Sun sets (literally) on the venerable Sellai Family Vineyard Sangiovese in Madera,. These rare old vines, have now fallen to "Progress".
a woman standing in front of a counter with bottles of wine
The tasting was all set for our arrival
a red building with a wooden roof
Tasting in the winery
Such a fantastic afternoon with the most gracious host, Ray! This man knows what he likes! (And we like it too!) Great wine!!!!
Oakhurst Rotary at WWF
a woman sitting on a balcony
Fall Colors at WWF
Me with Ray! Ray was the most gracious and educated host we could have asked for! :)
October is always a riot of color at Westbrook Wine Farm
a glass of wine and a bottle of wine
Rosato, it's hotter than ever
What a treasure to find. Great wines, wonderful host and a great experience all around. A must!
Nature's drama in our Fait Accompli Vineyard
drink
Back at home: The 4 wines we bought chilling on our wine bar making themselves at home back in LA!
The tour of the vineyard began our visit, as Ray explains the art of growing grapes
Museum in Winter
interior
Snow in Fait Accompli Vineyard
Owners Ray and Tammy Krause on the left. Our most recent visit. Always excellent company, wit, wine knowledge, and of course the wines!!
interior
Moxie P.
Mar 8, 2022
Warm welcome, educational walk thru of the vineyards topped off with a very tasty array outstanding wines! Couldn't have asked for a better way to spend our first afternoon on our Yosemite vacation. Reservations were made weeks in advance and Ray was very communicative throughout the entire process. Our group of six bought multiple bottles, had a great time and we look forward to returning!
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Lori C.
Apr 6, 2022
We indulged ourselves in an immersive experience of tasting wines with all our senses. Being at the Westbrook Wine Farm with a passionate winemaker listening to the history and nuances of really making quality wine while being surrounded by barrels, bottles, vineyards and foothills was unforgettable. Ray is funny, entertaining and downright serious about making wines he is proud of. I am looking forward to opening a wonderful bottle of his wine with dinner tonight. But which one?? They were all so unique and delicious! Thanking my friend Caty for making it happen. By appointment only. Great birthday afternoon getaway to Westbrook's little gem in the world of wine.
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Kimberley M.
Jan 28, 2018
There are not enough words to say how absolutely amazing this experience was. Ray has more knowledge about wine than any of us could ever hope to have about our own careers/ callings. It is without a doubt the most personal and intimate wine tasting experience we have ever had. The selections were endless and the quality was top notch. The only downside is that I live 4 hours away and will now be spending infinite weekend and gas money making my way out to spend time with lovely Ray and his exquisite wines and property. If you like wine, or think you like wine... do not hesitate to make an appointment with Ray. You will experience wine in a way unlike ever before.
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Faith M.
Apr 23, 2022
Beautiful winery and with amazing wine! Ray, the owner, is very welcoming and kind! He told a story before each wine we tasted which made it that much more special. Loved the small group atmosphere. Make sure to call ahead as it is appointment only. Absolutely recommend!
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Seul L.
Sep 25, 2019
It was one of the best wineries tour I ever had! And I've been to a lot of wineries. Do make an appointment before visiting and you will have a blissful time in there. It was very exclusive and took us about two hours. The owner was very chilled and so funny! We ended up buying whole bunch of wines and I even brought some wines back to NYC! Highly recommended for the view, great wines, and wonderful time!!
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Kurt S.
May 7, 2024
Took 3 couples of wine enthusiasts to an appointment only tasting at Westbrook Winery. All of us actually have a great deal of experience visiting wineries in Napa and Paso Robles, however minimal experience in the fine art of wine making. We were given a 2+ hour tour of Westbrook, which included an extremely informative tasting guided by Ray Krause- the owner and wine maker. At the end, all of us were in agreement - the private tasting at Westbrook was the best experience any of us had ever had at a wine tasting event and winery visit - informative, humorous, and a mini class in enology.A++++ - highly recommend - a hidden gem
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Aaron P.
Feb 16, 2022
if you would choose to Google the definition of a hidden gem, it should include a reference to this lovely little winery. My wife and I made this our first stop on our small tour of the Madera Wine trail. The winery is located on top of a gorgeous little hill hidden away from the main road: private and secluded. When we arrived, we were greeted as we drove up by Ray and his dogs, Molly and Poppy. He welcomed us and instead of immediately walking us into the winery, walked us around his property. It was very interesting to hear about the vines and soils and the uniqueness of the area when it comes to cultivating the grapes.Once we got into the winery, the experience just got even better. Ray has such a wealth of knowledge and expertise it would have been worth the time just to listen to him talk about the wines and their history.Fortunately the wines were even better. My wife and I enjoyed everything. Even vintages that we hadn't ever particularly liked at any other winery. Just a fantastic experience from beginning to end. I would recommend this to everyone looking for an experience and not just a wine bar that is looking to pour 5 wines from a list and tell you about the different fruit you'll taste.
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Barbara W.
Mar 2, 2020
Well it looks like some person did not enjoy Ray or his wines. This is fine and opinion is opinion. I love the wines and will drive from Las Vegas NV to get them. And Ray is witty and has a unique approach to his wine tastings. No one has to like him or his wine. But no one has to be rude to make their opinion clearer. It is clear. Please do not be rude as in the last line.Barbara Parry
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Laurie T.
Feb 10, 2022
Westbrook is an absolute gem! I moved here from Sonoma County a few years ago and I was sad to leave wine country behind. It turns out there is wonderful wine to be found here, particularly on the Madera Wine Trail. That said, Westbrook, and Ray, are by far my favorite. The wine is delicious and the tasting experience is beyond great. Ray knows everything about wine, but in a way that makes you want to listen. He tells great stories and is an expert in witty banter. I've been to more tasting rooms than I remember and this is one of the best experiences anywhere, every time. And again, the wine is SO good. It's also a beautiful drive to get there. Make an appointment, you'll be so happy you did!.Side note: To those who don't get Ray and his humor/personality, I am sorry. Yours must be a slightly less joyful life. I imagine you find yourself offended often and that can't be fun.
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Kris H.
Mar 6, 2020
My favorite overall winery, anywhere in the world, and we buy and import a lot of great wines. This winery grows all the Bordeaux grape varieties, which is really rare! We were introduced to Westbrook wines 15 years ago, as Ray's wines were being poured at a 5 star restaurant we visited. Make an appointment, relax, taste, learn and make sure your car has plenty of room to hold the bottles you will buy. Love visiting this small, boutique winery for the authentic winery experience. It is not often that your wines are poured by the winemaker, who will explain the growing process, the weather impacts, the subtle nuances, etc. Ray's knowledge of wine making is amazing and he has been in the industry for (help me out, Ray) a very long time....but he's still really young! We have been introducing friends to this winery for years and look forward the visits. The Fait Accompli is typically my favorite wine, but we buy all of them. The dessert wine, is also unique, as it isn't too sweet, like most, in my opinion. We serve Ray's wines at all our parties, and they are typically preferred over top Bordeaux Houses' wines in blind tasting parties, we have hosted. They are that good and special!
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