August 18, 2025 – USA Today’s Top 10 Wine-Related Lists, Our Picks & Surprises

Wine News Round-Up

It is that time of year again for the USA Today 10 Best  Lists that relate to all things Wineries. Best Tasting Rooms, Best Wine Country Hotels, and Best Winery Tours.  And the press releases have been flying, from everyone named on the lists.  Here are the links, and some links to places we have visited, with some bonus picks.

• Cheers To The 10 Best Wine Tasting Rooms Across The Us
  • No. 7: Irvine & Roberts Vineyards, Ashland, Oregon.  
    • This is a beautiful tasting room, and as a bonus, they have some very good Pinots.
  • Not on this list, but worth checking out:
    • Joseph Phelps Vineyards – Napa
    • Galante Vineyards – Carmel by the Sea
    • Coursey Graves Estate Winery – Sonoma
    • Siboney Cellars – Johnson City, Texas
    •    – Valle de Guadalupe

• Indulge In The Best Of Wine Country Hospitality At These 10 Hotels
  • No. 3: Allegretto Vineyard Resort, Paso Robles, California.  
    • We can attest that this is probably the best hotel in Paso.  And they have a decent winery as well.  
  • And, not on the list, but also great in some other wine regions:
    • The Landsby, Solvang, CA
    • Atticus Hotel, McMinnville, OR
    • El Cielo Resort – Valle de Guadalupe
    • South Coast Winery Resort & Spa – Temecula, CA
    • Ashland Creek Inn – Ashland, OR

• Beyond The Tasting Room: 10 Best Winery Tours In The United States
  • No. 10: Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Solvang, California
    • We didn’t do the tour, we just hit the tasting room.  Again, very good Pinots here. 
  • Not on the list, but some of our favorite Winery Tours, in no particular order, are:
    • Clos Solène – Paso Robles
    • Pine Ridge – Napa Valley 
    • Gundlach Bundschu – Sonoma
    • Trefethen Family Vineyards – Napa
    • Bodegas F. Rubio Winery & Vineyards – Valle de Guadalupe

Wine & Winery of the Week

San Felice Winery Review

San Felice is rooted in the historic village from which it takes its name, a medieval hamlet restored and developed over decades into both a winery and a broader agritourism estate. The winery’s modern era began in the 1970s, with a focus on elevating the potential of native varieties, especially Sangiovese. Over time, the estate expanded to include Campogiovanni in Montalcino and Bell’Aja in Bolgheri, each contributing to San Felice’s reputation as a multi-regional Tuscan producer with a research-driven approach.

A Coastal Chill in a Glass: 2019 Martin Woods Rosé

There’s something about Oregon rosé that’s always a little more serious than it lets on. Behind the pretty salmon hue and the floral charm, you often find structure, tension, and a certain west-coast wildness that doesn’t scream for attention but gets under your skin nonetheless. The 2019 Martin Woods Rosé is a perfect example—playful on the surface, but built with the kind of patience and precision that makes you pause mid-sip. It’s easy to enjoy and just as easy to overthink, depending on your mood and your company.

Restaurant and Corkage of the Week

Coast Range: A Steak & Seafood Spot That Doesn’t Quite Sizzle

Nestled on the quaint and tourist-friendly Mission Drive in Solvang, Coast Range enters the scene with all the makings of a culinary hit: a trio of seasoned chefs, a world-class sommelier, and a rustic-chic interior that screams California cool. The concept is clear: upscale steak and seafood served in an unpretentious setting. And to its credit, there are moments when the restaurant shines, particularly during the more casual lunch service.

However, for all its promise, the dinner experience we had lacked the finesse you’d expect from a team with this level of industry cred. With a Google rating of 4.0 stars across nearly 400 reviews and a respectable 4-star rating, Coast Range has plenty of fans. But our visit revealed a venue that’s still trying to reconcile its glossy aspirations with the reality of execution.

Corkage Fee is $25 Per Bottle / No Limit