Ficklin Vineyards - Madera (CA)

5 /5 Carlos Reyes: Ficklin is a hidden gem. I never expected to find a world-class Port winery just a handful of miles west of Fresno. The sign said reservations are required to visit the gorgeous tasting room, but they cheerfully accommodated our unscheduled visit. None of the wines were less than $20, but the quality more than made up for that. We each got served three free samples. The wines were surprisingly different from each other. This is a true hidden gem in the central valley and worth a stop if you are driving through.

5 /5 Kananaka: Authentically made port that tastes as good if not better than ports from Portugal. Very friendly and knowledgeable general manager.

3 /5 Konstantin Goldin: Everything was perfect - wine, knowledge, environment. We ended up buying several bottles. Same evening we ended up in total wine - only to see the same bottle for $7 less. Not a big deal, and left a sour taste.

5 /5 Timothy Bird: If your into REAL PORT wine this is the place. They are old school and ALL of their ports are great and they have won awards for their ports. The have one port they make each year that the put a bit of their 1958 port into it. Now if you want a bottle of 1958 last I know if they sell or 900.00 a bottle but that is approx 14 years ago.

5 /5 Toni Singh: Wow. What an incredible experience. This was a very pleasant surprise. My husband and I, along with my parents, are Port aficionados so when I saw a port winery outside of Fresno, we were very skeptical. Boy were we proven wrong! We showed up 30 mins before closing but not once did Denise make us feel rushed. In fact, she took the time to thoroughly explain everything to us and add in personal stories. We LOVED all of the port we tasted. The Old Vine Tinta was a fan favorite and it just got a perfect score of 100 points in the Sunset International Wine Competition!! The best part? It’s only $22! We all enjoyed our experience so much that both couples signed up for the PORTfolio Wine Club. It’s $115 biannually, which is well worth it. You get 3 bottles of their latest release along with discounts and access to special events. If you don’t live locally, they do ship for member’s bianual boxes at a $19 flat rate and you’re able to add on other bottles for that same shipping cost. Did I mention there are no tasting fees?? Please do yourself a favor and check out Ficklin, you will not be disappointed.