Wineries
15
SONOMA COUNTY
MARIN COUNTY
Dutcher Crossing Winery Barnlike room offers
Bacchus & Venus A trendy place for beginners and tourists. Great place to learn the basics. 769 Bridgeway, Sausalito. Open daily, noon– 7pm. 415.331.2001.
fireplace to warm the mitts on winter days; owner Debra Mathy leads monthly bike rides in better weather. Try the Maple Vineyard Zinfandel; ask the well-informed staff about the Penny Farthing bicycle. 8533 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. Open daily 11am– 5pm. Tasting fee $5–$10. 866.431.2711.
Göpfrich Winery Accomplished dentist Ray Göpfrich found a new career in gladly helping to stain your teeth purple. Dry Creek Valley Cab, and sweet treats: Riesling, Silvaner and Huxelrebe from friends in Germany. 7462 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. By appointment, Saturdays. 707.433.1645.
John Tyler Wines For decades, the Bacigalupis have been selling prized grapes to the likes of Chateau Montelena and Williams Selyem. Now, the third-generation wine growers offer the pick of the vineyard in their own tasting room, brandnew in 2011. Graceful Pinot and sublime Zin. 4353 Westside Road, Healdsburg. Open dail,y 10:30am–5pm. Tastings $10. 707.473.0115.
Meeker Vineyard You might expect Meeker to be more slicked-out, what with its big-time Hollywood origins (co-owner Charlie Meeker is a former movie executive). But that’s clearly not the case. 21035 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. Open Monday–Saturday, 10:30am– 6pm; Sunday, noon–5pm. 707.431.2148.
Skewis Wines Since 1979, veteran winemaker Hank Skewis labored out of the limelight. Now, he’s got his own shack to showcase his etherial, bright style of Pinot Noir. 57 Front St., Healdsburg. Saturday–Sunday, 11am– 4:30pm. $5. 707.431.2160.
Pey-Marin Vineyards A Marin wine adventure where cow country meets conifer forest, at the historic, hospitable Olema Inn. Discover razor-lean “Shell Mound” Marin County Riesling, opaquely purple, yet eminently food-friendly “Punchdown” Syrah, and more. 10000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Olema. Open daily from noon to 4pm. $12 fee. 415.663.9559.
Ross Valley Winery In existence since 1987, the Ross Valley Winery produces Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Zin port wines. 343 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. Open Tuesday– Sunday, 1–7pm. 415.457.5157. Tam Cellars Spacious wine bar quietly distributes the soul-salve of the ages and, like its soul mate the coffee shop, passes the laptop test. Cheese plates, wine flights and comfortable seating arrangements make a nice place to convene with the companion or flat screen of one’s choice. Wine shop features international, eclectic selection at fair prices. 1803 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur. Open Monday–Wednesday, 4–9pm; Thursday–Saturday, 4–10pm. 415.461.9463.
NAPA COUNTY Beaulieu Vineyard History in a glassful of dust– Rutherford dust. Somethingfor-everyone smorgasbord of solid varietal wines, plus library selections of flagship Georges de Latour Cab back to 1970. 1960 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford. Daily, 10am–5pm.
Tastings $15–$20; Reserve Room, $35. 707.967.5233.
Far Niente (WC) Far Niente was founded in 1885 by John Benson, a ’49er of the California Gold Rush and uncle of the famous American impressionist painter Winslow Homer. The estate boasts beautiful gardens as well as the first modern-built wine caves in North America. 1350 Acacia Drive, Napa. By appointment. 707.944.2861. Peju Province Vineyards Talented staff, terrific food pairings and fantastic Cab. 8466 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford. Open daily, 10am–6pm. 707.963.3600.
Stony Hill Vineyard In the 1940s, advisers from UC Davis told them, “Under no circumstances plant Chardonnay.” So they planted Chardonnay. Intimate tastings in the flagstone-studded, Eisenhower-era McCrea living room; Chardonnay and White Riesling are legends. 3331 St. Helena Hwy., St. Helena. By appointment, Monday through Friday, weekends when available. $25. 707.963.2636.
Trefethen Winery Some critics claim Trefethen’s heyday was in the ’60s, but the winery proves them wrong with dependable, delicious wines. Trefethen is one of the oldest wineries in Napa. 1160 Oak Knoll Ave., Napa. Open daily, 11:30am–4:30pm. 707.255.7700.
Truchard Vineyards (WC) No matter how attentive you are to the directions, no matter how much you study the quaint, hand-drawn map found online, no matter how vigilantly you watch the street addresses numerically climb along Old Sonoma Road, you will inevitably miss Truchard Vineyards. What follows is a three-point turn on a blind, two-lane road, with a single thought in your head: “This wine had better be worth the insurance deductible.” But with Cabernet this good, it is. 3234 Old Sonoma Road, Napa. By appointment. 707.253.7153.
NO RTH BAY BO H E M I AN | JULY 1 8 – 24, 20 1 2 | BOH EMI A N.COM
Most reviews by James Knight. Note: Those listings marked ‘WC’ denote wineries with caves. These wineries are usually only open to the public by appointment. Wineries in these listings appear on a rotating basis.