CRU Winery

CRU Winery’s Central Valley Tasting Room in Madera, California, brings Central Coast wines inland, with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah at the heart of its focus. The distinction matters: this is a Madera stop for exploring grapes sourced from California’s Central Coast, rather than a tasting centered on local vineyard fruit. Winemaker Jose Reyes, part of CRU since 2009, favors limited intervention, allowing the grapes to drive the wines’ character. His emphasis is on bottles that belong at an ordinary dinner as readily as a special occasion.

The people behind those bottles give CRU a family connection: Jose’s son, Juan Reyes, works alongside him in the cellar and lab and also shares winemaking insight with tasting room guests. For travelers, the Madera location’s practical advantage is its seven-day schedule. The tasting room at 20146 Road 21 welcomes visitors daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., making CRU an option for a weekday wine-country stop as well as a weekend outing.