Francis Ford Coppola Winery
Francis Ford Coppola Winery located at 300 Via Archimedes in Geyserville is a delightful wonderland of vistas and wine. Within towering castle- like structures, the winery features great eateries, bars and fascinating movie memorabilia displays, a pool, cabanas, and, of course, wine. Plan on spending some extra time to wander through the museum areas and enjoy a glass of the acclaimed wine on one of the outside terraces in abundance there. It’s best to make a reservation here as well, especially if you want to take a dip in that pool..
Ferrari Carano Winery
Sitting in Ferrari Carano’s beautiful Il Terrazzo Terrace makes you feel like you’ve just landed in Tuscany. The winery, located at 8761 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, features gorgeous gardens, both public and private tasting rooms, and amazing terraces. Sip a glass of their acclaimed Sangiovese or Pinot Grigio and you’ll be brushing up on your Italian. This is an amazingly beautiful winery so it’s fun just to tour the grounds. The winery does offer both public and private tastings but we recommend the private tasting in the Enoteca Wine Tasting Bar for a more intimate experience.
Meeker Vineyard
Stopping in at Meeker Vineyard is like visiting an old friend. Located at 21035 Geyersville Avenue in downtown Geyerserville, its unpretentious, cozy tasting room offers an inviting respite. Complete with two friendly dogs that give a warm welcome to all visitors, you can sit, chat and taste some truly good wine. (I learned to love Petite Sirah by tasting their wine). And, if you’re lucky, Charlie Meeker will be there to regale you with his amazing tales. Definitely plan on a visit; you won’t be disappointed.
Hawkes Winery Healdsburg
Hawkes Winery located at 6734 CA-128 Healdsburg features some of the best of what Northern California wine country has to offer (I’m particularly drawn to their Merlot). Come for a visit and enjoy the attention of attentive staff in an intimate tasting room experience. No reservations necessary.
Seghesio Family Vineyards
I’m always on the lookout for wineries that produce Italian wine varieties, and Seghesio Family Vineyards doesn’t disappoint. Italian wine lovers can enjoy white wine favorites such as Arneis and Vermentino or a robust Aglianico red wine to go with that plate of spaghetti con polpette. Open to the public, it’s an easy drive from downtown Healdsburg and well worth a visit. Ciao!
Imagery Estate Winery
Imagery Estate Winery is an old favorite of ours. Located at 14335 Sonoma Highway Glen Ellen, it’s always a fun place to visit because the winemakers there don’t shy away from something new. Offering other wines than the usual fare, such as Lagrein, Malbec and Tempranillo or Tannat, it’s a great place to relax and experience something different. Open to the public, put this on your list to visit too.
Bottle Barn
When talking about wine or procuring wine in the North Bay, I’m duty bound to give a shout-out to Bottle Barn located 3331-A Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa. Bottle Barn is a warehouse for booze and wine! It literally has every type (well probably not every type) but at least a good portion of hard-to-find wine in the world. So, if you’re taking a class featuring Australian wine or just have a hankering to try something new, pay a visit to Bottle Barn and you won’t be disappointed…very affordable as well.
