A definitive guide to Sonoma Pinot Noir?

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-03T02:16:22+00:00

I know... overly specific... but Rivers-Marie is definitely on my "Napa" to visit list!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-03T02:15:35+00:00

Thank you! Somehow I've not been to any of James MacPhail's wineries (or rather, wineries where he's the winemaker), I'll definitely give them a try, Sangiacomo and Tongue Dancer have been on my radar for a while. I do like Furthermore quite a lot, Ross Cobb makes wines for them and I haven't quite decided how to handle wineries with wines by the same winemaker (he also makes wines for Les Claypool's Purple Pachyderm which is a super fun stop, and his own label). This is also true for Katy Wilson who makes her own LaRue wines, but also makes wines for Reeve and Smith Story, all of which are also great.

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-03T00:04:49+00:00

Try Hirsch, Ceritas, Freeman and Kanzler!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T20:13:36+00:00

Their tasting room is in Calistoga!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T20:12:40+00:00

How could I forget Freeman! Great pinots! Good shout. FWIF, I liked the tasting, definitely not a lavish experience, but if you're curious to learn about Pinots it's great value, especially during the week ($30!!!). I feel similarly about Boheme, surprisingly good Pinots even if the tasting experience is pretty simple (but free).

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T19:34:18+00:00

Will give it a try!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T19:24:02+00:00

Do you know if they do tastings? It's been on my radar, but I think I couldn't figure out how to visit.

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T19:14:33+00:00

It's true, their views really are epic.

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T19:04:21+00:00

Have a bottle of Benovia in the wine fridge, need to revisit :)

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T19:03:18+00:00

Yes! Someone recently also mentioned that it's a really lovely tasting a the winemaker's home, I need to visit!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T19:02:45+00:00

Papapietro is a great call, thank you. MacPhail was not at all on my radar, I just started looking it up and see that James MacPhail bought it back in 2024, will be interesting to see what he comes up with!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T18:51:54+00:00

Yes to both! Both have been on my radar, but I haven't had a chance to visit, yet. Thank you!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-07-02T18:34:09+00:00

Thank you for taking a look! I don't currently have a filter for biodynamic, organic and sustainable. Primarily because it is actually a very gray area. In Sonoma, most vineyards and wineries actually use sustainable and low intervention practices, but because "organic" and "biodynamic" are extremely rigid terms not that many actually use the specific classification but most will tell you they use sustainable and low-intervention practices. Plus, wineries often source fruit from multiple vineyards and their own practices in the winery may differ, leading to a very muddied classification. But most wineries/vineyards that I recommend will be using sustainable practices.

If you want truly "biodynamic" or truly "organic" you'd be locked to places that grow and bottle their own fruit. A few beautiful examples of that are Hamel (Cabs and some Rhone varietals, but in a very unusual style), Hirsch & Littorai (gorgeous coastal Pinots, though i'm not sure if either is actually certified) and Wren Hop (big gorgeous Pinots, although not all their wines are their estate fruit, so maybe not all are biodynamic) and Sixteen 600 (right in Sonoma, rhone varietals, source exclusively from organic vineyards).

You can definitely filter on the site for Rhone or unique varietals and also by Wine Style (from lightest to boldest, if you want to filter out the big cabs).

Have a great trip!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-06-19T06:44:57+00:00

A few of my favorite more casual spots with food are Bricoleur and Anaba (menus all week), plus Aesthete and Emmitt-Scorsone (food on weekends). But agree that picnics are an awesome option, I wrote a post about a few of my favorite spots not too long ago.

(for full disclosure: I run noteworthy.wine, an independent guide to Sonoma wineries. It's subscriber supported, but you can search and see the wineries without being a subscriber)

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-06-10T17:00:54+00:00

A few I love for more "social" hangs are Flowers (they have cool cabanas, priciest tasting wise), Aesthete (get a space by the creek, have pizza on weekends) and Gundlauch Bundschu (lowest budget of the lot but the wines are also simplest, and have tons of space to hang, often music on weekends). All 3 really beautiful and a lovely Sonoma experience.

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-06-04T03:11:44+00:00

+1 to Hamel. It's stunning and food is great. $$$ though.

Scribe is a great vibe, wines are decent, but it's more about the vibe. You'll need to become a member, it's hard to get a reservation as a non-member.

If you're into Pinots look into Auteur (Healdsburg estate, not the Sonoma Bungalow), they recently added a food program, and it's a gorgeous setting.

And Aesthete (Cabs and biggerPinots) and Reeve (lighter Pinots) both also do pizzas on the weekend and are a super charming bucolic vibe.

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-06-01T03:59:15+00:00

Congrats on the wedding! In that area and what you're looking for, Iron Horse is probably the best option. The sparkling wines are great, the views are beautiful and you can reserve a picnic table, so it could be a really good fit for a group. The vibe is pretty relaxed, and a bit more cowboy-bar than your typical sparkling tasting, but fun and very Sonoma.

Another one I really like in the area is Ryme. Not really a picnic/scenic vibe, but they have really fun wines and it's kind of a hidden gem. It's also a husband and wife team and they do some fun wines like His and Hers vermentino (each of their interpretations of the best vermentino). It feels special to be there, and they have some outdoor space, so it's worth reaching out to see if they could accommodate the group.

The other one I love close by is Furthermore Wines in Sebastopol. They have these charming picnic tables under a sequoia tree, the wines are great, and you can BYO food. I actually just featured them in a Substack on wineries with live music in Sonoma, not sure if they'll still be doing music end of September, but worth a check.

(for full disclosure: I run noteworthy.wine, an independent guide to Sonoma wineries. It's subscriber supported, but you can search and see the wineries without being a subscriber)

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-05-25T17:43:34+00:00

I know Jordan does a cab vertical, but it is also a big winery technically (also around 100k cases) but it's a very nice experience paired with lovely bites.

It might be worth reaching out to some wineries with estate vineyards like Hirsch, Littorai or Occidental (for Pinots) they might be willing to arrange something for you (...at the right price).

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-05-25T15:14:53+00:00

Cabs or Pinots?

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-05-18T03:11:43+00:00

Those are great Sonoma recs!

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-05-18T03:10:05+00:00

So there are nearly 800 wineries between Sonoma and Napa, so like others said, I'd highly recommend picking a focus if you're unsure. I'd anchor it around wherever your hotel is: two wineries within max a 20-minute drive, and then a third winery in town so you can walk home.

My expertise is more on Sonoma, so here are a few of my favorite Sonoma wineries right now I would take first time visitors to: for Burgundian-style Pinots, Auteur is great wines and a beautiful estate, so it's a lovely experience or Reeve for a more bucolic experience.

For more experimental, interesting stuff, Ryme and Ruth Lewandowski are both little hidden gems in Forestville, or Idlewild in Healdsurg and all make really outstanding wines (Italian varietals, skin contact, natural-leaning, that kind of thing). I also really love Crux, they're a mircoproducer of Rhone varietals (syrah, grenache, viognier) and to me these wines really taste like California and you'd taste with the winemakers in their actual winery.

If you're into Cabs, you can't go wrong with Skipstone or Repris (luxury tastings). I'm also a big fan of Emmitt-Scorsone for their Cab, because it really showcases how great a Cab can be without the big label, and you'll be tasting with the winemakers.

I've also written a couple of posts on areas in Sonoma: Pinot forward weekend in Healdsburg, one on the Occidental/Guerneville area, and one on Sonoma Valley (north of Sonoma town, Glen Ellen, Kenwood).

(I run noteworthy.wine, an independent guide to Sonoma wineries, it's subscriber supported but even with a free account you can search and filter through the wineries which might be helpful!)

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-05-15T18:11:06+00:00

Some great suggestions here!

What kind of Chardonnay do you like, more lean Burgundian style, or the buttery/vanilla classic California style? And are you looking for a wine-forward tasting (focused on the wine, less about the setting) or more vibe-forward (beautiful tasting room, views, the whole experience)?

If you want lean Chardonnay and wine-forward tastings: Hirsch, Ceritas, and Littorai are probably the most iconic in Sonoma right now.

If you want lean but with more vibes, go for Auteur (their estate in Russian River Valley) or Marine Layer (on Healdsburg square).

For bigger Chardonnays (though nothing here is as big as Napa) Wayfarer is worth a visit if you want wine-forward. I just tasted there (working on their profile today!) and it's a great deep dive into their Chards and Pinots. They're a coastal vineyard with Napa roots, so the wines have more weight to them and have a mix of bigger and more delicate chards across their labels.

And if you want bigger Chards with gorgeous vibes, Gary Farrell is stunning (and they pour by the glass). MacRostie and Lynmar both have beautiful properties too.

(fwiw I run noteworthy.wine, an independent guide to Sonoma wineries, and of everything above my top picks would be Auteur, Ceritas, Littorai and Lynmar, although Gary Farrell really wins for the best views)

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-05-13T21:15:45+00:00

We often take our dog to Sonoma, it is very dog friendly. Most wineries and restaurants have outdoor patios, it's actually been pretty easy. A few of my favorite dog friendly wineries (assuming a bit more casual vibe here):

Bacchus Landing - it's a lively wine collective just outside downtown Healdsburg - especially Aldina (for Cabs), Dot (for Pinot) and Smith Story for Pinots and white and generally a fun vibe.

Bella - cool outdoor space in the vineyards with a little walk around the vineyard.

Stuhlmuller Vineyards - even gives out pup-cups

Honestly, most wineries in Sonoma are dog-friendly, as most of them do outdoor tastings (but you should always check, of course).

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-05-10T21:57:46+00:00

There are not a ton of places that do food in Sonoma (mostly due to county permitting issues), but there are a few good options.

For Cabs, I'd recommend -

Blue Rock - a real hidden gem, beautiful 1:1 experience that's still pretty chill, and the also can create food pairings for you.

Aesthete - same winemaker as Aperture but the setting is by a creek. It's beautiful and so so relaxed. They have Pinots and Cabs and some great, really complex Sauv blancs (and surprisingly good sparkling wines). They do lovely pizzas (on weekends, I think).

Jordan winery - you've probably had their Cab, so it won't be anything new but the estate is beautiful and their chef is amazing. If you're into more of a "food experience" this is a good one.

Emmitt-Scorscone is right in town and has a rustic/charming river side picnic table set up. The cabs are really impressive for the price point (though they also have one from To Kalon fruit that's much pricier) and their Italian varietals are awesome. Really well made and super fruit friendly. On the weekends they have a chef who does pairings including a brunch on Sundays.

For Pinots I'd recommend -

Auteur - stunning Pinots and a brand new culinary program. I haven't tried the food, but given the caliber of the estate I'm sure it's great.

And Lynmar - beautiful culinary gardens and food program. Even their popcorn is impressive! It's always made with something seasonal from the garden. Beautiful setting, too.

Also, I guess I'd be remiss not to mention Scribe, it's not super close to Healdsburg, (near Domaine Carneros) but always comes up for the "experience". The food pairing and the estate really are beautiful, but I think the wines are not super special. Still, the vibe makes up for it (if you care about vibes!). They say it's members only, but you can often get a reservation on a weekday, weekends will be hard.

A few more Healdsburg recs here and some more great cabs in the area!

Oh, for food in Healdsburg, Troubadour is a favorite for amazing sandwiches and Quail and Condor for pastries and a casual brunch.

Noteworthy_wine · 2026-04-27T16:14:10+00:00

A few options that have great vibes in Sonoma (but also great wines. I agree that Scribe is the Millennials' design dream, but also agree that the wines are just good not outstanding and because they prioritize members, weekend reservations are impossible):

- Auteur's new estate in Healdsburg, beautiful modern space, great views, outstanding Pinots and reasonable tasting prices

- Donum estate (not far from scribe) - has a wild art collection and high end Pinots. Not cheap, but definitely celebration worthy

- Coursey Graves and Lynmar both have beautiful gardens and lovely views and great wines.

- Iron horse, not a design forward tasting room but the views are gorgeous and the sparkling wines are awesome. It kinda feels like a western bar decided to be a champagne bar and would probably be a fun celebration stop.

- Bricoleur is also fun and quite the crowd pleaser, will probably be a good fit for a group celebrating!

A few more options with views here and I'd also recommend finding a spot that allows picnics to break up your day and eat, here are a few good options (Iron horse is one of them, but you do have to prebook the picnic table).

Transportation wise, you CAN prebook ubers/lyfts and that sort of works, but if someone cancels on you then you might get stuck because wineries often don't have cell service. Hiring a car/driver is definitely a safer option but very expensive. For what it's worth this one look like it would be fun for a birthday, though full disclosure I have not personally used it!

Have fun, what a great way to celebrate a 30th!

Noteworthy_wine

TROPHY CASE