Madera County port winery incorporated in 1946, making port-style wines from Portuguese grapes, with free tastings Thursday to Saturday.
Stops within about 40 miles of Ficklin Vineyards. Collect a Lavender Passport stamp at each one.
Ficklin Vineyards sits on a back road in Madera County, in the San Joaquin Valley, and calls itself America's oldest port winery. Walter C. Ficklin and his wife, Mame, bought the land in 1918, the winery was incorporated in 1946, and port making began in 1948 after World War II. The family planted about 15 acres of Portuguese grapes for it: Souzao, Tinta Cao, Tinta Madeira, Alvarelhao and Touriga. Peter Ficklin, the third generation, joined in 1978 and became winemaker in 1983. The winery has received the California State Fair's wine lifetime achievement award.
The tasting room pours a range of port styles, including ruby, tawny, aged colheita tawny, vintage, specialty and flavored ports, and the Old Vine Tinta Port is the house signature. The home page lists tasting hours of Thursday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m., and tastings are free for parties of up to four with no reservation needed. Groups larger than four should call ahead.
The winery also runs tours, hosts private events and posts ticketed events on its calendar. Hours have changed from time to time, so check the home page or call before you go.
Lazy River Lavender, a family lavender farm on the San Joaquin River near Madera, is about 20 minutes away and sells hand-tied bundles, sachets, oils and dried buds; check its website for visiting days before combining the two.
Lazy River Lavender · about 20 minutes away
Lazy River Lavender is about 20 minutes away near Madera, so you can pick up lavender bundles and sachets on the same afternoon as a port tasting.
No. Tasting is complimentary for groups of up to four.
No reservation is needed for up to four people; larger groups should call.
Port-style wines from Portuguese grape varieties grown on the estate, including ruby, tawny and vintage styles.
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
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