Narrow Gate Vineyards

Love the wines! Love the service! Always very friendly and clean! Nice bathroom. The chocolate splash is amazing!!! I like that they are very open but not pushy about there Christian faith. A must see for sure.

Super quiet little vineyard off the beaten path. Beautiful area!!! Small tasting room and great wines. Make sure to taste their chocolate dessert wine. Aaaaaamazing!

Let me start by saying that I’m NOT a wine aficionado. While I may not be able to identify all of the subtle ‘notes’ in a glass of wine, I know that I like and I like the product and environment that Frank and Teena have created and maintained at Narrow Gate. This is a small, family owned and family run business. Although I’m not yet convinced about the validity of some of the ‘science’ behind biodynamic farming, which is employed at Narrow Gate, the fact that they refrain from the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers and generally make their best efforts to support and preserve the ecosystem is a big plus for me.
My wife and I were introduced to Narrow Gate late last year by some good old friends who moved up to Placerville from the Bay area. We most recently participated in one of their ‘Vineyard Hikes’ led by Frank to get a good around their place and afterwards, a sampling of their offerings paired with a very nice, informal lunch prepared by Teena and co. where Frank continued to provide more details about Narrow Gate’s history and their winemaking process.
If you are looking for a BIG fancy place with lots of staff and huge selection, this may not be the place. However, if you are looking for a more intimate experience talking directly with the owners/​founders who are still hands on doing most of the work, you will like Narrow Gate.
As others have noted, their ‘Chocolate Splash’ port is KILLER but I think they make some very fine wine in addition to that… but what do I know :)

I first discovered Narrow Gate during Passport weekend when we ventured off the typical path in Apple Hill and wandered down to Pleasant Valley (about a 15 min extra drive).
If you blink you will miss it as you drive in the main road, but this little winery on the hill is truly a gem worth visiting. So much so, for me, that I joined their wine club!
Pleasant Valley is really comprised of 5 wineries that specialize in Rhone varietals: Narrow Gate, Auriga, Miraflores, Sierra Vista, Holly’s Hill. Narrow Gate is my favorite of the five. They also take great pride in being a Biodynamic certified (organic) winery.
A big bonus for me: finding whites here that I really liked (as I’m a big red drinker). As a pinot noir drinker, I was also a fan of their grenache and mourvedre. Cab Franc is also a winner here.
The tasting room is small, dim, and cool like a wine cellar. If you’re looking for gorgeous grounds and a place to picnic, it’s not here — go to Holly’s Hill. But if you’re looking for great wines with a forward thinking approach by young winemakers, this is worth your time.

I give them an «F» for customer service!
We stopped by on our way back home from visiting other local wineries. What drew us in was the Bio-​dynamic grapes. We tasted 3 relatively good red wines but nothing that remarkably stood out from the neighborhood wineries we get our wines from.
What truly disappointed us though, which prompted me to write this review, is how poorly we were dealt with when we got home and found out that what was in the package was not what was purchased. We both distinctly remembered purchasing a bottle of Bio-​dynamic red but got a bottle of Viognier (White grape varietal) which we both dislike. After 2 emails and big resistance responses from Teena, the 3^rd correspondence was completely ignored. So, we’re stuck with something we didn’t ask for and when you spend over $ 25, you should get what you buy. I’m big on customer service and this one was definitely a big let down from a business point of view. Narrow Gate, indeed!

me and my mate stopped by here the other day with his lady. and needless to say, I was blown away. the wine here is amazing, is tucked back in the hills but is worth the drive. is a small winery with less than 2500 cases a year. why go to napa when you can come here…
i recommend it for a weekend wine tasting, there are also a few more winery around the area.

Newer, smaller winery. Cute couple owns it. Wish there was more variety in their wines but give them a few years. Would definitely check back in a few.

5 stars all the way.
If you get a chance to go to their wine and food pairing– don’t miss it.
The couple who own this place both know their wine AND their food. I went as a guest of a wine club member and was incredibly impressed by this couple’s knowledge of wine making, wine pairing and outrageously good food.
The wines are superb and are Bordeaux style. Tannins are totally missing and everything is smooth as silk.
Be sure to enjoy this wonderful experience.

This really is the best winery you’ll find the region. I’ve been member for a number of years and I have yet to taste a wine that I didn’t enjoy. They atmosphere is great, the owners are amazing and I think you can actually feel the love in their wines. It’s the first winery I hit every time I go up the hill and I have yet to find a winery that comes close to my experience at Narrow Gate.

Very nice owner. Wonderful Zin & heavenly chocolate port. Best smoked tri tip sandwich I have ever had. This place is like going to wine heaven.

Love the people and atmosphere here. We used to love almost all of their wines and were members. The past couple of years they have started producing all of their own grapes instead of buying them elsewhere. I’m sure that makes sense from a business standpoint but I think the wines have suffered. We ultimately canceled our membership.

Not only is their wine amazing (especially the Chocolate Splash!), this vineyard really stands out with its organic, sustainable, and holistic techniques. Fantastic staff and I love their philosophy as well as their quality product. Everyone should definitely visit!

The grounds of this winery are lovely and so is the wine. The tasting room is inside the warehouse, so it’s a little dark and cold, but wine should be stored in such a place, right?
The people who work behind the beautiful counter are very friendly and enthusiastic about their wines. Now, I’m not a fan of port, but they had a great one infused with chocolate or possibly crack. Either way, it was great!
They have some tables & chairs on a nice little patio. It’s a great place to hang out and have a picnic or just a glass of wine.

This winery is a must see/​taste. The winemaker/​winegrowers — Frank and Teena are truly special. Their passion translates into every bottle of wine. They have a delicious selection of both white and red wines that will appeal to every taste.
The winery might be a little off the beaten track from the many wineries bunched together in the area but definitely worth the trip! Make sure you try the Chocolate Splash… guaranteed you will be back for more.

I absolutely love this place and the owners.
I am not a huge wine critic, I am just a lover of wine. But when I taste good wine I have to buy more of it. I really enjoy visiting this place for wine tasting and here are few reasons why:
1. I am a part of their wine club and I get a discount. ;)
2. It’s a very nice looking winery. It has a nice tuscan feel on the outside and when you walk in it’s barrels upon barrels.
3. The owners are the nicest people. They are really great. I have seen many types of people walk into the winery and they are so attentive. They really do their best to make everyone feel included and welcomed. This is huge, because I have been to some wineries were they can be stuck up and almost make people feel unwelcome. Not here*
4. Their wine. Is very good :) Their Chocolate Splash is what they’re really known for and it’s great. I would recommend trying it if you haven’t already. Their Chardonnay is also pretty and they have a good assortment of reds.
5. Also, the owners wife Teena makes some nice little dishes every once in awhile from the garden on the Vineyard.
But all in all, great wine, good food, and wonderful customer service equals a great winery.

I really wanted to love this place because the reviews are good and one of my friends enjoys this place.
My hubby and I visited last week and it was crowded. The pours were so tiny I had a difficult time tasting the wine. The chardonnay seemed good.
As I looked around I noticed other people were getting better pours and more attention. My husband was in the wine business for years and loves to talk wine. We also love to buy wine. I was sad to leave without any wine from here especially because I had such high hopes. Maybe it was an off day, not sure if I would go back?

This is one of my girlfriend and I’s favorite vineyards. Wine tasting here is great. Their staff are very friendly and down to earth. Their wine list is really good with a lot of variety. Their dessert wines are amazing. I love their port, and their Chocolate Splash is awesome too.
They also have some great events. Wine and food pairing is March 19^th. I hope I can make it!

What a lovely place! Tina, one of the owners was there and gave us great service as did Teresa who is new. This was the third time I had been to Narrow Gate but this time I came with a wine club member and Tina remembered her name and was so gracious to all of us. AND, the wine was delish! Take a beautiful drive up to Narrow Gate and check them out!

I came back in, tried it out with a fresh open mind.
Redemption!
The staff were super nice; I told them what happened last time, they apologized and seemed super sincere.

This place rocks! The owners, Frank and Teena, are such good people that take pride in their business and product. Frank is a patient guy who will talk to you about the wine making process (I even had a conversation with him about fertilizing the vineyard).
All of the wines show an attention to detail, and this is one of my favorite wineries!
If you go… you have to ask for the Splash… it is a port infused with chocolate. Whenever I bring this to a party, people are instantly a fan of it!