Gwinllan Estate

Gwinllan Estate is an amazing winery! Their wines are perfect. I like the Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauv, Tetlu Blend and most of all their champagne methode Blanc de Blanc!!! Jonathan Pack is an incredible winemaker and Gordon and Chris are incredible owners. It’s a must visit winery in Fair Play, Ca.

We read about this winery in The Financial Times review and decided to make the trek from Los Angeles to check it (and other neighboring wineries) out. Needless to say, we loved it! The owners, Gordon and Chris, were the most gracious hosts and the wines they served were delicious. We especially loved the Zinfandel Port, but there were several other wines that were exceptional.
The winery and tasting room are unique and picturesque and the member who come there to hang out, catch up and chat, are all very lovely.
We were glad to have made this our first stop in this hidden gem of a wine country!

Great wines and great views!
At Gwinllan you can expect a $ 5 tasting fee but that will be waved with any wine purchase.
They have a large selection of wines to taste so the $ 5 tasting fee is worth it! The view is awesome and the staff are some of the friendliest you can find in Fairplay.
They have a couple dogs that wander this tasting room so don’t bring your own. The dog is very friendly with other people but does not seem to be as friendly with other dogs.
Gwinllan has a large selection of great tasting wine, a great view and friendly quick service! We will be back!

Apparently this winery is known for their red wines — Zinfandel and Syrah. But we will never know since we never made it in. Within minutes of walking into the cellar their dog (aggressive collie) attacked and almost seriously maimed my mothers dog. If Unilocal didn’t hide a review of another reviewer who this happened to a year before we could have avoided the saga. Be warned. We did our research and talked with other wineries (we come up 4x/​year) and learned this collie attacked at least 4 other dogs. Their carelessness is affecting local wineries and their dog friendly policy. There are other great wineries for reds — Toogood has several great Zinfandels and Shadow Ranch for their Sheriff. If you’re an animal lover or just have principals please don’t peruse this place.

Generally superior wines for El Dorado County. Very friendly family run business, wine maker is extremely nice and personable. View is beautiful on a clear day, can’t wait to see it in the snow. We joined the club on our first visit. They are dog friendly, but you need to give them notice so they can corral their dogs (I won’t take mine again because I think their dogs should have the run of the property).

Went wine tasting here yesterday and almost immediately joined their wine club. I really enjoyed almost everything I tasted at this very friendly place. The tasting room looks a little like a bunker from a distance, but you should not miss wine tasting here if you are in the area — it is even worth making a special trip!

Gwinllan Estate Winery
Fairplay Ca
This was our first time visiting Gwinllan Estate Winery in Fairplay Ca.
I had heard some wonderful things about this small production winery.
The small tasting room at the top of a moderate sloping hill does slightly resemble a storm bunker. Once inside it does have a more cozy ambience. The setting is inside the cave with barrels in small casks and drop down lighting features a few small tables for snacking and wine tasting.
A Little surprised that the Wine Maker is also the owner. Gordon and his staff all wear many hats as the saying goes. I was not aware that the Welsh produced much wine, well lucky for us they do.
The fine wines offered here are top notch efforts and do deserve your full attention.
The craftsmanship of each vintage is evident in the wine that is served. I believe that the overall quality of the entire wine selection is one of the best in the area.
Gwinllan Estate may not offer as many varietals as some of the other local wineries, however they do offer some of the best wine produced in the area.
The Petite Sirah is 4 star with smoky fruit, hints of chocolate and full bodied.
The Zinfandel is 4 star with strong tangy fruits with hints of spice.
Wine Makers Selection Blend is a succulent blend that is juicy, seasoned with pepper, and hints of caramel to finish.
We had a wonderful experience at the Gwinllan Estate Winery, and look forward to our next visit.
Salute
Stephen P.

The wines matched the views and the views are excellent!
I like the zinfandel, Wine Makers reserve and the chardonnay. Their Syrah was unique.
The people in the tasting room were friendly and hospitable.
The tasting room was wonderful!
It was an underground cave, that also housed the barrels of wine. Very comfortable, casual, and unique!