(Russian River Valley and Healdsburg)
Number of wineries: 7
Average rating: 4.23
Wine Route Rating: Moderate (200)
Highlight of the day: John Tyler (4.50) provided a welcoming atmosphere and some good Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Williamson (4.44) was a close second place.
Notes: No appointments required on this route, but rated 200-level due to the hefty slate of tastings (7 wineries in under 6 hours). Wine enthusiasts of any level could duplicate this route, potentially leaving some stops off the list if you want to explore at a more relaxed pace.
| Location | Start Time | Stop Time | Reservation? | Notes | |
 | Rosso (4.38) | 11:30 | 12:15 |  | Our persisitent favorite for great wood-fired pizza in Santa Rosa |
 | Copain (3.94) | 12:40 | 1:10 | | A nice setting somewhat by itself on Eastside Road. We caught them at a particularly busy time and so I think on a different day this could have been a better experience. |
 | Porter Creek (4.31) | 1:30 | 2:10 | | TINY tasting room, where we met the Sylar look-a-like. So-so wines, but great atmosphere and a fantastic winery dog |
| | Thomas George (4.25) | 2:15 | 3:00 | | Stumbled upon this Westside Road winery and was surprised to find such a mature property (nice new tasting room, wine cave, etc.) |
| | Rochioli (4.00) | 3:00 | 3:25 | | Great vineyard view, nice room…but very limited pour selection. |
| | John Tyler (4.50) | 3:30 | 4:20 | | New tasting room where we sampled vertical flights of Pinot and Zin with the owner's daughter |
| | Stephen & Walker (4.19) | 4:45 | 5:30 | | The "Howell Mountain Cabs" sign out front got us in the door, and a collection of good wines had us leaving impressed |
| | Williamson (4.44) | 5:40 | 6:30 | | Claim to fame is small food bites paired with each wine. Free tastings as well! This one can get packed late in the day for those two reasons, but definitely recommended |
| Stark's (4.38) | 8:00 |  | Our local friend Elisa Scheinberg recommended and met us at Stark's where we had a casual "apps and sides" dinner in the bar |
Route:
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Map:
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