The wine tasting photo by business on Google vs how much they actually pour. March 2024.
Outside
I've never been to a tasting with such small pours. $15 for 4 of these. March 2024
Along the path towards the tasting room with outdoor seating area in view
I've never been to a tasting with such small pours. $15 for 4 of these. March 2024
Holiday decor in foyer
Tasting menu
Entrance from the parking area
Tasting room, standing room only
Entrance from the main road
Fountain by the tasting room. March 2024.
drink
Front entrance to tasting room
Charcuteríe plate honoring their winemaker.
Menu
drink
menu
Barrels outside winery.
2017| Pinot Noir| Solomon Hills Vineyard. Always a destination when we travel North. Great wine, great company, perfect ambiance.
CRU's single vineyard tasting
Rachel S.
Mar 25, 2024
If you like dry wines, you might like these wines. If you don't like dry wines, keep driving.Visited earlier this month because my husband loves to go wine tasting. I'm not a big wine fan so usually I'll do the slurp thing to taste the notes or take a sip or two and then pass my glass off to my husband, rather than dumping it.I've been to umpteen wineries around California, the US and internationally. This winery gives, hands down, the stingiest pours I've ever experienced. I could maybe get two sips out of a pour. And yet this tasting was $15 for 4 wines, but if you're a party of 6 or more, the fee for the same tasting goes up to $20 per person! Since when does pouring maybe a half ounce into more glasses warrant everyone in the party being charged $5 more bucks a piece? It feels stingy.I went to 4 wineries in the same weekend I visited Crū. J. Lohr in Paso charges $20 per person for 6 generous pours and a free pencil with herb seeds to plant at home. Eberle Winery in Paso does free tastings and yet have generous pours, free bottled water and a free tour of the underground storage facility. Quady in Madera charges $5 per person for a tasting and not only were the pours generous, we tried 7 wines, got to double back on our favorites before we ordered a half case.The server was nice and personable. I have no complaints about her. Overall it doesn't feel like a fun wine tasting experience when it seems like they're rationing their wine. While not the end of the world, there isn't much of a view for the outdoor patio because the tasting room patio is between the building and a fence with a road on the other side. If you're wanting to see vineyards while you sip, this isn't the spot for you. There was also a couple with a toddler at a table - with an iPad, playing a video outloud without headphones - while the parents were wine tasting inside, so just know that kids are allowed if that matters to you.March 2024
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Janet S.
Mar 3, 2024
Had a wonderful experience @ Cru after a long absence. Our bffs also visited Cru recently after a long absence and wanted us to revisit their stellar wines. If you like Pinot Noir, this is the place. We were also served a beautiful charcuterie plate to go with our tasting for a special weekend honoring their winemaker. At most wineries, the plate would be served for two people to share, but we each were served one of these beauties!
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Sophie A.
Nov 25, 2023
Great service. Very attentive staff. Beautiful outdoor tasting area. High-end wine. Two different tastings $15 for four flights of two white and two red wines. $25 for five flights of mixed white and red wines with more award winning choices. It's a nice tasting room and pretty far out from the rest of the Madera wine trail.
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Cameron B.
Dec 1, 2023
Just a few blocks off the major central valley freeway and a member of the Madera Wine Trail, Cru is a must stop location for fruity, soft and well crafted wine. With a Minority Directed Winemaker, and a staff filled with both locals and future oenologists, the staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. Bottles are affordable and with grapes sourced from all over the central valley Cru does a great job sourcing the best grapes, skips troublesome years, and makes blends that give a special "spicy" quality to their wines that aligns with the winemakers pallet. A beautiful tasting room and large patio (with space heaters in the winter), this is a must stop location!
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Sandra B.
Oct 25, 2023
We had a great experience at CRU today, Emily was friendly and made our experience a pleasant one. We enjoyed chit chatting about wines and our dogs. We did two different tastings and they were both good. We had our pups with us so we were able to sit in the outdoor patio, it is shaded, spacious and dog friendly.
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Risa Y.
Dec 7, 2020
Came to CRU Winery on a way back to LA from Sacramento because we needed to make a stop to rest. It was 100 degrees out and we had to sit outside with 2 kids but we had a lot of fun! It was so chill that we brought our own snacks to have with our tasting. I really loved their white wine choices even tho I am more of a Cabernet Sauvignon kinda girl. Could be because it was hot out but I opened a few bottles at home and they were soooo good! I need to go back and get a case or two!
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Kent L.
Mar 21, 2021
Great, well balanced wines, nice small patio to drink and relax, offers winery tours. Their pours are a bit light, but for 15 dollars you can try 5 different wines. Sharing one tasting between two people is enough to appreciate the wines, makes you want more, absolutely will not get you sloshed. Pours are well timed, with enough time for you to enjoy and take it slow without feeling rushed out of there.If you want to get drunk, I recommend San Joaquin winery 4 miles down the road.
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Noemi R.
Nov 30, 2021
I really enjoyed wine tasting here. Our server was Zack and he was extremely polite and knowledgeable. The cheese platter was a nice option. The outdoor seating was also very nice. I would suggest providing customers with wine class toppers as there was a lot of stubborn little fruit flies flying around. Cru has great deals for their members and they graciously celebrate member special days (birthdays, anniversaries, etc). They also provided some awesome deals for Black Friday.
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Cheryl S.
Dec 15, 2024
Very good Pilot Noir and Chardonnay. Some of the best we've found in this area! Award winning wines!
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Ann K.
Jan 27, 2024
We made a spontaneous trip into Cru today and had an outstanding visit with Tamera. The wines are incredible and the service is too! We love buying local especially when the quality is exceptional!
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