Bouchaine Vineyards

We went to Bouchaine last weekend and did not enjoy our experience any way near as last time. I hesitate to write something so negative when I DO love the outdoor garden where you can do your tasting and the staff was very nice, but…
We were there in the Fall before one of their wine club dinners and the tasting room looked very festive. This time it looked borderline cheap with stacks of sale wines and there was a handwritten sign on this fridge that was being raffled off. We met some friends that live in Napa and they were not happy when they were told that their locals discount doesn’t work on weekends. We wouldn’t have known about Bouchaine if it wasn’t for them because it’s really off the beaten track. They do not have a Pinot-​only Club and don’t allow wine substitutions in the club so the club wasn’t interesting to me. Finally when we went to pay we decided to buy a case of the sale wine which should of covered our tasting fees but were told that the 3-​bottle purchase for covering tastings didn’t apply to wines on sale. We paid our tasting fees instead of buying the case and left, their loss not ours. Maybe they have new owners or something because this was not the experience that we had before and we probably will not return.
If you want a good deal on some wines they DO had some case discounts but I would skip the full tasting because a case purchase won’t cover your tasting fee which I found ‘cheap’ which sums up my comment above.

I made a reservation for my family to come here after reading the great reviews but we were very disappointed. The staff (well the lay pouring our wine) was very rude and condescending. She made us feel like we were a huge nuisance and acted like we were very stupid. We did not feel relaxed and she prevented us from having a great time.

Pros: Beautiful location and grounds.
Cons: Pretty much everything else.
A group of six of us have been going to the Napa Valley at least twice a year for almost 20 years, so we’re not newbies. Overall, the Bouchaine wines are not bad, but they’re overpriced. The group consensus was that the Bouche de Berre was decent, but you can get the same quality and style chardonnay from Rombauer for $ 15 less. You can also find reds from other vineyards that are better and less expensive.
The biggest turnoff was their service. They charge a $ 25 tasting fee. We were told that if we joined the wine club and bought four additional bottles, we would get the club discount and the tasting fees waived. Being under the influence, that sounded like a reasonable tradeoff – $ 150 savings plus 20% discount. When it came time to ring up the sale, the tasting room attendant told us we needed to take the fall club shipment that day as well. So, four bottles turns into eight.
The following Monday, having come to our senses, we decided we didn’t like the wines that much, and cancelled the club membership. Bouchaine then turned around and charged our credit card for the tasting fees and the 20% discount on the eight bottles. Their logic was that we hadn’t really joined the club. Oh, and by the way, membership requires a minimum of three shipments. We were never told this. As far as we knew, we _​had_​joined the club and taken a shipment.
In all fairness, after some back and forth, they did re-​credit us for the tasting fees, but held on to the discounts. All in all, their approach was petty and felt somewhat like a bait and switch. If you want better wines and much better hospitality, try Artesa in the Carneros region.

Gorgeous vineyard, and all members of the tasting room staff were great! Laid back, attentive, and fabulous wine — what more can you ask for?

Great varietals, great energy and service. Love having a picnic outback. Love the rockin hs and the gee. Debbie always has a smile on and great story to tell. My beau actually retired his membership there but after one week we missed it, so I signed up!

Great winery with a deck setting over looking a vinyard. The wine tasting is very reasonably priced. The pinot is excellent and reasonable at $ 60 a bottle. The service is good and the wines are good. They hold weddings at the location as well as the grounds are nice.

For big groups — terrible! They are unappreciative and demeaning. I came here for the second winery on my thirtieth birthday and they told us we were «cut off» after THREE bottles for thirty people, most of which were over age 45. i everyone is local, always interested in a new place and will absolutely never be back. So incredibly rude!

I really like Bouchaine as an alternative to the crazy wineries in Napa. This Carneros winery produces very good wines, but their location is much more laid back and relaxed than the typical Napa experience. The winery is located deep in the Carneros region very close to the bay. This area is much cooler and subject to the bay breezes than most of the valley producing a different style. Their location is also a great place to begin or end your valley tour.
The tasting room is smaller than average with a stand-​up bar, but they have an extensive back patio and garden for a more leisurely tasting experience. Bouchaine has a strong focus on Pinot Noir, but also produces Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier typical of the region. Some of the wines have an intense flavor with a wonderful finish. Prices are high, but reasonable for the quality. On my visit, they refunded the tasting fee with a 3 bottle purchase.
Staff are welcoming and friendly, creating a nice atmosphere more typical in other parts of California. They are a rather long drive from most of the more central tasting rooms in Napa Valley and close early, but the beautiful grounds and excellent wine more than make up for the journey. The Carneros-​style of wine is different than a typical Oakville or Stag’s Leap, but can be a nice option for everyone when visiting Napa Valley.

I was blown away by how good the wine was here since it’s not quite in the Napa Valley, not quite in Sonoma (technically Carneros). We came here by recommendation of a coworker. The chardonnay we had was perfectly balanced, with a vanilla flavor that was better than the butter and apple flavors that you more commonly encounter. The place specializes in pinot noirs. It’s literally sitting on a coastal hillside and Greg there explained how the near-​constant sea air gave the grapes more character, which was reflected in the complexity of the wines.

Ana (one of the people who work there) spilled wine over me, never apologized («did I spill wine over you? I will get you a stain remover.») and didn’t even bring the stain remover that she mentioned. Unbelievable.

Amazing!!! Debbie, Ali and Jennifer made us feel so warmly welcomed. This winery was by far our absolute favorite during our 4 day Napa visit. Bouchaine is actually the only wine club we chose to join… best wine (especially Chardonnay and Pinot) we decided to spend our last afternoon in the valley by revisiting them! Thank you Debbie for all the time and knowledge you so warmly shared with us!

Well let me start by saying I don’t drink wine, so with that in mind I want to give this place 5 stars on their ambiance, service, gardens etc. Because if I rated on the wine it would be like 1 star. We came here with friends that are wine club members, well let me just say we got the red carpet treatment from Tyler. Had a great tour of the place, then brought our lunch in and sat on the deck at our reserved table then followed it up with a walk around the gorgeous gardens. All in all a great day!

I absolutely love this winery. It’s such a great boutique winery. There’s something about having that intimacy of a quiet place to taste wine and relax.
The owner was incredibly sweet and came over and talked to us about wine and everything going on at the winery. He seemed genuinely determined to make sure that we were having the best possible experience here.
On a sunny day in Napa, there are few things more beautiful that seeing the sun hit the rolling hills rowed with grapes from the gorgeous wood patio.
The wine is delicious but the vibe is the real sell here. I highly recommend coming to Bouchaine if you’re in the area.

Bouchaine is the first winery in 10 years that I really wanted to visit again. And again. And again. So many wineries have great wine OR great service OR a great view… Bouchaine literally has it all. Debbie made us feel like family on our very first visit, and the next time we went back, Tyler was equally warm and friendly. The wine club is surprisingly accessible — not at all «hoity-​toity» and more affordable than many other clubs. We love being members, and picking up our membership wines four times a year gives us an extra excuse to take a road trip and visit Bouchaine again. Truly a gem… we feel lucky we found it.

Debbie was an absolute pleasure! They were short staffed and still she managed to be amazing at customer service. I will definitely be back! Thank you Debbie!!!

We arrived at the winery and were warmly greeted by Debbie who proceeded to make us feel like family with her cheerful attitude and accommodating character. She had an extensive knowledge of the wines available and helped us pick the most delicious Pinot Nior. The view was fabulous and the customer service even better. We had such a wonderful time!

Had an amazing experience at Bouchaine in previous years, and insisted we go back this time!
Debbie was absolutely incredible. We showed up late thanks to traffic and were definitely the last appointment of the day but she didn’t rush us at all and was so friendly and welcoming! The wine is delicious and the grounds — so beautiful.
Once again, a first rate time at Bouchaine. It is my fav! I will be back next time — of course making sure Debbie is pouring!

This is my wife and my absolute favorite vineyard in wine country! It is very quaint and has a very intimate, local feel. The staff is AMAZING. In fact, my wife and I were planning to visit later this month to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary and unfortunately, our hotel reservation was canceled due to damage caused by the recent earthquake. Everywhere we looked was booked and in desperation, we called Bouchaine to see if they might know where we could get fit in.
Debbie K. at Bouchaine actually found us a place to stay and had the hotel hold the room for us! We’ve never been more impressed by any business as much as we are Bouchaine. Not to mention, their wine is INCREDIBLE. My favorite is the Rockin’ H Syrah.

Great wine, amazing views and very friendly staff. This is what a visit to a Napa winery should be. From the time we walked through the door the staff was friendly, gave us plenty of wine and told us about the place.
The grounds were full of green grass and flowers. Could not ask for more.

Customer service here is really a drag… nay, nix that. The serving staff here at the tasting room are a bunch of bitches. The female employee (either Aussie or British) was extremely curt, answered our questions in monosyllabic responses and acted like a dive barkeep pouring tastes with no form or style. Also quite charming the way she rolled her eyes when I broke out a Cellar-​Tracker 2 for 1 coupon where she then proceeded to loudly call to the manager in the back on how to apply said coupon.
I’ve had several positive experiences at Bouchaine before this, so I am seriously hoping that this was a one-​off experience…