Top Healdsburg wineries that will wow your palate

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Kasey Tross
August 1, 2024
Vineyards with mountains
The charming town of Healdsburg — bordered by the Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley — can’t help but be a go-to destination for connoisseurs of California wine. But with so many Healdsburg wineries and vineyards to choose from, how do you know which are worth visiting?
We’ve curated a list of a dozen Healdsburg wineries that will wow your palate and delight your senses.

Chalk Hill Estate 

Located just south of Healdsburg in the Russian River Valley, Chalk Hill Estate is known for its organic on-site gardens, complete with chickens for fresh eggs and bees for honey. Chalk Hill prides itself on minimal interference when it comes to the winemaking process, so you get a true taste of the vineyards. In addition to pinot noir and chardonnay, the winery also offers sauvignon, cabernet, syrah and carménère.  

Copain Wines 

The French word “copain” translates to “friend” or “buddy,” and embodies the Copain Wines philosophy that wine is meant to be shared among friends. The winery sits atop a hillside overlooking the picturesque Russian River Valley and offers a relaxed atmosphere. All three tasting options include specially selected bites to accompany the winery’s pinot noir, chardonnay and syrah varietals. 

Dry Creek Vineyard

Known for consistently producing outstanding red, white and dessert wines scored at a 90 or higher, Dry Creek Vineyard is an independent, family-owned Healdsburg winery. Its wines are produced using a blend of grapes from the Dry Creek estate and other local family vineyards. Dry Creek offers an unpretentious, laid-back tasting experience in its chateau-style tasting room or outdoors on the terrace and enchanting Secret Garden. The vineyard and tasting room rank #1 on TripAdvisor’s list of Top Attractions in Healdsburg

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery

A visit to Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery's Villa Fiore in the Dry Creek Valley is a must. The Italianate-style villa is surrounded by manicured gardens and is especially radiant in the spring when the daffodils and tulips are in bloom. Ferrari-Carano has 24 vineyards across 1,200 acres and uses grapes from all three local valleys (plus Napa Carneros and Mendocino Ridge) to produce its cabernet, chardonnay and pinot noir.

Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery

Sometimes simple is divine, and Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery proves that maxim with  top-notch pinot noir and chardonnay from its estate in the Russian River Valley. The winery offers tastings with artisan cheese pairings in its scenic and cozy tasting salon or on an outdoor terrace with expansive hilltop views. Gary Farrell has a solid five-star rating on TripAdvisor from nearly 800 reviews touting the stunning scenery, delicious wines and knowledgeable staff. 

J Vineyards & Winery

Known for its sparkling wines, J Vineyards & Winery also prides itself on offering cuisine crafted solely from ingredients sourced from farms within 50 miles of this Russian River Valley winery. Cuisine and wine pairings are served in the elegant J Bubble Room, a space with clean lines and modern, understated elegance, or in the Legacy Lounge on the beautifully landscaped terrace. Tastings include red, white and sparkling wines made with grapes from select coastal climate vineyards throughout the Russian River Valley and Sonoma County. 

Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Jordan Vineyard & Winery is one of the only Healdsburg wineries that offers overnight stays in its chateau to its rewards members. Jordan Vineyard boasts 1,200 acres of land, with more than three-quarters of the property left to the wilderness as part of the winery’s conservation efforts. The winery is also certified pollinator-friendly and fish-friendly.

MacRostie Winery & Vineyards

MacRostie Winery & Vineyards offers expansive views of the Russian River Valley from the spectacular glass-walled MacRostie Estate house just outside Healdsburg. MacRostie works with 30 chardonnay vineyards and 15 pinot noir sites, creating up to 130 small fermentations each year to collect a broad palate of flavors for its wines. MacRostie has received accolades including Best Winery in Sonoma and Best Tasting Room in Napa, and reviewers on TripAdvisor give the winery 5 stars, citing excellent service and a welcoming atmosphere. 

Seghesio Family Vineyards 

One of the oldest Healdsburg wineries, Seghesio Family Vineyards was founded in 1895 and is best known for its zinfandel and heritage Italian varietal wines. The 300 acres of pre-Prohibition vineyards are still family-owned and operated. The Seghesio tasting room in downtown Healdsburg offers a wine garden and a special “Bocce and Bottles” reservation to add a bit more fun to a typical tasting. 

Silver Oak Winery/Cellars

At Silver Oak Winery’s tasting room just 10 minutes east of downtown Healdsburg, you’ll experience the winery’s signature cabernet sauvignon produced with grapes grown in both Napa Valley and Alexander Valley. The contemporary architecture of the space and the outdoor reflecting pools provide an understated atmosphere that enhances the winery’s panoramic views of its 113 acres and the surrounding Alexander Valley. Silver Oak is also LEED Platinum certified, with solar panels that produce 105% of the energy consumed by the operation of the vineyards and winery.

VML

If you’re looking for the unexpected, VML Wines’ hidden gem with a tasting room near Dry Creek won’t disappoint. An offshoot of Truett-Hurst, VML produces small lots of pinot noir, chardonnay and other varietals each year from a collection of small vineyards in the Russian River Valley, each with a unique microclimate. Each bottle sports a label that’s as surprising and playful as the wine contained inside.

Williamson Wines 

Williamson Wines not only offers white, rosé, bordeaux, pinot noir and sparkling wines, but also the perfect food pairings. This Healdsburg winery allows walk-ins and offers the option to upgrade the bites that accompany tastings to lunch-sized servings, which is great for those in your party who may not want to participate in the wine tasting. All food pairings are recipes developed in-house to perfectly complement the wines they accompany. 

Find your wine country Pacaso

When your second home is in Healdsburg, you have plenty of time to sample the area’s finest vintages. View our Napa/Sonoma listings, and picture your perfect wine country getaway. 

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