Along Tesla Road, you can spot the outdoor deck of the Stony Ridge Café and their small vineyard, but don’t miss the winery operation found around the back. Marked by a dozen Italian Cypress trees is the walkway and entrance to one of the most popular tasting rooms in the area.

The large, non-descript beige winery building, with its basic concrete floor, houses the winery operations, barrel storage and tasting room for the winery’s two labels. The original Stony Ridge label produces a mix of traditional varietals, as well as some interesting Italian-style wines, including Mourvedre, Ororosso, Malvasia Bianca, and their proprietary blend: Orobianco. They also produce a “Robusto Port” and a sweet Spumante-style sparkling Malvasia Bianca.

The winery sources grapes from local Livermore Valley, nearby El Dorado County, and other California vineyards. In the year 2002, a high-end sister label, Crooked Vine Winery, was established. Crooked Vine produces luxury Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Viognier, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. Both labels use French and American oak barrels for aging.

Inside the large high-ceilinged winery building are two tasting bars made from simple wooden planks over wine barrels. In the corner is an impressive
German-made barrel that was brought to the U.S. for the 1904 World’s Fair in
St. Louis. It was built in the mid-1850s, and has some beautiful hand-carved features that serve as the subject for the winery’s label.