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49 reviews for O'Brien Estate
49 reviews in English
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Review from Nicole W.
2/5/2012 4 photos
So, funny story. While my husband and I were acting like tourists and taking a bunch of pictures around our hotel, a nice couple offered to get a picture of us together. Turns out they were the O'Briens and they gave us their card and offered us a free tasting at their winery. Next morning, we got our butts over to their place before we had to leave for the airport.
It's a bit smaller than the other two wineries we visited, but it had a more personal feel. The tasting room is right next to the O'Brien's house and the vineyards are in their backyard. We went into the tasting room and we were greeted by Adam (I hope that's his name... I'm terrible with names, so I apologize if it's wrong...). He was very friendly and personable and we had a great time at the winery.
I assumed we would just have a quick tasting, but Adam was nice enough to show us around the property. He took us out to the vineyards and explained the growing process and where each type of grape was grown in their vineyards. Next, he took us back to the tasting room and showed us how they bottle the wines. Finally, we went to the room where they store the barrels and he told us which types of barrels they use and the process of storing the wines. It was very informative and I learned a lot from our little tour.
Now, I'm usually a white wine girl but I must admit that I really enjoyed all the red wines we tasted. I ended up liking the red wine Seduction the best and got a bottle to take home. The wine costs a little more than the other bottles I got on our trip ($50), but I didn't feel like the price was unreasonable.
The winery is beautiful, the wines are excellent, the tasting is fun and informative, Adam was friendly and helpful, and the O'Briens themselves were great. Sadly, the winery is closing to the public this summer and will only be open to club members. Please get yourself over to the O'Brien wineries before this happens! -
Review from Richard K.
Honolulu, HI
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
After doing a few tastings at the larger wineries, this was a breath of fresh air. We were tired of being just another number and having poor service with no personal attention on top of practically being hard sold wines at the larger (not going to name who) wineries. Our stop at O'Brien was quite the opposite.
The O'Brien Estate experience was very personal. Richard was our guide and he made sure to not only give us a thorough history of the winery, but also add a lot of humor which was nice. He always kept our wine glasses "full" and described the different wines we were tasting.
The setting was very picturesque as well. We were the last tasting for the day and seeing the sun set over the vineyard was awesome. -
Review from Gabriel B.
Los Angeles, CA
1/22/2012
O'Brian...we were unfortunately underwhelmed by the wine and the experience. We arrived in a limo with a group of 8, and we were immediately labeled the youngsters who are vineyard hopping for cheap thrills. Our original guide, who we reserved ahead of time handed us off to a new guy who couldn't tell us much about the wine.
We did buy a couple of bottles, mostly because they were inexpensive. -
Review from Belle N.
Anaheim, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
6/10/2011
The service was awesome...we had our own personal tour and tasting at our 12pm appt...don't forget! This place is by appt only! Be sure to ask for Ray he's the best...the setup is pretty open...and they give you free range of the winery.... -
Review from Surge C.
After enjoying a hot air balloon ride through Balloons over the Valley, our pilot JP highly recommended this winery for a tour and tasting. Since I tend to stray away from the red wines, I thought it would be a nice change to go here since they were known for their selection of reds. JP gave us a 2 for 1 tour&tasting voucher so I excitedly called up for an appointment that day. To my surprise, they were able to accommodate us despite the short notice.
The boyfriend and I were staying about 10 minutes away so it was convenient to drive to the location. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by Richard (our tour guide) and he immediately poured us a glass of their popular chardonnay (yay for starting off with white!). Richard was absolutely hilarious; he was very personable and quickly bonded with the boyfriend and I since he also lived in SF for quite some time. I loved his enthusiasm and he made our tour enjoyable. He answered all our group's questions and continued to talk and pour us glasses of tasty reds throughout the tour. As he says, he is a great storyteller! If you do decide to stop by here, make sure to ask for Richard as your tour guide!
*Tour&tasting fee: $15 per person -
Review from Glenn G.
12/21/2011 3 photos
Luck + Serendipity = One Last 2011 Wine Tasting Adventure!
LUCK: One of the most quotable authors I know is Robert A. Heinlein. He's also my favorite Fascist, with political views slightly to the Right of Attila the Hun. One of my favorite Heinlein quotes is: "Don't believe in luck - depend on it".
SERENDIPITY: Long before he blew up the World in the movie 2012, John Cusack made a flop of a romantic comedy called Serendipity where he played a character named Jonathan who the Fates had determined would meet and eventually fall in love with Sara:
Jonathan: "This is the ultimate blend to drink. How'd you find this place?"
Sara: "I first came in because of the name: Serendipity. It's one of my favorite words."
Jonathan: "It is? Why?"
Sara: "It's such a nice sounding word for what it means: a fortunate accident."
I had spent quite a while planning all phases of my 2011 Wine Country expedition, but we were now heading home. I was out of planned wine tastings, but I was stilling hankering for one last tasting room visit. I decided to go with Heinlein and Cusack and let Luck and Serendipity pick my last winery: we left Yountville and headed South for a couple of miles, made several random turns, and stopped at the first "tasting room" sign we saw...
When I walked into the tasting room for O'Brien Estate, http://www.yelp.com/bi... there were half a dozen people who had just walked in ahead of me. I went up to the bar, looked around for a minute, and Eric came over. He introduced himself and asked if I was with the group that had just come in. I said I wasn't, and asked if I could taste some wine anyway. Eric caucused with his associate, and then told me that O'Brien Estate normally does tastings only by appointment, but as luck would have it, several of the tasters they were expecting for the tour that was about to leave were apparently no-shows...
Eric offered to let me join the tour, but I told him that I didn't have time, so he said he'd set me up to start tasting as soon as they got the tour going. I looked around the tasting room for a few minutes, and then Eric came over with a hand-written sign that he asked me to hold while he took my picture next to "The Chairman of the Board". http://www.yelp.com/bi...
He then started me off with my first tasting pour.
Eric poured half a dozen wines for me that afternoon, and they were all pretty darn good. Over and above the two wines that I liked enough to buy, I found several of the whites very enjoyable, especially the 2009 Chardonnay Reserve.
My favorite by far of the O'Brien wines was the 2008 Seduction Bordeaux Blend.
This wine scored 94 points from Robert Parker, and I can see why. It's superb; a big blend with dark berry, chocolate and coffee, a very full-bodied, spicy, monster wrapped in a velvet glove. It needs several years of cellaring still to reach it's full potential, but I couldn't resist buying a couple at $52 a bottle.
The 2010 Flirtation Rosé also struck me very well. It's very nicely balanced, with strawberry and a little vanilla on the nose and palate; perfect to go with turkey at Thanksgiving. At $30 a bottle, I just had to buy one.
I completely enjoyed my visit to O'Brien Estate, perhaps all the more so because it was unplanned and unexpectedly delightful. Eric was both knowledgeable and hospitable, and helped make my last wine tasting of the trip a memorable one.
On my next visit to Wine Country, I plan on coming back to O'Brien Estate and taking the tour too!Listed in: "It was the best of times...", California Wineries
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Review from Zachary R.
West Hollywood, CA
11/21/2011
My rating is mostly based on experience(which I'll get to soon). The wines were generally underwhelming. Their featured wine, "Seduction" was the only wine which had a rich, complex taste.
As for the experience, OMG! The guy behind the counter was helping another couple, so he gave us a quick pour while it took another twenty minutes to close up. In the meantime, Mr. O'Brien came in and said hi. He seemed nice, but had to leave.
Once the other couple left, we got a very detailed talk about the winery. I mentioned that we had another appointment another hour later, but I didn't think that would become a concern. The talk then evolved into the naming and poetry behind every wine. Alright got it. It's time to leave.
We're trying to walk out and guess what, we have to take photos too. No, that's alright, we have to go, but not without photos!!! Fine, take our picture. No, we have to go out to the vineyard. Now from another angle. Then another angle. Then we need to give our email address(which is johndoe@fakemail.com). My wife both thinking of the opening scene of Inglorious Basterds where Shoshauna runs for the hills.
Save yourself! -
Review from Daryl P.
Baltimore, MD
10/5/2011
Scheduled a tour and tasting at O'Brien Estate this fall and had a great time. The wine was wonderful and our tourguide was excellent. We met with the owner who talked with us about the story behind his wines.
After visiting 20+ wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and Simi, this was surely one of the most memorable visits.
Call and schedule a tour if you're going to be in the area. Very worth it. -
Review from Juan A.
Fairfield, CA
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
It has been the best winery visit by far!! Very personal service and since they are small and usually not too many people they sit down with you for a good time and tell you all about the history of the place and about their wines. In addition to this their wines are just something out of the ordinary.... Every single one it's just amazing!! Very hard to decide which one to take home with you....
I heard they are closing to the public soon and it will be open only for club members so visit it before it's too late... -
Review from Michelle N.
San Francisco, CA
10/29/2011
I recommend for everyone to come here once or twice and but a bottle or 2 of the Chardonnay and the Merlot. These are delicious wines and are expensive but worth a few tastes and they are small production wonderful wines. The staff here is friendly and we have been here twice over the past 3 years, consistently good wines and a great place to visit in Napa.
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Review from Jarrod D.
Frisco, TX
11/24/2011
The guide was very nice but there wasn't much of a tour to speak of. You pretty much learn about the winery and that's about it. I wanted to learn about wine in general, not just O'Brien. Oh well.
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Review from Courtney C.
Berkeley, CA
5/4/2011
Despite my failed attempts to appear sophisticated, I can't honestly say that I'm a huge fan of wine, with my knowledge of the drink limited to my 8th grade report on wine-making. However, when my two friends and I took a day trip to Napa, we figured we should break up our gluttonous foodfest with some wine tasting because that is what you do in Napa. Isn't it?
Yelp led me to the O'Brien Estate and once again, Yelp has not betrayed me. With Richard as our goofy tour guide, we had a great and educational time. Our tour came with four different types of wine which we sipped while Richard led us around the estate. Although I probably lack the palette to appreciate the quality of the wine, I enjoyed seeing the beautiful estate and found wine-making process very interesting. Richard even provided us with entertainment as he read us the poetry that accompanies each bottle of wine. After the tour, we sat on a picnic bench overlooking the vineyards and finished our wine (and leftover Bouchon pastries) while we admired the gorgeous view. Richard never rushed us and for that matter, never pressured us to purchase any wine either.
O'Brien Estate probably didn't transformed these three wine newbies into wine enthusiasts but I think we definitely developed a deeper appreciation for it. I think this qualifies our experience as successful. -
Review from Florence K.
Honolulu, HI
8/12/2011
I came to O'Brien Estate, thanks to great reviews on Yelp over Spring Break, right after I turned 21 =P. While nothing was growing on the vineyard yet, the winery was beautiful. Our tour guide was funny, and very informative. It was a great tour, where I learned a lot! They were personal and friendly!
Not only do they get a +ONE MILLION for being great, their wine was yummy! It was the perfect combination, and it just went down your throat easily. I think my group of three bought like five bottles of wine to take home to Hawaii!
However, this place is definitely for couples. I went there as a single girl, with my two friends (who are a couple, unfortunately), and I was just surrounded by lovey-dovey couples, and I definitely felt out of place! Ughh, next time I come here, I'm definitely bringing a +1. But despite that, it was still a great experience, and I would suggest this winery, over all the other ones I've been to over my Napa Valley experience. -
Review from Ashley C.
San Francisco, CA
9/20/2011
I visited the O'Brien Estate a few weeks ago on a lovely Saturday afternoon. We rolled up to the winery fairly late, without a reservation (eek, we didn't know that this winery is typically by appointment only). The Folks were kind enough to accommodate us and gave us the tour anyway. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful. We loved hearing the story of the couple that fell in love and purchased this vineyard. We also enjoyed several of the wines that we tasted. The best part was that we were able to use our Buy One Get One Free coupons connected to our Change of Greenery bike rentals so it was a great deal as well!
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Review from Amberlene W.
San Francisco, CA
4/6/2011
Definitely an experiences, we went right after winter, none of the vines were grown yet. The tour was about 60minutes, few wines to sample and taste. The gentlemen was very informative, and try to explain and answer all of our questions.
$15 tasting fee or purchase one bottle each and fee is waived.
Tour is by appointment. Call ahead of time. -
Review from Joyce L.
8/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
These guys have a sense of humor and sensuality with their wine-making, and we liked that. I had a good time at this winery and was a great start to our tasting trip.
Our party of 9 came here on a Friday afternoon, and was promptly greeted by our host. The flight included 6 pours and it was an excellent selection (I enjoyed their unoaked chardonnay best).
Really enjoyed how O'Brien Estate making their tastings interactive by incorporate it with a small tour of the facilities. Our host talked about grape growing variables, barrel choices, advancement in crushing technology (no feet!), bottling, chocolate pairings, the winemaker's beliefs and the winery kittens. Yes, it's a mixed bag but oh so entertaining for the casual wine drinker.
The last tasting takes place outdoors, at one of their picnic tables under trees, overlooking the grounds. It was a nice and fitting conclusion to their visit.
Besides making a pretty good product, someone has obviously thought of whole wine experience - from the product naming, through to the tasting room's message. I work in the advertising space so maybe more aware about these things that most... but I really appreciate that it was a complete package :) -
Review from Wes A.
Austin, TX
9/29/2010
Although Bart O'Brien was out of town when I called to make a reservation, he got back to me immediately and got us squared away for a tour the following day.
We were the first guests to arrive at the winery on a Saturday morning and waited for a few others to arrive before starting the tour. Frankly, the tour was somewhat disappointing. Our guide was selling their wine collector kits ($250-$350) hard. We didn't see much besides the tasting room, standing in the vineyard near where the cars were parked, and the barrel room. The information we got was pretty canned and besides the background of the winery owners, we did not learn anything new.
Having said that, the wine here is fantastic! That alone earns the four-star rating I'm giving this winery. The Sauvignon Blanc is the best we've ever had. Dare I say it? It outshone Cakebread's. We were also big fans of the Cab, and got a free sampling of the Cab Reserve which was the smoothest wine we've ever had. The prices here are pretty reasonable and we felt like we were getting a quality product. Kudos to the marketing geniuses at the winery for tying wine with love. It's not cheesy in execution and I bet it helps them sell lots of bottles!
Tasting fee is $15/person but is waived if you buy a bottle (per person) or sign up for the wine club. I would say if you're looking for good wine for yourself or to give as a gift, come to O'Brien Estate Winery. But if you're interested in learning how wine is made, the science of tastebuds, and having any and all of your questions about winemaking answered, take a tour with the fantastic folks at Hendry Wines (ask for George!). Better yet, go to both. :) -
Review from Vi Y.
9/7/2010
Very cute, dog friendly winery!
We learned of this place through our Change of Greenery Electric Bike rentals. Free Tasting! Yay! It's so cute that the whole theme is based on LOVE. It was on a 3rd date to Napa, that the Mrs. said it would be great to own a winery. Next thing you know, the baller double start-up company winner bought her the winery, and the rest is history.
Everywhere throughout the grounds, there's hearts, love statues, passion, etc. All of the wines are even named things like Seduction, etc.
They were packed when we came, so everything was a bit rushed. However, what's nice is you don't just go through a list of wines at the counter for the tastings. As you're tasting, they take you through the vineyards, and through the grounds, and you do the tastings as you're walking around, listening to the history of the winery. Cute if you have time to spend there. Not that cute if you're in a rush to go to the next location.
Extra star for everyone there being a dog lover! -
Review from Chi N.
4/28/2011
from the moment we walked in it felt like a hip modern winery... sheek music, fun hosts... great lessons in wine... chill and lots to drink! my fav place to end my day at the wineries!
hope it doesn't become members only!!! -
Review from Krista M.
Hercules, CA
7/18/2011
If you're looking for an intimate spot, O'Brien Estate is definitely the place to be. However, be wary that they will only have it opened for people who are only a part of the wine club starting the summer of 2012. The staff as well as the owners made us feel comfortable and at home. Only thing was that I thought the fee was $15 as advertised and it turned out to be $20. Not a huge deal though. If you purchase one bottle per person, the tour/tasting fee is waived. Tour is by appointment. Call ahead of time. I was overall satisfied.
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Review from Katty K.
San Jose, CA
7/27/2010 6 photos
When we first called O'Brien Estate to make a reservation, the man we spoke, Bart O'Brien (owner), to was very friendly and accommodating. We were a group of eleven with five tasters; the other six were ages 13-21 so they couldn't wine taste legally. He said that they weren't very busy today and that he'd be able to schedule a 60-minute tour for us.
However, when we called back to confirm our reservation, the woman who answered said that everyone, including the non-tasters, had to pay and that she would NOT be able to schedule a tour for us. Her reason was that having a guide accommodate us would not be profitable because we only had five tasters. Since what she was telling us contradicted what we first heard, we were very upset. At the end of the conversation, the lady basically told us, in a rude voice, to not be late and that she'd try her best. So right off the bat, our impression of O'Brien Estate was not very good.
Not wanting to be late, we arrived 30 minutes ahead of our reservation. Guide R was about to start his tour with one couple, so he told us to latch on.
This was my first wine-tasting tour ever, so I was pretty excited. I don't know a thing about wine and I thought they were going to teach us how wine was made or how to drink/taste wine, but all we got was a brief history of O'Brien Estate. Nonetheless, the tour was somewhat relaxing.
It might have been because we had a big group of kids, but for whatever reason, our guide started disregarding my group and just concentrating on the other couple. This annoyed me because I was paying attention and asking questions. I honestly wanted to know what the guide was saying. It wasn't until we showed interest in purchasing wines that he started chatting us up.
However, I am giving O'Brien Estate points because of the layout of their estate and the story behind their wines. In the back, they have a hammock and multiple seats and tables. Since it's in the shade, this is a perfect place for an afternoon picnic. Regarding the wines, they are all named after stages in a relationship: Impression, Attraction, Flirtation, and Seduction. Very clever if you ask me. In addition, on the back of every wine label, Barb O'Brien has a poem specific to each stage.
Overall, am I going to tell people to visit O'Brien Estate? Probably not. Am I going to go back to O'Brien Estate? Probably not. It most definitely ruined my understandings and impressions of wine-tasting tours.
Pictures: http://bit.ly/hohwmP, http://bit.ly/eaNAVk, http://bit.ly/giL2O4, http://bit.ly/ewP5hY, http://bit.ly/fPWRCL, http://bit.ly/ed2HnR -
Review from Aliah D.
Richland, MS
1/18/2010
Absolutely loved the O'Brien estate! It was our last tasting in Napa and I am glad we saved the best for last. The concierge at our hotel set up a private tour and tasting and it was quite remarkable. We did our tasing in a cellar and it was quite a unique experience. Their wines were delicious and I am not a red wine fan but appreciated the tasting. Also, I was poured a special tasting of a rose and it was delectable!
On the way out, we met Barb O'Brien and she was very nice and proud of her vineyard. It was a great end to a wonderful tasting and tour. -
Review from Jenna S.
Atlanta, GA
9/28/2010
Immersed in "vineyard lifestyle" for a very reasonable cost!
On our recent trip to Napa Valley, my wife and I were overwhelmed with the vast selection of vineyards and, in spite of all of the brochures and drive-bys, it was challenging to find an opportunity to immerse ourselves in the "vineyard lifestyle" for a day (or even a few hours). Fortunately, we heard about the O'Brien Vineyard & Winery and decided to go there. Upon our arrival, we were immediately poured a glass of wine and greeted like houseguests, not like tourists. After enjoying the outdoor atmosphere at the O'Brien's comfortable estate, a lazy stroll amongst the vines, and generously poured glasses of O'Brien's wine selection, we were then given an extensive tour by Richard, who felt more like a knowledgeable friend than a guide.
Our visit to the O'Brien Vineyard gave us the most perfect experience at a vineyard that we could have asked for, and quickly became the highlight of our trip to Napa Valley. At a very reasonable cost, we were highly impressed with O'Brien's treatment of their guests and generosity. We highly encourage anyone visiting the Napa region to consider an afternoon at O'Brien's. We will happily return on our next trip to the Napa Valley area! -
Review from Alison M.
Chicago, IL
6/23/2009
Out of the eight wineries I visited on my first trip ever to Napa, O'Brien's estate was the best experience of my weekend. The atmosphere was personal and cozy, the grounds were absolutely gorgeous, and the O'Brien's were so friendly (thanks Barb & Bart!). Most importantly, I loved every wine I tried - everything from rose, whites, and reds.
Definitely check out this fabulous estate. When you go, don't forget to ask Bart to explain the meaning behind the names of the wines - they each have a romantic story behind it... and say hi to Sasha (the family dog) for me when you are there. -
Review from Brianna B.
Huntington Beach, CA
8/12/2010
My godmother and I visited on my trip to Nor Cal. In the 20 years that she has lived in the area, she had not been wine tasting. I looked through my phone for places to visit and found this place had a 5* rating. Well, of course we wanted to check it out!!
Our overall experience was fantastic! We had an awesome time. Richard was so knowledgable, helpful, and cool! We loved the wine, atmosphere, people, and Richard :)
Thank you..... -
Review from Toyo K.
Redondo Beach, CA
4/19/2010
I visited here last weekend after reading good reviews on yelp.
My friends and I wanted to visit a winery that was simple, uncrowded, and relaxing and that was what we found with O-Brien Estate.
The winery is tucked away from one of the main roads and our guide greeted us as we entered.
We started off by trying an excellent Chardonnay - it was layered, wasn't too sweet and had a very smooth aftertaste. As a matter of fact, it was one of the best I've ever tried. The only dissapointment was they were sold out of the wine so I couldn't take any home.
After the tasting, we toured the fermentation room and barrels, and then went out to the vineyard.
The tour was simple and personal, and was a total of about an hour. It cost $15/person was they waived it if you bought one of their wines. The wines we tasted were a bit expensive for me - around ~$35/bottle.
The tour was relaxing but didn't go into too much detail. It would've helped if the guide knew that we didn't really know a thing about how wine was made. However, the owner in the cowboy hat greeted us and helped take pictures.
If you're looking for a simple and comfortable place that's not crowded you might want to make this your first stop. -
Review from Becca C.
10/17/2010
What a fabulous estate, so beautiful, and quaint. Their grapes are on about 30 acres, so I think that must be a smaller vineyard. They do not distribute commercially at all; if you want their wine, you need to go to the vineyard, or one of the restaurants where it's available. My favorite was their Chardonnay, so I picked up a bottle for $38. I had the fortune to be there when they were harvesting white grapes. It was fun watching them load the grapes for crushing. Their backyard is a peaceful place to enjoy a picnic and just hang out. They also do not charge a fee for picnicing, which I thought was very nice and low-key of them.
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Review from Ahn M.
Placentia, CA
2/12/2010
Wonderful experience when genuinely wonderful people. Me and my boyfriend entered after calling in to see if we could come by and we were immediately welcomed in a served some wine.
The owner poured the wine very liberally and we were able to try about four different ones. He gave us a short tour of the winery at which point there was nuts, cheese and crackers served to us to enjoy with our last glass of wine.
The wines themselves had great body and great packaging. They had very pretty gift boxes available for wedding presents and etc. The whole theme of the winery seemed to be love and it was very romantic.
I especially am grateful that he didn't dismiss us because of our age (22) and really gave us a thorough wine tasting.
He even took pictures of us and sent it to us via email! It was a great reminder of a great trip.
This is place is definitely recommended! -
Review from Jessica S.
Chicago, IL
6/17/2009
I am so excited that our tour guide from arranged for us to go visit O'Brien's estate. I was with a group of five girls who met from around the country and this was one of our favorite wineries to visit. First the wines were all wonderful. We enjoyed trying their whites, reds and rose. Second the grounds are lovely, we were able to have a picnic here and really spend time at the property. Third Bart was wonderful to talk to. He gave us a great perspective of the industry and his love of the wineries and Napa.
His idea of the wine's all having romantic is a great marketing idea and all the girls enjoyed his poetry. Two of us joined the wine club because we were impressed by all the wines we were able to enjoy.
If you have a chance to stop by this winery we all would highly recommend it. The ambience and the owners are not to be missed. It is amazing to experience smaller wineries. Stop by and see Bart and Barb and enjoy the tasting. -
Review from Anna C.
Pleasanton, CA
3/8/2010
I visited this winery during a business trip to Napa. My friend and associate Wendy VanHatten introduced us to this amazing vineyard.
The introduction to their wines was open, friendly, and passionate. They are definitely in love with their wine and enjoy their jobs!
We each took a bottle home, next time it will be a case! -
Review from Georgia B.
Napa, CA
2/27/2009
Great Family, Beautiful Estate and Great Wine!!!
I love this place! -
Review from Sharon B.
Napa, CA
4/1/2011
The wine is amazing. The winery is inviting, beautiful and you feel at ease the minute you step out of your car. A must stop when you're in town
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Review from Sunny R.
Los Gatos, CA
2/13/2010
Damn you Yelp! I think trusting these rankings with restaurants is one thing... but there are a lot of high scores on so many bad wineries.
We went through their whole line, including Seduction and was shocked....first of all the color, lack of clarity, sophistication from wine to wine was astonishing. I live in the Santa Cruz mountains and don't think much of many of those wines, this leaves less to be desired.
Too fruity, no body, balance, sophistication to these wines. The staff everywhere was nice, so nothing personal - but come on! 5-stars!? No way. It was the lowest quality wine we tasted in 6-7 stops today. Maybe tomorrow a low-end wine will kick this up. Sophisticated tasters - this isn't a undiscovered gem, believe me. -
Review from Russ W.
San Francisco, CA
7/28/2009
Fantastic place, great wines. Quiet, understated grounds with super-friendly owners. And the wines are really nice; loved the rose, actually, as well as the mid-level blend (Seduction?).
The whole experience is very intimate. The owners are your hosts, so you really get a feel for what it feels like to be living the dream. And those guys are doing it. -
Review from Andy S.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
A nice place to visit if you're in the area. Incredibly friendly staff, nice surroundings and a fair representation of Napa wines. The labels may be a bit cutesy for some, but it's not so kitsch that it would turn you off. Interesting that they're not much into distribution -- more about the wine club, so be prepared for the pitch.
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Review from Kelly J.
Tustin, CA
6/15/2009
My husband and I have had the pleasure of visiting the O'Brien Estates twice this year. Bart and Barb are lovely exciting people. I love the romantic feel of the property and the essence of the "Romantic portfolio" wines. It's not just a wine, it's a romantic adventure. I highly recommend the Seduction Cabernet blend. I look forward to future visits. Join their wine club, you won't be disappointed!!
Kelly Jordan -
Review from Keri B.
Updated - 11/24/2009
Thanks to Mr O'Brien for being such a stand-up guy! I am really impressed with his response both personally and as the "owner's comments". I thought about just removing the entire one-star review, but I think it actually reflects better on him to leave it all up. Great "customer" (read: wino) service! Now I'm really disappointed I didn't meet him in person. Next time, sir, next time.....
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/14/2009
This was the biggest disappointment of my otherwise wonderful Napa vacay. This was one of the… Read more »
Comment from Bart O. of O'Brien Estate 11/24/2009
This is a note of public apology to Keri. Clearly we blew… More » -
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Review from Nikki M.
Updated - 12/13/2009 3 photos
update! Bart O'Brien mailed me a fresh bottle of the "Seduction" to replace the one that broke, after reading my review. Talk about amazing customer service. Check out what the O'Briens have to offer...they are great honest folks!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/19/2009
We had a great time with Barb and Bart (B2) at O'Brien Estate!
Beau Wine Tours arranged our visit… Read more »
Comment from Bart O. of O'Brien Estate 11/24/2009
Just in case you want to know the end of the story, we did… More » -
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Review from Sid R.
Eden Prairie, MN
10/9/2010
Since we live in the center of the Paso Robles-to-Santa Ynez Valley wine country, when we travel we try to only go to small, generally family run, wineries. O'Brien Estates fit the bill for us. If you've been on other winery tours, you need not do this one. But, whatever you do, don't miss the tasting. In the time we've lived in wine country, we have been members of roughly 100 wine clubs - not all at the same time! The first thing we said to each other as we started on this last trip was, "we don't need any more wine" (we have a bit over 400 bottles at home). We JOINED O'Brien! Yes, we are apparently wine whores, but their wine is really that good. Try it and you'll buy it. It's that simple.
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Review from Marie W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/3/2010
Wonderful wines and the nicest of people. We came in for a tasting a few weeks ago and were met by great hospitality. Barb was accommodating and helpful even though she also had a large private party in the back. I was not disappointed with any of the wines and only wish I could have afforded to buy them all. Highly recommended as a great stop in Napa for tasting!!
