but I just don't think the wine is worth the $$$ so I canceled my membership. It was nice to try out, but in the end it wasn't worth it. -
Review from Joe B.
San Mateo, CA
7/10/2011
Just had a chance to check this winery out because our friends are members...
We had a great time... Lots of wines... two or three were really tasty... I liked the Rose...
Staff was nice and a great tasting room...
We shall return... -
Review from Sam A.
Alamo, CA
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here over the weekend for my friend's wedding. Very nice venue, food was OK, have had better. Friendly service, nice wine, cool outdoor area.
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Review from Bill B.
Updated - 10/26/2010 2 photos
Having been back twice since my last review, HNV has earned an upgrade. First and foremost, their wines have matured noticeably. This trip we sampled 11 and enjoyed about 8; I brought 4 different varieties home with me. Service was just as friendly and informative as ever, with the added touch that for some wines we got a double-taste - once straight from the bottle and once poured through the aerator, to simulate 6-12 months of home storage.
Of additional note is the fact that the tasting building is now open. (Permitting issues delayed it for months.) The new space is large, open, and gorgeous. I was not at all surprised to see that it was set up for a wedding later in the weekend; this would be a wonderful venue. They've got space for probably 100 seated diners, or fewer if you want to set up a band and dancing. A catering kitchen is available, along with 2 porch areas with gazebos and nice views. I would certainly consider this venue for any kind of major party or event.Listed in: East Bay Wineries
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/7/2008 First to Review
Of the East Bay wineries I've visited, Hannah Nicole definitely has the most beautiful grounds,… Read more »
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Review from Ed N.
Concord, CA
2/23/2011
For my wife's birthday we decided to get out to Brentwood and check on the wine offerings. Searching through Yelp happened upon Hannah Nicole.
It was a cold January Sunday and most folks were bundled up inside watching football, so when we got there we were the only two people in the place. There were three nice ladies in the large, stone-walled tasting room, and they were all pleasant and happy to see us.
We tasted six or seven different vintages and found to our surprise that the whites were our favorites! We bought the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, as well as the 2004 Sirrah Dessert wine.
The winery charges $10 per person to taste, and that charge is deducted from your purchase (minimum purchase amount required). Worth it! If you don't buy anything after tasting the wonderful wines, go back to drinking Bud.
A great experience for both of us. We are considering joining their Wine Club. -
Review from Michelle W.
Brentwood, CA
3/22/2011
We just got back from an doing a tasting at Hannah Nicole. It wasn't very busy which was nice since we had our kids with us. We went with our neighbors, their 5 month old and we had our 4 and 2 month old.
I tried more of their white wines and enjoyed them. Hubby and friends had mostly reds and also liked them.
The grounds are beautiful.
Went back to pick up our club wines and stayed for a tasting while enjoying the grounds. There's a nice picnic area out back and chairs all around for you to relax. -
Review from Miyako L.
Lafayette, CA
6/10/2010
This review is for their wine only:
My boyfriend and I found ourselves hot, sweaty and not wanting to sit through a 20 minute UFC Gym, Ump-qua Bank or Merrill Lynch shpeel in order to get ourselves some free wine at the Walnut Creek Art and Wine Festival this past Sunday. Is this whole thing not just a marketing ploy? Where's the art?! Stop hiding the wine!! Ugh, anyway...
To get out of the sun, we stepped into a room where a class looked like it was about to begin. A presentation was given by the owner and creator of Hannah Nicole Vineyards, and although his name eludes me, he was a very informative and entertaining speaker. They brought two white wines to share with us. The first one was their sauvignon blanc. Very crisp, light and a little bit sweet. Very tasty and thirst quenching on such a hot day. The second was a delicious and memorable chardonnay. How did they know I love white wines?! And red... and rose... and port... and champagne, hahaha. The chardonnay was so convincingly good that we made a note to head to the local BevMo asap to get ourselves a bottle. Glad we're able to show some support to our local vineyards. Love, love love their wine... Cheers! -
Review from Shelly V.
Oakland, CA
12/11/2008 2 photos
My cursor kept going between 3 & 4 stars, 3 or 4? 3 or 4? So I rounded up using the even/odd method and they get the 4 stars. But I will have to explain why I am so iffy about it.
Hannah Nicole Vineyards is BEAUTIFUL. If I lived around here, I would hang out here on a nice, sunny Saturday afternoon with my feet up, or my toes in the lush grass, listening to the water (water feature in the pool), staring at the vines in the fields ahead and sip on a chilled white wine. +4 stars
This is a family owned winery. They have 80 acres of land and 55 acres of vines. It is obvious they take great pride in the wine they produce and they take great care in the product. Wine tasting itself was a joy. +4 stars
Out of the nine wines I tasted, I only liked two, the 2007 Viognier ($17) and the 2006 Zinfandel ($26). +2 stars
The Viognier was fruity and crisp and would be the wine of choice on that summer day. However, there are other Viognier's I like better and didn't purchase a bottle.
The 2006 Zinfandel was smooth and full bodied. It had a definite personality with blackberries, spice, and smoke. However, the $26 price was a bit too much.
The $5 tasting fee is reasonable, especially for the amount of wine, the service and attention. +4 stars
However, they do not reimburse it with the purchase of a bottle of wine +2 stars.
I wanted to LOVE this place. I wanted to buy wine there.
I will recommend them as I want to support local vineyards and if you live in the area, there is no reason not to check them out. Everyone's taste in wine is different.
I will return for next years releases. This is a new winery and maybe they are still going through some growing pains or it was just a bad year for them.
And that my friends, is why they are rounded up to 4 stars.Listed in: East Bay WIne Tour #2
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Review from Eric N.
Discovery Bay, CA
7/24/2011
Beautiful new and modern facility surrounded by the perfect backdrop of vineyards. The have fun summer concerts on Fridays and family friendly music and food on Sunday afternoons. They do a great job of creating the ideal atmosphere to introduce their quality boutique wines which are all very reasonably priced.
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Review from Jenn N.
12/16/2008
I like having a winery in my backyard. Hannah Nicole is warm and welcoming.
How many vintners are willing to open their family dining room to patrons? For the duration of this winter they are using their workout room as their office/tasting room. The foot traffic became too overwhelming for their personal dining room. Their winery's construction is well under way and they hope that it will be open early this spring. On sunny days, they hold their tasting outside. The patio is beautiful and there are plenty of tables & lounge chairs. They welcome everyone to come and relax with a bottle of wine. Even though their home and property are beautifully manicured and quite impressive, you know that they consider their customers "friends & family". I really wouldn't expect anything less from a Brentwood winery. It's one of the reasons why I chose to live here.
I brought home a bottle of their rose. It's sitting on my table as I type this and it goes beautifully with my Christmas decor. The wine is a stunning cherry red. You will not find a more fitting bottle of wine for a holiday table.
I look forward to experiencing their wine's transformation as years go by. I have a feeling they will only get better & better. We'll be back when the winery construction is completed, if not sooner!Listed in: Wine is the answer.
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Review from Matt R.
Oakland, CA
12/9/2008
I have a strange relationship with the Central Valley. It can be a beautiful place at 7am on the way to the mountains, or in the evenings on a levee road heading home from the crawfish roadhouse place. It's also the place where a morbidly obese woman in a Promise Keepers t-shirt hocked a loogie onto my windshield while unleashing an obscenity-laden tirade that implied that Bay Area folks engage in ungodly behavior. Not sure what to think. It's also becoming an interesting study as the exurban explosion that pushed tract homes into farm country fades away.
Hannah Nicole sits just outside the exurban-rural boundary on the east side of Brentwood. In the middle of an expanse of flat Valley vineyard similar to Lodi down the road lies a huge luxury megatract-style home in the back of which is the cozy makeshift tasting room (the main winery complex is still under construction). Unlike the more modest operations we saw during EBWT II, this place is aiming to become more of a destination, hosting private and public events including a summer concert series. The grounds are indeed beautiful, with Mt. Diablo looming to the west and the marshy flats of the Delta disappearing into the tule fog to the east.
The $5 tasting is extensive and varied. An array of mild, slightly sweet whites is topped by a very pleasant viognier and a smooth, mild rose blend. Cabernet, merlot, and Meritage blends all present tastes that unsurprisingly fall between the richer reds of Livermore and the fruitier, younger wines of Lodi. The hotter climate benefits the on- and off-site grown zinfandels, though, which approach the strength of the better Amador wineries. I walked out with my two favorites: a smoky, peppery, smooth syrah and a sweet but not syrupy late harvest viognier.
Service was fantastic, with the all-in-the-family staff making it very clear they were happy to see us and loved making, serving, and talking about wine. An extra star for breaking down some of my Central Valley suspicion!Listed in: It's not Napa and Sonoma, The Mokelumne Wine Trail
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Review from Steven B.
3/7/2010
I don't drink, period.
I do bring friends and family to places to drink.
What do I get out of it? ENDLESS ENTERTAINMENT!
Hannah Nicole Vineyards is a great place to do just that. Set in the lush, green pastures of eastern Contra Costa County you're hearkened back to a much simpler time when buildings weren't popping up everywhere, traffic jams didn't exist on Highway 4, heck Highway 4 wasn't even an idea yet! Established in 2001, the owners had one vision...Bring great tasting wine to Contra Costa and make it rival that of Napa & Livermore Valley wines. I believe they succeeded according to hubby and my friend.
On the property you're surrounded by grapevines, a great tasting/barrel room, a gorgeous private residence, and a breathtaking view of Mount Diablo! This is truly a destination! In addition to the physical views you can't beat the friendly attitude that awaits inside. From the wine tasting staff to the membership staff to the owners, they are there for you and your enjoyment. Not only do they have wine tastings but great events too like many other more well known wineries.
Hubby and I have been members for a bit now and continue to buy local, drink local (hubby only), and be local.Listed in: Happy Wine Trails To You!!
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Review from Steve N.
4/22/2009
3 stars going on 5
I feel this winery is on the door step of greatness. Nothing wow'd me here while on EBWT2, but it felt like it's going to pick up soon. The new facility is almost ready an should facilitate the next level in quality and taste.Listed in: The Wine List
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Review from Jean L.
Fremont, CA
6/13/2009 2 photos
Before heading home after cherry picking, the fiance and I spotted HNV on the harvest farm map that is free at every fruit farm location. I heard of the winery before but never had an excuse to go until then even though they're practically in my backyard. The winery grounds are absolutely beautiful. We were a little unsure of where to go once we parked even though we were following the arrows to the tasting room. I felt like we were trespassing on someone's property. A gardener told us to follow the rock path...so we did and finally found where all the other wine tasters were. We were greeted by Riley, the chill winery dog, laying right outside the entrance.
There were 2 couples just about to finish their tasting and once one of them left we were immediately greeted and asked if we wanted to do some wine tasting (for free). Everyone was very friendly. My wine palette isn't as sophisticated as other yelpers who reviewed this place so I'm not going to rate their wines. We did however walk away with a Meritage, Rose, and a dessert wine.
We were told their new winery building/tasting room will be opening in July. (You see it before you get to the main house where the tasting room is now.) There's also a "Music in the Vineyards" event going on at the end of the month that sounds wonderful on a summer evening. If you saw their grounds you would be tempted to go. I think you can even have weddings there too. I'm so glad to know we have a beautiful winery like this so close to home. -
Review from Jaime Patricio M.
San Francisco, CA
11/12/2010
A memorable visit just north and east of Walnut Creek; so if you are in this part of Contract Costa County this wine country is awaiting. Hannah Nichole is situated in Brentwood, California. The winery and vineyard are large and the tasting room is well appointed. You might be surprised at the variety of wines to enjoy and the quality of wines being poured. There are not a lot of wineries in this area--as compared to Livermore Valley. The service is very welcoming and engaging.
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Review from THERESA V.
San Mateo, CA
3/6/2009
My parents live in Bwood, so when I just happen to look up "wineries" on yelp*, I found HNV. I knew I had to hit it up the next time the situation presented itself.
Pointers: Yes, the winery is at their home (torwards the back patio--there are signs so it's pretty retard-proof), so don't feel weird about it. I kinda did at first, but I quickly got over the whole "I'm wine tasting at someone's house" phobia. Once you walk torward the back, the tasting room, patio, backyard is so welcoming. I didn't think there would be people there, but there were! It's an intimate crowd and I love that about this place! You get a complimentary tasting of like 14 wines. THAT'S A LOT! C was already feelin it, and we were only on the whites! I was tapping out toward the latter part of the red list. I wanted to save myself for the desert wine, WHICH IS HELLA FREAKIN GOOD (we bought 2 bottles of heaven).
The girl that was helping us was the daughter of the owners. She was very knowledgable about the wines and was on point when serving the next one. I think her name was Jenn?
I noticed there was a party there that afternoon. That might be something I may be interested in doing for my 28th bday =) -
Review from Carol A.
Brentwood, CA
8/30/2010
Our very first introduction to Hannah Nicole was one of their movie nights in the vineyard. We loved the grounds, and the whole experience of watching a movie outside while having a picnic. That was great. However, we went in to try some wine so that we could purchase a bottle, and the girl would not let us sample anything. She said the tasting was closed and we have to just pick a bottle. So we blindly picked a Cab. Big mistake. It was awful. We ended up pouring it out in the grass. Next time we will smuggle in our own wine.
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Review from Niall M.
Antioch, CA
3/26/2010
Wineries tend to be dangerous places for me. I taste a few wines, like some and buy a few bottles only to realize when I get home that I could have bought wine just as good (sometimes even the same wine) at BevMo or Trader Joe's for far less. No such danger here. The wines were all drinkable but just that and I was not tempted to buy.
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Review from Miss P.
San Francisco, CA
8/15/2010
Loved their 2010 Barrel Tasting.... lots of great events and wine
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Review from Amber Q.
Concord, CA
1/25/2010
I went here for the first time to check it out with a friend who has never been wine tasting. I also heard it was very nice winery there.
Once we go there we walked inside and to our left was the tasting room. Good size bar, which also had tables and seats around it, with huge windows/doors looking at Mt. Diablo and the surrounding area. To the right was and empty room which might be for weddings? Not so sure. To the front was like a shoppe or gift shop. We didn't go in there so I couldn't tell you.
We made our way the the other side of the bar since there was a good group of people in there standing around the bar. We were greeted nicely and giving a menu. She told us the it was $10.00 for 5 tastings.
We went on the order and they give you and good amount to taste and even sip on after the taste. I think you get a better enjoyment that way too. Maybe that's why it took us hour and half to do 5 tastings. But we had wonder full time there and enjoyed all our tastings. I did buy two bottles of Chardonnay and my friend got two of their dessert wines. Oh by the way If you buy 2 bottles the $10 tasting fee goes towards that too.
So I would say I would come back to HN Winery again -
Review from jill s.
Discovery Bay, CA
4/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
i love Hannah Nicole - there is something for everyone's wine tastes and you can't beat the friday movie nights outside.
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Review from Megan f.
Oakley, CA
4/18/2010
love the space outside. the events are nice. love the wine.
cant wait for summer weddings there.... -
Review from Carol H.
Walnut Creek, CA
6/22/2009
We had our first experience with HN this weekend.
We do not hand out stars easily, so we are being conservative at this time.
We will definitely re-visit after the new tasting facility has opened.
It was a bit odd trying to follow the stones to the back patio to taste in the workout room off the patio. It would be nice if the doors had arrows pointing sideways to indicate that the doors slide rather than swing in or out. The current tasting room is quite small. I'm sure people spill out onto the patio if it gets crowded.
The staff was very pleasant, the wine good. We were not charged a tasting fee.
HN had run a special offer in May in connection with BevMo. For every bottle of current vintages you purchased at BM, you could bring your receipt out to the winery and receive a matching bottle free of charge. We did that as well as purchased several bottles of wine we tasted.
Great idea! It actually galvanized us into making the drive out to Brentwood.
As stated earlier, we will visit again. -
Review from Sharon M.
Brentwood, CA
Updated - 6/5/2010
The new tasting room is open and I wanted to see it. It is very lovely. I bought a nice bottle of their wine and sat in their gazebo. I enjoyed the view. The only problem was the girl working the bar, she was a bit cold and no personality so I hope it was just an off day for her.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/5/2009
It was my sisters 21 birthday and we wanted to stay local. I had read in the newspaper that they… Read more »
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Review from Elizabeth P.
Walnut Creek, CA
7/7/2010
So, here's the deal. I went there yesterday after picking peaches. I have purchased their wine at a local Italian restaurant and a discount wine store. Decent, unpretentious wine at reasonable wines I thought was there thing. The facility, tasting room and grounds are breathtaking; hence the three stars. The wine, however, is not. It is not bad. It is pretty good. Not as grand as the setting or the tasting fee. I find that $10 for tasting is a joke in the geographical region and for that wine. Especially since the caliber of the wine does not match that cost. The wines by the bottle average $22. So, why such a costly fee to taste? I think they are mortgaged out the "you-know-what" and need to pay for the fancy new site! I worry that they won't be around forever. I also don't understand why they are charging $22/bottle there when it costs that much when I purchase it at the neighborhood Italian restaurant? It is like they are punishing people for visiting the tasting room with that kind of mark up. Also, the woman working the tasting room was cold and not informed. I would go back, however, to walk the grounds or purchase a glass of wine. I really like that you can purchase a glass and enjoy the grounds. It is a breathtaking site.
