Simon H.
Yelp
To my knowledge, I have finally tried all of the Gilman District wineries. While each winery seems to carve out their own niche, in my opinion, Covenant Winery has the best tasting experience, and for my money, my favorite wines.
First of all, I like the wine. I will not say the wine is the best because: a) I am developing my palate; b) more so than food, I feel that wine is super subjective; and c) each of the wineries in the area seems to specialize in something different.
I will say that while the range of wines that Covenant produces is wide, and made more diverse due to utilizing both Californian and Isreali terroir (look at me using fancy wine words). Yet, the wines I have tasted feel focused, layered, smooth, and every bit as refined as wines I've sampled at more highly acclaimed wineries. Again, I will refrain from further describing wine because this is still a growth edge for me, and I'm not so confident about doing so.
I am, however, confident saying the the folks that host the tasting room are amazing. Sagui was overseeing the staff on one of our visits, and he allowed us to taste a few items that were not on the standard flight. It was probably the best tasting experience I have ever had. Sagui was present, funny, patient, warm, and he took the time to provide a wine educational experience I will not forget. On subsequent visits, Zoe was overseeing the tasting area, and she exudes a welcoming energy, paired with a passion for each wine's story, that made me feel like I was going over to a friend's house, and she was cracking open super secret treasured bottles of wine.
The outdoor tasting space has been recently renovated, and now uses a cool converted shipping container as the service area. I have not sat down for a tasting since this shift, but the outdoor space already had a relaxing-on-a-patio-type vibe that felt like an oasis in the midst of the semi-industrial area.
If you are more of a beer person, Fieldwork is right down the block. If you want a bite to eat on the weekend, there is a pop-up pizza spot in front of Fieldwork, and Covenant is happy to have you bring food in (sometimes they actually provide snacks).
I cannot speak more highly of this spot. Check this place out. It is one of the gems of the area, and in my opinion, worth making a trip if you live in the Bay (shoot, the drive won't be as long as a trip to Napa in most cases). If you are coming from a city or two over, grab a bite at Lulu's Berkeley for brunch, and then enjoy a leisurely wine tasting at Covenant afterwards; it will be worth the trip! If you are doing a Gilman District winery hop, DO NOT LEAVE COVENANT OFF YOUR LIST.
In case you can't tell, I really like this place.