Best Russian River Valley Wineries – Spotlight
If you’re looking for the Best Russian River Valley Wineries you’re in the right spot. Wine Routes has years of experience helping locals and tourist discover the best wineries Sonoma County. The Russian River Valley is home to 200+ wineries that span through the communities of Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Windsor, and Forestville.
Our Best Russian River Wineries tasting itinerary takes you on an adventure through the western stretch of the Russian River Valley, starting at BACA Wines near Healdsburg then South West to Notre Vue, Woodenhead, Hook & Ladder and ending at Paradise Ridge‘s gardens.
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To start this route, click on the map below. You will get turn by turn directions and details about each winery’s offerings. Don’t forget to rate and review the wineries and let us know what you think.
THE BEST RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY WINERIES
BACA Wines – Healdsburg
779 Westside Rd. Healdsburg, CA 95448 – (707-721-8625)
Purchase Wines – Zinfandel – White Blend – Rosé
A 5 minutes drive from downtown Healdsburg along Westside Road sits BACA Wines. When you arrive, you’ll be greeted with a splash of Ring Around the Rosé. All that is left, is to to relax and sip in the views of Dry Creek’s beauty. The tasting room features world class artwork, a knowledgable hospitality team and luxury Zinfandels. Owned by the Hall Family, BACA Wines is a modern Zinfandel producer fostering a sense of adventure and discovery.
BACA Wines sources fruit from prominent vineyards in Calistoga, Russian River, Rockpile, Howell Mountain, and Paso Robles. Utilizing optical sorting, exacting fermentations, and French oak barrel aging, BACA Wines aims to craft wines that reflect a sense of place and climate. The BACA Wines portfolio includes the following Wines: Double Dutch, Cat’s Cradle, Somersault, Home Base, Bleachers, Marbles, Tug O’ War, and I Spy. Additionally, they produce a canned wine called Ring Around the Rosé, also made from Zinfandel.
Insider Tip – BACA Wines has 5 tasting experiences, including the BACA Sensory Experience, Zinfandel & Chocolate Pairing, Varietal Exploration Flight with Artisanal Cheese, and the Current Release Tasting. Experience range in price from $35.00 – $80.00
Paradise Ridge – Santa Rosa
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Dr. Santa Rosa, CA 95403 – (707) 528-9463
Purchase Wines – Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Blend-Sparkling
In 1961 when Walter Byck married Marijke Hoenselaars in Holland, little did the newlyweds know what their future would hold. Yet their courage and passion would lead them to discover and build a wine estate in the heart of the world’s finest grape-growing region, the Russian River Valley.
Walter and Marijke moved to Santa Rosa in 1965, with two of their five children already in tow. They soon realized they had found a haven to raise their growing family. In 1978, after more than a year of searching for family property, Walter came home and said, “Marijke, children, I have seen Paradise!” Thereafter, the 155 acres overlooking the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California became known as Paradise Ranch.
Hook & Ladder Winery – Santa Rosa
2134 Olivet Road Santa Rosa, CA 95401 – (707) 526-2255
Purchase Wines – Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Red Blend, Zinfandel, Rose, Sangiovese
The Next Generation of Russian River Valley Wines
Hook & Ladder Winery continues the legacy of one of Russian River Valley’s most influential wine families. Founded in 2003 by pioneering growers and vintners Cecil and Christine De Loach, and helmed today by their grandson, winemaker Jason De Loach, Hook & Ladder showcases the diversity of the appellation the family helped to define, in a portfolio of limited-production bottling’s from their Russian River Valley estate vineyards. The name Hook & Ladder pays homage to Cecil De Loach’s 17- year career as a San Francisco firefighter.
Woodenhead Vintners – Santa Rosa
5700 River RdSanta Rosa, CA 95401 – (707) 887-2703
Purchase Wines – Carignan, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, Blend-Sparkling
Nikolai Stez is the Woodenhead winemaker. He has been at fermentation since he was a boy making the traditional Russian drink “kvas” (a fermented bread or fruit drink) that his immigrant parents taught him to make. In college, he made wines for his biology and botany classes and started making home wines in earnest since 1986. Nick worked for 17 years of crush fun for the famous “two guys in a garage cult winery” that put Russian River Valley Pinot on the map. Working for Burt Williams as an assistant winemaker confirmed his life’s passion for wine. Born in San Francisco and living on the Russian River since age one, he considers the North Coast his back yard and knows it well, from Sonoma County north to Humboldt and Del Norte. The coast range is his playground.
Notre Vue Estate Winery & Vineyards – Windsor
11010 Estate Ln. Windsor, CA 95492 – (707) 433-4050
Purchase Wines – Champagne, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc
Breathtaking…
There are only a handful of experiences in life that can be described as such – a moment so awe-inspiring that you take pause.
In 1992, we were captivated by just such a moment, as we stood atop a ridge overlooking 710 acres of breathtaking, rolling hills of Sonoma County countryside. This incredible landscape forged over eons would one day fulfill our vision as the Notre Vue Estate. We have established an agrarian heritage through thoughtful determination. The estate vineyards are tenderly cared for and are the foundation for our wines.
Preserving the natural beauty of the land has always been at the heart of our vision. For this reason, the estate includes 350 acres of protected open space land, preserving the beauty of Notre Vue Estate for generations to come. This synergy creates a harmony that supports the abundant wildlife as well as the natural flora and fauna.
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