Best Wineries to Visit in Healdsburg: A Must-Try Guide
Looking for the best Healdsburg wineries to visit? This list features the top 21 wineries in and around Healdsburg, each known for exceptional wines, unique tasting experiences, and rich winemaking stories. Whether you're into Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, or Sparkling wine, you’ll find the best Healdsburg winery for your style.
If you haven’t been to our downtown Urban Winery, we’d love to invite you to come visit and taste with us. Book your tasting at Brick & Mortar Wines online here. Be sure to mention you discovered us through this blog post!
1. A. Rafanelli Winery
4685 W. Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95448
A fourth-generation family-owned winery established in the early 1900s by Italian immigrants Alberto and Letizia Rafanelli., A Rafanelli Winery takes pride in working hard to produce consistently exceptional wines every year, specializing in some of the finest Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
Unique Feature: Known for its handcrafted Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, the winery emphasizes sustainable farming and traditional winemaking techniques.
Notable Wines:
2022 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel: A welcoming bouquet of strawberry jam, fresh raspberry, and Bing cherries mixed with nutmeg, cardamom, and pepper.
2. Amista Vineyards
3320 Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95448
Amista Vineyards was founded by a couple Vicky & Mike Farrow, who left Silicon Valley to pursue a life in wine, Amista ("making friends" in Spanish) was born out of passion and reinvention.
Unique Feature: Specializes in sparkling wines and Rhône varietals, offering a welcoming environment with a dedicated sparkling wine flight.
Notable Wines:
Amista Sparkling Syrah Rosé: This wine is made using the traditional méthode champenoise, and it’s bursting with strawberry and cherry notes.
If you are a Sparkling Rosé lover, be sure to check out our blog post with our favorite Sparkling Rosé wines!
3. Aesthete Wines
308 A Center St., Healdsburg, CA 95448
Aesthete Wines is a boutique winery focusing on small-lot Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, delivering wines that reflect the distinctiveness of their vineyard sources.
Unique Feature: Emphasizes minimal intervention to showcase the purity of the fruit.
Notable Wines:
2022 Rockpile Ridge Vineyard: Pritchett Block Cabernet Sauvignon
2022 Sauvignon Blanc: The palate has bright acidity with citrus (white grapefruit) and mineral notes on a lengthy finish.
4. Auteur Wines
10520 Wohler Road, Healdsburg
Founded by Kenneth and Laura Juhasz in 2003, Auteur Wines is committed to showcasing single-vineyard expressions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Unique Feature: Produces ultra-limited wines with a minimalist approach, offering a modern, design-forward tasting salon.
Notable Wines:
2022 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay: Tantalizing bouquet of jasmine, wet slate, and freshly harvested orchard apples.
2023 Santa Rita Pinot Noir: Infused nectar of rose petal, orange peel, and red currant melds into a brine of white pepper, thyme, and freshly crushed cranberries.
5. Aperture Cellars
12291 Old Redwood Hwy, Healdsburg, CA 95448
Founded by winemaker Jesse Katz, Aperture Cellars blends artistry and viticulture, focusing on Bordeaux-style reds.
Unique Feature: The sleek, contemporary estate feels like an art gallery and winery in one, reflecting Jesse’s meticulous winemaking and passion for photography.
Notable Wines:
2024 Aperture Chenin Blanc: The 2024 Chenin Blanc, crafted from old vines planted in the 1940s, showcases vibrant, bright flavors.
2022 Aperture Proterra: It has pure, continually unfurling scents of black cherry, pipe tobacco, lilac, cast iron, nutmeg, and aniseed.
6. Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves
9711 W. Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95448
A family-owned winery known for its Zinfandel, Bella Vineyards offers tastings in its wine caves for a unique experience.
Unique Feature: Combines historic charm with innovative winemaking, providing a memorable tasting environment.
Notable Wines:
2021 DuPratt Vineyard Zinfandel: This wine has bright, high-toned fruit complemented by distinctive notes of juniper berry, forest floor, and eucalyptus, creating a fresh and invigorating profile.
2023 Bella Essence Red Wine: A beautiful burst of cherry leads the way, layered with hints of raspberry, fresh tobacco leaf, and a touch of earthiness.
7. Brick & Mortar Wines
3731 First St., Napa, CA 94558
Founded in 2011 by Matt Iaconis and Alexis Iaconis, Brick & Mortar focuses on crafting site-driven sparkling and still wines. Our limited-production, single-vineyard wines are released three times per year, with the first offering to our wine club, and the second to our mailing list.
Unique Feature: We emphasize terroir-driven wines with minimal intervention, sourcing grapes from high-elevation vineyards.
Notable Wines:
2022 Ferrington Vineyard Chardonnay
2022 Iaconis Chardonnay
2023 Manchester Ridge Rosé
8. Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery
10701 Westside Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95448
Founded by Gary Farrell, and named a Top 100 Winery in 2019 & 2020 by Wine & Spirits Magazine, Gary Farrell Vineyards is a pioneer in Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, known for his meticulous winemaking.
Unique Feature: Offers stunning views of the Russian River Valley from its hilltop location, providing elegant and balanced wines.
Notable Wines:
Russian River Sauvignon Blanc
Rochioli-Allen Vineyards Chardonnay
9. Hirsch Vineyards
45075 Bohan Dillon Rd., Cazadero, CA 95421
A family-owned vineyard established in 1980, Hirsch Vineyards is recognized for its role in establishing the Sonoma Coast as a premier Pinot Noir region.
Unique Feature: Focuses on producing expressive, site-specific Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from its remote, rugged vineyards.
Notable Wines:
2023 Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir
2022 Reserve Estate Pinot Noir
10. Lambert Bridge Winery
A 40+ years boutique winery known for its Bordeaux-style blends and commitment to artisanal winemaking. Lambert Bridge has a limited production that affords woman winemaker Jennifer Higgins intimate involvement and full control in every aspect of the farming and winemaking process.
Unique Feature: Offers a cozy tasting room and beautifully landscaped gardens, providing an intimate wine-tasting experience.
Notable Wines:
2022 Chardonnay, Chambers Vineyard: Has a first swirl, aromas of lemon curd and warm butterscotch leap from the glass.
2024 Rosé: Vibrant aromas of freshly picked strawberries and juicy watermelon.
11. Lioco Wine Company
Founded in 2005, Lioco produces minimalist wines focusing on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sourcing grapes from exceptional vineyards across California.
Unique Feature: Emphasizes a laid-back, welcoming vibe in its tasting room, reflecting its commitment to purity and balance in winemaking.
Notable Wines:
Chardonnay Kimari: Has an aroma of lemon balm, yellow plum, and white sage, with a flavor of lemon meringue, oyster liqueur, and fresh thyme.
Pinot Noir La Selva: Smells like black raspberry, violet, and pennyroyal, with a taste of mulberry, black tea, and pink peppercorn.
12. Limerick Lane Cellars
Specializing in Zinfandel and Rhône varietals, Limerick Lane offers powerful and nuanced wines, reflecting the unique terroir of their vineyards.
Unique Feature: It focuses on producing wines that are expressive and balanced, and its tasting room offers a warm, friendly atmosphere.
Notable Wines:
2023 Rosé: Carefully crafted to have an aroma and flavor of citrus, white flowers, nectarine, strawberry, and limestone.
2021 Monte Rosso® Vineyard Zinfandel: This wine was a collaboration with the renowned hillside perched at an elevation of 1300 feet on Moon Mountain in Sonoma.
13. Papapietro Perry Winery
Born out of garage winemaking in the 1980s, Ben Papapietro and Bruce Perry turned their passion into a winery that’s now renowned for its Pinot Noir. They source grapes from top Sonoma vineyards, especially in the Russian River Valley and Anderson Valley.
Unique Feature: Papapietro Perry Winery has Laid-back, friendly vibes and a deep commitment to Pinot Noir. This is a place where serious wine is served with zero pretension.
Notable Wines:
2023 Chardonnay Peters Vineyard
2020 Leras Family Vineyards Pinot Noir
14. Ramey Wine Cellars
Founded in 2002 by David Ramey, a pioneer of California Chardonnay who worked with Matanzas Creek and Dominus. Ramey Wine Cellars has built a reputation for combining Old World elegance with California richness.
Unique Feature: Barrel-fermented Chardonnays and structured reds that age beautifully. Their winemaking is both technical and artistic, and they’re deeply focused on site expression.
Notable Wines:
2022 Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard: A constant in Ramey’s history, every vintage consistently ranks among the world’s best Chardonnays. In 1996, it was the first wine made at Ramey.
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Cooley Ranch: Mountain Cabernet is grown at the apex of Sonoma County, above Rockpile.
15. Reeve Wines
Founded by Noah and Kelly Dorrance (a co-founder of Banshee Wines), Reeve Wines is a personal project blending Italian varietals and Burgundian-style wines with a design-forward aesthetic.
Unique Feature: A chill, boho atmosphere meets serious winemaking. The estate is scenic and relaxed, and you can even book a “hang with the llamas” experience.
Notable Wines:
2023 Stroh Vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir: Refreshing and outgoing, we’re thrilled with how vibrant this wine is right out of the gates.
2023 Reeve Heritage Pinot Noir: A blend of two heritage clones from the Sonoma Coast.
16. Robert Young Estate Winery
The Young family has farmed their land in Alexander Valley since 1858 and planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon in the area in the 1960s. They launched the Robert Young Estate Winery in 1997, becoming a reference in Sonoma.
Unique Feature: Heritage, estate-grown grapes, and a gorgeous hilltop tasting room called the "Scion House" with sweeping views of the valley.
Notable Wines:
2023 Alexander Valley Estate Sauvignon Blanc
2023 Rachel's Rose
2021 Bob's Burn Pile Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
17. Rochioli Vineyards & Winery
Joe Rochioli Jr. helped put Russian River Valley Pinot Noir on the map. Since the 1950s, Rochioli Vineyards has farmed its land with extreme care, producing some of the region’s most coveted fruit.
Unique Feature: Single-block Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays with cult status. The waiting list for their wines is legendary.
Notable Wines:
Estate Pinot Noir: Elegant and beautifully balanced, this Pinot Noir has aromas of ripe cherry, vanilla, and a hint of savory herbs, while on the palate it is juicy and refined with a hint of dusty cherry.
Chardonnay: With aromas of green apple, lemon, and vanilla, this is a bright, crisp Chardonnay with just a touch of oak.
18. Williams Selyem
Started in a garage in the 1980s by Burt Williams and Ed Selyem, this winery became the benchmark for California Pinot Noir. Williams Selyem focus is on single-vineyard expressions with Burgundy-level precision.
Unique Feature: A Legend in Sonoma. Allocations are limited, and tastings are by appointment only. Their new estate is architecturally stunning.
Notable Wines:
2023 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir: The wine highlights pennyroyal and subtle fir-tip notes that are representative of the region.
2023 Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay: The cool growing region produces a wine that intertwines tropical and citrus fruit with aromas of crème brûlée and lemon curd.
Final Thoughts: Healdsburg's Best Wineries to Visit
Need plans in Sonoma for the weekend? These 21 spots represent the best Healdsburg wineries to visit. From iconic names like Williams Selyem and Rochioli to boutique standouts like Aesthete and Reeve, Healdsburg offers something special in every glass.
No matter your style, bold reds, crisp whites, or bubbly sparklers, you’ll find your new favorite winery here. So plan your route, book your tastings, and get ready to experience the Healdsburg best winery experiences Sonoma has to offer.
Cheers to unforgettable sips and scenic views!
