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Amista Vineyards, Healdsburg: New Year's Eve celebrations may be over, but that’s no excuse to stop enjoying bubbly. Amista produces several types of sparklers, including the popular Blanc de Blanc, made from Chardonnay grapes from the estate vineyard, and a Syrah sparkler. Amista is also known for its still Rhône wines, such as Grenache and Syrah, along with Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. 3320 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-9200, amistavineyards.com.(Photo courtesy of Amista Vineyards)
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B. Wise Vineyards, Kenwood: The Moon Mountain AVA is where most of this winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon grapes originate, along with Pinot Noir fruit from the Fort Ross-Seaview and Russian River Valley AVAs. Other varietals produced include Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, and Chardonnay. Four tasting choices are offered ($20 each), such as an all-Pinot flight, an all-Cab option, and a selection of estate red blends. Exclusive tastings at the estate cave ($65) are available year-round for small groups (call for details). 9077 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-282-9169, bwisevineyards.com. (Photo courtesy of B. Wise Vineyards)
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Belden Barns Farmstead & Winery, Santa Rosa: Combine grapegrowing and winemaking at 1,000 feet and you have Belden Barns, located on a farm that dates to the 1800s. Ten estate wines are produced, including Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier, together with a wine made from a rare white grape grown in these parts called Grüner Veltliner. The 55-acre property is kid friendly, with special backpacks full of useful tools to help them explore the fauna and the flora on the site. Tastings are by appointment only; call for details. In addition to wine, owners Nate and Lauren Belden, also offer packaged dried beans, polenta, and cornmeal. 5561 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, 415-577-8552, beldenbarns.com. (Photo courtesy of Belden Barns / Adam Decker)
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Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma: Welcome to California’s oldest premium winery, established more than 160 years ago by Agoston Haraszthy, an eccentric character who called himself the “Count of Buena Vista,” and who died under mysterious circumstances in South America. The winery has a large portfolio of reds and whites available in a series of collections. One such collection is the “Count,” ranging from a Pinot Gris to French Colombard, and Syrah to Pinot Meunier. Four tasting options are offered ($20 to $75, reservations recommended), along with the “Be the Count Blending Experience” ($125, by appointment), for creating your own bottle of wine tailored to your palate. 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma, 800-926-1266, buenavistawinery.com. (Photo courtesy of Buena Vista Winery)
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Cartograph Wines, Healdsburg: This small producer of primarily Pinot Noir makes 2,000 cases annually. But the tasting menu ($20) might also include Riesling and Gewürztraminer, or library wines such as a Sangiovese (wines are also available to imbibe by the glass, bottle, and on tap). Owners Alan Baker and Serena Lourie believe in using a light hand in the winemaking, to craft wines that pair well with food without being overwhelming. The 2017 Estate Pinot, made from grapes sourced from the Russian River Valley AVA, has aromas of blackberry and black cherry, combined with notes of rose petal and mint, and a lingering cigar box finish. 340 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-433-8270, cartographwines.com. (Photo courtesy of Cartograph Wines)
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Cline Cellars, Sonoma: Known as one of the original “Rhone Rangers” in Sonoma County, Fred Cline began planting Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne grapes in the Carneros region some 30 years ago. Cline also sources from the family vineyards throughout the county to make Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Other varietals produced by Cline include Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and the Cashmere red and Cashmere white blends. The basic tasting ($10) is a sampling of five wines; a private tour and tasting ($20) takes you through the beautifully landscaped gardens with 5,000 rose bushes. Reserving a picnic table for two hours, weather permitting, is also an option. 24737 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-940-4044, clinecellars.com. (Photo courtesy of Cline Cellars)
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De La Montanya Winery & Vineyards, Healdsburg: The Northern California farming and winemaking history of the De La Montanya family goes back at least six generations. Sourcing grapes from several Sonoma County AVAs, this winery bottles many varietals in small batches, for a total of about 4,000 cases annually. The tasting menu might include any combination of Zinfandel, Merlot, Tempranillo, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and others ($15, reservations recommended). Affectionately called “The Barn,” the tasting room is intimate and cozy, and a picnic area and bocce court will draw you outside on mild weather days. 999 Foreman Lane, Healdsburg, 707433-3711, dlmwine.com. (Photo courtesy of De La Montanya)
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Flowers Vineyards & Winery, Healdsburg: Even though the Flowers tasting room is one of the newest to open in 2019, the legacy of grapegrowers Joan and Walt Flowers has been around for three decades. They first began with and continue to grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes on the Sonoma Coast at elevations above 1,450 feet. The Flowers family strives to make exceptional wines, and have not disappointed. The “House of Flowers” tasting room experience ($55) includes a flight of four wines together with small food bites whipped up by chef Jamil Peden. A limited number of walk-in appointments are available, so reservations are strongly recommended. 4035 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-7234800, flowerswinery.com. (Photo courtesy of Flowers Vineyards)
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Holdredge Wines, Healdsburg: Pinot Noir is the star at Holdredge, thanks to an association long ago with the late renowned farmer and grapegrower Saralee Kunde, who sold John Holdredge several tons of Pinot grapes in 2001. Prior to that he’d been focused on Zinfandel and Syrah, but the Pinot connection with Saralee was a turning point in his business plan. Holdredge now makes 14 Pinots from 14 distinct vineyards in Sonoma County. A tasting of current releases is offered for $25, which is likely to be primarily Pinot. (Don’t miss the Instagram moment on “the big chair” outside.) 51 Front St., Healdsburg, 707-431-1424, holdredge.com. (Photo by John Burgess)
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MacLaren Cottage, Kenwood: This is a new venue for tasting MacLaren wines in the north end of Sonoma Valley, with seating at an indoor farmhouse table or on the wrap-around deck outside. What sets this tasting experience apart from many others? The winemaker himself, Steve Law, plays host and navigates you through flights of limited-production wines such as Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Viognier. Two tasting options are available: the “Signature” experience ($35), a flight of six current releases, or the “Reserve” experience ($50), which also features tastes of some library vintages. 211 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, 707-833-0101, maclarenwine.com. (Photo courtesy of MacLaren Cottage)
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Pax Mahle Wines, Sebastopol: Crafting wines with a s little unnatural intervention as possible is the goal of owners Pax and Pam Mahle, who crush all their grapes by foot and hand. The Mahles are probably best known for their Syrahs, but they also produce Chenin Blanc, Gamay Noir, and a Grenache-Mourvèdre blend dubbed Pax the Vicar (with aromas of plum, cinnamon stick, freshly tilled soil, and black raspberry). The tasting room is located in The Barlow, where three walk-in options are available ($16 to $35), or make reservations for the elevated experience that includes a private tasting and charcuterie eats ($55). Expect live music on Friday evenings, when the tasting room is open until 8 p.m. 6780 McKinley St., Suite 170, Sebastopol, 707-331-1393, paxwine.com. (Photo Pax Mahle Wines)
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Sigh Champagne Bar, Sonoma: As the name describes, it’s all about Champagne and sparkling wine at Sigh, which has been pouring rarefied bubbles in downtown Sonoma for seven years. Still wine, beer, and food bites are also offered, but it’s the fizzies that command your attention. The tasting flights offer a choice of three French Champagnes or California sparklers (2 ounces each), ranging from $18 to $85. There’s also a big selection by the glass or bottle. Sigh is open later than most tasting rooms around the Sonoma Plaza — until 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 120 W. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-996-2444, sighsonoma.com. (Photo by Robbi Pengelly)
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Talisman Wine, Glen Ellen: It’s all Pinot Noir all the time at Talisman, which offers two seated tastings ($30 and $50) that are typically customized for each visitor (reservations preferred). Owners Scott and Marta Rich source their Pinot grapes from Sonoma County (Carneros, Russian River Valley, and Sonoma Mountain AVAs, for instance), and also the Yorkville Highlands AVA in Mendocino County. Case production is small, about 3,500 annually, in what the owners refer to as “super-tiny bottlings” — they make 15 wines using fruit from 11 vineyard sites. 13651 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-721-1628, talismanwine.com. (Photo courtesy of Talisman Wine)
