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- Hours:
Mon, Thu-Sun 12 pm - 4:30 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
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$$$
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
35 reviews for White Crane Winery
35 reviews in English
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Review from Carolyn M.
Boulder, CO
10/4/2011
I went here today with a large group and Nick held a great tasting - I fell in love with the 2008 Estate Cab and the brandy-based Port - walked out with 2 bottles each! Loved the "barn" atmosphere!
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Review from Eugene L.
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I rolled there for the Vintners Festival. One Booth setup outside with one Wine to Taste .
Smaller Winery .Listed in: Winerys
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Review from usaki F.
Livermore, CA
9/8/2011
Overpriced wine and stingy employee. No clean restrooms on site, only portable ones. No fresh water to wash your hands.
We paid $5 last weekend to taste five of their wine. The employee was totally lack of training. She basically just said the label to us and poured wine. Only very little was poured, not enough to actually taste the flavor. First she poured Pinot Grigo and then she couldn't find the chardonnay. She just said oh it is at the other building. That's it! She did not plan to get it or apologize to us. Even I said that my favorite is chardonny! And she continue to pour Cabernet, which was way too strong for the rest of the tasting. Then she fed us very very little merlot and Pinot noir. The worst wine tasting experience I have ever had. I went there aiming at buying a bottle of Chardonnay. I told her that again but she just not hearing it. She then said oh maybe you want to try our port. We tried and we didn't like it. She didn't explain anything about the wine. Then she asked if we want to purchase any bottle. To us it sounded like she wanted to get us put of there.
After tasting we found some customers complaint about they didn't taste some red wine at the door. A guy appeared to be the owner called Nick heard that. He showed up and pour a looooooooot of red wine on their glasses. By that time, the employee who "served" us already took away our glasses.
Another thing that bothers us girls a lot is they don't have clean restrooms that has water for you to simply wash your hands. I will never go back there. The worst wine tasting experience ever.
There is also no parking lot. You have to park at sandy places. And the place is totally high heels unfriendly. No pavement for you to walk. -
Review from Karla g.
Union City, CA
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I thought the place was ok.
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Review from Whitney S.
Orinda, CA
5/15/2011
I had contacted the winery to see about having our group come there as part of a fundraiser for my childrens school. Nick promptly wrote me back and welcomed us to come visit.
Fast forward to this weekend - I contacted them again to remind them - again a very welcome response - including, "it's my birthday weekend, we'll be celebrating all weekend". We entered the winery & sang Nick (not even knowing who he was yet) "Happy Birthday" - he looked absolutely touched! We were totally running short on time (and after the fact wished we had started here - the wine was awesome & the staff & guest were so fun!) We had to speed wine taste & they were so accomodating. I loved all the wines poured - even joined their wine club. Nick invited back in for a free tasting - so we could spend more time.
Thank You so much for your great hospitality!!! We'll definitely be back :-) -
Review from Jennifer D.
Tracy, CA
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
The wines are solid wines. I was turned off by my experience with the employees there. The hub unit and I were purchasing wine to drink at an event on site. We explained that we were torn between two particular wines and they insisted on charging us both five dollars up front to taste. I was not carrying cash so they charged me ten dollars for the tasting and then for the wine (I guess its their business if they want to incur those fees twice but it seems silly to me). At the time WC had a special on Yelp but the employee almost refused to honor it saying that she had never heard of it. I pulled up Yelp on my phone to show her and she treated me like I had personally hacked into yelp and added the special myself just to rip her off. In the end we purchased two bottles, we kept our word and purchased two bottles, and they were nice wines, I just wish the experience in the tasting room had been better.
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Review from Van W.
Oakland, CA
12/27/2010
after four days in Tahoe snowboarding, drinking, and not showering (ok, I was the only one that decided not to shower) we were ready to head home. Unfortunately, my car's GPS decided otherwise and sent us on a bit of a circuitous adventure. Being sheep to robots and their navigation, I followed. When I realized we were in Stockton -- I realized that perhaps we should have taken a better route. We improvised and decided to go Livermore to drink more.
We ended up at White Crane -- a very tiny tasting room with far too many people than they could accommodate (and surprising for a Sunday late afternoon.) The pourers were friendly and didn't mind that we were in our snowboarding gear. Their Sparkling Wine was pretty good, me and my two friends each bought 3 bottles. They had a buy two get the third for a dollar deal. Unfortunately, that's where the worthwhile deals ended. Their other wines were too scarce and their prices reflected just that -- however the quality of wines was not proportionate to the prices.
I'm still quite happy about the deal we did get -- but honestly, I don't think this is a place I feel the need to revisit. Also, after our 2.5 hr drive, I desperately needed to use their restroom, which the women apologetically explained was only the outhouse. I didn't mind that it was an outhouse -- but let's just say snowboard pants with suspenders and a bulky jacket make it significantly more awkward.
Tangent aside, this place felt more about turning a profit than about sharing their wine. I understand that, but I like people's attempts of guising such things. When we went in, the first thing they said was their tasting was $5. Yea, that's expected... but what about asking how we are or if we had visited before?
Each wine was presented with its price first -- then more details about where it was bottled and maybe how it could be paired. I guess it felt like everyone was on commission and not actually passionate about the products. She told us that they have an event for grape stomping (AWESOME!) and that it cost $20. I whispered to Corey that it was brilliant that they got people to pay to do the winery's work -- which he repeated to her (jokingly). She responded that it was ok because it was fun. I responded with, "so if you're having fun, shouldn't you be paying for our company?" she had enough of a sense of humor to ignore me ;) -
Review from Leslie W.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/5/2011
Years ago I had volunteered at White Crane Winery, as casual in nature for their tasting room, you have a unique and valuable experience of what a winery should be like, and not corporatism taking over and fake employees, rather volunteers for a love for the industry and the wine in the tasting room. Some of the volunteers I have encountered since then could take a class in hosting and taking some time to be more knowledgeable about the wine. Nick is an awesome and friendly wine maker well worth meeting. Going to White Crane, go for the wine, not the fan fare.
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Review from LeeLee C.
Milpitas, CA
12/15/2010 1 photo
White Crane is a small winery, unassuming in Livermore but their wines are delicious.
My all time favorite is Vintage Portuguese Port, very fragrant and refreshing aroma and sweet smooth long finish without the overpowering sugar taste. It's not a cheap wine to take home. But I've had chances where I came late, so we just hung out at their wood crafted backyard until they close while the staff kept coming over and do the pouring. I think I finished half the bottle there for them.
Their Winery 21 label is an economical brand to go for, with a lower price but little quality downgrade. In year end holiday season, we found their Winery 21 bubbly for sale and for $11 bucks, we get a nice bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate the new year. -
Review from Berg W.
San Jose, CA
4/20/2010
Reading some other reviews of White Crane, I can't help feel flabbergasted that people would complain about paying 5 bucks to taste the wine here. Seriously people, put that toward a bottle of the Sparkling wine and get the best $12 bottle of sparkling you ever had.
Anyway, as you can tell, I'm a fan of their sparkling...the best in Livermore, if you ask me.
Also, I think their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is on par with the best Cabernets I've had in Napa, Sonoma, Santa Clara, or Calaveras. The price certainly reflects that, but anybody who likes premium Cabernet will know it's worth the $50 price tag.
The rest of their reds were well crafted and balanced. Their red and white ports are delicious as well.
The tasting room is a small, but I like people who care more about making good wine than building an expansive opulent tasting room. (ahem, Concannon) This is a true family operation, and you can taste the care they put into every bottle of wine they make. Definitely coming back when I'm tasting in Livermore. -
Review from Jodi B.
Livermore, CA
9/3/2008
This review is for an event at the winery...
Thank you Nick for the Harvest Festival After Party! We had a blast and will be back next year!
What it was:
-- A big crowd but everyone was happy and having a good time.
-- An awesome cover band that played everything from AC DC to Donna Summer and Skynrd. Neighboring winemaker Randy from Charles R got up and sang a few too.
-- Pizza!-to keep the masses fed and happy.
-- Wine- by the bottle or glass. Choice of Winery 21 ($20 per bottle) or White Crane ($50) per bottle.
-- Hula Hoops! Big fun watching some of the pros! Buy your own for $10. They offer lessons on monday nights...
The only boo hiss is the guy (who's name I won't mention) that told us he would be right back with some jumper cables and zoomed off. (I had left my lights on- argh.)
I would recommend coming out for the White Crane Concert Series or other events on site. They know how to throw a great party! -
Review from Mark S.
San Jose, CA
12/18/2008
White Crane is a fun winery to go tasting and they have some really great wines. Also they have some of the best looking wine servers. They make a Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc for whites. I prefer Reds and they make Cab, Cab, Frank, Merlot, Pinot noir, and Zin. Also a real PORT - I have always had a good time and the servers are knowledgeable and friendly.
A definite winery for any Livermore wine tasting tour.Listed in: Wineries
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Review from Kelly I.
Dublin, CA
10/25/2007
Rustic little shed tasting room atop Greenville Road and a regular stop for the hubby and I on a wine tasting day. If you're lucky the owner's son will be there and do a barrel tasting of their Futures, which is fun. They offer two wine labels: the classic White Crane label and their more affordable Winery 21 label. Recently Barry Manilow took a liking to their pinot gris and slapped his name on it so he could serve it at his concerts.
I don't care for Barry's choice and the Winery 21 wines are nothing special. The White Crane wines are good but pricey. Their 2003 Pinot Noir is still our favorite and nothing has quite compared since. The tasting room uses an instant decanter when pouring the wine. It helps a young wine but leaves little to the imagination. We go for the free tasting but have as of yet to purchase any bottles.Listed in: Lucious Livermore
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Review from Michelle S.
Livermore, CA
9/6/2009
Why in the world would I pay an additional $5 bucks to taste White Crane wine when I've already plunked down $50 bucks to go on the Harvest Wine tour????? Seriously, White Crane was the ONLY winery we encountered all day that wanted money to taste during the Liverrmore Harvest Wine Festival.
Are you kidding? You think your wine is THAT good? Sheeesh, buh-bye. -
Review from Melinda M.
Sunnyvale, CA
9/17/2010
I discovered White Crane during a random stroll in Capitola a few years back. The Capitola tasting room has since closed, so now I make a point to visit the Livermore winery everytime I'm in the area.
During my last visit, my group of 7 grabbed a table outside for our tasting. We stayed for almost an hour while we sampled the flight and enjoyed the scenery. The staff was very friendly and the wine was delicious. Of course, I had to buy a few bottles of the sparkling wine before I left (less than $15/bottle, if I remember correctly.)
White Crane doesn't have all the amenities like the more recognizable wineries (Wente, Page Mill), but the sparkling wine is reason enough to visit. -
Review from Matt H.
1/5/2009 1 Check-in Here
I'm a fan of their wines. Several different tastes, most of the whites are good. I'm a sucker for their zin... $50 for the bottle but worth it for a special occasion.
Check out their tasting room in Santa Cruz! -
Review from Louisa W.
San Francisco, CA
9/28/2011
It's really hard to get a hold of someone there and they don't have an answering machine. I went for my birthday to their Grape Stomping event. I thought it would be maybe 20-30 people, but ended up 90 people! Breakfast was included, but the potatoes were raw and they kept running out of coffee. Event started late and the was a bit unorganized. The harvesting part took way too long and there were a ton of lulls between the activities, given the large number of people. Each person was given 1 mamosa and 1 wine ticket - the rest we had to pay for. For $65 a person, I thought it could have been better organized, more wine available, and better food. The men didn't get to actually grape stomp either so it was even more of a disappointment for them.
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Review from Jerome J.
Broomfield, CO
8/21/2009
We decided to cruise the So. Livermore winery strip and ended up at White Crane Winery. It was a Friday afternoon, and pretty slow at all the wineries we visited.
All the wines were excellent! We ended up picking up a bottle of their NV California Sparkling Chardonnay.
White Crane is must when tasting the Livermore Valley!
FYI, looks like all the wineries are now charging a $5.00 tasting fee. -
Review from Kathryn L.
Dublin, CA
2/19/2010
They've got a quaint little tasting room that makes it almost uncomfortable to shop through as the attendants feel like they're in your personal space. However, White Crane has one thing on their list that my husband and I adore - and that's their white port. It's deliciously sweet with high floral notes and it's so sad when you realize the bottom of the bottle is eminent. Their other wines are good too - not on the expensive side.
I'm sad to hear that Livermore Wineries are charging for tasting now. Most were free a few years ago. Anyway, I heard that the tasting fee is waived if you purchase a bottle. -
Review from Dianne M.
San Ramon, CA
10/19/2009
One of our goals is to try a couple of Livermore wineries a month and this stop was well worth it. The ladies were friendly, the wine was tasty and one of my favorites the NV White Zinfandel was inexpensive, $10.
The $5 tasting fee is refunded if you purchase a bottle of wine. -
Review from Michele M.
Pleasanton, CA
Updated - 8/4/2008
Update!
I actually did go back to White Crane for their summer concert series (Cold Blood! Yah!) and sipped a couple reds. I did enjoy them too!
Maybe it was just a bad day before, maybe the concert changed my taste buds, who knows! But, if nothing else, this winery/winemakers have excellent integrity and customer service.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2008
So I like the location of the tasting room - looks like before there was a vineyard it was the size… Read more »
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Review from Jaii F.
San Francisco, CA
5/25/2009
This was one of three wineries my friends and I biked to yesterday. I have to say, of the three this was by far the best. I enjoyed the following wines the most (in this order), however I did find the price point on the last 3 to be a bit high.
NV California Sparkling Chardonnay - $17.47 (Winery 21)
2006 Syrah Reserve $39.55
2006 Zinfandel Reserve $44.14
2004 Chardonnay Estate $29.43
They also have a nice Port if you're into that. I am not really a port fan but I thought it was really good when paired with dark chocolate. -
Review from anne l.
Pleasanton, CA
7/18/2011
Went for the first time for their concert. Had guests in town and this winery was suggested by a friend. We did a wine tasting before and it was not memorable. It was near the end of the day and they didn't want to open up new bottles, so we didn't get to taste all the wines.
The concert was fun but I'm not sure why they charged admission. I reserved online and paid $60 for my family to attend. They were not charging admission at the door and there was no check in list. I kind of feel cheated out of $60. Then I paid $2 for a bottle of safeway water and a can of soda? Seriously? I was at a similar event at another winery and they had big cooler jugs of water and paper cups. Lastly, they had plastic cups to drink your wine out of. Another 'Seriously'? This isn't $5 a bottle wine they are selling. $60 for admission... $2 bottle of water... $8 glass of wine and they can't give me a real glass? -
Review from Tamara B.
Livermore, CA
9/2/2006
Wine: Passable.
Events: Priceless...nuff said. -
Review from Jeff P.
Oakland, CA
7/4/2007
When we pulled up we wondered if the place was actually in business. It is a small building and the door is on the side of the building opposite from the parking.
Anyway . . . they have a large selection of wine here. However, I thought the prices were a bit out of sync with the quality. For some strange reason, I really liked their Pinot Grigio (I'm typically more a red). Well, apparently so does Barry Manilow. So, now the Grigio bears his name. "I make the wines, I make the wines!" -
Review from Kathy J.
Fremont, CA
8/11/2011
I am a BIG fan of White Crane Winery, they have the best red wine in the valley. I especially love the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and for desert I love their Portuguese Port with dark chocolate. Everyone there is friendly and knowledgeable. What I love the most, is that I don't have to drive two hours to get there. It takes me 20 min. from Fremont to get exceptional wine.
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Review from Elizabeth G.
San Jose, CA
2/8/2009
White Crane makes one of my favorite sparkling wines (and sparkling is my favorite!)
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Review from david c.
Alameda, CA
5/12/2009
I'm shocked that this place has a high rating. We did the wine tasting (which was the only place we had to pay for in all the wineries we went to this day). The wine is not great.... any menu that specializes in white zinfindel is never an amazing place. The tasting room is small and cramped and I know I'll skip this one everytime I come back to this area.
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Review from Mark A.
Livermore, CA
9/6/2009
Spent the day at the Harvest Wine Festival and paid a very good admission price for it. It was wonderful until I came to the White Crane Winery. I was stopped at the entrance and told that I would have to pay five dollars before I could do a tasting there. Seriously? I paid to have my tastings at the festival, and I was told I would have to pay additional to have even one tasting there? That was just horrible. The only winery that was asking for more money for just one tasting. And your wine isn't even that great! The winery down the road (Wood Family) blows you out of the water! Needless to say, I'll never come by again, and I'll tell my friends the same.
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Review from D to the R.
Oakland, CA
8/30/2008
I liked this winery. The staff was friendly, the tasting was free, and the wine was good. I liked the reserve cabernet, but at $50 it was too rich for my blood. I happily bought a bottle of sparkling though.
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Review from Rob M.
San Mateo, CA
7/2/2005
An interesting and fun winery, can be awfully crowded at times. The staff is cool though and are there to help you have a good time. They have two labels, White Crane and Winery 21. The latter offer cheaper priced wines but are still quite good. Located right next to Bent Creek, another excellent winery.
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Review from Melissa M.
Bay Area
4/29/2009
White Crane was the last winery I visited while wine tasting in Livermore. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. I didn't get to try all of their wines because I wasn't feeling too well, but I enjoyed most of the wines that I was able to try. Their sparkling wine was awesome, but their chardonnay port was a bit too strong for me. The tasting room is very small, so big groups, be forewarned. I went with a group of 7 women and we pretty much were touching shoulders the entire time. I did, however, enjoy the small seating area outside of the tasting room, which is where we hung out to sober up for the drive home.
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Review from John O.
8/16/2008
Free tastings. The wines were quite nice, but, wow, not cheap. I ended up not purchasing any wines. The barrel tasting was cool, but, to buy the futures, not cheap. The $40 and up wines were a bit rich for my blood. Nice place, pretty fun, servers seemed cool.
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Review from alicia c.
Redwood City, CA
9/30/2009
My friend had taken me there for her birthday event day and i was happy with their friendliness and awesome wines. We left with a case or two and everyone I have shared this place with has also been pleased too.
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Review from Sara R.
Chico, CA
6/3/2008
My favorite winery in the Livermore Valley! I might be a little partial to this local as the owner's son is a good friend of mine....but the wine speaks for itself. The put out a great Chardonnay even though I think of myself as an ABC wine drinker (Anything But Chardonnay). They have some delicious ports as well. Living in Livermore I take a lot of visitors and friends wine tasting at the local wineries. Every time, without putting in my opinion, everyone chooses this as their favorite winery. Its also a great place to start as it is one of the wineries set deepest in the valley so you can work your way down the wine road and into town for dinner. Don't miss this and also check out Wild Vine down town featuring the wines of White Crane.
