Get ready for Yappy Hour! These Sonoma County wineries welcome pooches and their wine-loving parents.
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Sonoma County, with its many renowned vineyards, is a great place to enjoy a day of wine tasting. The region is also a great place for dogs and their owners, with an increasing number of parks, establishments and venues welcoming and catering to canine companions.
But just where should you go if you want to visit a winery while also spending time with your furry best friend? Fortunately, there are plenty of options in the county.
Scroll through our list below to see some of the best dog-friendly wineries in Sonoma County, and click through the above gallery for a peek at some favorites.
Sonoma
Gundlach Bundschu Winery
One of the oldest wineries in California welcomes on-leash dogs to their Rhinefarm. Pack a picnic and enjoy the patio, which overlooks the estate vineyards, or bring your dog into the historic tasting room, a pet-friendly pick for a rainy day. 2000 Denmark St., 707-938-5277, gunbun.com
Larson Family Winery
Larson Family Winery makes a dog-themed wine, Three Lab Cab, named after winery dogs Buster, Bubba and Pete. Dogs are welcome in the tasting room barn and on the lawn and picnic area, where you can play cornhole while your dog relaxes in the sun. 23355 Millerick Road, 707-938-3031, exploretock.com/larsonfamilywinery
Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery
Located within 375-acre Bartholomew Park in Sonoma Valley, the winery has a variety of great views and trails for humans and canines to enjoy. Leashes are required at all times. 1000 Vineyard Lane, 707-509-0540, bartholomewestate.com
Roche Winery
Watch the world go by, dog by your side, on the patio of this downtown tasting room, with a fire pit and trees providing shade. The tasting room offers barrel tastings, snacks and some of the best people-watching in town. 122 West Spain St., 707-935-7115, rochewinery.com
Glen Ellen
Abbot’s Passage Winery + Mercantile
Coming from a long lineage of winemakers that stretches back over a century and a half, vintner Katie Bundschu is making her distinctive mark with small-lot Rhône-style wines. Her winery is both family-friendly and dog-friendly. Dogs should be on a leash. 777 Madrone Road, 707-939-3017, abbotspassage.com
B.R. Cohn Winery
This Glen Ellen winery offers water bowls and treats for visiting dogs to enjoy. Leashed dogs are welcome on the winery patio and grounds, which include estate vineyards and views of Sonoma and the Mayacamas mountains. 15000 Sonoma Highway, 707-938-4064, brcohn.com
Kenwood
Deerfield Ranch Winery
“May All Fours Be With You” is the motto of Deerfield Ranch’s winery dog, Obi Wine Kenobi. Water is available for pooches, while dog owners can taste some of the wineries delectable vintages. 10200 Sonoma Highway, 707-833-5215, deerfieldranch.com
Kunde Family Winery
Fourth-generation winegrower Jeff Kunde invites dogs to accompany their owners on tastings and to join him on a hike through his family’s historic vineyards through oak woodlands, native grasslands and chaparral. 9825 Sonoma Highway, 707-833-5501, kunde.com
Landmark Vineyards
Welcome throughout the property, dogs are allowed to wander with their owners into the vineyard. Thirsty dogs get a taste of the royal treatment: Fiji water fresh from the bottle served in a bowl. 101 Adobe Canyon Road, 707-833-0053, landmarkwine.com
Muscardini Cellars
Winemaker Michael Muscardini’s golden retriever, Biondi, and staff welcome well-behaved dogs in the tasting room and on the patio and green rolling grounds behind the tasting room. Dogs can look forward to treats, water and toys as well as dog-themed events. 9380 Sonoma Highway, 707-933-9305, muscardinicellars.com
Healdsburg
Amista Vineyards
After taking a self-guided tour of the property with your dog, taste wine on the patio or in the tasting room featuring dog-themed art, while your pup enjoys dog biscuits. The winery hosts an annual fundraiser that benefits Canine Companions for Independence. 3320 Dry Creek Road, 707-431-9200, amistavineyards.com
Bacchus Landing
With a reputation of being “super” dog friendly, this collective of just over a half dozen boutique wineries is a hub of winemaking and tasting activity. Bacchus Landing is equally family-friendly with bocce courts and lawn games as well as a large open patio and five tasting rooms, among them Smith Story Wine Cellars and resident goldendoodle Lord Sandwich. 14210 Bacchus Landing Way, 707-395-0697, bacchuslanding.com
Breathless Wines
Guests can enjoy a flight of sparkling wines on the winery’s garden patio accompanied by their dogs. The winery also hosts fundraisers for Humane Society of Sonoma County. Out of courtesy for other visitors and staff, the winery requests that all animals are leashed and well-behaved. 499 Moore Lane, 707-395-7300, breathlesswines.com
Lambert Bridge Winery
This Healdsburg winery allows dogs to settle into a dog bed and relax with a bowl of water while owners try out the wines. After enjoying a tasting, wander through the estate gardens with your pup. 4085 W. Dry Creek Road, 707-431-9600, lambertbridge.com
Portalupi Wine
This winery’s downtown tasting room is a convenient stop along a dog walk. The family is a supporter of the local Humane Society and donates proceeds from their wine sales to the nonprofit. 107 North St., 707-395-0960, portalupiwine.com
West Wines
The winery, with a tasting room below a large oak with views of the vineyards, invites guests to enjoy a tasting on the dog-friendly patio. West Wines’ Instagram account features an assortment of photos of some of its canine visitors as well as its “winery cat extraordinaire” Jane Bond. 1000 Dry Creek Road, 707-433-2066, westwines.com
Wilson Winery
The Wilsons make a dog-themed wine, Three Dog Zin, which features the family’s three dogs, Molly, Sydney and Victoria. The staff welcomes dogs, offering pups treats and water, while humans sip zinfandel in the tasting room or on the patio overlooking the vineyards. 1960 Dry Creek Road, 707-433-4355, wilsonwinery.com
Cloverdale
BobDog Wines
Named after a beloved Rottweiler that lived at Sky Pine Vineyards 20 years ago, BobDog Wines lives up to its reputation as a dog-friendly winery, where pets are free to walk around on a leash. A portion of wine sales proceeds benefits programs for the protection and care of animals. 31955 Pine Mountain Road, 707-756-2471, bobdogwine.com
Geyserville
Sbragia Family Vineyards
Dogs are welcome in the tasting room, on the patio — even in the vineyards — at this Dry Creek Valley winery. With its views of the vineyard and surrounding hills, the patio terrace is a particularly nice spot to taste wine while your dog enjoys some treats and a water bowl. 9990 Dry Creek Road, 707-473-2992, sbragia.com
Dutcher Crossing Winery
Dogs are welcome in the tasting room, where they can try on winery-branded dog collars for purchase while their owners taste estate zinfandel and other small-production wines. The back patio and lawn is a great spot for nibbling on cheese and charcuterie, and playing catch. 8533 Dry Creek Road, 707-431-2700, dutchercrossingwinery.com
Sebastopol
Dutton-Goldfield Winery
Canine companions are celebrated at the winery, with special dog cookies offered to pets. Winery partner Theresa Dutton serves on the Northwest regional board of Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit that provides service and therapy dogs to those in need. 3100 Gravenstein Highway N., 707-823-3887, duttongoldfield.com
Horse & Plow
Located in a historic West County barn near local vineyards and apple orchards, Horse & Plow welcomes dogs and their owners to the tasting room. Treats and water are provided to pups. 1272 Gravenstein Highway N., 707-827-3486, horseandplow.com
Marimar Estate Vineyards and Winery
This vineyard, owned and operated by the Spanish-American Torres family, welcomes dogs in outdoor areas. Visitors will also find some larger than life dogs on the winery grounds—10-foot metal sculptures of the owners’ springer spaniels, Chico and Bonita. 11400 Graton Road, 707-823-4365, marimarestate.com
Taft Street Winery
Taft Street Winery is a family-friendly business — and that includes dogs. Well-behaved pups on a leash are welcome on the winery’s back patio. The winery also provides treats and water bowls. 2030 Barlow Lane, 707-823-2049, taftstreetwinery.com
Windsor
Mutt Lynch Winery
Winemaker Brenda Lynch’s winery is both an ode to wine and to furry friends. The tasting room hosts “Yappy Hour” events and offers water, treats, toys and possible playmates, as staff members often bring their pups to work. The winery also raises funds for animal rescue organizations through its Wines That Give Back program. 9050 Windsor Road, 707-687-5089, muttlynchwinery.com
Bricoleur Vineyards
Bricoleur’s Essentials Picnic tasting ($75 per person) is the perfect excuse to treat yourself and your furry friend to an alfresco lunch by the estate pond with a glass of refreshing sparkling wine. Dogs are welcome in all outside areas at Bricoleur Vineyards, though only official service animals are allowed in the Winery Barn. All dogs should be leashed and never left unattended. 7394 Starr Road, 707-857-5700, bricoleurvineyards.com
Martinelli Winery
The historic Martinelli Winery & Vineyards welcomes well-behaved dogs on a leash for its Vineyard Terrace Tasting ($50 per person). The tasting includes a flight of estate wines to sip on the terrace overlooking the Hop Barn Hill Vineyard, with the option to add a picnic lunch and bottle service. Only service animals are allowed inside the tasting room. 3360 River Road, 707-525-0570, martinelliwinery.com
La Crema
Located within Saralee’s Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, La Crema Estate also welcomes dogs. The site’s landmark historic barn has been converted into a tasting and wine education facility. Dogs should be on a leash at all times. 3575 Slusser Road, 707-525-6200, lacrema.com
Santa Rosa
Balletto Vineyards
Is Balletto pet-friendly? Yes! The winery says it usually has dog treats and water bowls at the ready for visiting dogs. Just make sure your dog is on a leash during the entire visit. 5700 Occidental Road, 707-568-2455, ballettovineyards.com
Belden Barns
This family-run winery prides itself on being dog-friendly and kid-friendly. The property, which is located on Sonoma Mountain, is also a working farm that produces a diverse array of fruits and vegetables. 5561 Sonoma Mountain Road, 415-577-8552, beldenbarns.com
Matanzas Creek Winery
Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome both inside and outside at Matanzas Creek, where aromatic lavender gardens line the property. For International Dog Day this year, the winery is hosting a pup-focused celebration for dog owners and lovers from 4-7 p.m. on Aug. 24. The event will include a selection of estate wines to taste, live music performances, “Burgers and Birria” by Bayou on the Bay, a complimentary painting session, and a plush dog toy and Matanzas Creek pop-up water bowl to take home for your furry companion. General admission is $60 per person and $50 for wine club members. Purchase tickets on Tock. 6097 Bennett Valley Road, 707-521-7019, matanzascreek.com
Freestone
Black Kite Cellars
This family-owned boutique winery will welcome dogs to the estate for its three-day-long Pooches & Pinot celebration, held between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 12-14, at the Jasper House, Black Kite Cellars’ newly opened wine tasting room in Freestone. The event will include signature tasting flights of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as well as healthy “bark-cuterie boards” with dog treats and a Black Kite Cellars bandana for visiting pups. Plenty of water will also be available for the dogs. Pooches & Pinot tickets are $67 per person. Purchase tickets on Tock. 12747 El Camino Bodega, 707-322-4863, blackkitecellars.com
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Trying to cut down on spending? That doesn't have to mean you can't go wine tasting.
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A visit to Sonoma Wine Country doesn’t have to break the bank. You can fill your belly at inexpensive restaurants, spend the night at chic and affordable hotels and, perhaps most importantly, enjoy free or cheap wine tastings.
From quaint small town tasting rooms to sprawling wine gardens, Sonoma County offers wine sipping opportunities that will please your palate as well as your pocketbook. Click through the above gallery to discover wineries where you can taste wine for free or cheap ($20 and less).
Tina Caputo, Sarah Doyle and Linda Murphy contributed to this article.
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Make no mistake: We love our grapes. But area winery folks also apply their green thumbs to growing a whole lot more.
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Make no mistake: We love our grapes. But area winery folks also apply their green thumbs to growing a whole lot more. Whether you’re looking to learn more about organic veggie gardening, wonder at otherworldly proteas, or hike oak-studded hills, these winery gardens are our best bets for early summer.
Quintessential California: A line of towering palms marks the drive up to Sonoma’s Scribe Winery. This is classic vintage California, from the adobe hacienda (built in the 1850s, once a speakeasy) surrounded by a tapestry of wavy grasses and stately succulents, to the bountiful edible garden, run by Stephen Carter — one of the world’s premier chicory farmers. Call for updated tasting information. 2100 Denmark Street, Sonoma. 707-939-1858, scribewinery.com.
Protecting Pollinators: The team at Jordan Vineyard & Winery never does anything halfway, with majestic vine-covered stone buildings and the one-acre vegetable patch which yields 100 varieties of produce, including exquisite fraises des bois strawberries. New this year is a pollinator garden for bees and migrating monarch butterflies. Reserve ahead for garden tour. 1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg. 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com.
A Vineyard Education: Learn as you taste at Dry Creek Valley’s Quivira Vineyards, where a sample block is dedicated to identifying all of the varietals grown on the estate and raised beds showcase organic gardening practices. Sing in the herb garden, complete with (yes!) parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, then visit the chickens, whose names are sheer poetry—Buff Japanese Black Cochins, Cuckoo Marans, Silver-Laced Wyandottes. Reserve in advance. 4900 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707-431-8333, quivirawine.com.
Unusual Finds: Tucked into the Petaluma Gap just high enough to skirt the fog, McEvoy Ranch is an idyll with acres and acres of olive groves and rolling vineyards. But the property is also home to myriad unusual plants, including striking purple cerinthe and wacky Buddha’s Hand citrus. For a splurge, book a tasting in one of the new private hideaways by the pond. Reserve walking tours and hideaways in advance. 5935 Red Hill Road, Petaluma. 866-617-6779, mcevoyranch.com
Rustic Rural Gem: When they’re not busy making wine, the folks at Medlock Ames love nothing more than to pore over seed catalogs and tinker with new varieties. At the winery’s stunning rural vineyards at Bell Mountain Ranch, beds explode with zinnias, sunflowers, and Queen Anne’s lace (a second tasting room on Alexander Valley Road has a small but lovely olive grove). Open by appointment. 13414 Chalk Hill Road, Healdsburg. 707-431-8845, medlockames.com.
Hike the Sonoma Hills: History is the watchword at Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma Valley, founded on the very land where California viticulture was born. The winery anchors 375-acre Bartholomew Park; save time to wander the trails that lace the oak- and madrone-studded hills. Picnic grounds and hiking trails open to the public; reserve ahead for tasting. 1000 Vineyard Lane, Sonoma. 707-509-0540, bartholomewestate.com.
Proteas on the Coast: In a nod to the owners’ native South Africa, a vast collection of rare proteas takes pride of place at coastal Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery. Look for the ‘Pink Mink’—pink flowers with black feathery tips—and the ‘Scarlet Ribbon’ Pincushion, a bright-red bloom with orange spikes. Reserve in advance. 15725 Meyers Grade Road, Jenner. 707-847-3460, fortrossvineyard.com.
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Around 20 Sonoma County wineries are digging into their wine libraries and pouring older wines on March 6 and 7, along with their current releases.
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Sonoma’s Wine Road Barrel Tasting Weekend was reveling in its 43rd year of success in 2020 when the state ordered wineries to close because of the pandemic. COVID-19 also put a bung in Barrel Tasting Weekend 2021, depriving event guests of the opportunity to sample infant wines a year or so before they are released and buy tomorrow’s wines at today’s prices.
Undeterred, Wine Road, an organization that represents wineries and lodgings in the Dry Creek, Alexander and Russian River valleys, flipped the script this year, urging member wineries to dig into their wine libraries and pour older wines March 6 and 7, along with their current releases. Some 20 producers will participate, each offering yesterday’s wines to try and buy today.
Healdsburg is home to the Sonoma County Wine Library, a treasure trove of books, magazines, research papers, photos, videos and ephemera on the world of wine. At wineries, “libraries” are cellar spaces filled with bottles stored under ideal temperature and humidity conditions, so that the wines — mostly reds — mature slowly over time, develop secondary complex characteristics and show more evolved, smoother tannins.
Aging wine is a topic addressed in myriad Ph.D. dissertations and involves much debate: Are older wines better than younger wines? Or vice versa? It depends on personal taste. In the simplest of comparisons, some love young red wine’s rich, primary aromas and flavors, such as cherry, blackberry and plum, and its palate freshness. Others appreciate the secondary notes of spice, tea, leather and earthiness that can show themselves in wines five to 10 (or more) years old, thanks to the slow ingress of oxygen through the cork.
The beauty of trying older wines at Wine Road wineries is in meeting the winemakers, hearing their often vivid stories of the challenges and rewards of each vintage and tasting the impact that time can have on wine. It’s a rare opportunity to compare older Sonoma wines with newer ones, to gauge when wines in a home cellar will be at the optimum drinking point for one’s personal taste or to buy wines that have already improved with cellaring so buyers don’t have to do the work themselves.
Some producers will pour their library wines from magnum bottles. Magnums hold twice as much wine as 750-mL bottles, but the wine is exposed to the same amount of oxygen as a standard bottle. As a result, the wine ages more slowly and likely will last longer.
The library-wine weekend is not a formal event; no tickets are sold, though guests must, in adherence with COVID-19 safety protocols, make reservations, just as they would any other visit. All tastings are conducted outdoors, with physical distancing and small groups only, and masks must be worn before and after guests are seated. Wineries’ regular tasting fees will be in place and vary by options chosen.
If conditions allow, Wine Road organizers hope to conduct a scaled-down, full-week version of Barrel Tasting May 24‒30, 2021. Follow along at wineroad.com
Here are snapshots of some of the wineries serving library wines March 6 and 7:
Baldassari Family Wines: By day, Matt Michael is the winemaker for Robert Young Estate Wines in Alexander Valley. His nights and weekends go to his family’s Baldassari brand of chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot noir rosé, syrah and Malbec from vineyards on the Sonoma Coast and in the Russian River, Alexander and Bennett valleys. Matt’s father, Dom Michael, handles everything else in this two-person business, named for Matt’s grandfather, Vincenzo Baldassari, who came to the U.S. from Italy and made wine in his basement. For library weekend, father and son will pour from magnums of 2015 and 2016 syrah and pinot noir at their Windsor tasting lounge, in addition to current releases.
9058 Windsor Road, Windsor, 707-837-5327, bfwwine.com
Balletto Vineyards: In addition to tastings of its broad array of Russian River Valley-grown, current-release wines, this Santa Rosa winery will offer a four-bottle library set, comprised of the 2013 Sparkling Brut Rosé, 2013 BCD Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 2014 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and 2018 Cider Ridge Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Balletto, a longtime grape grower in the region, has renovated its covered patio tasting area in time for library-wine weekend and oncoming spring weather. Anthony Beckman is the winemaker, and a talented one at that. There are many excellent values to be found here.
5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707-568-2455, ballettovineyards.com
Merriam Vineyards: Peter and Diana Merriam’s winery and vineyard are located at the eastern edge of Russian River Valley in a warm part of a cool-climate appellation. There, they can fully ripen red Bordeaux grape varieties such as merlot and cabernet franc, yet the conditions are also suited to growing chardonnay and pinot noir, which enjoy growing in cool, morning-fog conditions. Merriam’s library offerings are the 2014 Windacre Vineyard Merlot from the Merriam estate and 2013 Gloeckner-Turner Ranch Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon from a subregion of Dry Creek Valley. Current releases include sauvignon blanc, semillon, pinot noir, petit verdot and a blanc de noirs sparkler.
11650 Los Amigos Road, Healdsburg 707-433-4032, merriamvineyards.com
Mill Creek Vineyards & Winery: For more than 40 years, the water wheel at Mill Creek has been a visual icon for those traveling from Healdsburg and turning south onto Westside Road or north onto West Dry Creek Road. The Kreck family planted their vineyards here in 1965 and established the winery in 1974; the location is within the Dry Creek Valley yet just a stone’s throw from Russian River Valley. Jeremy Kreck, son of founders Yvonne and Bill Kreck, produces excellent sauvignon blancs and zinfandels from the Dry Creek Valley vineyard and cabernet sauvignon from the family home ranch in Alexander Valley. For library weekend, Mill Creek will pour the 2000 Kreck Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley and 2007 Reflections Alexander Valley Meritage red blend. The winery has two picnic areas for visitors who want to bring their own lunches.
1401 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-2121, millcreekwinery.com
Moshin Vineyards: Rick Moshin, who founded his winery in 1989, produces several varietals, yet pinot noir – which made Healdsburg’s Westside Road famous in the wine world – is the one that is closest to his heart. For library tasting weekend, he and his wife, Amber Moshin, will pour their 2013 Rosalina Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, from their estate, and a red Bordeaux-style blend, the 2012 Dry Creek Valley Perpetual Moshin. Instead of fermenting the cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, cabernet franc and malbec separately and then blending the wines, Moshin fermented the grapes together, giving them an early start on integrating seamlessly.
10295 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-5499, moshinvineyards.com
Pedroncelli Winery: This venerable Geyserville winery, established before Prohibition and still family-owned, is known for its honest, good-value wines across multiple varietals. Yet zinfandel is predominant in its DNA, and for library-wine weekend, Pedroncelli will pour its 2009 Mother Clone Zinfandel and 2009 Bench Vineyards Merlot side by side with the 2018 vintages of these wines. A splash of Pedroncelli port and a bite of chocolate is served to each guest.
1220 Canyon Road, Geyserville, 707-857-3531, pedroncelli.com
Portalupi Wine: Jane Portalupi and her winemaking husband, Tom Borges, not only fell in love with each other, they also shared a fondness for wines produced from Italian grape varieties and set out to make them in 2002. Barbera is their No. 1 wine, with vermentino, arneis, charbono and an unusual méthode champenoise sparkling barbera also among their California-Italian offerings. Pinot noir, zinfandel and petite sirah complete the lineup. Portalupi’s downtown Healdsburg parklet is the place to taste a barbera flight that includes current vintages and, from the library, a 2013 Sierra Foothills Barbera.
107 North St., Healdsburg, 707-395-0960, portalupiwine.com
Sunce Winery & Vineyard: Proprietor/winemaker Frane Franicevic has a long and colorful history, which, in Cliff Notes version, took him from Croatia to New Orleans, where he worked in restaurants and as a shrimper. He found his way to California and opened One World Winery in 1991 in Santa Rosa. Frane married Janae in 1994 and together they built the Sunce winery and vineyard after buying property on Olivet Road. The Franicevics will hit their wine cellar with gusto for library weekend, pouring from magnums their 2013 Meritage Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014 Estate Zora’s Vineyard Clone 667 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 2014 Estate Zora’s Vineyard Clone 777 Russian River Valley, 2013 Cousins Ranch Reserve Merlot Russian River Valley and 2013 Trois Amis SuperT Russian River Valley Reserve. Kids and pets are welcome and tacos will be served.
1839 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa, 707-526-9463, suncewinery.com
Viszlay Vineyards: A producer of single-vineyard, small-lot wines, Viszlay grows 13 grape varieties on its 10 vineyard acres in the Russian River Valley, south of Healdsburg. Owner/winemaker John Viszlay and his team will pour from the library a 2012 Reserve Pinot Noir, 2010 Petite Sirah and 2011 Reserve Malbec, along with other estate wines. Typical annual production is just 2,200 cases, and reserve wines are usually available only to wine club members and those who stay at the vineyard guesthouse. Library weekend is an opportune time for those new to the winery to sample its finest bottlings.
851 Limerick Lane, Healdsburg, 707-481-1514, viszlayvineyards.com
West Wines: Winemaker/owner Katarina Bonde, with her husband, Bengt Akerlind, will pour their 2006 and 2008 West Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, along with the 2016 West Seafoam and Blanc de Blancs bubblies, made in traditional Champagne style. The 2014 Tuscan Cuvee, a cabernet and sangiovese blend, is also on the menu along with current releases. The sparkling wine will be paired with a Brie cheese, the Tuscan Cuvee with an aged Gouda and the library cabernet sauvignons with chocolate.
1000 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-2066, westwines.com
Other participating wineries include:
Char Vale Winery, Sebastopol, charvalewinery.com
Dutton Estate Winery, Sebastopol, duttonestate.com
Ektimo Wines, Sebastopol, ektimowines.com
Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Geyserville, francisfordcoppolawinery.com
G&C Lurton‒Trinité Estate, Healdsburg, acaibo.com
Iron Horse Vineyards, Sebastopol, ironhorsevineyards.com
Locals Tasting Room, Geyserville, localstastingroom.com
Paradise Ridge Winery, Santa Rosa, prwinery.com
Russian River Vineyards, Forestville, russianrivervineyards.com
Super Sonoman/Taddei Wines, Windsor, supersonoman.com
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Sonoma County is joining in on the fun by photoshopping the bundled up U.S. senator into all kinds of local scenes.
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A bundled up Bernie Sanders has turned into a meme following the U.S. senator’s appearance at Wednesday’s presidential inauguration. Huddled in a chair and dressed in a thick gray coat from Vermont-based brand Burton and homemade patterned mittens, Sanders looked comfortably snug in the D.C. cold — and the internet loved the look. (The Burton jacket is now sold out – but the company posted on Twitter how to “steal the look”)
“I was just sitting there, trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what was going on,” explained the Vermont senator when asked about his reaction to the meme on Late Night.
The much-meme’d mittens, given to Sanders by Jen Ellis, a second-grade teacher in Vermont, have an interesting story. Ellis made the mittens from an old wool sweater and sent them to Sanders after he lost the bid for the Democratic nomination in 2016. She told The Washington Post that she felt honored the senator wore them at the inauguration. “There were people at the inauguration wearing clothing from world-famous designers. Then there was Bernie, wearing my mittens,” she said.
Sonoma County businesses are now joining in on the fun by photoshopping the practically-dressed Sanders into all kinds of scenes and posting these on social media. Click through the above gallery for a few favorites.
If you’d like to make your own version of the Bernie meme, this website edits the senator into any address. You can now also order a sweatshirt with the meme from Sanders’ website. 100% of the proceeds will go toward Meals on Wheels Vermont.
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As tasting rooms closed and wineries were tested by the pandemic, wineries have had to adapt and overcome. One change that's sticking? Virtual tastings.
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At the start of 2020, Papapietro Perry Winery in Dry Creek Valley operated a typical tasting room, with a belly-up bar inside and a covered patio outside for sunny days, overflow crowds and private pinot noir and cheese pairings.
That was B.C., before coronavirus. Then tasting rooms closed in mid-March by county order, later reopening to outdoor-only, physically distanced visitor experiences and shuttering again on Dec. 12 and until at least Jan. 9, 2021. Except for online sales, order shipments and curbside pickups, Sonoma tasting rooms are currently limited to virtual means to reach customers.
What’s a winery owner to do to sell wine and stay in business? “Get creative,” said Renae Perry, partner, CEO and general manager of Papapietro Perry. “We’d introduced ‘Pinot on the Patio’ and cheese pairings before the pandemic and had already expanded the patio. But how many times can you ask people to buy your wine? We had to do more.”
“More” for Perry has included virtual tastings on Zoom and FaceTime; online bingo nights; “Wine & Whatever” — freewheeling virtual happy hours with partner and winemaker Ben Papapietro and wine club manager Kristen Greenberg; cooking demonstrations with winery chef Jim May; caviar, chocolate and cheese pairing sessions; cellar videos that demonstrate how wine is made and “Paint & Sip,” a live painting lesson with wine and a finished piece at the end.
Unable to physically host their traditional parties for wine club members, Perry and Greenberg converse with them online when wine shipments go out. “As they unbox and uncork the wines, we tell our members about each one,” Perry said. “They can taste along or just listen. We’ve learned that our club members want the same information we give our staff about each wine and have the same questions. Our ‘Vino at Home’ Zoom tasting sessions let us to share that information with people across the country. We’re now in their living room, tasting with them, since they can’t come to the winery.”
Perry’s efforts are a snapshot of what so many other small- to medium-sized Sonoma wineries have done since March and plan to continuing doing into 2021, in order to keep their heads above water, financially. Virtually delivered “edu-tainment” has become a crucial marketing component, evolving from throw-it-against-the-wall experimentation at the start of the pandemic to why-didn’t-we-do-this-before queries once staff got the hang of it.
Merriam-Webster’s word for 2020 is “pandemic;” No. 2 for the wine industry could very well be “pivot.” As Perry said, maintaining customer loyalty is paramount. To do so, and to welcome new customers, nontraditional outreach is necessary. Wineries must continually offer new experiences that resonate with wine lovers, likely for the long term.
Here are some of the many wineries whose innovations and approaches to staying in contact with current and potential wine buyers have been successful. In most cases, costs vary.
Adobe Road Winery
Gearheads, start your engines. This tasting room at the Great Petaluma Mill (a new riverside venue is under construction) is all about the matchup of motor sports and fine wine. CEO and sports car driver Kevin Buckler heads the Racing Group, which has won such prestigious races as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Buckler and winemaker Garrett Martin bring the whine their virtual tastings, with endless options for guests to customize their own events. Name your budget, choose your topic and wines and the hospitality staff does the rest. Virtual celebrity guests in 2020 included Texas star chef Dean Fearing, Napa grapegrower Andy Beckstoffer, professional drivers Lyn St. James and Derek DeBoer and “Cars Yeah” podcaster Mark Greene. Talk cars while enjoying the Racing Series tasting of four red blends (Redline, Shift, The 24 and Apex) named for elements of Buckler’s career.
Not an automotive enthusiast? Not to worry, because Adobe Road also offers several other virtual tastings, including wine and food pairings, wine education and barrel sampling. Bordeaux varietals, chardonnay, pinot noir and grenache are among the best bottles, exceptionally made and definitely not gimmicks.
6 Petaluma Blvd. N, Petaluma, 707-774-6699, adoberoadwines.com
Buena Vista Winery/JCB Collection
Leave it to the always-inventive, effervescent Jean Charles Boisset to turn wine sales in a pandemic into a three-ring circus of fun and infotainment for his Sonoma brands Buena Vista, DeLoach and Lyeth and Raymond Vineyards in Napa Valley. Boisset hosts numerous multi-week virtual happy hours in which pair his wines with a broad cast of characters and subjects. Most virtual events are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 4 p.m. They’re free to watch on Facebook Live, and wine kits can be ordered in advance to taste along. A recent session, “The Legacy of Prohibition with Carla de Luca Worfolk,” explored, with the filmmaker, how California’s fine-wine industry (including Buena Vista founder Agoston Haraszthy, of course) was shaped by Prohibition. Buena Vista Jovita’s Selection Chardonnay and Buena Vista Alexander Valley Zinfandel were tasted during the session.
On Jan. 6, 2021, the guest will be British Master of Wine Tim Aikin, who will discuss New World classic wines while tasting Chateau Buena Vista Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and DeLoach Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Private virtual tastings are also available on Zoom by appointment.
Buena Vista Winery, 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma, 800-926-1266, buenavistawinery.com
Wise Vineyards
With their Kenwood tasting room closed and Moon Mountain estate cave visits on hold, Brion and Ronda Wise have introduced the tool Corovin to their virtual tastings. One of the drawbacks of tasting wine online is that it usually requires the purchase of full bottles to play along (though a handful of wineries, among them Passalacqua in Dry Creek Valley, sell tasting kits with 2-ounce mini bottles). Once opened, those 750-ml standard bottles can oxidize in a couple days, even when stoppered.
Corovin solves that problem, and the Wises sell tasting kits equipped with the tool so the cork does not need to be removed to access the wine. Corovin has an extracting needle that draws wine from the bottle through the cork and a spout that dispenses the wine into the glass, leaving a blanket of argon gas in the bottle as a preservative. The B. Wise wines are exceptional, with the Moon Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon selling for $95 and the difficult-to-acquire BRION proprietary red going for whatever one is willing to pay. Chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah and zinfandel also are produced. Corovin, which sells for $150 and up at retail, lets aficionados enjoy every drop of B. Wise wines whenever they want, and the virtual tastings include instruction on the use and care of your Corovin. Tasting kits also are available without Corovin, and estate-grown olive oils are other options.
9077 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-282-9169, bwisevineyards.com
Papapietro Perry Winery
This Dry Creek Valley winery, which specializes in pinot noir and also offers a silky, seductive zinfandel, has rotated several successful virtual experiences in and out of its offerings since the initial March 2020 shutdown of its tasting room. On Jan. 21, 2021, Bay Area artist Sonya Paz will join a winery host in a step-by-step interactive lesson, “Paint & Sip,” on painting a private masterpiece on an oak-barrel stave. Order in advance the stave, paint, brush and one bottle of Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir, then log on to find your inner Van Gogh. Order more bottles and become Jackson Pollack. 5-6:30 p.m. $100 per kit, includes wine. Additional painting kits are $35, without wine.
4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-0422, papapietro-perry.com
Dutton-Goldfield Winery
Where else but in Sonoma can one taste a crunchy Marin County riesling alongside a single-vineyard Russian River Valley chardonnay, a Green Valley Fox Den Pinot Noir and perhaps an old-vine Morelli Lane Russian River Valley Zinfandel from the comfort of one’s home? Dutton-Goldfield affords this opportunity, with hospitality manager Greg Johnson hosting one-on-one Zoom tastings of flights offered in the Sebastopol tasting room and creating groupings of wines grown in Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties, per customer request.
Grapegrower Steve Dutton and winemaker Dan Goldfield produce elegant, fresh-tasting yet rewarding wines at their Sebastopol winery, with gewürztraminer, pinot blanc, rosé and syrah joining the lineup. Russian River Valley is the baseline for Dutton-Goldfield wines, yet Marin and Mendocino’s Anderson Valley chime in to create a robustly varied tasting experience that expands on the RRV chardonnay-pinot noir theme. Email Johnson at greg@duttongoldfield.com to order the wines and schedule a tasting.
3100 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastopol, 707-823-3887, dutton-goldfield.com
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Several Sonoma County wineries exude an Italian vibe that will remind visitors of Tuscany, without the plane flight.
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Some of the most recognizable names in Sonoma wine are Italian: A. Rafanelli, Foppiano, Gallo, Martinelli, Pedroncelli, Rochioli, Sebastiani and Seghesio, to name just a few.
The founders of these wineries, largely from Italy’s Tuscany region, made their way to California in the mid- to late-1800s, many of them attracted by the Gold Rush. When the gold petered out, they scattered throughout the state, with large concentrations landing in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. The the soil and arid climate here reminded them of home and the grapes, tomatoes, peppers and olives they grew there to feed their families.
It’s a testament to the determination of Sonoma’s transplanted Italians that so many of their wineries flourish today, having weathered Prohibition, war and financial depressions. The rustic zinfandels, petite sirahs, barberas, carignanes and “mixed blacks” field blends they bottled a century ago have evolved into wines with more refinement and superior quality. Sangiovese, nebbiolo, aglianico and dolcetto and white varietals pinot grigio, vermentino, malvasia and moscato are now fashionable, their production encouraged by the children and grandchildren of those first-wave Italians.
COVID-19 has made travel to Italy nearly impossible right now, but not to worry. Several Sonoma wineries exude an Italian vibe that will remind visitors of Tuscany, without the plane flight or need for an English-to-Italian dictionary. Here are five that deliver a sense of la dolce vita, for their Italian brand names, wines produced, architecture, design and experiences offered. All winery visits are by appointment only and conducted outdoors.
Acorn Winery
Owners Betsy and Bill Nachbaur are not Italian, although their devotion to Italian grape varieties and old-vine zinfandel is as strong as a Tuscan day is long. The couple purchased Alegría Vineyard in 1990, located in the southeastern, warmest section of Russian River Valley and originally part of the 1841 Sotoyome land grant. It was planted, beginning in the 1890s, to a dizzying array of varieties, among them zinfandel, sangiovese, alicante bouchet, petite sirah, carignane, syrah, bastardo and graciano.
Bill, who thought he would be a lawyer, instead jumped headlong into viticulture. Betsy soon joined him full-time in the business of growing grapes for other wineries. In 1994, they establish their own Acorn brand, holding back fruit for themselves and selling to a shorter list of producers. All their bold, hearty wines come from their vineyard — zinfandel, sangiovese, dolcetto, rosato (rosé), syrah, cabernet franc and proprietary blends Medley and Acorn Hill. Production is just 3,000 cases a year, and each wine is a “field blend” in which the primary variety is fermented with other grape types, adding depth and complexity.
Tastings are $30 per person and are personal, with Betsy or Bill pouring. Bill is happy to lead physically distanced, masked tours of the vineyard for those who are interested. Just say so at the time of booking.
12040 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-433-6440, acornwinery.com
Battaglini Winery & Vineyard
Everything old is new again at Battaglini. A visit here is refreshing for its lack of fussiness, reminiscent of tasting at a rural Tuscan winery where the ambiance comes from the rustic surroundings and hardworking people who obviously love what they do. Don’t be surprised if you smell food cooking on the stove, hear Italian music or see family members playing bocce when you arrive.
Giuseppe J. Battaglini came to the U.S. in 1956 with the desire to grow grapes as his family did in Tuscany. “Joe” met his wife, Lucia, in San Francisco in 1961, and in 1988, they were finally able to buy the Lagomarsino Winery in Santa Rosa. The zinfandel and petite sirah vines planted there, in what is now the Russian River Valley, date to 1885. They were sold under contract to Beringer Vineyards in Napa Valley; the Battaglinis were able to produce their first wines from their fruit with the 1994 vintage. Four zins and a petite sirah are made from the ancient vines; chardonnay, rosato (rosé) and late-harvest chardonnay are also poured.
2948 Piner Road, Santa Rosa, 707-318-8944, battagliniwines.com
Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery
Second-generation Italian Americans Don and Rhonda Carano, hoteliers from Reno, built this grand Italian-inspired estate (with a hint of French château) in 1981. Don honored his grandmother, Amelia Ferrari, by adding her to the winery name. F-C has been a visitor magnet for three decades, thanks to Rhonda’s exquisite gardens and fountain, the serene and expansive view of Dry Creek Valley from the north looking south and Villa Fiore, the hospitality center. The design is a modern replica of a northern Italian villa, with an Enoteca tasting bar in the underground cellar (not open during the pandemic) and tasting areas on terraces overlooking the vineyards.
Now part of the Foley Family Wines group, Ferrari-Carano debuted two new tastings this fall. The Sycamore Grove Tasting includes a flight of four single-vineyard wines paired with Italian-inspired bites, encompassing ingredients from the garden. $50 per person. There are two Il Terrazzo Tastings on the patio, with four wines and the option to purchase a cheese and charcuterie board. The Traditional tasting is $20 per person; Reserve is $30. The wines poured run the gamut, from Italian to Burgundian to Bordeaux varietals. Open Thursday through Sunday.
8761 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 800-831-0381, ferrari-carano.com
Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
Fred and Nancy Cline, of Cline Family Cellars in Sonoma, opened Jacuzzi in 2007 to honor Fred’s grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi, whose family invented the famous spa pump. Valeriano, an immigrant from Carsasa, Italy, taught Fred how to grow wine grapes, and while the Clines first focused on Rhone-variety wines at Cline Cellars, Jacuzzi is devoted to Italian-style wines, among them arneis, moscato, pinot grigio, barbera, teroldego, aglianico, dolcetto and nebbiolo. Chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon are also produced.
The winery and visitor center, built across the street from Cline, were inspired by both the Jacuzzi family home in Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region and medieval monasteries. The large farmhouse-style stone structure has a watch tower and a main piazza in its center, where guests taste wine and picnic. An 80-some-year-old fig tree, transplanted to Sonoma from the Valeriani ancestral ranch, provides shelter from the elements. The interior — which will reopen after pandemic restrictions are eased — is filled with rustic furnishings, Italian art and a Venetian chandelier. The tasting bar and gift shop are crammed with visitors in high, non-COVID, season.
In 2013, the Clines purchased The Olive Press, adjacent to Jacuzzi. Their own olive oils, and those of others who contract for pressing services, are a big draw. The winery and olive press area are open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
24724 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-931-7575, jacuzziwines.com
Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery
Tuscan immigrant Samuele Sebastiani could not have predicted, when he founded his winery in the heart of Sonoma in 1904, that multigenerational squabbling over how to run the business would eventually force its sale. The saga is long and complicated, with a deep cast of characters, among them Samuele’s son and daughter-in-law, August and Sylvia, and grandchildren Don, Sam and Mary Ann, who eventually sold to Bill Foley, now of Foley Family Wines, in 2008.
The result today is a winery with a pared-down approach to producing a wide range of wines from Sonoma County grapes (in its heyday, Sebastiani’s second-label wines sourced grapes from throughout California) and offering visitor experiences that include telling the history of the Sebastiani family. Prior to Foley’s purchase, the hospitality center underwent a major redesign in 2001, with then-President and CEO Mary Ann Sebastiani Cuneo modernized the tasting room with an 80-foot curved bar of concrete and limestone, vaulted ceilings and retrofitted stone walls, columns and archways. Under coronavirus restrictions, Sebastiani offers daily seated tastings on its courtyard, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Seated Wine Tasting is $35 for the Classic Flight and $40 for the Signature Flight. The Cherryblock Vineyard Tour and Tasting ($75) takes place in the vineyard north of the winery, planted to mostly cabernet sauvignon in 1961. Space heaters and a covered tent are available for cold or rainy days.
389 Fourth St. E., Sonoma, 707-933-3200, sebastiani.com
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Grape juice and fun activities for the kids, vino for the parents - it's a win-win.
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There was a time when kids and wine country was not a great pairing. But that is changing. A new breed of family-friendly wineries are now welcoming wine-loving parents and their (well-behaved) offspring for some fun in the vineyard — children sipping grape juice while parents relax, wine in hand. Click through the gallery to discover the most kid-friendly wineries in Sonoma and Napa.
Grace Yarrow contributed to this article.
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Winter in Wine Country means less crowded rural roads and tasting rooms.
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The grape harvest has wrapped up and the holidays are approaching. This time of year, many tasting rooms are unique shopping destinations for selecting wine and wine-themed gifts for the vino aficionados on your holiday list. Click through the above gallery for new and tried-and-true places to visit. A few wineries are planning holiday open houses — check websites for the most up-to-date information.
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See which Sonoma County wineries made the Wine Spectator's Top 100 List.
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As has been the tradition for the past twenty years, Wine Spectator has unveiled its Top 100 list just in time for the holidays. The list is a carefully curated selection of wines from around the world, picked by magazine editors from the thousands of wines they have tasted and reviewed throughout the year. Oenophiles keep the list in their back pocket (and now smartphones) as a guide to must-try bottles.
This year, a handful of homegrown Sonoma County wines and producers made the top 100 cut, including a field blend of Zinfandel, Carignane, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Alicante Bouschet from Sonoma’s Bedrock Wine Co., which was named among the 10 best wines of 2018.
Wine Spectator’s senior editor Tim Fish, a Sonoma local, praised Bedrock Wine Co.’s 2016 Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Valley, and called it “a knockout red, focused and well-built but loaded with personality.” The wine is produced from 120 year-old vines by the family of publisher William Randolph Hearst.
“We are stoked that a wine so rich in Sonoma Valley history received such an honor,” said winemaker Morgan Twain-Peterson, who inherited his passion for working with historic vineyards from his father, Joel Peterson of Ravenswood Winery fame.
Twain-Peterson knows the Bedrock vineyard like the back of his hand, having mapped and identified each of the 16,279 vines that reside on the 152-acre Glen Ellen vineyard.
“It is wonderful recognition for the few remaining ancient, genetically diverse, and richly storied old vineyards of California,” says Twain-Peterson, “that a field-blend of 27 different varieties stands alongside some of the greatest wines of the world is a real thrill for those of us who work every day to rehabilitate and preserve these increasingly scarce sites.”
Click through the above gallery to see which other Sonoma County wines made the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List.
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