Starfield Vineyards & Winery

Meghna Bhatt

2023-12

Visited on 11/21/2023.This winery is truly a gem and one of the most beautiful wineries I have been to. The owners plan for this is stellar. I was there in the day time so unfortunately did not get to experience the night views which would have lightening everywhere.The trails are unique and gorgeous at this time of year with the color changing of leaves. Everywhere you look there is a gorgeous view 365 degrees around. It feels so calm and refreshing.Although the winery itself I would give 5/5, I am giving a 3/5 stars due to the lack of hospitality and feeling they cater more towards wine club members than those of us who are not. I’m also comparing this to other wineries in the area. I arrived at the winery around 1:30 PM. No tasting availability although they did not seem too busy to do a tasting.We were asked to sit anywhere we would like outside, no restrictions given, so we sat on the sofa patio furniture. Host stated he would come bring us water. It was 19-20 minutes after did we receive water. He did say he was sorry but got busy with others. There were two individuals working. 1 group outside, 1 tasting being done inside, our group, and maybe 1-2 other couples and group of 3- I’d say this is a manageable.We must have been sitting outside for ~ 30-35 minutes when the host comes to us for the second time (first time to give us water) to let us know we had to move seats because our seats were for wine club members only, so had to move to the patio table and chairs. Again, host stated he was sorry he didn’t tell us earlier- which tells me he was aware since 1) we were there for ~ 20 minutes and then he brought water and 2) did not tell us to move at the time water was brought. Moving was not an issue but rather the lack of care or hospitality felt- again catered towards wine club members. This was a Tuesday afternoon and not busy.Again, this place is gorgeous. Photos do not do it justice! Truly a place to visit because it is a unique winery and a favorite of mine in terms of what it offers, but if you are looking for a welcoming feeling as most wineries in Placerville provide, do not expect that. Just enjoy the views and you will not be disappointed!

Nick Love

2023-11

What a beautiful place! The wine wasn't my favorite, but for a $10 tasting I'm not complaining. I did really enjoy the Barbero and the Spirit of the Gods dessert wine. We also ordered the charcuterie plate which was pretty good. But honestly you need to go walk around the property, that's where Starfield shines. Ellie was super knowledgeable and fun 😁

Ashley

2023-06

This is the cutest little winery with the most delicious food! I HIGHLY recommend adding this to your Apple Hill stop. The winery property is absolutely gorgeous with plenty of photo opp worthy views. They have a great lunch menu and lunch is served on their seated lawn area that is nestled under some trees that provide decent shade during warmer weather days. The staff are super friendly and really seem like they enjoy working here. This winery is also very dog friendly! I’ve been here a few times and have always enjoyed myself and leave wanting to come back again.

Nicole Baer

2024-04

This local gem is one of my favorite wineries. I love the beauty of the trails and the wine is very good. The chef is outstanding! Everything on the food menu is delicious. We love coming here.

Neal Best

2022-05

Beautiful new winery that has stunning landscaped grounds. The tasting room is brand new, and has extensive outside seating - it is stylishly done but understated compared to the other design aspects of the winery. The pavilion on the lake, the amphitheater and walking trail through the pines are all impressive.The wines is good with the red blend Miners Inch an easy drinking option and the rose is pretty exceptional, especially on a warm California day.Lunch options are now available and the food was really fantastic, utilizing fresh produce ingredients from 24 Carrot farm shop just across the road.Dog friendly.Happy that we are members!

Eric W

2023-05

Excellent views from their serving area that looks out over the hillsides. Steven was very informative and the cheese pairing were a nice touch. Five wines with decent servings in the tasting. Had lunch under the tree . Three of us had the French dip, very tasty. I got the peach mochi donuts. Voted best dessert at the table.

Cora Bugaj

2023-05

We sat down by the lake since my friends is a member and the view was beautiful. The service was amazing. We ordered the cheese plate and was blown away, everything on it was spectacular. Everyone that worked there was super attentive and answered any questions we had. I will definitely be back.

Jenae' Clay

2023-12

Really enjoyed our first visit here! Be sure to check out their very helpful website to help you plan your visit and make reservations, and they were also easy to communicate with over email and phone. My friends and I made a reservation for the nature trail, and it was lovely to stroll around the 3 miles of winding trails around the vineyard with a glass of their wine in hand. The amphitheater and small ponds/lakes are very pretty right now with some trees' leaves changing to their autumn color palettes. I only wish I would've had more time to try more of their wines -- I'll have to go back!

Sarah Stalpes

2023-05

Attentive and knowledgeable staff, delicious wine, delectable food, and scenic views — Starfield Vineyards has it all! They are also dog friendly, which is a major bonus. Starfield is the perfect place for anyone who wants to enjoy nature walks while sipping on wine (my two favorites: the Cinsaut and the Miner’s Inch). The reservation requirement is nice to keep the ambiance peaceful. Book a tasting during the week, or have lunch on the weekends. The different options available allow someone like me who works your typical 9-5 to have the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing day out with friends or family. They also offer a picnic option in their amphitheater near the lake, which is perfect for families with young kids.

Chris Erichsen

2023-12

Wonderful experience. Was seated on Sunday at lunch with doggie without res. Food and wine were decent. I would give 4 stars if they had an espresso machine behind the bar for after dinner jolt :)

Lori Summers

2021-05

I LOVE THIS WINERY! I've been to wineries all over the world, and this place has it all! The grounds are expansive & beautiful. There's walking/hiking trails, a lake with Gazebo and a beautiful outside tasting area (and much more). Everyone was very friendly, knowledgeable and went out of their way to make our visit special. They have a wide variety of wines (many are Rhone), something for everyone! We especially loved the Hope Rising, the Rose, Viognier and Roussanne, which is unusual because my husband is a red lover. The food is fantastic! We unfortunately didn't have time for lunch but did have a beautiful & delicious cheese plate. The Covid-19 protocol is very good and made us feel comfortable and safe. If you are going to Tahoe or in the Placerville area (even if you aren't), you must try this Winery! Ask for Anna. She is sweet, knowledgeable and a whole lot of fun. I also loved that she suggested food pairings/dishes that would go with each wine we tried!

kaweeka

2023-11

What a beautiful and well planned destination. 65 acres in the Sierra Foothills just outside Placerville. The entire library of wines are exceptional and nicely priced. The staff works their a$$es off to create a welcome and inviting experience. All have been knowledgeable and clearly enjoy their role in your visit. The food is off the charts! This has made me forget about Napa and the $100 wine tasting.

Carolyn Resnicke

2023-10

Ok, I don't understand the 4.4 rating. This place was AMAZING! We were a party of six, plus two dogs. We would not have had the privilege without the dog policy. We travel with our fur babies and would not have gone if they were not welcome. Thank you Starfield! We had lunch on the patio and it was delicious. And the wine? Can I say AMAZING again? Jack's are Wild was my favorite, but it was a hard choice. We had a magical time. One party member, who lives in the area, immediately bought a membership and has posted several additional visits. I'm envious. This is a five star plus place for sure. Just go.

Erik Sponholz

2022-05

Came by for a tasting and lunch appointment on a Sunday around noon. Had a great and in-depth tasting experience with a wonderful host that walked us through the wines, and gave some (brief)history about the vines and property as well. Lunch followed, and was fantastic! We really enjoyed everything starfield has to offer, and will be a must-visit every time we come up this way.

Benni Bloom Chen

2024-04

As many of the reviews this place has great views and beautiful grounds. My just bought a weekend home in the are and were looking for a winery that matches the vibes that I am use to in Sonoma. This place checked all the boxes and the wine was good. My husband and I opt in on a membership on our first tasting! This were going well until we invited some of our friends to join us. We had a total of 7 people and we only wanted to have the wine but because of the size of our party we can only get a table if we order food. I was very confuse because we even booked it well in advanced. Any way a brushed it off and maybe this was just a one time coincidence. NOPE! it happened again. Also their booking system is a set back in time. Why does someone have to email to make a reservation, is this the 90s?! As much as the beautiful scenery I cancelled my membership.Change of heart - This place is definitely growing on me, as i said boastful grounds the staff on the floor working are very nice. The chef is EXCEPTIONAL! He is one of the main reasons why I keep going back. Of course the wine is great as well. The booking policy just needs to be changed! I cry every time i have a group of 6 or more adults visiting because i cant take them here. They limit you to sit away from the tasting area, no food just snacks and buy bottles even if you are a member. I just want my friends to experience a beautiful winery besides Napa or Sanoma. I come here with one other most of the time so its not an issues. Also, i would suggest adding stools inside the tasting room because its the only are to have wine when its cold outside.

Joe Knoedler

2023-08

This was our first winery we stopped at when we were exploring the area. There is a quiet revival going on and some wineries have opened themselves to the change and some have steadily plodded along, sticking to their traditional styles. We are very seasoned wine lovers who appreciate the details as much as the product. The thoughtfulness and creativity that comes from a crew who has, not only the chops, but the right people who can make everything they touch and everyone they serve feel special. I very much look forward to seeing what this winery can do going forward. My hope that their level of excellence is going to create a residual effect throughout the apple hill region. They’ve have definitely elevated the bar for the area. Cheers

Courtney De Tello

2023-05

We came here while visiting some friends and had the best time. The wine was some of the best we had in the area!Holly was our waiter and she was fantastic! We had each wine described to us and she really just made our experience. We had gone to another vineyard right before and the service and knowledge was such a step up here.They have a Michelin star rated chef and it was very apparent because the food was very very good and reasonably priced.You can walk through the vineyards and all of their trails are ADA! Dogs are allowed on property and they have water bowls for them.They have great perks for members to including wine tasting in their pavilion by a body of water (looked like a pond but a big pond!).I would definitely recommend!!

Niyant Nanavati16

2023-06

Great experience! Took my gorgeous girlfriend to a tasting yesterday and we had a great time! The servers were really friendly, but I wasn’t a fan of the crabby guests sitting next to my girlfriend and I. These old ladies(looked 90) were being nasty, talking about an autistic person and making fun of them, how despicable! Another thing, they got upset that the guests behind them brought their dog to the winery. First of all, it’s a dog friendly place and second these “ladies”were about to leave. They disrespected the servers and made those guests feel unwelcome. The staff did a great job handling the situation and the new girl (she had a ponytail and was blonde) did a great job dealing with those geriatric geezers. Overall great time and great service!

Eli Chavez

2023-05

Holly was THE BEST! Our first time on this property and she made the experience so enjoyable and was very informative with the wines. We tried 2 of the tasting and both charcuterie and cheese plates, everything is delicious. We will definitely be back, the place is beautiful

Kyle Clark

2022-05

This place has nice grounds. However, even as a paying member they do their best to make it impossible to visit. You have to set up a reservation days in advance to even do a basic tasting in the tasting room. Maybe they're trying to exhibit exclusiveness but they've of course failed miserably. Given that they're so "exclusive" as a paying member you still can't visit. This makes it difficult because they want you to pay them for a membership, but only visit when it's convenient for them. Most successful businesses don't fail on that basic principle of operating their business in that manor. Rather they operate for the consumers convenience. The last time I visited to pick up the wine I had already paid for though my membership fee, I was turned away because I didn't set-up a reservation for pick-up??? So we had to go to a different winery to get wine. Oddly enough, Lava Cap was more than happy to have me purchase wine from them, so weird of them :-) Save yourself the trouble and go to a place that appreciates their customers like Lava Cap or Lewis & Grace. They don't turn their nose up and then turn you away. They're always happy to welcome you and have you spend your money at their wineries.

Alisa Kao

2023-05

Beautiful winery with lovely grounds. Reservations are required for lunch or tastings, which keeps things not very crowded. Food was delicious and the outdoor lunch seating was very pleasant. Surprisingly the wine pours were very light pours, probably more like half pours (regular size wine glasses) and the house wines were not as notable as anticipated.

Jasmin Bacha

2023-11

DON’t use any form of card for payment at this winery. They will overcharge you, then argue they didn’t. I was charged $162 for two soggy BLT sandwiches, and a bottle of $40 wine. They also mislead you saying the $15 reservation fee is returned, that’s not true.

Matt C

2023-05

Starfield is situated on beautifully maintained grounds. The pond, pavilion and amphitheater are very impressive. Unfortunately, they don't apply the same level of passion to their wine or customer service. We arrived as the only customers on a Monday afternoon with a six-year-old in tow and were told that we could not be served because of their "21 and over" policy. I would understand if she were sixteen...but she's six. I took her for a walk while the ladies were (I was later told) being passive-aggressively served their wine. Judging by the rain clouds forming around his pretentious nose, I can only assume said policy is intended to keep the atmosphere exclusive and "adult." Maybe that strategy would work better if the wine was of better quality; It's okay at best. Boebert Winery, just down the road, has much better wine, service and atmosphere, and they have no problem applying common sense when serving a party with children. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.

Burnie Curmugeon

2023-05

This place is trying very hard to be a Napa winery. Unfortunately, that means a lot of their budget goes towards landscaping and a very nice gate out front. Their tasting prices reflect their Napa aspirations, and are significantly higher than most places in the area. We arrived at 2:50 on a Friday, basically one hour before closing, and were told that without a reservation we could not do a tasting. There was plenty of seating open, but those were apparently “lunch tables” and as such must be kept open in case of a very late afternoon rush. We left without trying any wine, which I’m sure would have been serviceable but would lack proportionality to the price.

Richard Snyder

2023-05

Went to Starfield again this afternoon, 11/03/22, and had starters along with tasting the new releases. Reservations were available and the entire experience was scheduled over 90 minutes. As always, the views were great. The server was exceptional. She remembered us from last time and welcomed us warmly. The starters we chose, the smoked salmon plate and mushroom toasties, were excellent. Toward the end, the chef came out and spoke with us. We also had a dessert, the white chocolate panna cotta, and it was exceptional. A good place to spend some time in the afternoon.After reading reviews about this winery, we made reservations for lunch and went on a Saturday. The grounds are beautiful and walking around the grounds, they are well laid out and very well kept. The views of the surrounding areas are great. We had lunch which was very good and well prepared and presented. The carrots and peas appetizer was very good and we were especially impressed by the mousse in candy apple shell dessert. After visiting the winery, I can see why they don't take large groups and they request a reservation. The setting is very relaxed. Reservations and limited group size allows the guests to eat and sample in relaxed and pleasant surroundings and allows the staff to take time with the guests. They take time with the guests and describe the winery and the wines and make suggestions based on the guest feedback. This could not be done with a large unplanned group. Empty tables do not necessarily mean they are available as a reservation may be coming.

MacKenzie Fate

2022-05

I am so thankful for Starfield Winery. My first experience there was extravagant. From the wine, to the service, and even the landscape. It was an overall beautiful experience. Peggy was our hostess and she did a phenomenal job with being knowledgeable and sweet!You can just tell the manager and staff really do care about your wine tasting experience and the wine that they curate. THIS is the place to go! Also don't forget to try their Jacks Are Wild Red Blend!

Sanrio 19

2022-05

I recommend this winery, excellent wine and the food is delicious. Check it out!

Elizabeth Stangeland

2022-05

Beautiful grounds! Some wines are very good. The gal in charge of reservations always makes me feel like she is doing me a huge favor. I’m not sure this is her intention but may need customer service coaching. Overall, great spot!

Maya B

2022-05

We’ve been members at starfield for a little over a year. It’s our go to day date spot for amazing lunch and wine, and beautiful views. From the sourdough grilled cheese and tomato soup, the cheese platters, bruschettas, pulled pork, specialty menus, mulled wine dessert!! They always take care of us and our guests when we bring them. ++ for their dog friendly policies. Always excited for our next visit!

Shaun H

2021-05

We made a reservation for a wine tasting on August 31st. We had a wonderful time. Peggy our hostess was amazing! Super knowledgeable. We fell in love with the wines! They are hands down some of the best in the area. We can’t say enough great things! So we became wine club members!! Can’t wait to come back!