Plenty of Sonoma County wineries make their own olive oil, but it’s not so common for an olive oil producer to make its own wine. That’s the setup at McEvoy Ranch. Set in the Petaluma hills near the Sonoma-Marin border, the ranch provides an idyllic backdrop for tasting wine and extra-virgin olive oil.

The story

Nan McEvoy, the granddaughter of San Francisco Chronicle founder M.H. de Young, could have just kicked back and enjoyed a cushy, work-free life. She was a newspaper heiress, after all. Instead, she convinced her father to let her work for the family paper as a reporter, and she eventually became the company’s board chairman.

After retiring in her early 70s, McEvoy purchased a 550-acre property in Petaluma, thinking it would be a nice place for her city-dwelling grandchildren to run and play. The property’s zoning meant it also needed an agricultural purpose, so she planted 3,000 imported Tuscan olive trees on the ranch in 1990 and created a nursery to supply trees to growers across the region.

McEvoy’s business grew to become one of the nation’s largest producers of organic olive oil. In 2006, she added vineyards to complement the estate’s 50 acres of olive groves — though the grapes were later removed during California’s multiyear drought to prioritize water for the olive trees. Today, the late McEvoy’s son Nion and his adult children run the family operation.

The vibe

No matter how many times I’ve driven from my home to the ranch, I still have to watch closely for the McEvoy sign on Point Reyes-Petaluma Road. Pass through the Bunny Gate — named for the whimsical bronze rabbit perched at the top — and you may spot some real live jackrabbits hopping amid the olive orchards.

Tastings happen on a stone patio set with tables and lounge chairs, overlooking a lovely pond and acres of rolling hills dotted with olive trees. This is the kind of place that makes you go “ahhhhhhhhh.”

On the palate

Winemaker Byron Kosuge sources French and Italian grape varieties from growers in the Petaluma Gap and beyond, creating friendly and accessible wines. The 2024 Rosebud Rosé ($24), made from Potter Valley Pinot Noir, is pale and floral, showing off aromas and flavors of ripe strawberries. McEvoy’s 2023 Under the Willow Vermentino ($36) from Sonoma County’s celebrated Las Brisas Vineyard is a summer pleasure layered with intriguing mineral notes and citrus zestiness. Fans of lighter-style Pinot Noir will find a kindred spirit in the 2021 Evening Standard Pinot Noir ($45) from the Sun Chase Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap. Aged in neutral oak for a subtle profile, the wine is all about red berries and soft tannins. Tastings range from $38 to $48.

Beyond the bottle

There’s lots to sample at McEvoy, even if wine isn’t your thing. The ranch offers a guided olive oil flight ($35) featuring five varieties — from classic extra-virgin olive oil to “agrumato” oils made by crushing olives with whole fresh fruits and herbs. Seasonal culinary tastings ($45) include small bites made with McEvoy olive oils and condiments.

To truly have your mind blown, opt for the Olive Oil and Gelato Tasting ($35), which pairs three flavors of Fiorello’s Artisan Gelato with three olive oils. (Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried drizzling the Chai Spice olive oil over vanilla bean ice cream.)

If you’d like to explore more of the property — including the vegetable gardens, olive oil presses and Nan McEvoy’s incredible Chinese-style pavilion — reserve a ranch tour ($55-$95).

McEvoy Ranch, 5935 Red Hill Road, Petaluma. 707-769-4138, mcevoyranch.com. Open daily, reservations encouraged.

Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel journalist who contributes to Sonoma magazine, SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, Northern California Public Media, KQED, and more. Follow her on Bluesky at @winebroad.bsky.social, view her website at tinacaputo.com, and email her story ideas at tina@caputocontent.com.

The post Petaluma’s McEvoy Ranch Leads With Olive Oil and Charms With Wine appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Petaluma has become a mini-hub for winery tasting rooms, with Adobe Road Winery, Barber Cellars, Black Knight Vineyards, Sonoma Portworks, and Brooks Note setting up shop downtown.

Last month, DRNK Wines joined the club with the launch of its pop-up tasting room at The Bagel Mill.

Wine with bagels? Is that even a thing? No, it isn’t — at least not yet. DRNK (pronounced “drink”) welcomes wine lovers only after the bagel shop has packed up its schmears for the day. Open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, the venue pours wines by the flight, glass, and bottle.

While DRNK already runs a tasting room at its winery property in Sebastopol, co-owners Ryan and Katie Kunde loved the idea of opening an “urban” outpost in downtown Petaluma. The Bagel Mill, owned by Katie’s sister Glenda Dougherty, offered the perfect venue for an afternoon-to-evening pop-up.

“We like being near a city hub,” says Ryan. “You can come in for a taste before your dinner reservation or stop in after.” Guests can also order food from Stockhome restaurant next door via a QR code and have it delivered to DRNK in take-out containers.

Though the Petaluma tasting room is new, DRNK Wines is not. A fifth-generation winemaker, Ryan founded the winery in 2012 with Katie and her parents Dale and Nancy Dougherty. This was a natural progression for Ryan, who grew up on the Kunde Family Estate in Sonoma Valley. After a post-college stint in wine sales for E. & J. Gallo, he did a couple of harvest internships at local wineries that helped him discover his true calling: making small-lot wines from distinctive vineyards across Sonoma County.

“This is one of the most agriculturally diverse counties, and there are more grape varieties grown in the correct locations here than ever before,” says Ryan. “This is kind of the golden era for viticulture in California, but Sonoma County is special in that there’s so much diversity.”

Ryan likes to let each individual site determine the direction for the wines while taking people a little bit by surprise. “As a boutique producer,” he says, noting that the winery makes just 1,000 cases per year, “it’s kind of my responsibility to bring wines to people that they don’t expect to like. I’ve have people tell me, ‘I’m not really a Chardonnay person, but that was really good.’”

Whatever Ryan makes, his dedication to craft comes through. The wines are approachable and delicious, showcasing beautiful balance and bright purity of fruit.

Flights at DRNK’s Petaluma pop-up, priced at $30 for a choice of six selections, currently include two Pinot Noir wines, a Sauvignon Blanc, a red blend and an old-vine Zinfandel. For a fun twist, the winery also offers a lively Sauvignon Blanc Pet-Nat and a fresh Pinot Gris Orange Wine. Wines are also available by the half-flight, glass, and bottle.

If all goes well for the pop-up, DRNK may eventually seek out a full-time space downtown. “It’s possible,” says Ryan. “Anything could happen.”

The tasting room is open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 212 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-823-3637, drnkwines.com

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Like a truly fine wine, Petaluma’s wine-tasting offerings strike a keen balance, with just enough tasting venues and grape varieties to slake all thirst levels, yet without being a chockablock shopping mall for Marsanne and Merlot. Food also comes into play at most downtown tasting rooms, including everything from small nibbles to big bites. Click through the above gallery for some of our favorite spots to sip wine in downtown Petaluma.

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