Cool place! We did a lot this day and it was nice to chill and have a glass of Pinot…read more Would love to try the tasting next time, it seems very affordable and offers an Adventorous selection. The space was bright and inviting. Server was great too!

Upon a revisit to Healdsburg we wanted to try Marine Layer as it's one of the newer kids on the…read moreblock. We're experienced wine connoisseurs and have enjoyed wine experiences around the world, including in Healdsburg on numerous occasions. In our search for Pinots to serve with upcoming holiday dinners and parties, we stopped into Marine Layer. The space itself was inviting and had many comfortable seating arrangements from living room style areas with a plush sofas and chairs to more traditional table and chair seating to bar stools at the bar. Typically we enjoy engaging with staff while we sample wines, so naturally we gravitated to the bar. We were hoping to learn more about the wines they pour and about the winery itself. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. There were two gentlemen behind the bar and we obviously drew the short stick as our assigned staff member just couldn't be bothered to engage with us at all. He poured us our two glasses and proceeded to busy himself doing everything and anything behind the bar than to engage with us. We knew this wasn't the norm because the other staff member was readily and easily engaging with the other patrons. We ordered glasses of the the 2023 Grand Vent and the 2023 Cap's Crown. Both were palatable wines, but we were left wanting as literally no information was shared with us about these two wines, although we made it clear our intent was to find and purchase suitable wines for upcoming celebrations. Needless to say, Marine Layer failed its first interview and won't get another from us. Perhaps we've been spoiled by the exceptional tasting experiences we've had out on Westside Road - where anyone should go who's seeking exceptional Pinots from the area (Russian River Valley). We know that Healdsburg remains a great place to sample wines from Sonoma and beyond. We also know that a spot on the square in Healdsburg doesn't equate to excellence. We're often asked to recommend approachable wines and wine tasting experiences to friends, family and colleagues. Unfortunately, we'll not be recommending Marine Layer.

I recently visited Williamson Wines with a group of twelve people for a food and wine pairing…read morelunch. We were completely blown away by the thoughtful menu, knowledgeable hosts, and warm hospitality from start to finish. From the moment we arrived, Kyle welcomed us and seamlessly guided us through the experience, sharing the rich history of Williamson Wines alongside detailed stories behind every dish and glass. Both Kyle and Jesse went above and beyond to keep our group engaged and exceptionally well cared for throughout the entire meal. The culinary offerings were outstanding. The chef even came out to check on our table, presenting six expertly crafted courses. As someone with food allergies, I was especially grateful for how attentive the team was--strictly accommodating dietary needs and seamlessly providing tailored alternatives without missing a beat. Our Pairing Highlights: - Shrimp Cocktail (housemade cocktail sauce, avocado) | Paired with Sparkling White Wine - Creole Beef Chili (mango salsa, peppers, kidney beans, tortilla strips, Herbie's Creole + Cajun Seasonings) | Paired with Viognier 2023 - French Onion Chicken (gruyere, caramelized onions, toasted baguette, Herbie's mixed herbs) | Paired with Grenache 2022 - House-made Lemon Ricotta Ravioli (preserved lemon, spinach, garlic, basil, cream, parmesan, Herbie's Italian Seasoning) | Paired with Meritage 2021 - Croissant Bread Pudding (Republica del cacao dark chocolate sauce, Tahitian vanilla, Herbie's Wattleseed) | Paired with Grange Cuvée 2022 - Mushroom Tart Bite | Paired with Sparkling Shiraz While every single dish hit the mark, the Lemon Ricotta Ravioli and French Onion Chicken were the highlights for me. The wine pairings elevated every bite; I'm a sucker for a great Viognier, and couldn't resist taking two bottles home! The Grange Cuvée was also a refreshing standout. The ambiance struck the perfect balance--refined and elegant without feeling stuffy or overly formal. Thank you to Kyle, Jesse, the chef(s), and the entire Williamson team for an unforgettable outing. I'm already counting down to my next visit!

We stopped here based on a suggestion from another tasting and tried their wine and cheese pairing…read more We did not feel that there was anything special to their wines. Though they were drinkable, I don't know if they live up to the high bar set for this region.. We were also put off by the bar tender taking a drink of a bottle before pouring us and calling it "quality control."

Stressed Vines is super dog friendly (please stay off the furniture). It's been quiet the couple…read moretimes we have gone and they often bring a bed out for our older pup to rest on. She doesn't typically go into any bed and plopped right in to nap, always a good sign. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The focus is Pinot and Chard and there is a lovely bubble too across two flights. Highly recommended trying one of each flight in your group to find your faves across both. They don't offer a wine club discount as you see that if you get your wine shipped. They have events throughout the year including in the summer with the music in the plaza series, members can reserve a seat from them and take a bottle or glass to enjoy the vibes.

Wow, this was such an accidental find and well worthwhile. I stumbled into stressed minds after…read morehaving lunch and were promptly welcomed by the owner. We opted for tastings which started with a complementary glass of bubbly. The owner was so knowledgeable and friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the comfortable lounge and tasting fantastic wines. We will definitely return!

Bridget is so sweet and I love this place so much! They have sardines and wine and everything is…read moreauthentically Italian in this cute little town of Healdsburg. I am making a reservation for this weekend when they stay open later like until 7 pm. I can't wait to try all of their Italian white wines. She is truly delightful and made my day in Healdsburg so much fun! I'm sorry I forgot to take a picture of the sardines

We love Portalupi so much. We've been members for a very long time and always make it a priority to…read morevisit when we are anywhere near Healdsburg. This time we drove an extra hour just so we could bring friends who had never been before. We love all their wines and they always take great care of us at the tasting room. The tasting room has a really cool vibe and I love sitting on the couches under the giant chandelier. I highly recommend adding the charcuterie board to your tasting experience, it's beautiful and tastes amazing. Also make sure you don't leave without a candle, they are my absolute favorite and they smell amazing!

Went on a Wednesday for a party of two and were attended to right away…read more Tony assisted us and he was great and very knowledgeable of the wines as well as wineries of the surrounding area. We did the Classico flight which was $30pp which I would say is pretty average pricing around this area. We took home a bottle which was delicious. They have a large outdoor seating section and a smaller indoor. Dogs are welcome in both areas. They also serve journeyman meat co food items which is a huge bonus!

We finally came back to give them a try. We came like maybe 6-7 years ago, without a reservations…read moreand they weren't really accommodating or nice to us. Basically told us to get the hell out of there without a reservations even though there were only 2 couples at half past opening and the guy said he's going to have a busy day, with an attitude. So we hated this place for so long. Our aunt also had a bad experience here too, at that time people here were mean. Geez. So we avoided for a long time. Fast forward, just checking around wineries and saw Seghesio again since our favorite Zin winery (Stephen & Walker) went out of business. I checked their website and wow, they accept walk ins now! Although we could have made a reservation, we decided to go without one to see what the new experience was like. We came in a Friday afternoon and were super cautious. We came, nobody was there. The front greeted us and explained the tasting. You can't do split so my MIL wanted the Italian varietal tasting, which we wanted the Zin but she was adamant. Bummer bc they are known for their Zins! We went with the Italian. Sat outside. Beautiful grounds! Have huge play area for dogs and kids, cornhole, bacchi ball, and beautiful lawn. Lots of trees and shade and it was very peaceful. Our server was super nice and attentive. He also provided a small nut snack and generous pours. We stated that we were going to buy many bottles and really into Zins so he let us taste a couple. We loved it so much we bought a whole case! We got the Italian varietals and the 2 Zins that we were able to taste. Due to the new positive experience, we would come back and try their Zin tasting and possibly look into membership.

We had an excellent evening at Furthermore Wines. We came for the live (complimentary) jazz on…read moreSaturdays and were both so pleased with this venue. The decor and ambience are classy and understated. Gabe was working the bar- so personable and also knowledgeable of their wines. We tried a few before settling on a bottle. Pinots are their specialty and we loved the ones we tasted. Will definitely come back for wine & Saturday night jazz.

I came across an article that mentioned some of the top places to get amazing Pinot Noirs. I can't…read moreremember what the article was and I've been trying to locate it again, but of all the 5 places the article named, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a spot in Healdsburg made the list. Being a member at another place in the area, Healdsburg was a familiar place to me. I came across the article at the perfect time as my husband and I were making a day trip to pick up my shipment. We live in Sacramento to Healdsburg is only a two hour drive away. I was beyond happy to see that we're wasn't a wait when we arrived. They are tons of cute velvet couches in all different colors and the busking itself is very tall with huge ceiling and really amazing decorations. We received excellent service and I was blown away at how amazing their Pinot Noir selection was. Only $35 for 5 pours! I felt so relaxed and not at all rushed. Some live music was getting ready to start when we left and I was sad we couldn't stay for that but now I know for next time. This was such a beautiful wine and music lounge and i'm very excited to visit again.

Father (79)/Sons (50's) trip to Sonoma in late August. We spend a Saturday in Healdsburg and our…read morefirst stop was at Blanchard. As it turned out we started at the best. Mark greeted us by the door of the tasting room/production facility which is just off the square. He spent time walking through the winery's history and how he and is brother run the business. By the end of the tasting we had talked about wine, food, music, documentaries, and much more. Mark made it feel like we were all siting around the kitchen table just talking about wine and life. I liked this setting (one group at a time with 100% participation) much more enjoyable than most other wineries we visited which have more of a bar/restaurant feeling where the server would just pour your tasting, give you the one sentence blurb they learned about it and then disappearing to help other tables for 10-15 minutes until it was time for your next pour. We started the tasting with their "White Wine" and Viognier. We then moved on to the reds including Pinot, Zin, Merlot, Malbec and Cab. They were all very well made and quite tasty. Ended up purchasing 3 bottles to go and a membership to be shipped later in the year. I'd definitely recommend others putting Blanchard on their list of places to visit in Healdsburg. Appointments are needed as Mark only does one group's tasting at a time.

If I could, I would give this place a million stars. This is the kind of winery I love-one that…read moredoesn't have all the unnecessary frills and keeps it real. Mark is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate in what he does. You do have to make a reservation ahead of time though for tastings. But it's definitely worth it! That one-on-one attention and interaction is priceless. The barrel room in the back was so cool. I love all the cute chalk drawings on the barrels. Mark walked us through the process of wine making and we even got the chance to try some from the barrel! Mark's co-owner, his brother James, lives in Denver-just a short drive from Colorado Springs, where I live! Honestly, I don't remember which wines I liked best because I liked all of them. But we ended up getting a bottle and have been saving it for a special occasion until we get the chance to go back. Definitely looking forward to returning soon!

We came last Monday and had a wonderful time being hosted by Bobby and Clay. Clay manages the…read moretasting room and is the son of Phil Hurst (head of Truett Hurst) and he really took care of us! We didn't feel rushed, we were able to try so many amazing white and red wines from the Truett Hurst collection. Bobby and Clay kept checking in with us and we had a great time talking with them and learning more about the wine. We are excited to come again and to see their new tasting room in downtown Healdsburg once it open! Thank you, Clay and Bobby!

We love Truett Hurst! I still have couple of bottles from them and have yet enjoyed them. Great…read moreplace to have your wine tasting in Healdsburg

We showed up without a reservation, and Cheryl immediately made us feel so welcome! The wine was…read morefantastic, and the champagne was just as special (yes, *champagne* because they source their grapes from France!). But what truly made this visit unforgettable was Cheryl herself. Between the gorgeous views, beautiful setting, and Cheryl's incredible knowledge and passion, the entire experience was top-tier. Add in her humor and personality, and we could not have asked for a better afternoon! She made us feel like we were spending time with a friend rather than simply attending a wine tasting. If you visit, I hope you get the chance to meet Cheryl! The wine is wonderful, the views are stunning, and the hospitality is something special. **Five stars all around!**

My friend booked us a reservation here for my birthday! Coming from the Napa valley, we had never…read morebeen to Healdsburg before and we loved this quaint little town with so many local shops. The winery fit right in and we loved the small location with the view of the vineyards. We booked a reservation for the Root 101 Wine & Food Pairing Experience. I've had cheese and cracker experiences in wine tasting before, but this experience was a stand out with their perfectly curated arrangements of small bites that paired so well with the wines we were presented. Having the food pairing with the wines really felt like it brought out an elevated level of wine tasting because most wine is enjoyed with food when you take it home. The team really worked hard to make sure this tasting was unique and we found each bite to hold its own experience. I've been to Walt Wines in Napa but this location was worth the drive and the experience! Peter hosted us and was very knowledgeable about the wines and the food - having a passion for both. We were very grateful to be paired with Peter for our tasting, he made it a great experience! I would highly recommend taking advantage of the food pairing experience as it helps the wines stand out and just offers something different to a typical wine tasting.

Love being a member at Lioco. Always greeted with a huge smile & hugs and always able to bounce…read morearound, customize my tastings. They have indoor/outdoor space to sit, the bar as always the best with faster service, and although i love being in the sun on a nice day, it can get really hot. Unfortunately, there are no food options offered, just delicious wine. Oh, and they have the best release parties and the other members become friends outside of the tasting room. It's a whole vibe and you really become apart of the Lioco family.

If you are wine curious, wine serious, or somewhere in between, this is the kind of place that…read moremeets you where you are and elevates you. I truly cannot recommend it enough. If you had told me two years ago that I would confidently navigate a wine list or casually discuss soil types and native fermentation, I would have laughed. When I first walked into Lioco Tasting Room, I genuinely could not tell you whether I preferred white or red. Joining their wine club has since become one of the best investments I have made, not only in my wine knowledge, but in my social life. Lioco is the definition of thoughtful, terroir driven winemaking. Their wines lean fresh, vibrant, and balanced, with a restraint that feels very intentional. Nothing feels over extracted or manipulated. There is a purity to the fruit and a transparency to the vineyard sites that makes every tasting feel educational without ever feeling pretentious. The price point is also remarkably accessible for the level of quality they are pouring, which makes exploring their lineup feel exciting rather than intimidating. What sets this tasting room apart, though, is the people. Michael has been instrumental in helping me understand the why behind the wine, from farming practices and harvest decisions to fermentation and élevage. There is a genuine openness to sharing knowledge here. Questions are welcomed. Curiosity is encouraged. You never feel talked down to, only invited deeper. Over the past year as a member, I have watched myself grow up in my palate. I have learned what I gravitate toward and why. I have discovered that I love a coastal Chardonnay with tension and minerality, and that a light bodied Pinot with vibrant acidity can be more compelling than something heavy and oaky. That confidence now follows me everywhere. Any restaurant wine list feels approachable. Beyond the wine, Lioco is building something rare, real community. Their pickup parties feel more like gatherings of friends than transactional club events. Their Metiche pop up was a creative and intimate experience that remains one of my favorites. I have walked into events knowing only one person and left with new friends. That says everything. The space itself matches the vibe. In warmer months, there is nothing better than enjoying a glass of Estero on the patio. When it is raining, the bar becomes cozy and warm, often with records spinning in the background. It feels equal parts refined and relaxed, serious about wine but never judgmental. I have brought countless friends here for comprehensive tastings, and more than a few have ended up joining the club themselves. That, to me, is the strongest endorsement.