Ultimate Guide to Healdsburg Vineyards
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Healdsburg Vineyards Wine Not?
Planning a wine getaway, stopping at some of the Healdsburg Vineyards is probably not on your list. But, why is that?
When you think wine country, the first places that come to mind are Napa and Sonoma, right? Coming from Florida it was all I knew. But, now that I am in the beautiful wine filled state of California, And I now know there is so much more to wine country than Napa and Sonoma.
I love the areas north of Napa like Calistoga, St. Helena and Yountville to name a few of my favorites. Now, on the Sonoma side which is West of Napa you have Santa Rosa and Healdsburg. That being said or typed, here is your guide to the less talked about equally as gorgeous and delicious Healdsburg Vineyards.
Location, Location, Location
Healdsburg is about an hour and a half from San Francisco. You drive through some wine country, just past Santa Rosa. We stayed in Windsor at a timeshare about 20 minutes from downtown Healdsburg. This is a great place to start your wine tasting.
The perfect downtown area that has everything you can imagine.
Including, cute shops, restaurants of all kinds, wine bars and tasting rooms, a brewery and in the center of the square a little park that is shaded by pink blossoming trees.
Tasting Rooms - Healdsburg Style
Take a walk in the afternoon to grab a snack, peak your head into shops and hit the tasting rooms. Healdsburg is known more for Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Pinot’s are great, and Chardonnay is something that I NEVER order. Above all, I am a Cabernet all day kind of girl. But, when in Healdsburg you drink the Pinot’s and the Chards’.
I love getting a tasting at a vineyard or tasting room where I have heard of or had the wine before. La Crema is wine I have seen in stores for years. So, to get the tasting experience was a treat. The tasting room was beautiful they have a back room with a huge tasting table. Even if you don’t sit there check it out.
Luckily, when we went in August it was Rose season. I was never a fan before this year and now I am obsessed!
Here they recommend doing a tasting of both Pinot’s and Chards. However, I told the Sommelier that I was not a fan of whites.
(This is a great tip, even if you do not like a certain type of wine let the Sommelier know, they will typically give you free tastes to introduce you to different wines.) I took the free tastings but did a full tasting of Pinot’s.
My favorite was the Rose. Delish.
I have been here more than once now, the service, wine and snacks are all amazing. The ambiance is very funky and fun with cushy couches and cozy corners by the window. Similarly, this is another wine that I had seen in stores and never tried. Do you recognize the labet?
Fun fact I became friends with a few of the girls that work here and they named the Rose after me. As Tiffany’s Baby Shower Rose. No, I did not have a baby shower, but we all decided it would be the perfect rose for a baby shower…. If you check out Banshee let me know if they remember.
On the weekend the tastings end around dinner time and then you must commit to a glass or bottle, but it is all good. Really amazing spot.
Healdsburg Vineyards
An all-time favorite wine since my first days of drinking Cabernet’s. The look of the dark bottle with the gold net wrapped around it.
Makes it a timeless bottle and SUPER affordable. I love that you can get it anywhere and it is a crowd pleaser. For my 28th birthday my brother-in-law brought the BIGGEST Coppola bottle I have ever seen and somehow, we finished it!
Coppola Estates is more than a vineyard it is a beautiful tasting room, memorabilia from Coppola’s films, a restaurant and a pool. Yes, you read that right, A POOL, with cabanas and everything. After we checked out the grounds, we had lunch overlooking the vineyards and it was truly breathtaking.
WOW! Macrostie is my favorite tasting in Healdsburg thus far. From the entrance, to being greeted with a glass of rose. Everything about this place was amazing.
You can sit on a patio overlooking the Macrostie’s vineyard and other Healdsburg vineyards. The building has an industrial modern feel to it with a warm wood touch. A dog is on the grounds most of the time to greet wine goers as well. Giving it a very welcoming and homey feel.
Fun fact, they greet you with a glass of wine, ‘wine you ask’ (instead of why… see what I did there) because the building is very industrial and when it first opened no one knew it was finished.
So, they started standing at the entrance by the high way offering free glasses of wine to get people in for a tasting. Needless to say this crafty marketing move has stuck with the vineyard and you get FREE wine at the door!
A friend recommended this winery, it has a beautiful courtyard area and a massive wine cellar and tasting room. The building has tall ceilings with a warm feel that the wood walls project. It almost reminds me of a large library that I would drink wine in and wear my smoking jacket.
I preferred sitting outdoors in the sun, it is also a dog friendly vineyard, so feel free to bring your four-legged pup along. The Cabernet here was deep, full and dry. Which made it delicious.
We did not end up doing a tasting here, but I did grab a quick glass of wine while we waited. This might be one of my least favorite spots. The drive was close to 15 minutes from Lambert Bridge.
Once we got there it reminded me of a farm house, very quaint, with a white wooden shed feel on the outside. There were also a few animals running around and it was very casual.
This one you can skip. J
This bottle I am positive you have seen in stores. It is a silver label (hence the name) with an oak tree on it. The grounds on this property were very exquisite. With a tasting room made of all glass, so nothing obstructs your view of the Healdsburg vineyards. You can sit inside or outside at community tables to take in the view.
The vineyard is known for its round library and the room is probably big enough for 10-15 people. Here we enjoyed on of our tastings. The library is filled with wines all the way up to the top and wines are from years prior that will be sold years later in their library collections. Some of their first wines are stored here and are never to be opened. It was really a magnificent experience.
If you have not had Silver Oak, you are missing out. This is a wine I have only had once or twice because it is on the higher end, but the tasting was less than the price of a bottle at about $65.
We did our tasting outside while we played corn hole. My favorite pastimes living on the beach in Jacksonville, Florida. The wine was great, we enjoyed the Cabernet’s over the other wines. We did however come home with two Cabernet’s and two Sauvignon Blanc bottles.
Beside the corn hole that made Lancaster stand out. Instead of all the wine being barreled some wines will sit in the egg shaped tank, which stays at a cooler temp in a cave. Also, the vines are grown in a rich volcanic soil. Adding Flavor!
Now that you have your list of the Healdsburg vineyards to visit and tasting rooms to stop by, let’s talk about great bites to help you maintain! Spots I have tried and think you would like. (disclaimer most food was consumed after a good day of wine tasting, so my memories may not serve me)
Let's Eat, Healdsburg Restaurants
ITALIAN! After a long day of wine tasting this is what you need, trust me!!! I still remember what I got…. Burrata and Margherita Pizza. These two things saved my life. The guys got pasta which was to die for as well. For me, there is something about pizza and wine… I just love it!
Sit on the patio if you can. There is a bocce bar court that is perfect while you sip on wine and wait for your pizza. After you devour the Italian yumminess head over to Banshee, if you leave through the back entrance you end up right next to it. Grab a vino and enjoy!
AMAZING, tapas style. Located in a Hotel Les Mars. Check out the bottom floor of the hotel, there is a library and if you look in some of the books you will find a note. At least we got lucky and found one. Unfortunately, it was insignificant what was written, but still fun.
The menu is ever changing and fresh. We shared everything and did a wine tasting with dinner. The outdoor area has a romantic feel with the fire, heaters and lights strung on the roof.
Great for grab and go snacks or picnic style sandwiches. Call an order ahead, the place gets packed and you could wait 30 minutes for a few sandwiches. But, if you are like me and forget to call ahead, they have a wine bar where you can grab a glass and wait outside. Win, win or should I say wine, wine.
From the Healdsburg downtown square, you will be able to spot this place. I can almost guarantee you’ll look over and say, ‘that place looks cute’. It has lights strung over the outdoor area to create a sort of whimsical feel and the red patio umbrella’s make it pop. It is American style cuisine and did not disappoint. The sandwiches were HUGE!!
It is like a Blue Bottle Coffee that you would find in San Francisco. The coffee is good not because of the fluff and crazy flavors they bring to the table, but because of the bean.
Personally, I am more of a fluff and flavored coffee kind of gal. But, the iced vanilla coffee got me going every morning.
With all the wine tasting we did, and I have accomplished since moving to the West Coast, I have to say stopping by Healdsburg Vineyards is worth the trip!
I know I have given you a ton of information to digest, but it is all juicy details about how to have the best time at the Healdsburg vineyards and downtown. If you are venturing out to to more well known Napa Valley and Sonoma check out my posts, for a Day Trip to Sonoma, Napa Getaway or my Bucket List: Napa!
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Tasting Rooms
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