American L.
Yelp
This business graciously responded here to my previous 3-star review. So, I set up another visit. I didn't want the business to know who I was so that I wouldn't get any special treatment as I prefer to be amazed by motivation, not manipulation. This visit I went with different cousins, cousins who agree with me that wine goes with whole grain Raisin Bran. I left my Veterans accouterments and my Service Dog in the vehicle with another cousin. We'd easily bribed that cousin with the promise of a bottle of wine to stay with the Moon Doggy Tide in the vehicle.
Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, US Air Force Veteran, was fond of saying that when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. Times are weird and this place responded by turning pro. This business did what they agreed to do, they did it for the price they had agreed to up front, they followed the CDC rules, and their customer service was adequate. Their bathrooms were adequate, their cleanliness was adequate. Tasting fees are waived with minimum bottle purchase depending on which tasting experience you've booked. This visit we learned that a Gift Card can be purchased, just in time for Christmas, that the recipient can use to pay for the tasting fee and / or bottles. Remember, as long as you have wine, family holidays will be fine. I suggest making a reservation and visiting on a week day since they are short-staffed, as are many, for what they offer.
The setting is charming and well loved --meant to be paired with wine, food, family, pets, and friends. Pesticides and herbicides are not used to grow their grapes. In 2018, they became a Certified California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery and Sonoma County Sustainable. The Cline Family's business ventures has grown vastly not only throughout the county, other California counties, and into other states and other country's.
This visit I didn't feel rushed away as I had my previous visit. At the end of our reserved time, we were invited to "chill and stay" elsewhere on the property. We were impressed that this business had responded to my previous comment about feeling rushed away, AND had corrected it.
I have no complaints.
I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of success are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm, and their inspiration to work together. Also, pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. That is what I experienced here.
This business, as are so many businesses, is struggling in an infectious disease world, and labor and water shortage world. What this business did though in stark contrast to many businesses I've frequented lately:
The access here is Disabled-Friendly.
The wait staff graciously answered all our questions promptly.
The Cline Family likes their Freedom so they have a Military and Veterans Discount as a thank you to Veterans with a publicly disclosed daily Veteran Discount which provides resource to ensure Veterans (rare 7% of the population) opportunity to participate in American Dream Veterans' sacrifices have made possible for 100% of the population.
The bill matched their posted prices. (It's a Deceptive Trade Practice when the bill doesn't match posted prices)
No automatic gratuity was demanded for our attendance here.
No one at this business offered to commit fraud to reward us or pay us or compensate us for posting 5 star reviews of this business. (Under 15 US Code § 45, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has the power to stop and penalize parties because "FTC forbids the use of fake testimonials as are illegal under Section 5 of the FTC Act (15 USC 45 as they are using unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce." It a crime to break official rules imposed by the FTC.)
No one at this business took our picture without our permission or publicly posted it without our permission.
None of us got sick off the food or drink from here.
As an aside, The World in a Glass: Six Drinks That Changed History by Tom Standage is an interesting read. It reveals the cool role wine, as well as other libations, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, have played in the history of humans.