Livermore, CA –

In California’s Livermore Wine Country there are a number of wineries popping up. The most recent count is 42 wineries… and growing. Amongst one of the newest additions is the Ruby Hill Winery, located at the intersection of Highway 84 and Vineyard Avenue. This winery has wine from their vineyards on site as well as the Monterey Bay.  They have different wines to taste from classics like, a Petite Sirah and Reserve Merlot as well as their own unique blends.

The winery had a very large tasting bar that wrapped around as well as a quaint sitting area with leather chairs by a fireplace. I was happy to see that there was also a cheese deli and coffee cafe in case you wanted something to nibble on or a caffeinated pick-me-up. Scattered throughout the tasting room were various items for sale from olive oil to t-shirts to necklaces.

Being the new winery on the block means that everything is up to ADA code, including parking and restrooms. The door into the tasting room, however, was a large wooden door that was a little hard to open. I looked around  and did not see a handicapped button that opens the door automatically.The walkway to the tasting room was laid in “flat” cobble stone, so if you have those tiny, roller-blade like wheels be careful not to get one of them wedged between a crack. Finally, there was not a section of the bar that was lowered enough for a wheelchair user, but the bar was not too terribly high.

All and all, this tasting room was easy for a para to get around but it goes to show you that even with brand new public buildings, some times wheelchair accessible guidelines are ignored.

Wheelchair Traveling Guide: Livermore Valley Wine Country