Berryessa Gap Vineyards operates two locations in Winters, Yolo County, giving you options depending on what kind of experience you’re after. The downtown tasting room sits right in historic Winters and pairs their award-winning wines with local art on the walls—a nice way to spend an afternoon without having to drive far from town. If you want something more rural, there’s the vineyard location just outside town in open country, which feels like a completely different experience even though it’s only a few miles away.

The winery’s name comes from Berryessa Gap, a notable pass in the nearby Coast Range, so there’s actual local geography behind it rather than something made up for marketing. Both locations welcome dogs, which makes sense for a wine country area where people often travel with their companions. I’d say the vineyard setting outside town probably feels more natural for bringing a dog along—there’s space to move around, and you’re not navigating between crowded tables the way you might in a tasting room. That said, the downtown location has its own appeal if you want to combine wine tasting with exploring Winters’ historic district and maybe grabbing food nearby.

The vibe here seems genuinely relaxed about dogs rather than just tolerating them. You can actually spend time in the vineyard itself, not just a designated dog area, which makes a real difference when you’re trying to enjoy the place with your dog instead of managing them separately. Spring and early summer are probably ideal—the vineyard’s actually pleasant to walk around then, and the weather means you won’t be baking in the heat during a tasting. If you’re planning a weekend in wine country and want to bring your dog along, calling ahead to check current hours and any seasonal changes makes sense since they have two properties to manage.