Starlite Winery is truly one of my sweet spots in Sonoma. I deeply respect and love the owner, and the variety of wines they create is just incredible. I’ve seen firsthand how much effort and energy they put into this place. I’ve attended a few events there and can honestly say they’re unforgettable. And the wine tasting? It’s a must-experience in the whole Sonoma area. I really, really recommend it! The wines they make have soft tannin structures and are delicious. The Cabernets are my go to wines. You should stop by and see the winery for yourselves.
Irene Luong
We had come here for the Sonoma County Wine trail. We arrived around 11:15 AM and there was no one here. We decided to go to a different winery and called back to check their hours and they confirmed they will be there. We arrived and were told to find any open spot. There were no open spaces in the front and we asked if we can sit in the back, and he said feel free. We sat in the back for 15 minutes with no service. After we noticed a group had left, we moved back to front and the guys said “Oh don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you.” We continued standing at the table by the window as the guy was just kept chatting with the people sitting at the bar. A white couple arrived about 5 mins after we moved the front and found an open space in the corner. They were served promptly with wine. Still no service for the 3 of us who have been there for 20 minutes. We waited another 10 minutes before we left. There was no attempt to serve us, nor any sort of apologies when we walked out. This type of blatant racism is unacceptable.
Update 8/8/2025 - Reply to Business
This honestly just sounds like an excuse. I understand places of business can get busy and that things happen, but looking at older reviews, this isn’t the first time this has happened. Someone else has posted regarding same thing happening to them - and would you look at that, the person who posted was also a person of color. They were also visiting during one of these wine events. Maybe if you can’t handle these types of large events, don’t participate in them. Or better yet, have more than 1 person working during the event instead of just saying there’s nothing you can do.
Also the fact that you’re asking us to let you know on the next visit. We did call before arriving the 2nd time that day and confirmed that we were a group of 3 with our estimated time of arrival and with our name. This was not asked upon our arrival.
Panda Lee
Really off putting experience. We showed up and it was busy. But found a spot near the front of the window. We waited around for about 15 minutes with no service. Another couple came in (white) and promptly got served. He returned to chatting with people and made no attempts to serve us. As we left, I made eye contact with him and he made no attempt of apologizes. Absolutely disgusted by the BLATANT RACISM in Sonoma county
Janina Rudzinski
Exquisite. The delicious taste of the refreshing red Zinfandel lingered on my taste buds. Can’t wait to enjoy more. Thank you so much
Daniel Vesp
Horrible experience.
David Tanaka
One of my most memorable experiences with Gary and others. I really enjoyed the wine, service and the property. I would highly recommend.
Mike D
After 20 years of meticulous care in my cellar I opened my first vintage Zin of Starlite Vineyards, their 2003 Zinfandel, to celebrate Mother's Day 2023. It is delicious. Their wine cellars and ages well. The proprietor signed this bottle for me which makes it even more special. Fantastic Zin. Delicate yet sophisticated. Liquid poetry. Love it. Keep up the excellent work at your fantastic winery. I share Starlite wines with friends at the Harvard Club all the time.
Amylla Sullano
Wine was low-average and service was worse. Just skip over to soda rock.Update: Stopped by during the barrel tasting event, wine glasses were supplied by the event. Our group’s customer service aligns with previous poor experiences in their slightly dirty, visible cobwebbed garage.
Suzanne Miller
We toured several vineyards in the area today, and the wines at this small family establishment were my favorite by a mile. The owners are absolutely lovely and welcoming. They shared so much knowledge about all of the intricacies of producing high quality wines. Their viognier is literally the best wine I have ever tasted of any variety. They know what they are doing.
Monica Freng
The wines at Starlite are absolutely luscious and unique. The hospitality of the owners was superb & we look forward to seeking out Starlite vintages again. What a gem!
Wonderful hidden gem. Small winery with great wines. Had a glass of their Zinfandel at the Healdsburg Montage and knew we wanted to see more of their product. They did not disappoint
stefan holmes
Mina was absolutely amazing and a great person to be around. Immensely knowledgeable about wine and has the best tasting wine I’ve ever had!!!!
David McGowan
Great wine, beautiful setting, very nice people
Chris
Very good, top notch wine here.
Chris Polston
Outstanding wine and service! The Zinfandel was delicate yet powerful. The Rose, delicious and fun. The viognier was wonderfully aromatic and delightful to taste. The two Cabernet Sauvignons were out of this world and a really cool demonstration of just how much climate can impact a wine’s taste. As good as the wine was, Sammy the wine dog was our favorite part!
Starlite Winery is truly one of my sweet spots in Sonoma. I deeply respect and love the owner, and the variety of wines they create is just incredible. I’ve seen firsthand how much effort and energy they put into this place. I’ve attended a few events there and can honestly say they’re unforgettable. And the wine tasting? It’s a must-experience in the whole Sonoma area. I really, really recommend it! The wines they make have soft tannin structures and are delicious. The Cabernets are my go to wines. You should stop by and see the winery for yourselves.
We had come here for the Sonoma County Wine trail. We arrived around 11:15 AM and there was no one here. We decided to go to a different winery and called back to check their hours and they confirmed they will be there. We arrived and were told to find any open spot. There were no open spaces in the front and we asked if we can sit in the back, and he said feel free. We sat in the back for 15 minutes with no service. After we noticed a group had left, we moved back to front and the guys said “Oh don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you.” We continued standing at the table by the window as the guy was just kept chatting with the people sitting at the bar. A white couple arrived about 5 mins after we moved the front and found an open space in the corner. They were served promptly with wine. Still no service for the 3 of us who have been there for 20 minutes. We waited another 10 minutes before we left. There was no attempt to serve us, nor any sort of apologies when we walked out. This type of blatant racism is unacceptable.
Update 8/8/2025 - Reply to Business
This honestly just sounds like an excuse. I understand places of business can get busy and that things happen, but looking at older reviews, this isn’t the first time this has happened. Someone else has posted regarding same thing happening to them - and would you look at that, the person who posted was also a person of color. They were also visiting during one of these wine events. Maybe if you can’t handle these types of large events, don’t participate in them. Or better yet, have more than 1 person working during the event instead of just saying there’s nothing you can do.
Also the fact that you’re asking us to let you know on the next visit. We did call before arriving the 2nd time that day and confirmed that we were a group of 3 with our estimated time of arrival and with our name. This was not asked upon our arrival.
Really off putting experience. We showed up and it was busy. But found a spot near the front of the window. We waited around for about 15 minutes with no service. Another couple came in (white) and promptly got served. He returned to chatting with people and made no attempts to serve us. As we left, I made eye contact with him and he made no attempt of apologizes. Absolutely disgusted by the BLATANT RACISM in Sonoma county
Exquisite. The delicious taste of the refreshing red Zinfandel lingered on my taste buds. Can’t wait to enjoy more. Thank you so much
Horrible experience.
One of my most memorable experiences with Gary and others. I really enjoyed the wine, service and the property. I would highly recommend.
After 20 years of meticulous care in my cellar I opened my first vintage Zin of Starlite Vineyards, their 2003 Zinfandel, to celebrate Mother's Day 2023. It is delicious. Their wine cellars and ages well. The proprietor signed this bottle for me which makes it even more special. Fantastic Zin. Delicate yet sophisticated. Liquid poetry. Love it. Keep up the excellent work at your fantastic winery. I share Starlite wines with friends at the Harvard Club all the time.
Wine was low-average and service was worse. Just skip over to soda rock.Update: Stopped by during the barrel tasting event, wine glasses were supplied by the event. Our group’s customer service aligns with previous poor experiences in their slightly dirty, visible cobwebbed garage.
We toured several vineyards in the area today, and the wines at this small family establishment were my favorite by a mile. The owners are absolutely lovely and welcoming. They shared so much knowledge about all of the intricacies of producing high quality wines. Their viognier is literally the best wine I have ever tasted of any variety. They know what they are doing.
The wines at Starlite are absolutely luscious and unique. The hospitality of the owners was superb & we look forward to seeking out Starlite vintages again. What a gem!
Restaurantji Recommends
Wonderful hidden gem. Small winery with great wines. Had a glass of their Zinfandel at the Healdsburg Montage and knew we wanted to see more of their product. They did not disappoint
Mina was absolutely amazing and a great person to be around. Immensely knowledgeable about wine and has the best tasting wine I’ve ever had!!!!
Great wine, beautiful setting, very nice people
Very good, top notch wine here.
Outstanding wine and service! The Zinfandel was delicate yet powerful. The Rose, delicious and fun. The viognier was wonderfully aromatic and delightful to taste. The two Cabernet Sauvignons were out of this world and a really cool demonstration of just how much climate can impact a wine’s taste. As good as the wine was, Sammy the wine dog was our favorite part!
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