Wineries

Wineries

Rosenthal - The Malibu Estate

grape cluster

Rosenthal Malibu Estate and Surfrider Wine Tasting Room is located at 18741 Pacific Coast Highway in beautiful Malibu, CA. Rosenthal- The Malibu Estate is proud to feature the one and only wine tasting room along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Enjoy a bottle of wine in our back garden patio or a glass or bottle inside. Enjoy Chardonnay, Viognier, and more.

Hours:
Mon      12:00pm to  8:00pm
Tues     12:00pm to  8:00pm
Wed      12:00pm to  8:00pm
Thur     12:00pm to  8:00pm
Fri         12:00pm to  8:00pm
Sat        11:00am to  9:00pm
Sun      Closed

Roth Winery

wine tasting - a lot of glasses of wine

Roth Estate is a family-owned winery dedicated to crafting full-flavored wines grown in exemplary Sonoma County vineyards. Beginning in 2001, Roth committed to producing classic Bordeaux varietals in Alexander Valley. A decade later the winery expanded its winemaking to include cool-climate varietals from the Sonoma Coast.

Roudon Smith

Roudon Smith Winery Sign at entrance of tasting room

Join us on a delightful journey through the history of Roudon-Smith Winery, a cherished gem in California’s wine country! Founded in 1972 by the passionate duo of Bob and Anna-Maria Roudon and Jim and June Smith, this winery began as a bold dream and has blossomed into a celebrated destination for wine lovers.

In the early 1970s, Bob Roudon, a visionary engineer, shared his dream of creating a small winery in the picturesque Santa Cruz Mountains with his colleague Jim Smith. This dream ignited their adventurous spirits, leading them to purchase vineyard land and embark on their winemaking journey while balancing their careers in the burgeoning tech industry. With support from their families, they produced their first crush in a charming basement winery, laying the groundwork for what would become a beloved winery.

By 1978, Roudon-Smith had expanded to accommodate a production goal of 10,000 cases, all while ensuring the operation remained intimate and sustainable, hand-crafted by their dedicated team. As the original owners transitioned into semi-retirement, they gracefully scaled back production, ensuring the quality and integrity of their wines remained paramount.

In 2003, the winery changed hands, leading to a new chapter in its history. Al Drewke took the reins in 2006, bringing nearly 30 years of leadership experience and a passion for winemaking. He welcomed winemaker Brandon Armitage, whose expertise from Colorado and New Zealand added depth to their Pinot Noir offerings. Though challenges arose during the economic downturn, Al persevered, taking full ownership in 2011 and relocating the winery to Watsonville.

Today, Roudon-Smith thrives at a new facility in San Carlos, allowing for refined operations and enhanced wine quality. Our vibrant tasting room, now located in downtown Saratoga at 14572A Big Basin Way, invites wine enthusiasts to savor our exquisite selections.

Our commitment to excellence shines through in our award-winning wines, including exceptional Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Zinfandel. A standout favorite is our RSW Cuvée, a delightful house red blend that never fails to enchant.

 

Round Pond Estate

wine decanter and glasses of wine

Round Pond Estate, now owned and operated by the second generation of the MacDonnell family, is renowned for producing ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate specializes in crafting pure, expressive wines, artisan foods, and unforgettable experiences—all rooted in the heart of Napa Valley.

For over 40 years, the MacDonnell family has been cultivating some of the finest wine grapes in Napa Valley’s acclaimed Rutherford region. This area, celebrated for its world-renowned vineyards and highly sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, is widely recognized as one of the premier viticultural regions globally.

Throughout the years, the MacDonnells have developed a nurturing and sustainable relationship with their estate vineyard, producing Cabernet Sauvignon that is highly prized by esteemed wineries who source fruit from Round Pond. To create Round Pond Estate wines, the family blends two generations of winemaking experience with the meticulous artisan techniques they have honed in producing world-class olive oils and red wine vinegars. Their goal remains clear: by adhering to time-honored traditions, they aim to deliver the finest offerings that Napa Valley has to offer.

Rudd Vineyards & Winery

vineyard in autumn colors

This is a wonderful place for different wines. You must call to arrange an appt and do so at least a week or two in advance. The grounds are wonderful and the building is special. We got to see the caves which had cement containers for some of the wine. Bring your camera for great garden photos. I personally loved their Chardonnay and Cab.

Rued Vineyards & Winery

wine glass and bottle on wine barrel with vineyard and sunset in background

The tasting room host was very sweet and hospitable. All of the wines were good and VERY reasonably priced, but the one wine that stood out the most to me was the late harvest sauvignon blanc. Late harvest sauv blanc is not an easy wine to come by, giving Rued brownie points in my book! It's a lusciously sweet wine that's reminiscent of ripe yellow peaches and honey.

Rusack Vineyards

wine bottles ready for blind tasting with notes

Rusack was established in 1995 by Geoff Rusack and Alison Wrigley Rusack with a commitment to creating world-class wines. In the years since then, this dedication to quality has meant some dramatic changes at the winery. The most visible change is in the vineyard. Following the 2001 harvest, many of the original vines were pulled out and replanted. Utilizing cutting edge technology and taking advantage of Ballard Canyon’s unique terroir, varieties to be grown were carefully chosen and limited to those clones best suited to the microclimate. Syrah, Sangiovese, and Sauvignon Blanc have been planted, along with smaller lots of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot to be blended into the renowned "Anacapa."

Russian Hill Winery/Talawind Ranch

table all set with wine and wine glasses

Patrick Melley is Winemaker and Co-Founder of Russian Hill and Talawind Ranch wineries.

Patrick’s path to becoming Russian Hill’s Winemaker was fueled by a love of food and wine. A self-taught winemaker, Patrick developed his love of wine through attending FIU, a leading food and beverage college in Florida, coupled with many years of working in the restaurant business. He became a restaurant manager for an international affiliation of restaurants and one of his favorite responsibilities was developing their wine lists. This diverse exposure to wines from around the world refined his palate and sparked a life-long passion for wine and wine and food pairing.

The natural next step was for Patrick to make wine himself. In 1989 he started making wine at home and in 1993, he-co-founded Benicia Cellars Winery, where he was responsible for the general development of the company, grape acquisition and winemaking.

In 1997, Patrick and his partners moved to the Russian River Valley and founded Russian Hill Estate Winery. Here, Patrick could pursue his passion for Pinot noir and other cool climate varietals and make wine from the surrounding estate vineyards.

Russian Ridge Winery

Winery's Logo

Affordable, delicious Santa Cruz Mountain wines, great tasting room, wonderful owners/winemakers. Looking forward to seeing this winery expand and grow. Kudos, and wishing the team the very best on their latest wines and their tasting room location in San Carlos. Open Fri., Sat. & Sun. Russian Ridge Winery is a participant of California Corks Winery Experience. Russian Ridge Winery offers two for one tastings and 10% discount on all bottles purchased. Both tastings free with any bottle of wine purchased. When you visit be sure to tell Scott and Spencer we say Hello from CaCorks.

Hours:

Mon-Thurs     Closed
Fri       5:00pm to 9:00pm
Sat       1:00pm to 5:00pm
Sun      1:00pm to 5:00pm

Russian River Vineyard

wine glasses all in a row

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. 

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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. 

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