Dry Creek Vineyard is known for their Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Meritage and, starting with the 1997 vintage, Endeavour Cabernet. Dry Creek Vineyard owns over 185 acres of vineyard land, primarily in the Dry Creek and the Russian River Valleys.
Sapphire Hill is a family-run boutique winery that has been a fixture in Sonoma County since 1989. Initially, the operation began as a 38-acre vineyard just outside Sebastopol. The vineyard's location often reveals a blue hue in the night sky as the sun sets behind California's coastal range, inspiring the name Sapphire Hill.
In 2001, Sapphire Hill transitioned to a winery and tasting room in Healdsburg, strategically positioned at the convergence of three renowned grape-growing regions: Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and the Russian River Valley. The winery quickly earned a reputation for its award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel, all crafted from the exceptional grapes of these valleys.
Today, Sapphire Hill remains a family-operated winery dedicated to producing exquisite wines for its devoted wine club members while offering exceptional hospitality experiences for both new visitors and returning guests at their Healdsburg tasting room.
The staff here was very friendly and inviting, I felt comfortable asking any and all questions I had. Would definitely recommend this, especially for a lunchtime stop so you can picnic. They even had some picnic type food items for sale. Bartholomew has an excellent hike, approximately 3 miles, which provides an excellent workout. Parts of the trail are challenging for novice hikers, with very steep ascents and descents, even a few stream crossings on rocks. It's a fun hike with an excellent vista view, and maybe you will see some wildlife.
Top notch experience with top notch wine. Our host for the day started by taking us into a big room with a fully set table. I appreciated that we were each given multiple glasses that were appropriate for the wine were were tasting - Chardonnay, Pinot & Cab. It makes such a difference and that should have been the first clue to the experience we were about to have.
In 2008, a fourth-generation farmer and aspiring winemaker Giovanni Balistreri, under the tutelage of award-winning winemaker Anthony Austin, set out to reclaim the rich history and enormous untapped potential of one of Sonoma County’s finest wine-making estates. The estate lies in the heart of the Russian River Valley and thus proudly and appropriately bears the Russian River Valley appellation.
The winemakers understood the potential of this small estate, but even more importantly, they had come to know the special region in which it sits. This was not a place to build a large, corporate winery to produce wine in high volume. It was a place where a careful, patient approach could produce world-class wine. And in the decade since, the venerable estate has been returning to its former glory.
Landmark offers a gorgeous but relaxed setting to sample their wines. It really is a beautiful winery. Gracious, welcoming, picturesque and some darn good wines. Now that is a combination that can't be beat!
Everything we do at Dutcher Crossing begins with the concept of family. Whether you are the oldest or newest member of the winery, everyone’s contribution is needed and integral to our success. From the vineyards to the tasting room, even though we all have walked different paths on our journey to Dutcher Crossing, we’ve settled into family life together.
Our belief is simple—to be a well-balanced, three-legged stool. Leg one is make the best wine we can staying true to the vineyard, vintage, and varietal. The second leg is the beautiful sense of place within our vineyards and winery. Finally, our third leg is hospitality. Whether you are a long-time visitor or new to the property, we want to welcome and treat everyone as we would our own mothers. With the balance of all three legs, we create an experience like none other in Sonoma County.
Sky Vineyards strives to incorporate sustainable practices into the cultivation of the vines and operation of the winery. Responsible practices include use of permanent cover crops, dry farming, promotion of bird and beneficial insects, and use of organic or low impact pesticides and fertilizers. The resulting intensely flavored fruit is then hand-harvested and fermented in open top one-ton bins. Punch down is performed by hand three times per day. After fermentation, it is pressed in a traditional basket press and aged in French oak barrels.
The tasting experience was very informative. And a little formal. The host takes you into their tasting room and closes the doors for total immersion. The tasting is really all about the wine and educating visitors of the history of the label. Great stop for very classy wine! Not so much for relaxing and lounging.
What is nice about this place is its secluded and private. You can also bring a picnic and enjoy it with some wine in their lawn/patio area. Tasting is free (imagine that) for their Angeline line, and has a nominal fee, waived with purchase, for their Reserve. We got about 5 or so pours of the Angeline line, including a Sav Blanc, a few Pinots, and a cab. The staff was friendly -- always a plus when tasting.
