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Open 10:30am-5:00pm
Appt required? No
Last barlinwine.com visit: 2011
Directions
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Tasting:
de Lorimier Winery has a sprawling facility surrounded by their vineyards at the northern end of Alexander Valley. We stopped at the winery with the intention of tasting and hopefully having our picnic lunch. Initial signs were positive -- the de Lorimier tasting room sits on beautifully manicured grounds, with a fountains and shaded outdoor sofas flanking the entrance to the tasting room. With an eye on those sofas, we went in to begin our tasting.
The folks at de Lorimier were welcoming from the start. We began to work our way down the tasting page when we asked about lunch. "Well, do you want to eat now?" we were asked. "You're welcome to have lunch outside with the wines you're trying and just come back in when you're ready to try something new." Great idea! Accommodating, flexible, and friendly, our hostess really made the experience great.
We tried two Sauvignon Blancs, a Chardonnay, a Malbec, and a Reserve Malbec. We were ready to settle up, when our hostess asked, "Are you interested in any Cabernet or Bordeaux blends?" as she flipped over the tasting sheet. There was another side to the tasting sheet! Well, of course we were interested! We moved on to try 3 Cabernets (the Preston Ranch, Warm Springs Ranch, and Crazy Creek) and two meritage blends (the Mosaic and the Artisan). The front page wines we tried were okay, but the cabs and blends were significantly better.
On a different day, I probably would have walked away with at least a few bottles, but I knew we had some excellent cab stops coming up (Robert Young and Hawkes) and so I ended up passing on wine. My sister did purchase, though, and was given 10% off her purchase. We weren't charged any tasting fees either and tried a lot of wines, all of which adds up to a pretty great value for your trip. The overall experience was enjoyable, and the wines are affordable enough to be an option for wine enthusiasts of all levels.
The folks at de Lorimier were welcoming from the start. We began to work our way down the tasting page when we asked about lunch. "Well, do you want to eat now?" we were asked. "You're welcome to have lunch outside with the wines you're trying and just come back in when you're ready to try something new." Great idea! Accommodating, flexible, and friendly, our hostess really made the experience great.
On a different day, I probably would have walked away with at least a few bottles, but I knew we had some excellent cab stops coming up (Robert Young and Hawkes) and so I ended up passing on wine. My sister did purchase, though, and was given 10% off her purchase. We weren't charged any tasting fees either and tried a lot of wines, all of which adds up to a pretty great value for your trip. The overall experience was enjoyable, and the wines are affordable enough to be an option for wine enthusiasts of all levels.
Recommended wine:I preferred the "back side of the page", particularly the Crazy Creek single vineyard Cabernet and the two blends (Mosaic and Artisan).
Ratings (out of 5):
 WINE | 4.00 |  TASTING ROOM | 4.25 |
 ATMOSPHERE | 4.50 |  VALUE | 5.00 |
 OVERALL | 4.44 | ||
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