Zinfandel

Zinfandel

A. Rafanelli Winery

painting friends with wine

The A. Rafanelli Winery was founded in the early 1900's and this unique winery is still family owned and operated.  The founder, Alberto Rafanelli, was an Italian immigrant who settled in the Healdsburg, California area and started making wine.

In the 1950's the winery was moved to the Dry Creek Valley and by 1970 had established the current label. This winery specializes in Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot producing only 11,000 cases annually.  The philosophy is quality over quantity.

Tasting and purchases are by appointment only. Wines are only available through direct purchase or through selected fine restaurants. - Art work by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – Agata Art Gallery

Amphora Wines

wine swirling in the glass - pixabay

The Dry Creek wineries produce a wider variety of wines and styles of wines than the traditional PN and Zin crowd along the Russian River. The Amphor tasting room location is in the same parking lot as 10 other wineries tasting rooms - right off Dry Creek Road. Stop at this location and you will be able to taste wines from Amphora, Collier Falls, Dashe, Forth, Philip Staley, Peterson, Lago di Merlo, Kokomo, Mietz and Papapietro.

McManis Family Vineyards

chardonnay grapes - photographer Randy Caparoso

Founded in 1990, McManis Family Vineyards is owned and managed by Ron and Jamie McManis, fourth generation winegrowers, and is located in the rich agricultural region of the northern California interior. Currently, the family grows a wide selection of grape varieties on 2600 acres of premium vineyard land.

Image - chardonnay grapes - photographer Randy Caparoso

MacFadden Vineyards

grape cluster - Pixabay

MacFadden Vineyards sells and ship out of their tasting room affordable, delicious, easy to drink wines from grapes organically grown on their own nearby vineyard in Potter Valley. McFadden Vineyard Tasting Room also sells organic dried herbs and herb blends, and organic beef, from the Potter Valley farm. MaFadden's has a nice tasting room on Main Street in Hopland. Friendly server. We had a good time talking with him.

Chateau Diana

wine and cheese - Pixabay

The gentleman in the tasting room, Scott, was friendly, knowledgeable and just nice to be around making our visit even better. He told us the tasting room have been open only three weeks which was hard to believe given the fabulous design, product displays and sense of organization. Oh dog friendly too!

Burnsini Vineyards

cluster of grapes

At Burnsini Vineyards, history and wine come together in a way that’s as lively as it is laid-back. Tucked into the rolling hills of Cottonwood, this is true cowboy country, where a livestock brand is more than just a mark—it’s the logo of the winery, a symbol of the land’s agricultural roots. The “lazy B” on every bottle speaks to the easygoing vibe you’ll find at Burnsini, while the intertwined goblets in the logo remind you that it’s all about sharing the experience, just like founders Tom Burnham and Jim Tomasini did when they started it all.

Now, that tradition is in the hands of winemaker Brandi Greene—a Northstate local who’s as passionate about winemaking as she is about sustainability. Brandi, an Environmental Chemist with a winemaking degree from Oregon State University, worked in vineyards across California and Oregon before realizing her dream of owning a winery. Today, she’s managing nearly eight acres of organic estate vines at Burnsini, continuing the legacy with a modern twist. Her focus is on crafting consistently exceptional red wines, while also introducing new offerings like rosé and sparkling wines. But don’t worry—the things you’ve always loved about Burnsini are still here: those famously smooth reds, lazy afternoons at the tasting room, and the kind of celebrations that get the whole community on its feet.

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword here; it’s woven into every aspect of Burnsini’s operations. Solar panels power the winery, organic methods nurture the vines, and after the grapes are pressed, any waste is either returned to the vineyard or fed to the bulls next door. Inside, water-saving ozone sanitation and recyclable shipping materials keep things eco-friendly. And while you might spot an electric car charger for visitors, there’s a grounded humility in knowing the tractors still run on diesel—after all, progress takes time.

Burnsini’s story started in 2000 when Tom and Joy Burnham teamed up with Jim and Deanna Tomasini to turn their shared hobby of grape-growing into a full-fledged winery. Their blend of passion, fun, and winemaking sparked not just great wines, but a tight-knit community. From their early days of hosting Spring Flings and harvest parties, to creating wines like the “Friends” blend (a nod to the friendships formed at the vineyard), Burnsini has always been about more than just wine—it’s about connection. Events like the “Ladies Night Out” at the Cottonwood Rodeo and “Music & Merlot” grew so popular they had to move to bigger venues, but the heart of Burnsini remains at its vineyard, where the good times—and even better wine—keep flowing.

So come on by. Sip, relax, and enjoy a glass of wine that’s rooted in cowboy country but crafted for the future. There’s always something new to discover at Burnsini Vineyards—whether it’s a new wine, a new friend, or just the perfect sunset over the hills.

Random Ridge

red wine pouring into a wine glass - Pixabay

Random Ridge is a panoramic 42-acre ranch situated on the southernmost ridge of the Mayacamas Mountains, within Napa’s Mount Veeder appellation.

In the summer of 1979, Bill and Susan Hawley, both 27 years old with a one-year-old son named Emile, acquired this rugged and untamed property. The site was heavily forested and located at the end of a challenging dirt fire road that marked the boundary between Napa and Sonoma Counties.

Bill Hawley named the property Random Ridge on a poetic impulse, believing the name perfectly suited the land’s character. The terrain is steep and rugged, positioned on a 2,200-foot ridge at the edge of Mount Veeder. This area, an ancient uplifted seabed, features rock-strewn decomposed volcanic soils. The northern and eastern views offer vistas of pine-covered mountains with no visible homes, while the southern view provides a breathtaking panorama of the San Francisco Bay, Mount Tamalpais in Marin, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Occasionally, the sunset reveals a glimpse of the ocean, 30 miles to the west, through a gap in the coastal foothills.

Navarro Vineyards & Winery

glass of red wine being poured - Pixabay

We arrived on a sunny May day and it was easily over 90 degrees. We stopped by Navarro and I have to say - the grounds were gorgeous! There was a bench with a picnic table for those who wanted to lunch and wine. It overlooked gorgeous green lushy grass on a hill. The tasting room was very cozy and small but definitely very welcoming. Our pourer was friendly and gave us a great restaurant recommendation.

Hart's Desire Wines

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Hart's Desire had absolutely exceptional wines, and very many at that. They had a lot of varietals that you rarely find elsewhere in Sonoma County except for in blends, such as Malbec, Claret, and Cabernet Franc. Their tasting room has beautiful artwork and has an old school jukebox playing great tunes!

Tolo Celars

Pouring wine - Pixabay

Way out along the Adelaida Road stands a little red farmhouse, home to Tolo Cellars. Josh Gibson, proprietor and winemaker, offers a sumptuous array of wines including Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Barbera, and exotic Rhone Blends all sourced from vineyards tucked away in the rustic hills, where once frolicked the pioneers of the Adelaide Township.

This historically adventures area, marked by rugged terrain, offers ideal hillside conditions for vines bearing hardy and distinctive wine grapes.

Josh's goals in winemaking is to allow these vineyards, each with its own "flora and fauna" to express themselves in a glorious harmony. Thus, all his wines are fermented on native yeast, allowing the robust and wild flavors of the vines to exude in the wines. The results are libations of uncommon depth and mysterious character - much like the surrounding hillsides.

Josh opened his tasting room in 2005, though he was well-versed in the Far Out lifestyle long before that. As assistant winemaker at Le Cuvier for several years, Josh learned the tricks of crafting high quality wines in small lots, limiting production to just around 1,200 cases.

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