Guest Comments
July 06, 2010
"We took a tour of some of Sonoma's smaller wineries with the BEST tour guide, Ken. He was knowledgable, genuine, funny and personable. We learned so much about wine-making and tasting! He had such a laid-back demeanor that made him very approachable. It made the last day of our trip one of the best! I have already recommended Platypus to friends who are planning trips to wine country. Thanks to Ken and Platypus for a fantastic end to our vacation!"
~John and Laureen McGilvrayBoston, MA
June 30, 2010
"What a time! This wine tasting tour turned out to be the best time for us! Ken, our driver and guide, took the time to talk to us about what we wanted out of our trip- favorite wine varieties, the kinds of wineries we were interested in, and really delivered above and beyond the call of duty! Our Sonoma/San Francisco vacation from the kids- just the two of us- turned out to be spectacular! The picnic lunch, air conditioned ride, and personal attention made the day one we will never forget! Not to mention- we learned a little bit about wine too! Thanks Platypus for a FABULOUS day in wine country!"
~Bryan and Celeste GoltzMiami, FL
June 27, 2010
"We had a beautiful day spent in Sonoma, visiting all the fabulous and different wineries recommended by Ken, our guide. Not only did he know the ins and outs of Sonoma and the history, everywhere we went we felt as if we were guests just there for lunch. The setting is so intimate, we tasted different wines around a lunch table in the home of one of the owners. Before we ate lunch, he gave us a tour of his vineyard and we got to see first hand the grapes grown to produce the different wines! With Ken behind the wheel, we felt right at home. All you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy all the different wines he will take you to taste. Ken knows exactly where to go to get exactly what you want. I would highly recommend this tour, and even more so KEN, to everyone! I can't wait to go back! Thanks Ken!"
~Sunny KimSan Mateo, CA
June 18, 2010
"This was our first Napa tour and our second wine tasting experience. Our tour guide Karl was very friendly and informative and made us all feel comfortable and special from the start. We enjoyed all four of the wineries we visited and Karl was very knowledgeable about them and the surrounding areas. This tour was one of the best experiences of our Napa Valley visit. Thanks for a pleasant and relaxing experience."
~Steve and Sheila AlfordHenderson, TX
June 18, 2010
"My wife and I had been to the Napa region before a couple of times. However we learned a LOT from Scott and the tour and more importantly, we have remembered it! What a wonderful experience with several other couples also passionate about great California wine! Mike"
~Michael AnthonyNorth Reading, MA
June 16, 2010
"We are so, so glad we booked this tour. Hands down, this is one of the best experiences we have ever had. What an enjoyable day...The people on the tour bus with us were fantastic...we laughed so much and after the tour we all went to dinner and then dancing..Rod was great and his choice of wineries were the best...The lunch provided was perfect.Thank you for an incredible day, we will Always remember!"
~Linda and Tammy GravanteStuart, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
June 12, 2010
"My best friend and I went on your tour with Toni, June 12th. Within 5 minutes all the other guests and ourselves were well aquainted with each other compliments of Toni. She was a wonderful guide to all of us Newbies to the wine world. We loved touring the small local vineyards where everyone treated us with respect and alot of humor. Thanks for everything your tour was the highlight of our Napa trip!"
~Donna PowellOrange Park, FL
June 08, 2010
"A perfect tour! We were lucky to have Floyd as our guide. He took us to places where we never would have found on our own. Hidden gems to be sure. We booked the private tour (6 people) - whick turned out to be less expensive than most the others."
~Beth StantonNicholasville, KY
June 01, 2010
"This was our first trip to Napa Valley. The tour guide was Scott Goldsmith. He is an excellence tour guide. We had a great time. It was very educational and entertaining. I've learned so much about wine from Scott. We visited Goosecross, Judds Hill, Liard and Hess winery. Wonderful experiences. The picnic lunch is awesome. When I got back home, I went on line to grab some recipes. Needless to say we ended up with a case of wine from each winery shipped to our home. Scott is also a chef. Therefore we were able to have a good conversation with foods and wine. I will definitely call on Platypus tour in the future on our next trip. Thank you Scott for the great time."
~Si & Lori IntravichitSt. Petersburg, FL
May 29, 2010
"AWESOME tour company. Valerie was a fabulous guide and took us to some wonderful wineries. Our group was one I can only hope to have on future trips. We will be coming back and doing this again."
~Melissa BeauchampSan Diego, CA
May 29, 2010
"Dave was our tour guide for our second day with Platypus. Dave took us to some great wineries on a busy weekend. We went to different wineries then the day before. The lunch and cheese plate are great to enjoy between wineries. Dave was very knowledgeable about the wineries and picked some nice boutique wineries. Thanks for a great day Dave!"
~ChristineAtlanta, GA
May 28, 2010
"Kevin was a great tour guide for Napa. He prepared us a great lunch by the pool and took us to some great wineries. I look forward to taking another tour when I come back. Thank you Kevin for a great day!!"
~ChristineAtlanta, GA
May 25, 2010
"What a way to spend our Anniversary! Valerie was an absolute blast! She made us all feel special and seemed to genuinely love her job! We went to great Wineries and the lunch was fabulous! Would love the recipe for the Quinoa Salad! We made new friends, tasted great wines and learned a lot! Can't wait for our next visit to Napa and our next Tour with Platypus!"
~Tony & Teri GutermuthJeffersonville, IN
May 19, 2010
"Ken picked us up at 10am from The Inn at Sonoma and our perfect day started right then and there. He gave us a few options on what we can do for the day and we decided on smaller family vineyards. We were made to feel like VIP's everywhere we went meeting with growers and owners at nearly every winery and business (Figones). Sandwiches and a tour from Chris Loxton himself at Loxton Vineyards was a highlight for sure!"
~David GagneWinchester, MA
May 15, 2010
"This tour advertises itself as a wine tour for people who like to have fun, and it's the truth. Fun doesn't begin to describe the day we had. To begin with, this was our third trip to wine country. The first two times we did self-directed tours of wineries and the country side. We enjoyed them, but wondered in the back of our minds, what it was that we were missing. Not only that, but we had to deal with all the traffic and headaches that come with being in unfamilar territory (to say nothing of having one of us being a designated driver, unable to enjoy the best part of the tours: the tastings). This time; however, we decided to take a guided tour. Would we hire a limo to get around or do a bigger group tour? To help us decide, we checked out Trip Advisor and it didn't take long to see that one tour stood out from the many others...Platypus Tours. The comments and photos say it all and, unlike so many other things like it, what we saw and read wasn't something that happened only once or twice, not to be repeated. Our day was exactly like what was promised, and more."
~Bernie and Denise HannonStow, MA
May 15, 2010
"Had a wonderful time on the Napa tour. Scott was the best tour guide! He knew so much about wine, allowed us to take our time and he made a delicious lunch! We will certainly be back and requesting Scott. Thanks Platypus!"
~Kim McCloudRedwood City, CA
May 10, 2010
"Thank you Kathy and Don for providing such a great experience for our party of 4 on 5/10 and 5/12! Steve was a wonderful tour guide. He relates well to the people, organizes the tours efficiently, communicates well with the people at the wineries which made for a wonderful experience for all of us. The picnic and the basket of cheese/crackers was well done! We appreciated this touch. Steve selected a great place to picnic. Again, our party of 4 loved every minute. Steve was also punctual in picking us us at the Yountville Inn and is quite personable! Thanks again to all who made this a perfect experience and we hope to return and that when we do, we would like to have Steven as our guide."
~William GozaSalado, TX
May 07, 2010
"Awsome tour.. Our guide Shawnda was sooooooo sweet , well informed and had a great sense of what the group was all about..laid back yet on top on everything.. Already rated it on Trip Advisor where originally got the info.. Learned so much and tasted some great wines!"
~Maria L Guzman/ Michael J PattenMiramar, FL
May 02, 2010
"I'd never been to California and when I had to go out to San Francisco on a business trip, my wife and I added Napa to our itinerary. We found Platypus Tours through our B&B's website and are extremely pleased that they were recommended to us. Our guide Kevin was fantastic and he gave all of us on the tour great tips on enjoying the day and made the whole experience great with his knowledge and humor. If I ever get back to the area, then I will definitely use Platypus Tours again!"
~Tony & Mary LeBlancSaco, ME
April 28, 2010
"Krista and I were coming to Napa for the First time and the best decision we made was taking the tour with Platypus. Shawnda our guide was fantastic! She not only took us to see excellent wineries, she gave us the knowledge we needed to plan and enjoy the rest of our trip in wine country with other winery recommendations. Most importantly we had FUN and she and the wineries we visited made wine understandable. We learned more and understood more about wine from this tour and our trip than all the years combined talking to the wine snobs in my local wine stores. Thanks Shawnda and Platypus tours for making the celebration of our 21st wedding anniversary so special, memorable and FUN! FUN! FUN! We also what to Thank our bus ELVIS! What happens on ELVIS stays on ELVIS! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"
~Michael and Krista KarkulaAurora, IL
April 22, 2010
"The tour was awesome. Our guide was Shawnda and she was wonderful. She quizzed the group at the beginning to determine what would suit us best and chose four wineries for us. Everything was absolutely perfect. I'd do it again without a thought."
~Debra IngramTulsa, OK
April 18, 2010
"Two girlfriends and I were in Sonoma/Napa for the first time. Our tour guide, Toni, was amazing! She was so knowledgeable and informed. She took us to a number of amazing wineries and even helped us map out our own self-guided tour for the next day by making great recommendations! Without her, I think we would've been a little overwhelmed. Instead, it was very fun and comfortable. We even heard a number of comments from the people helping us at the various wineries how great it was that she called ahead and made sure there was someone who could help us. Thanks Toni!"
~Mary BestRosemount, MN
April 02, 2010
"Highly Recommened: Take this tour you will not regret it! It was actually raining most of the day for our tour and we still had a blast. Rod was awesome!"
~Thomas CluffMonterey, CA
April 02, 2010
"In spite of the relentless rain last Friday, my friend Roz and I had the most wonderful tour, courtesy of Platypus. Scott, our guide, was friendly, fun and knowledgeable. He really helped the group 'gel' and by the end of the tour we were singing along to The Eagles like old friends! The wineries we visited were all great (for different reasons) and it was really good to go off the beaten track to the less commercial wineries. Our particular favorite was Richard Graeser - what a wonderful character! As for the bus - we felt like rock stars!!! Thank you so much for a truly memorable day."
~Diane Hassall-MeadReigate, UK
April 01, 2010
"Awesome tour. Favorite guide=Rod. Favorite small winery= Casa Nuestra. It was a great time, fun people and good wine. We will be back during harvest season to see more. Thank you so much for a grand day! ( :"
~Holly ClarksonPerkiomenville, PA
March 31, 2010
"Thank you Kevin for making our stay in Napa much more enjoyable. Your knowledge & insight proved to be priceless to us! We will always remember our day with you! This is a top notch tour! "
~Scott & KatieSkippack, PA, PA
March 30, 2010
"The overwhelming beauty of the wine country surrounded us everywhere on our tour of Russian River wineries. Ken, our excellent tour guide, gave us exclusive tastings at quiet wineries run by people with a deep passion for wine. The knowledge we gained and the fun we had will make this a great memory of our honeymoon!"
~Al and Nicole HaglundLong Island, NY
March 29, 2010
"WOW, where do I begin?? What a great experience. This is the only way to see the wineries, enjoy yourself and not have to worry about driving.(I am always DD) My husband and I had such a wonderful time with Jamie.(our tour guide) It was our first time there and I can't wait to go back. You never know when you Google something what you are going to get. I am so glad we found Platypus Tours.(you can't go wrong) Jamie went out of her way to make sure we enjoyed ourselves. She started e-mailing weeks before to get what kind of wines we liked and our interest. She planned a perfect tour for us. Thanks Jamie for all your hard work!!!! Our wine that we ordered while there has been arriving and is just as good as I remembered. We hope to send friends your way when they are out there so they can experience this as well."
~Therese & MikeWesterville, OH
March 28, 2010
"We have taken Platypus Tours several times over the years and have enjoyed every tour. We just did the North Sonoma tour with Ken and it was our most favorite of all! We love Napa and Sonoma, but this particular tour was even more special and it was mostly due to Ken. Ken did a great job and the service was so personalized that we felt like we were on a tour with a longtime friend. He found the perfect wineries for us. This is the best tour company in the Napa/Sonoma area and we have and will continue to recommend it to anyone coming your way. Thank you again for a wonderful birthday trip!"
~Jeff & Michelle FentonSalinas, CA
March 26, 2010
"Amazing! I had a great time on the tour with your company. Rod, was our tour guide/driver. He made it fun and interactive. He made my first visit to Napa Valley an amazing adventure. I just wish I had more time but had to try and catch the ferry back to San Francisco. He's very informative and was full of suggestions and gave us a great overview of wines and tastings. He's a great resource for your company. The other people on the tour were fun as well. Very engaging. Made the experience so rewarding. Thanks so much!"
~Chris SChicago, IL
March 22, 2010
"This was our first trip to Napa and we're glad we chose such a professional tour company to help us to get acquainted with the area. Many thanks to Scott for being such a wonderful host and tour guide. We enjoyed the variety of wineries he selected for us and friendliness of the other five couples on the tour. We will definitely recommend Platypus to others. "
~George & Marialice FlemingNewcastle, WA
March 21, 2010
"This was our first trip to Napa and we were traveling with another couple. We took three tours in three days. We enjoyed every one of them! We did not duplicate any of the wineries and each one was unique. Ken, Rod and Kevin were all knowledgable, helpful and fun. We would highly recommend Platypus Tours. "
~Tish & BruceDavie, FL
March 13, 2010
"Thanks so much to Scott, our tour guide, for making our first trip to Wine Country so enjoyable! The tour was only yesterday, but we've already recommended your service to friends."
~KristenSan Francisco, CA
March 08, 2010
"My husband and I wanted a good, comprehensive yet down-to-earth tour of wine country. With Platypus Tours, we got that, and more. Our tour guide, Ken, was knowledgable and friendly. We toured 4 wonderful wineries and had a delicious lunch which was provided by Platypus. We were picked up at the door of our hotel, so we could feel free to taste as much wine as we wanted. Then, as we bought wine at each of the wineries, Ken boxed it, labeled it and made sure our wine was ready for us to take home. The Platypus tour focused on small vineyards with such warm and wonderful people that we immediately felt at ease. Once we tasted the wines that were offered, we were hooked! Tell your family and friends, tell your neighbors, this is the way to see Sonoma! Thanks Platypus Tours, thanks Ken! Kurt and Mary Doyle"
~Kurt and Mary DoyleLenexa, KS
February 22, 2010
"Just wanted to thank you for the top notch tours. My wife and I were in Yountville for our honeymoon and decided to take your Napa Valley tour. The wineries were awesome and so was the company and service. We learned a lot and had a lot of fun doing it....so much so in fact that we signed up for the Healdsburg tour the next day which was great too (and a totally different experience than Napa which was awesome). Lots of wineries we would have never heard about and GREAT wine. Thanks for the memories."
~Rob and Taylor BergeronHuntington Beach, CA
February 21, 2010
"I went to Napa Valley to celebrate my neice's 40th birthday with her two sisters and mother. Sunday morning we were picked up at the Silverado Resort by Floyd to begin a day of wine tasting in Napa. Floyd was absolutely wonderful!! He made arrangements with each winery we wanted to visit, walked in with us and then left to wait for us when we were ready to leave. He told us all about Napa and the history of the valley and the wineries. There was plenty of water and cheeses and crackers for us in the nice van. Floyd dropped us off for lunch and dinner. He answered all our questions and was so positive and excited for us to have a great day. And we did!! Thank you Floyd and Platypus Tour Company for making our wine tasting day wonderful. "
~Brenda CoxLexington, KY
February 20, 2010
"We took a tour with Dave on Saturday and he is the sweetest, dearest man. He is so knowledgeable about the wine making process and the Napa Valley. Walking into each winery, the people hugged and kissed him and sang his praises as well. We will recommend him and Platypus to all of our friends!"
~Dina Morell & Lisa LazarSan Francisco & Los Angeles, CA
February 15, 2010
"My wife and I recently visited the Sonoma Valley and San Francisco areas. While in Sonoma, the wine tour that we took with Platypus Tours was the highlight of our trip. Ken was a GREAT guide and made the entire tour spectacular with his knowledge and love of the craft. We truly enjoyed every vineyard that he scheduled for us to visit. The wines we sampled were wonderful and we now have some new favorites in our wine cabinet. I highly recommend that anyone visiting the California wine country schedule a tour/tasting with Ken and Platypus."
~Christian & AnneCanton, GA
February 10, 2010
"Our first day in Napa was perfect. Our Tour Guide Rod did a wonderful job. He was very accommidating and went out of his way to give us the best tour possible. The Wineries he picked out were absolutely perfect. Thanks again for a wonderful day spent in Beautiful Napa Valley"
~Trent & Lisa BoeHarrisburg, SD
February 04, 2010
"We went to Sonoma for the first time in December. Our tour guide Ken listened to what we liked and customized the tour based on our preferences. Ken was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic; it was the highlight of our vacation! He even made dinner reservations for us as a great steakhouse after the tour. I've been recommending Platypus Tours to all my family and friends; we will be back soon!"
~Brittany & JeffSaint John, New Brunswick,
January 17, 2010
"I took a tour with Platypus Tours on Saturday, January 15th with nine out-of-town guests. We had an amazing day! Our Tour Guide, Kevin, was phenominal! Not only was he professional and courteous, but he was so informative! We all learned so much about wine and the history of Napa Valley. With Platypus Tours you get so much more than just a driver. All of us agreed, this was a truly wonderful experience. I will continue to recommend Platypus Tours to all my visiting friends! "
~Susie PopeNapa, CA
December 26, 2009
"We had a great time this past weekend. Kevin, our guide for the wine-tasting tour, was absolutely wonderful. We also had a very good dinner in Napa at the restaurant that Kevin recommended. I would highly recommend this tour to my family and friends."
~Tim HuangCity of Industry, CA
December 11, 2009
"I had an excellent day with Ken in Sonoma in December 2008. Ken took me round small wineries that I would not have found myself, made an excellent lunch and we finished with a wine and food tasting that capped the day. I learnt more than on 3 days touring the vineyards myself in Napa in the summer. Strongly recommended."
~Charles SingerBath, UK
December 06, 2009
"I just returned from Napa where I celebrated my birthday with all my girlfriends. We had a wonderful time with our guide Kevin. He was the best and even helped to get us a reservation for my birthday dinner. I will surely be back in Napa with a Platypus tour. Thanks. "
~Edra VelasquezLong Beach, CA
November 25, 2009
"My three girlfriends and I went on the Sonoma Tour on Nov, 20th and Ken was our tour guide. We had the BEST time ever. Ken picked us up and we were immediately entertained with his witty personality and friendly demeanor. The day started with rain storms, but we were still excited! Ken brought us to wineries that we would never have even known about. Every place we went to only sold their wine at the winery and we thought that was extra special! The weather ended up clearing up and we were able to really enjoy the gorgeous views of wine country. At the end of the day we were all sad to leave our new friend Ken! Our wine country experience was made so much better because of him. All of us plan on telling everyone we know about Ken and Platypus Tours because it was such a FABULOUS experience! Thank you KEN! Erin, Marissa, Danielle, and Kathy! "
~Erin HoffmanChicago, IL
November 13, 2009
"My friend & I wanted to plan a Napa trip on which we could take our moms & my friend's aunt. My friend's mom & aunt are from Alabama & Tennessee, respectively, & had never visited Napa Valley before. We had heard lots of great things about Platypus Tours, & as it turns out, they were all true! Our guide, Scott, was extremely knowledgable about wine tasting & the Napa area in general. He was quick to answer questions, & if he didn't have the answer, he researched & found one right away. He was also very flexible with where we went (some of us were Chardonnay enthusiasts, so he chose wineries to visit that would please our tastes) as well as the time we spent there. We never felt rushed, nor did we ever feel bored. It was a wonderful day of learning, wine tasting, meeting new people from all over the US (our bus-mates were from OH, AR, & RI & were an absolute ball to spend the day with), & discovering all the splendor of the Napa Valley. My friend's mom & aunt said it was a day that they'll never forget. "
~Susan HopkinsElk Grove, CA
November 13, 2009
"Our trip to Napa Valley was to celebrate my 40th birthday and let me just say, it exceeded our expectations! The wine tour is by far the best way to see and learn about the wineries. Our tour guide, Scott was amazing. He was very friendly, knowledgeable, and even prepared us a tasty gourmet lunch to eat at one of the wineries outside. We loved the entire experience and will definitely be using Platypus Tours in the future!"
~Amber and DarinFayetteville, AR
November 06, 2009
"We had so much fun! Our tour guide Shawnda was great. She listen to what type of wine we liked and made sure we went to wineries that covered our types. The different people we meet on the bus made the tour that much better. The wineries were smaller, family owned and ones we probably would not have found on our own. We recommend this tour company and would use them again!!!"
~Jeannie and Guy TurnerMilford, OH
October 24, 2009
"We could not have had a more perfect day! We ended up having a great group of people on the bus, and Ty was awesome. I have been to Sonoma a handful of times before but have never done an organized tour. Now I think this is the only way to go! I will recommend Platypus to anyone planning to spend time in Wine Country!!"
~DebraPacifica, CA
October 05, 2009
"We just want to thank Ken for the wonderful time we had on our wine tour. We were pleasantly surprised at the small wineries we visited, and being able to ask questions of the owners themselves. Lucky for us, we came during harvest time, and were able to taste newly pressed juice. Thanks for introducing to CA Zins!"
~Susan and EdGreen Bay, WI
