Wine D’tours

I was a full priced customer (not a groupon buyer) so I’ll be rating based on the $ 60 I spent.
I called to book on a day that was already full and Dana was very accommodating to get me and my boyfriend into the tour (to join my friends). She ended up bringing in another 6 person mini van to escort me and my four friends, this made the tour worth the money since we essentially had our own private tour. I don’t think I would say that necessarily if we had been in the big passenger van though… maybe. I’ve rented cars to take me and friends wine tasting and it generally costs more than the wine tour total BUT in those cases you are driving in the hills/​windy roads of Napa/​Sonoma and not going to wineries that I would be able to bike to on any given day. That being said if you don’t live in Santa Cruz it would be nice to have this kind of escort. We do live in SC (me on weekends, my boyfriend full time) so we would have liked it more if we had been driving to wineries not located right where we live. Also, driving to Soquel to meet the van seems silly when you live closer to the last winery, it was more of a hassel to go back to Soquel and get the cars, we almost just went home from MJA and went for our cars later. When I looked on their website before the tour it mentioned a SC pickup so finding out we were being picked up in Soquel is kind of disappointing.
It was nice that the money we paid covered the tasting fees but at the same time Dana pressed the fact that we should buy from each of the wineries (maybe a little too much pushing but I understand they need to bring people who will buy wine). We did buy from the wineries which means our tastings would have been free.
The snack was nice but I’d read on the website that the tour included lunch («Savor an exquisite private lunch at a Santa Cruz Winery») so it wasn’t quite enough food BUT the wineries had cheeses, fruit, chocolate, and brownies so that was nice.
We went to three wineries, they were all fine but unlike the website claimed Visit wineries not typically open to the public” all three were open to the public, the best one (and best treatment) was definitely MJA in Santa Cruz, the owner was awesome and really made the day.
SO I’d say it would be worth the money for out of town guests or something to do if you don’t know where the wineries in SC are, if you live in SC you could just bike to a bunch of wineries… I think some things should be changed on their website to make the tour read like it really is but I had a fun time so I’m not upset about the money spent. I probably would not do the tour again but that’s only because I’d rather ride my bike to the local wine tasting rooms!

My partner and I booked a tour online and had a wonderful experience. The owners are the tour guides, and cared about their clientele. We went to three different stops. Each was planned ahead, and amazing. The owners knew about the tours and made special accommodations (lots of extra samples and behind the scenes tours.) I would recommend to anyone in Santa Cruz and nearby areas who want a relaxing day. Exceptional service and a whole lot of fun!

What a fun day!
I purchased a groupon not expecting too much. I booked online, and the service was stellar from booking to leaving, Excellent company and owners.
The group tour was in a big white van, comfortable and super clean. Great music playing from the start, good A/​C, good wine goers joining us.
We were picked up at Michaels on Main. Lots of parking. Dana and her husband (owners and tour guides) were exceedingly welcoming from the start. They made you feel like old friends, even though you had just met them, and that was before the wine started flowing.
You could tell from their vineyard selections, they cared. They did not take you to boring or cheap vineyards, the entire day was planned and first class.
First stop was Hunter Hill Vineyards and also my favorite. Obviously the vineyard know of the tour, was excited to see us, and poured accordingly. They had the best Barbera ($ 20) and grounds. The ladies who poured were kind and fun. Wines were a value price and I bought a couple bottles. Ask to sample the cab, which is AMAZING for the price point ($ 40).
Proceeding to the second tasting room Equinox, the other people on the tour started to loosen up and the tour became more fun. I must say, for a group of strangers, this tour got everyone loosened up and comfortable. Dana (owner and über-​social owner) made everyone feel very comfortable and made for an upbeat trip. Equinox made a champagne and a couple of crazy wines (ciapinno with chardonnay mixed with reds) which were fun. The owner gave us a detailed tour, explaining how sparking wines were made which was the highlight of the entire day. I mean, this is a wine tour, and not my first. I did not expect to learn anything, but at this stop I did, so I felt like my money was well spent. To be honest, I did not LOVE their wines, but I bought one (Syrah at $ 25), as I felt I should support their business. Their employee made wonderful little appetizers to accommodate us, and appreciated the tour coming in. Again, it was clear that the Wine D’Tours did some pre-​arrangements to make for a fun experience, and did not just drop us off at a random tasting room.
The last stop was a special arrangement for the tour. We had a private room at MJA. As a Santa Cruz native, I have been here before and had all their wines. I appreciated the tour for arranging a private room tasting and introduction to the owner. By this point, our tour was «lit» and Dana made sure the tasting room would keep pouring. This attention to our wants was probably not appreciated by owners, but hey, we bought their wine. They got over it, and we had a good time.
When I departed the van, I was sad it was over and did not want the party to stop! Perhaps I was clumsy, some might say drunk, but I dropped the Barbera. Small price to pay to the wine tasting gods (cheapest bottle I bought so I considered it lucky). The other tour goers joined me for a fantastic meal afterwords, and I felt like I had made friends while on this trip.
All in all, I cannot say enough good things about this trip. The owners did a wonderful job in selecting great tasting rooms and routing the day. They had a great relationship with the places which made the experience that much better (and a good value given the generous pours). All in all, I am going to book again.

I heared about wine D’tous through groupon and I had a great time. I brought a friend and we had a wonderful experience. We had a great time with the group and with the owners Ken & Dana. We enjoyed all of the wineries and the snack box was awsome. I would deffinitely recommend Wine D’tours and I hope to have another experience with them… cheers!

I found Wine D’tours via Groupon, and had a very pleasant and personal tour. My boyfriend and I were the only ones to have booked a particular Sunday, and rather than canceling on us, Dana and Ken took us in their personal vehicle to the wineries we had selected plus one! We were able to have some one-​on-​one time with the hosts as well as with the wineries to ask any questions and learn about the area. We bought lots of wine and had a great day. We did park in the New Leaf parking lot, which we thought was great, because we stopped in after to pick up a few groceries to which we then took home and made a lovely dinner! Thank you Dana and Ken for the great experience!

Was invited as guest of a friend who purchased a groupon and had such a fun day!!! The owners of the tour were super friendly and easy going. They seemed to have a good rapport with the owners of the wineries we went to and in turn we had some amazing experiences at all four places! The snack box was yummy and balanced well with protein and carbs (both important for guzzling ;-) If looking for a laid back, FUN, relaxing day sans pretentiousness, this is your tour !!! I look forward to the next opportunity to plan an event with them!!!

The booking process was easy – just submit a form on their website with the requested day. It also states on the website that pickup in Los Gatos is available. However, it fails to inform you that pickup is only available for when there are more than 4 people requesting pick up in Los Gatos and the confirmation email I received also failed to recognize this fact. The email confirmation stated that pickup in Los Gatos would be no problem. (The website has since been updated)
Met at the new, New Leaf in westside of Santa Cruz. It was a nice location, I liked being able to go into the supermarket and peruse since we got their early. Went to 3 wineries, sorta sad since it seems like many other groups got to go to 4, and we only 3. If I had known to drink faster so I could go to another winery I would have :). Loma Prieta winery is very nice. My SO and I didn’t enjoy Pelican Ranch as much, but MJ was nice too. Overall, booking experience could be improved.
I noticed that tasting fees were paid in cash by our tour guide, however at one of the wineries, a server came running after me asking if our group had paid. Even if tasting fees were paid, sorta bad to not let our server know that the group was vouched for.
The snack box was nice too :).

We had a group of 10 friends go on a wine tour and had the best time! We were enjoyed the view at Loma Prieta winery and had a light meal and some nice wines. We went to 4 wineries 3 were wonderful and 1 not so much and the last winery was Peilican and the wine maker was there and gave all a lesson in wine making… so informative. Everyone enjoyed the day immensely and all will return again soon. Thanks Dana and Ken!

Just took a tour to four Santa Cruz area wineries through Wine d’Tours and I had a blast! I’ve been on four wine tours in the last year (2 in Napa, 1 in SF, and this one). By far this was the best.
The tour guides are exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable. Excellent customer service. Everyone on the tour was provided with a generous snack box; water was also made available. The wineries we visited featured beautiful grounds/​views, great wines, and dedicated, effervescent staff.
This was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I highly recommend signing up for a tour. Completely worth it. You can visit their site at
.

My husband and I took this tour over labor day weekend, and it was truly one of the best wine tasting experiences I’ve ever had. We took Tour C which included MJA vineyards, Byington and Loma Prieta. All three wineries were unique and each had amazing wine. The snack provided was perfect, and we were able to sit outside at Byington and enjoy the amazing view while we ate and tasted the wine. I did not think the view could get any better, until we went to Loma Prieta. The view there knocked my socks off, and the wine was heavenly. We were able to take our time at each winery, and we never felt rushed. The van was comfortable, and it was wonderful to have someone else drive so that we could enjoy the gorgeous views on the way to each destination. My husband and I both enjoyed being able to have some romantic time together, but we also enjoyed meeting new people that share our love for wine. The owners, Dana and Ken, are fantastic, friendly people that also love wine and love to share their knowledge of wines and wineries in the area. The price is incredibly reasonable, as well. My husband and I LOVED this experience and plan to do it again and again!!! Thank you Ken and Dana!

This tour is the biggest rip off I have ever been scammed into buying. I called and talked to Dana to discuss booking three people on her tour. I had seen that they had a groupon online, but thought it was $ 69 per person. Instead it was $ 69 per couple. She didn’t bother to correct me, instead charging me their normal fee of $ 125 per couple. Basically, the shuttle you to two tasting rooms in Santa Cruz, and one winery in Soquel. That’s it. Just look up the wineries and go there youself. We ended up crammed into a white van with a bunch of young college kids who were completely obnoxious! Run as fast as you can from this tour, worst trip ever! jerks!