I had an amazing wine tasting experience today at Peterson. I've enjoyed their Old Vine Zin (Mendocino County) so much I needed to come back to pick up more and taste some other wines they offer. You know how the film "Sideways" made Merlot a dirty word? Well let me tell you, Peterson's Merlot is outstanding! So happy I gave it a try. It has a very earthy taste which I enjoyed. I learned it has won some awards as well. Pam was our wine tasting server and she made our time there most enjoyable. Pam is very approachable with a warm personality. We met the owner Fred while there and what a kick he is- friendly and funny! It was a glorious day so we moved our tasting outdoors at a table in the sun with a view of Bradford Mountain where the winery estate is. The prices are very affordable for their wines. I highly recommend this family owned winery. read more

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Great Great Great and Great again. ..... We had the pleasure of visiting the Petersen Winery in Dry Creek , what a great find. We had a great host Danny who not only allowed us to taste every wine they made but allowed us to join their wine club. What a great experience as Danny explained all aspects of how to check out wines. We ended up purchasing several wines and aerators, he gave us a tour of the vineyard and took us to their next door Winery neighbor. It was also great to need Fred Petersen and his daughter Emily, great hosts ! We'll be back ! read more

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Good wines...the dessert port wine is crazy good. Nice owners...father and daughter duo. And they had a mini movie theater setup and were playing Groundhog Day all day long...that's just absolutely awesome! We even got to meet and take a photo with cardboard Bill Murray. read more

Peterson Winery - Groundhog Day...we even met cardboard Bill Murray - Wineries Near Me - Healdsburg, California

Peterson is an award-winning, family owned and operated Dry Creek Valley winery known for its artistic animal-inspired labels and deep, multilayered, and soulful red wines, with a smaller production of white and seasonal rosé as well. The tasting room and winemaking facilities are located in a sort of vintner's collective (Timbercrest Farms) just off of Dry Creek Road, somewhat reminiscent of wine "ghettos" I enjoy visiting in Lompoc (Santa Barbara) and Templeton (Paso Robles). Peterson is not a newcomer to the Dry Creek Valley, however, and its community ties run deep. The founding father, Fred P., releases a Zinfandel each fall to help raise money for local and state firefighter associations, and he is a member of the Geyserville volunteer fire department, whose services in a drought-stricken state like California are invaluable. Other members of the family (Jamie P. and Emily P.) take care of day-to-day winemaking and marketing alongside a very small team of assistants and tasting room staff. It feels authentically human scale here, and the tasting experience is casual and fun, even if many of the wines have real depth and profundity. You can choose a Bradford Mountain estate only flight or sample a mix of wines sourced from vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. I came with a friend and we sampled from both, plus a few bonus pours. My personal favorite was a 2013 estate GSM blend brimming with bright Grenache flavors wrapped up with Syrah spice and Mourvèdre earthiness. Delicious! The range of old vine Zinfandels is also impressive and fits in well with other local wineries who specialize in this heritage varietal. Since Peterson makes almost 25 different wines, often in productions of 100 cases or less, you never know what you'll discover. All the more reason to return again for a follow up visit! read more

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I've thought long and hard about writing this review. I like to support small businesses but the reverse is true as well. The small businesses I support must provide good customer service and fix their issues. I joined the club in November 2018 after a great experience in the tasting room. I picked up my first shipment of six bottles plus a bottle of port at the same time. Four of the six bottles I have opened contained a lot of sediment, an unusual amount. The wines tasted alright but not as good as what I had in the tasting room. I thought I was having bad luck until I received my first shipment in March. Out of the six bottles I received, I have opened three bottles, a zin, a petite verdot and a cab sauv. All three contained large amounts of sediment. I ended up with a mouth full of sediment from the cab that nearly made me choke. I asked a girlfriend who also joined your winery on the same day I did what her thoughts were on the wines. Without giving her any indication of my issues, she immediately said, "They are heavily sedimented." I know that the wine is safe to drink when it contains sediment but it is not an enjoyable experience. I reached out to the winery for assistance. I wasn't seeking a refund but did want out of the wine club. Their wines aren't cheap and I was sorely disappointed. Emily Peterson, the Sales & Marketing manager did apologize, admitting it was a known issue in the '13 and '14 vintages. She did remove me from the wine club but did not offer to make me whole in any way. I have six bottles at home that I dread opening. I have to run them through coffee filters. It's a messy, disappointing situation cost me close to $300. read more

Remarkable wines especially when one considers the price - real value for quality. We bought 2009 Zero Manipulation for $15. How can one pass on a wine with a Jackalope on the label? Inside the bottle is a great Wednesday wine, maybe even a Friday wine. Whitey, the 15 year old giant cat, is the star animal of our winery tasting travels. Friendly and loveable. Also, helps you pick the wines. The Dry Creek wineries produce a wider variety of wines and styles of wines than the traditional PN and Zin crowd along the Russian River. This area of the Alexander Valley is surprisingly good. We prefer it to most of the samples we tried along the Russian River. Tasting room location is in the same parking lot as 10 other wineries tasting rooms - right off Dry Creek Road. Stop at this ONE location and you will be able to taste wines from Amphora, Collier Falls, Dashe, Forth, Philip Staley, Peterson, Lago di Merlo, Kokomo, Mietz and Papapietro. Easy peasy. read more

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Sooooo many wineries! How the hell do you know which one is a decoy and which is the real deal? Yelp may help - but in this case, a reference from Trentadue after we told her we like reds. Peterson is the real deal!! What is good about Peterson Winery? Certainly not the facility which is in a cluster of tasting shops on a hill off the main road. The tasting room is nice - don't get me wrong! It's just not in a bucolic setting of oaks and carefully tended gardens. It is all about: the wine! They have blends and 100% wines. Sofie and I liked the 2012 Il Granaio Sangiovese the best... we bought two bottles yesterday... and drank them both last night with 1" thin rib eyes. The wine was full of flavor and smooth as a kitten's belly. Oh... we had help from son and daughter-in-law as Sofie and I do not each normally drink full bottle of wine with our dinner. They have a "Bradford Zinfandel" - which amused me because I have a case of the VML Bradford Zin which I like very much. Their Zin was not much different. The grapes came from Bradford Mountain in the distance - more of a respectable hill than a mountain in my opinion - but they call it a mountain and I'm good with that. If my name were Brandford and I had the choice of being called a mountain or a hill - you can be certain I would be a mountain. I liked their Bradford Mountain Cabernet best and bought a bottle of that I mouthed off to our wine guide (Chris Rush) about how I favor blends to the pure grape wines - touting my recent expedition to Bell Winery in Yountville. I was stroked by his agreement and that he had been to Yountville just that day! I asked him, "Why are the wines over there so damn expensive? I mean, I can't taste much difference between Sonoma County wines and Napa?!" His answer made a lot of sense to me: real estate prices! Yep! Napa county land values are much higher than Sonoma county - and believe me - paying a 1% value of land value in taxes each year has everyone scrambling to make their land pay!! Why do people cut down the trees on their land or grow pot? You gotta pay the annual tax. Where's the money going to come from? Peterson Winery is the most unpretentious winery I have visited in a long time - and it has honest wines. What is an honest wine? One that can stand on it's own without some guy behind the counter talking it up like it was the cure for cancer. The guy our counter was Chris Rush. He is kind of like Rasputin in appearance and charisma - a full beard, penetrating eyes and a captivating flow of interesting information on every subject that came up. I began talking about the growth rings of the fine grained douglas fir in the table top (this was my second tasting adventure and I was drinking - not driving ) and he said, "...oh yes! I studied dendrology in college..." and off he went on another interesting and informative dissertation of microclimate influences on viticulture. His knowledge of wine, growing grapes and local lore is inexhaustible! I am building a list of "Best Sonoma Wineries" - this will be included. Want to experience the best of Sonoma Wineries - add this one to your list. Bonus! They give away wine labels. Take as many as you wish and paste them wherever you want. I put mine on my computer so people can see, "Oh wow! He's so cool with the wine sticker on his laptop!" Yeah! See attached photo. read more

Peterson Winery - Who's your daddy now? See my awesome Peterson winery sticker on my ASUS! Yeah! I am sooooooo cool! - Wineries Near Me - Healdsburg, California

The Dry Creek Valley is one of those interesting places in Sonoma wine country where old vine Zinfandel "field blends" are king, an ongoing effort at preserving heritage clones first introduced into the area by turn of the century Italian immigrants and their Californian descendants. It would be hard to imagine the area without its iconic, head-trained, gnarled vines sprouting lush, leafy canopies of green to guard the precious berry clusters from too much direct sunshine. But the Dry Creek Valley is about more than heritage vines and field blended Zins. It is also a place for experimentation, for newer winemakers, along with their sons and daughters, to put down roots, graft new varietals, and try their hand at other things. Rhône reds. Lesser known Italian varietals like Teroldego, Fiano, Trebbiano, Montepulciano, Aglianico, and Nero d'Avola. The minor Bordeaux blending grapes, like Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carménère. Maybe not Chardonnay or Pinot - the Russian River AVA a few miles away has got a lock on those - but definitely room for Mediterranean grapes from Portugal, Spain, Southern France, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily. A Dry Creek Valley Cannonau, for example, would be awesome! What would California be without a little risk taking now and then? Peterson is a very well calibrated mixture of the heritage side of Dry Creek combined with a more youthful, expressionistic streak. Using their Bradford Mountain estate (on the western side of the valley) as a site to try out different things, Peterson crafts limited amounts of around two dozen wines each vintage, from GSM blends done in a Côtes du Rhône style to single varietal bottlings of Bordeaux reds (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot) to a daring "3V" white blend of Verdelho, Vermentino, and Vernaccia. At the same time, they also source Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Sangiovese, and Barbera from other vineyards, often from heritage sites, to create a wide range of Zins and other hearty and soulful red wines that have cross-generational appeal. It would be extremely difficult to sample the full range of Peterson wines on a single visit, but if you come with a friend or two, you can probably taste through 10-12 wines for modest tasting fees of $10-15. If you are into Zin (and chances are if you're considering a Dry Creek Valley visit, you are), you'll like the range of choices here. My favorites on a recent visit were the 2012 Bernier Vineyard dry farmed Zin (with Petite Sirah addition) and the 2013 Tradizionale Dry Creek Valley field blend. The Bernier has softer, lusher fruit and makes a great pairing with grilled pork chops and polenta, while the Tradizonale has the peppery spice and red berry flavors that would pair well with homemade pasta, pizza, or a hearty minestrone soup with fresh bread for dipping. Among the Bradford Mountain wines, be sure to sample the Merlot and Petit Verdot if they are on the menu, as they have qualities particular to a higher elevation, rocky site that valley-floor grown Merlot and PV don't: more acid, more bramble and herbaceous elements that keep the fruit and alcohol in check. The best, most crowd-pleasing wines may well be the 2013 GSM estate blend, which has perfect Grenache fruit at its core framed by Syrah and Mourvèdre and a bit of Carignane for color and depth, and the 2013 Super Tuscan "Il Granaio," which combines Sangiovese from the Teldeschi Vineyard with Bradford Mountain estate grown Bordeaux varietals like Cab, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Both of these wines embody well the Peterson trademark style of mixing old with new, combining Italian varietals with French noble reds, and accenting the wines with distinctive wine label art that uses animal motifs to symbolize the qualities of each wine (GSM is a wolf, the Super Tuscan is a goat, for example). All in all, there is a lot of complexity to savor when you taste Peterson wines, but also plenty of room for fun, rusticity, and tradition as well. Make it a must stop on your next Dry Creek Valley visit! read more

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Can I give this place 7 stars? We went in for wine tasting- which was complimentary. Melissa, who helped us out, was so nice! Friendly and enlightened us on the wine. I let her know that I was the driver so I would only try a few and she was great and gave me little sips. My favorite was the 2009 Zin from the Bradford Mountain Estate. They sell wine in these mini-barrels (it was like wine in a keg!). I asked Melissa if we could walk around where the wine was made and she lead us out back. She was explaining the process to us and luckily the owner Fred was there. He was pleasant and so welcoming! He even let us "punch down" the wine. It was the most AMAZING experience ever. I'll have to go back in 2 years to try the wine I helped make :) read more

Peterson has been my favorite winery for years now! I love the tastes of each of their wines and the fact that they are unfined/unfiltered.

Great! If you have a big group i wou D recommened calling ahead or making reservations! The last time i went it was amazing... Free tastings and they had a ALOT of wines! I would go there over and over again!! read more

Our experience here was just ok. It is located in a cluster of family wine groups, so location was great if you were wanting to park and try a bunch of smaller, warehouse-style wineries within a short distance. They did have a great mix of ready-to-enjoy and cellaring wines. We didn't have a reservation for a party of 6, and we were continually reminded of that even though there was no one else in the tasting room until the last two wines in our flight. Our tasting host was very knowledgeable about the wines and was willing to answer questions about the vineyard and history of their wines, which I appreciated. I didn't love much of what was on taste that day, but apparently it rotates nearly daily so there's a chance I'd prefer this winery more when different wines are on feature. $15 to taste, with that fee waived with a bottle purchase. read more

Our group went to all the wineries in this area and this was the best experience! I can not say enough great thing about Emily! She was extremely friendly and was great about chatting with us and making us feel at home. She was also extremely knowledgeable and told us all about wine and the process! I can not recommend them enough. By the time we left I felt like Emily was a long time friend!! read more

Great time and great wine! They even have box wine that is awesome! Wonderful experience trying the different varietals they offer!

Peterson's Winery was such a lovely, rich experience, that if it was a bottle of wine it would be the prize of the collection. The wines here were extraordinarily delicious, well worth the beautiful and easy drive up Dry Creek Valley from the hotel. We learned a lot, and our brains and taste buds were expanded. But the warm hospitality and insights from Gabe, managing the tasting room, made the experience a memorable 5- star adventure. He's an insightful, connecting and wonderful host. Conversation and connection created a memorable experience for us in a region of many nice wineries, and we'll certainly be back to enjoy it again! read more

I'm not really a white wine fan because it usually requires foresight to chill before enjoying. But I love reds. After a hard day of work, I enjoy nothing more than spontaneously breaking open a bottle of the blood colored stuff and eating some brie and crackers. I've been drinking Peterson's Zero Manipulation for years. It's my favorite red for under $20. Hands down. I stumbled upon Peterson by chance, as it's easy to miss, but the fates were with us and wanted us to take back a little piece of Healdsburg's finest to SF. Not only that, their Pinot Noir and Zins aren't too shabby. Want to know what it's like to live the good life? If you are smart enough to join up for the wine club and become a friend of Fred, the genius behind the scenes, you're invited to a lovely party in the cellar barn where you enjoy not only a great selection of wines, but a wonderful buffet style dinner. Fred, Jamie (his son, new winemaker, and young prodigy), and Jan (the ultimate coordinator), make everybody feel like family during this event. A family that loves to drink, laugh, and have a good time. Our car needed a jump, so they let us park overnight. In fact, we didn't even need to ask. In the morning, Jamie hung out and chatted with us about his trip to France where he gorged on Foie Gras and Bordeaux's finest. What other winemaker would do that for perfect strangers? I've been to wine country plenty of times. There are more expensive and snobby flavors but I will always hold a special place in my heart for Peterson. read more

Danny was : our pourer, our educator & our entertainer yesterday at the winery!the wine was delicious - his information was terrific! I only wish I would remember 1/2 of what he told us! It is definitely a " be back" when we return to one of our favorite wine regions! Thank you!!!! read more

Fred Peterson has been in the wine trade for decades, first as a vineyard manager, then grape grower, then winemaker. His wines are elegant, food wines, mostly zin and cab (as well as a rose, grenache, sangiovese, some blends, and some other varietals) that DON'T grab you buy the throat with their new oak and high alcohol and scream DRINK ME NOW, MR PARKER!!! As such his wines don't appear in the Wine Spookulator or the Wine Score Advocate. You find them in restaurants, small wine shops or at friend's homes..... No his wines are more seductive - they purr, coo and entice you to have them with with food. I discovered his wines by accident, in a restaurant in healdsburg ten years ago, and drove from the restaurant to the winery, where we tasted though all of his wines - and promptly joined his wine club. We carry several of his wines in my store - especially his zin and "zero manipulation" blend. They are fairly priced and elegant companions to any meal. When you go to the winery, you'll be attended to by either fred, his daughter or one of their friends - folks intimately involved in the winery, the grapes or some other operation at the place. Unusual for today, but common twenty years ago..... read more

I haven't been here yet, but I virtually met Jamie Peterson. He gets five stars for not ripping me a new one. When I posted my one star "review" on Preston Winery on his Peterson site by accident, and I even went so far as to switch the Preston and Peterson names. He didn't give me a much deserved "WTF." In fact I got a nice invite out of my snafu. Jamie, next time I make it over the hill from Calistoga, I am coming to your spot for some of the fantastic zero-manipulation wine. Sorry for manipulating your review (if only temporary). Luke read more

Peterson is located on Dry Creek Road in the Timbercrest Farms complex along with several other wineries. Fred Peterson has been producing wines in Dry Creek Valley for over 20 years, with his son Jamie recently moving to the position of winemaker. The Petersons believe in sustainable farming and minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Much of their wine comes from their own Bradford Mountain vineyard in the northwest of Dry Creek Valley. We tasted through the Peterson wines with Jamie. The setting is a no-frills tasting room with quality wines at reasonable prices- no charge for the tasting. There are t-shirts and other merchandise for sale as well. -Here's what we tasted... -2009 Timbercrest Farms Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley- 96% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Muscat Blanc. Fermentation begins in stainless steel then is moved to French oak (10% new), full malo. Lemon-grass nose with ample tropical and citrus fruit on the palate. Balanced acidity and minerality---good to very good---$17. -2007 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley- 84% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane. 80% neutral mixed oak, 10% new Hungarian, 10% new American. Ruby with medium density. Bacon, cherry, vanilla with coffee, black fruits, and baking spice tannins. Nice and ripe but not overly aggressive---very good---$23. -2005 Bradford Mountain Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley- Unfined and unfiltered. Aged 21 months in 20% new French, 20% new Hungarian, 60% 3-5 year old French Oak. Ruby and dense. Black cherry and anise with currant, pepper, vanilla. Peppery tannins and long cinnamon on the finish---excellent---$32. -2007 Shinbone, Dry Creek Valley- 60% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfined and unfiltered. 40% new Hungarian, 20% new French, and 40% 2-4 year old American barrels. Full throttle-cocoa, mocha, and black fruit with soft tannins and spice on the finish---good to very good---$28. -2002 Agraria, Bradford Mtn Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley- 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot. 26 months in 100% new French Oak. Floral on the nose with tobacco and cedar. Violets and strawberry, baking spice, cherry. Silky firm with spice on the finish---very good---$60. -2007 1-2-3 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley- Inky and dense. Gamey, briary red fruit with licorice, ripe blackberry, and peppery tannins---good---$23. -2006 Bradford Mountain Syrah, Dry Creek Valley- 92% Syrah, 7%Viognier, 1% Petite Sirah. Unfined and unfiltered. 22 months in 60% new French Oak. Inky and dense. Meaty wild black fruit with mocha, vanilla, and dried herbs. Smooth and silky tannins with a long finish of herbs and spice---excellent---$45. -2007 Home Farm Muscat Blanc- 75% Muscat Blanc, 25% Orange Muscat. Fortified. Lightly sweet orange and honey notes with great balance---excellent---$30 375ml. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE this winery. Fred and Jamie are always welcoming, and their wine selection is vast and tasty. Their Donna Bella Rose is so good my husband and I bought the 3L bag. Oh yes... boxed wine. We blinked & it was gone. That's how tasty this wine was. Not only do we love their whites, but their reds are incredible. I think the last time we were there we ordered two or three cases. Their Old School Zin is an easy drinker with great fruit, and we enjoyed their Branford Mountain Zin so much we bought a case of futures. The Mendo Blendo is our go to wine for a night just sitting and enjoying a glass of wine. We're looking forward to our next visit. read more

Peterson Winery was a fantastic tasting room for us to visit. First insider tip: You can pick up some free stickers while you're at the room. They are the wine labels, but they are completely free for you to take. Tasting is free and friendly. We were able to sample 7 different wines and hear lots of information about each of them. I appreciated that there were hooks available to hang my bag which allowed me to really enjoy the wines. There is a small seating area where my daughter found Whitey, one of the store's friendly cats. The cats + the stickers made my 8 year old a believer in Peterson Wines. The wines were very very good. We purchased a bottle of their Zero Tolerance and their Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. If we had $50 to spend we would have purchased their 1989 Loma Prieta Bottle of wine, as the sales woman said, it would go GREAT with a steak! We arrived at the tasting room around 4:05 in the afternoon, and they were scheduled to close at 4:30. I never felt any pressure to purchase or felt rushed at any point. A great hidden gem!!!! read more

I keep forgetting to review this place. But this is one of my two very favorite wineries in wine country -- the other being a PN/Chard shop down in Carneros. This is very different, but in a great way. First of all, Peterson is the opposite of pretentious. There's a lot of decent wine in Sonoma, but not so many decent experiences when it comes to visiting wineries. Peterson is the opposite. It's a great experience. Melissa and the other woman who work there will chat with you, maybe throw a couple of curse words in here and there just to show you how not-stuck-up they are, and generally have a great time. The cats are adorable. But then the conversation turns to wine, and you know they know their stuff. The place is a total family joint and you'll figure that out quickly. But the wine. Oh, the wine. I love Zinfandel, and so I generally love Dry Creek Valley. But Peterson is above and beyond the rest, and the wines are beautiful and extremely well-priced. A bottle of great Zin at another winery can set you back $50-75, but theirs are very well-priced in the $30 range. I love this place so much I joined the wine club, which I've only done at one other winery. I do think the location is not as cool as other wineries (Copain, Porter Creek), as there are no sweeping vistas of Sonoma County and you are essentially in a trailer park for wineries. But the money they save on the digs goes into a reasonably priced wine, and that's all the better for me. Do yourself a favor -- this place is a must-stop if you're in the Dry Creek area. read more

One of my new favorites in the area. The staff is friendly and helpful, th wine is good (and also organic). They also have some organic produce out next to the wine tasting room. Its a nice spot to bring a picnic, pick up a bottle of wine at the tasting room and just go at it. The wine is not too expensive -- arouns $25-30 per bottle. read more

Let me start out by saying that Peterson wines are the best value we encountered over three days in Sonoma. The wines stand up against wines priced 50%-100% higher. That plus fun, quirky, well-done labels make these great wines to give as gifts--especially if you're not from the west coast because you're not going to find these in your typical wines shop. We tried over a half-dozen wines (they make something like 25 different wines, which is pretty outrageous), and while some of them didn't quite do it for me, some were really outstanding. The tasting room is in a parking lot, so don't expect a relaxing, scenic visit. But it was fun and easy-going and very friendly. I'd definitely recommend a visit. read more

The best wine I've tried in Sonoma County. They have a delicious flight of whites and reds. Each wine had its own unique quality that left for a very memorable flavor. The whites had wonderful fruity tones and were very smooth. The reds are amazing! Many had bolder tastes but were still smooth and well rounded. My favorite is the Syrah. Blows me away every time. I'm a local and I've done the tasting at Peterson more times than I can count. Plus, the people doing the pouring are so friendly and knowledgeable. I highly suggest considering buying the boxed wine. It is gourmet, lasts MUCH longer than wine in bottles, is a bargain, and ships easier. read more

5 stars all for their 2007 Dry Creek Valley Sangiovese. This wine just stays with me. I tried it at an event and since then I keep going back and getting it every time. Wonderful blackberry on the palette with dripping acidity. All of his wines are made in the old world style...great acidity without the crazy alcohols. Also enjoy their Syrah and Petite Sirah. Tasting room is a warehouse where they make the wine. Friendly staff as well! A must visit! read more

Favorite winery in Sonoma county by far. Jamie the head winemaker is always fun to talk to. I've met the cat in the Yelp pictures, but they don't show Jamie's dog in the pictures. You have to meet the pup also. Although I love all of their wines, the zero manipulation is a great table wine and I always get a bottle of the Agraria to treat myself to something especially good. And for evenings, a bottle of their Zin, some salami and some cheese on the balcony round off a great experience. I'm not sure if they still do it, but they also keep some old labels in the tasting room for you to take. They also are exceptional with their delivery. Quick, well packaged, and at my special request, they tossed in some labels from my favorite vintages. In Barn We Trust! read more

I love love love Peterson Winery. I'm familiar with their wines over here in Connecticut and made it a priority to go visit when I spent a week in Sonoma. Winemaker Jamie Peterson gave our group a private tour of their cellar and wine aging area before his sister Emily led us to the picnic area to sample wines. We were there celebrating my sisters wedding weekend and had a large and rowdy group. Credit to Emily for letting us take our time and slowly get through all the wine. The grounds were gorgeous and the wine was even better. Emily and Jamie did a great job answering our questions and discussing their winemaking process. Of course we all went away buying a few bottles. I'll be back next time I'm in California! read more

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I'm NOT a wine connoisseur or snob. I can't even keep my wines straight after having more than half a glass. I just know that I really like this place for accommodating our group of 35 (THIRTY FIVE!) people. (Yes, we did call way ahead to make reservations.) I also like how: -- wine tasting fee $5/person (refunded if you buy a bottle) -- they sell 3 liter bags of wine (just in case there's a wine famine) -- there's half a dozen other wineries just a few steps away from here Downsides: -- There isn't a pretty view of the actual vineyards. The area feels a bit like a warehouse or a trailer park for wineries. (But if your objective is just to try many many different wines, then it shouldn't matter.) read more

This winery I found while on a wine tour with my girlfriend and her co-worker, on an epic journey to map out all the free tasting rooms in Sonoma County. Peterson is on the A-list for Sonoma wine tours for the following reasons: -Totally free tasting Not just free, but free to the extreme. Tasting fees are a slap in the face to the spirit of wine tasting, but at Peterson in no way will you be asked to pay a fee (unless you look like you're about to trash the place, more on that later.) -Lots of tasting options They will literally pull out about 6-7 bottles of wine they've chosen for the day and you can spend a good couple hours there figuring out which ones you like best. Note that this is on weekends only, not sure about weekdays but it's probably the same. -Great staff The first person we met was a nice man who took us in and poured us a lot of wine. He had a lot of great stories as well and was a great host. The second time we went, it was with a large group of about 8 people. The lady who was working that day almost threw us out for not calling beforehand (note: be sure to CALL THEM BEFOREHAND on a weekend), but quickly decided we were a good bunch of people and not teenagers and let us sample. Also, the winery itself is owned by a Geyserville Fire Department volunteer, and those guys are as good as it gets for a small town fire protection district. -Great wines Every wine I have tasted at this place is exceptional, including their "Zero Manipulation" table wine. 10% discount for 6 bottles or more sold, so take a group. But call beforehand or you might get hit with a fire hose. -Cats There are cats here, and they are lazy. -Location It's right near a place that gives out free olive oil samples, so try those too. Avoid the other wineries at the location, they either trick you into paying fees or act snobby. Pay them a visit, but be sure to CALL THEM FIRST TO TELL THEM YOU'RE COMING. They are small and sometimes don't have enough people to deal with huge groups. read more

Loved this winery. Great wine especially for the price you cannot beat it in Sonoma County. My boyfriend joined their wine club (how can you beat having shipments of great wine coming in around $70/each every few months?) and I'm happy we have an excuse to make it up there atleast once a quarter now. Tasting room is very small so would recommend calling ahead if you have a big group or else Melissa may get a little overwhelmed. Melissa is great though, I have to say she is one of the most friendly tasting room salespersons I've ever met and I have to agree with another reviewer that we did leave sad that we could not bring her with us for the rest of our day tasting at other wineries. read more

Great wines, great staff, great prices. This trip we wanted to avoid any big wineries, following recommendations to smaller producers was the plan. Why taste something you can pick up at every wine store back home! Peterson Winery is one building in a complex of maybe 6 buildings on Dry Creek Road, and really, you should check this site out! It's called the "Family Wineries" I think, and you could really spend your whole day here, like we pretty much did. We stopped by here shortly after they opened 4/17/2011 and loved it. The lady pouring was knowledgeable, but more than that, was fun and really made you feel welcomed. There's no rush or hard sell here, they let the wines speak for themselves. And speak they do! My wife loves her big zins and fruity petit syrah's, this place was her favorite of the whole trip. Their wines aren't ALL huge fruit either, they also have some blends, a cab and a couple of sangiovese that are delicious as well. You should really visit here, especially if you're not into huge tannins. Most of their wines really balance the tannins for a smooth, not as dry finish as most wineries. We really loved this winery and look forward to our shipments! read more

Very good wine-tasting experience. Lot's of joking around, sarcasm, references to college humor, it was great. Tasted a variety of wines, everything from a 2001 Cabernet (crazy right) to a Honey desert wine (actually very good). Tasting was only $5 refuned if you buy a bottle, plus a couple wines were on sale. What is nice is that there are like 10 other wineries all located in this small 'hangout' spot - I am just bummed out I didn't get to meet the cat in the yelp picture! read more

Loved this winery. Every wine I tasted was very different and delicious. They have a "Zero Manipulation" table wine, which was yummy, too. There are a couple cats that hang out while you taste, too. They're sweet and harmless and gives the place a very homey feel. It's located in a slew of other wineries (Kokomo, Family, etc.) and there's also a place that gives out olive oil samples. They're delicious, and they have this Pomegranate Vinegar that's super yummy. The other wineries in the area are a little snobby... but this one is a keeper! read more

Some very nice wines with an amazing staff for their tasting room. Carl and Patrick pulled out all the stops for us and we tasted some great wines and our shippment was waiting for us when we got home. You two are the best. You made our day!! read more

Peterson Winery - Whitey the cat will help you with wine tasting!! - Wineries Near Me - Healdsburg, California

We visited the winery a few weeks ago on our honeymoon. Melissa was wonderful! I felt like we were talking with an old friend. You gotta love a girl who quotes Adam Sandler. Being new to wine, we weren't really a fan of all the stuffy pretentious wineries in the area. Peterson Winery was the exact opposite, the tasting room is so cozy, the wine is delicious and furry friends were great! We joined the wine club and I can't wait to come to the pick up party. Another plus,Fred Peterson is from South City (my hometown) Stop looking at me Swan! read more

We visited Peterson shortly after reopening due to COVID and our experience could not have been better. We had a one on one experience with Jamie and his father, who actually both make the wines. They were incredibly polite and very knowledgeable. We learned a quite a bit about wine making through our conversations. This winery really cared about their customers safety and experience. read more

WOW! I live in the bay area and get a chance to visit a ton of wineries. I almost didn't write this, mainly because I want to keep it a secret. But, I think it is important that a great winery get their accolades. To me, the following dimensions are important: Wine -- Stellar. All of great vineyards that they have been sourcing for years. I am especially fond of their zins. Most have limited cases. Value -- Excellent. Most of their bottles are in the very affordable 20-25 range. Selection -- I just checked by cellar. I have zins, syrahs, carignane, blends, sauvignon blanc, sangiovese, rose, and petite syrahs from Peterson. This makes it nice to be a club member, as you know you are not going to get the same three wines over and over. Anyway, enjoy. Visit. But don't buy too much or tell too many people. read more

I agree with Poochie M . . . the wines are good, not great. I favored their Zero Manipulation while my friend favored the Shinbone, a Syrah/Cab blend. It was also a hike to the restroom. read more