Retzlaff Vineyards

I always wanted to go to a California Vineyard and Retzlaff was just the experience I was hoping to have. The vineyard was beautiful and large, and we were allowed to take pictures. The tasting area was picturesque with tables and a small food stall nearby if we got hungry (which we did). The tasting menu was also comprehensive and had a good selection, though I was a bit sad a sparkling white wasn't on the list for that day, but it's the luck of the draw. The wines themselves ranged from from and deep flavors to light and fruity, and even for a white wine preferring palate like mine, I can say they were all high quality and pleasant to try! The service was warm and hospitable. I felt like we were taken care of and everything was explained throughly. The love music and atmosphere made the whole experience lovely!

I really wish I could leave a better review, but I left Retzlaff with a really bad taste in my mouth, pun not intended! I came here with friends because one of them had come here before with her family and had good things to share about her experience so we decided to come back. It's really cool because when you arrive, you park between the vines. When we walked up, we spoke with a woman who was extremely helpful in getting us set up with our wine tasting. Our server, Courtney, was also really kind and attentive (hence the two stars and not one). Courtney shared that they stopped serving at 4pm and we could hang out until 5pm, so we decided with our last hour that we'd order a bottle to share and pack up and leave by 5pm. During our last hour, a woman who worked there, but was not our server, walked up to us and said to my niece as she was cooing (8 months old) "is that baby talk for it's time to go?". My two friends chucked, but it felt inappropriate to me because my niece was smiling and sitting in her stroller as content as could be, so to imply that we needed to leave to tend to the baby needs seemed a bit off. At 4:55pm, the same woman walked up to us and said, "it's 5pm, you need to leave" and walked away, sat at a table off to the side, got on her phone drinking a glass of wine. We all looked at her in disbelief because it was clear that we were packing up and we had already spoken to two other staff about our timing, yet still this woman insisted on letting us know what we NEEDED to do; I wish I had gotten her name. Most of the wine tasting experience is about the environment and atmosphere and to know someone could speak to patrons who not only paid for three wine tastings but also bought several bottles of wine like this, I will never return to this winery and I will not recommend it either.

TL:DR. One of my favorite Livermore wineries. Ambiance - super chill; old school winery. Relaxing green space. Amazing picnic areaWines - great selection. Cabs are super earthy and delicious. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is unique in a good way. Try it before and after foodA must visit when in Livermore

We walked in Saturday around 1:10pm. The venue was probably less than half filled so we were able to choose a table that we wanted. Outside seating only. You have to pay for your tastings upfront. Not sure what happens if there's rain or cold weather. There was also live music. We saw other people bring snacks or food. Not sure if they were members or not since the club member states that members were allowed to bring picnic foods for 4 people. It's $5 for additional ones. And only 4 complimentary tastings per quarter. This membership doesn't sound all that great. I hope they don't enforce it these rules and it's just on paper. One of us was debating on becoming club members until we saw these rules and the possibility of outdoor only winery. Very nice and spacious outdoor winery. Our flights were poured in carafes and were generous pours. $30 tasting fee for 5 wines. If you like dry wines, earthy, smooth red wines, then this place is for you. The white wines were either ok or bland. And they have a sweet red port that we didn't care for. Saw 2 restrooms outside but didn't needed to use when we were there.

Decent wine, poor service, okay ambiance. Was my first time visiting Livermore wineries and I really wanted to like this place. After driving by several others in the area, we settled on Retzlaff for their pretty vineyard drive-up, fair priced tasting, quick wait, and promise of live music. Came by around 3:30pm. We were seated inside and had our first pour within 10 minutes. Our staff member was nice and made small talk while explaining each wine as we went through them. Around 4:10pm, we went to the counter area to buy some cheese and crackers to accompany our drinks -- the staff at the counter gave us recommendations and also let us know that while they closed at 4:30, we could stay until 5 which would be plenty of time to enjoy the cheese and the rest of our tasting. We get some cheese and are just finishing our second to last pour around 4:30. At this point, most of the area clears out and the staff starts to clean up. We ask for the final pour, and this is where stuff really starts to go downhill. The staff member nearby (different than our original one), rudely interrogates us on the specifics of what we had already had in order to determine what we needed next. Mind you, my partner and I are by no measure wine connoisseurs. While we knew we had a couple of reds and were on our last pour of the tasting, we knew nothing else. After a full minute of back and fourth, she finally says, "I'm asking because we have an extra pour that's not on the sheet, and I want to know if you're on that one or not". Really don't understand how we were expected to know that and how that warranted her behavior. She ultimately gives us the last pour on the sheet, which is literally -- note I am not exaggerating -- one drop each. Was barely enough to exit the glass for a fractional sip. Huge contrast to the previous pours that were at least enough for two sips (nothing huge either, but that's fine - it's a tasting after all!). Really wish I took a picture, not that there was anything to take a picture of lol.We left feeling cheated and disrespected. I'm disappointed since this was my first time in the area and I really wanted to have a nice time.

I came on a very quiet beautiful day and it was like we had the place to ourselves. There are tables and chairs for seating but we chose the loungers with wine glass holders. Wine selection is minimal but good if you enjoy dry wine. Parking is fun because you get to park in between grapevines. We couldn't decide which wines to try but the lady that helped us was very kind and gave us recommendations.

Came here a few months ago for a high school reunion. You park in the dirt between the rows of vineyards, so there's some walking involved. Nice shaded grassy area and a sizable covered patio. Dinner buffet was fine. Good place for an event.

I am by no means a wine connoisseur. Far from it, in fact! But I was lucky enough to join some locals who know their wine very well last Sunday. The first thing I noticed and loved about Retzlaff was the absolutely charming parking! You park in between the vineyard rows, still laden with grapes. I'm not sure how well a giant SUV would fit, but my midsized sedan had ample room on either side. The outdoor seating is picturesque: bright green grass, lots of shade, happy families picnicking. We were lucky enough to visit on a day with live music, which added to the splendid atmosphere. The wine was, in my very amateur opinion, delicious! I don't quite have the hang of describing wines yet, but I'm sure I'll learn with enough practice. All the more reason to visit again! The only drawback was the lackluster food options. I'll probably bring my own food in the future.

We had the most lovely tasting this Sunday. Our pourers, Liz and Michel really took the time to make us feel welcome and describe the wines. We loved the blend, highly recommend. The grounds were beautiful, lovely experience.

Loved the wines but loved their lawn and their chill vibe. Bonus for letting kids come in as well and enjoy the awesome environment.