Wineries near Walnut Creek

“I was not expecting much from Shadowbrook Winery in Walnut Creek.
We avoid dining out Friday-Saturday and they are only open Thursday-Sunday.
We live very close to this winery (2000 feet!), but we had heard nothing about it, and put off trying it for years.

I expected a small winery with mediocre to poor wines with even worse placeholder food.
We were quite pleasantly surprised by the wine, food, service and view. The wines were all good and the food was really excellent as was the service and view.

We love a good charcuterie, and their full charcuterie was fantastic, and plenty for two. There were five cheeses, all delicious (one was a 3yo gouda), four meats, served along with plenty of great olives, cornichons and candied pecans. After polishing this off (with several glasses of wine) we did not have room for dinner, and instead finished off with wonderful prime rib sliders followed by a trio of sorbet. Neither of us was fond of the amaretto, but the cherry and chocolate were excellent. The menu is not huge, but there were several entrees we want to try on future visits (sea bass, rack of lamb, pork chop).
The service and ambiance (including the view of the winery, hills, cows, vultures, and morning doves) added to our experience. Jeff, our server, was terrific and made great recommendations. The cost of the wine flights seemed crazy high to me. Instead, get lots of wine by the glass…twice as much wine for the almost the same price.

They are only open Thursday through Sunday. Parking and seating are limited so they say “by appointment only” which means reservations are really required. Yelp and their website did not make it really clear how to make a dinner reservation, but going directly to Open Table worked great.“

“We’ve been members for maybe 6 years and we just love Buon Vino it is a great place to hang out and drink some delicious wine. The atmosphere is always great. We love the new location and all the fun events they come up with. Always our place to go to with my husband and great spot for girls “

“Very knowledgeable about wines in general and there’s in particular If you want a warm family style place to learn about wine you don’t have to go to Napa Valley We have our own vineyard right here in Martinez“

“What a lovely time we had. Bill was able to accommodate our family of five while visiting our son for Thanksgiving. Our private tasting could not have been any better. Bill's hospitality made you feel like you were visiting an old friend. The wine was outstanding! Highly recommend“

“Unique experience in a residential neighborhood. One guy and his wife in their "yard". Fantastic property and views! Poured 2012/2013 in 2022! One of a kind experience!“

“We had a fantastic day, tasting wines and strolling through the beautiful gardens of Bhachu Vineyards! Came home with some special goodies too....hahaha Many thanks to Barbara, Dave, & family. Your party was a smash, and your kindness is felt deeply.“

“We had no expectations for this winery, just noticed that it was in the area where we were going to be that day. Wow, what a pleasant surprise! I am a fan of dessert wines, and thought theirs were very good. My companions liked some of their other wines as well. Nice picnic bench area to sit, sample, and chat. It's not a fancy, upscale winery, but it is definitely worth a visit. We'll be back!“

“The best wine storage in the East Bay for sure.The facilities here are much better structured to handle the increasingly hot summers in the Bay Area. Joe and Debie (owners) are gracious, accommodating, and a big help. Rates are reasonable, and you have 24-hr secured access!Fully moved out of the Bay now, I will miss this place. They were terrific “bottle-sitters” the last 4 years.“