We recently dined at Spirit Bar and had hoped to start with a glass of Zichichi Zin. Sadly it wasn't on the menu and sadly we drank through our last case at home. But as fate would have it, Steve Zichichi called the very next day asking if we needed wine. Why yes, yes we did! Earlier this year we purchased two versions of the 2018 Zins. This time we bought a few bottles each of the 2019 Estate Zin and of the 2019 Estate Zin North Block. Both are smooth and delicious. The Zichichis know their Zin! And, Steve himself delivered them directly to us! We still need to get to the winery. Now would be a perfect t time to enjoy the beautiful vineyards in their colorful autumn glory. If you like Zins I hope you get there soon too! read more

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Zichichi Family Vineyards located near city center of Healdsburg, CA. I have been a huge fan since 2005. In the early years their grapes were sold to several wineries which have well know brands. Dr. Steve Zichichi built his winery in 2006 and hired world class winemakers to start the journey of building a world class brand "Zichichi Family Vineyards". His line-up of wines can be found https://zichichifamilyvineyard.com/zichichi-wines Take time to make a reservation for a private wine tasting while in the region. I can tell you their customer service is as AWSOME as their wine. read more

Zichichi Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Healdsburg, California

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Great tasting. Great barrel tasting. Host was a family member. Wine was just average. Not much there sad to say. Tasting room was spartan and unappealing. Might be the saddest place we have been to. This tour could be good, but you need better wine and tasting room. They are friendly though. read more

Zichichi Winery - Barrel tasting - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Healdsburg, California

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I cannot write enough good things about the owner and his family (both his actual family and his family of staff members). This is absolutely the hidden gem of the region! They are equally as accommodating as they are excellent winemakers. The tasting room has one of the best patios in the area to enjoy their wine and your pre-bought snacks (I suggest treating yourself to some provisions from the Dry Creek General Store a short drive away). And as a multi year wine future buyer I can write unequivocally that they're worth every penny!! read more

We love this winery and have been purchasing wine futures for years now. Lovely Zinfandels and Petit Sirah. Limited production keep this family vineyard on point with these delicious wines that truly improve with age if you can wait that long. You won't be disappointed if you do. Barrel tastings introduce you to a young version of them, with all the potentials to come. Both shipping and pick up options are available. Customer service is great! read more

Another highly recommended winery from our friends at Dutcher's Crossing. Zichichi is located off the beaten path on a hillside overlooking the Dry Creek valley. It's a very small production and family owned and operated business which is right what I typically look for. No multi million dollar glitzy and glamourous tasting room here. Just real people pouring carefully crafted glasses of wine. The tasting here is a nice experience. First you sample some of their finest glasses in the small yet comfortable tasting room. Afterwards you are escorted to the back for a barrel tasting. it's here where if you taste something you love you will have the opportunity to purchase futures. There are very few bottles for sale in the tasting room and the vast majority of their wine is bought even before it's bottled. Since most of the wine is snatched up before it hits the shelf, there is no wine club. But if you do purchase futures you will be included on the wineries mailing list and given opportunities to purchase more. read more

The only reason I have elected to give 4 stars, rather than 5 stars, is because the winery doesn't have wine for purchase. The winery only sells wine futures. You pay now (Summer 2015) and pickup next Spring 2016! While that may mean that they have phenomenonal wines, it still isn't the most practical setup. And, for a new customer, I have no way of knowing what the wine will taste like since they only offer tastings from the barrel with wine that hasn't fully matured. Other than the above, I have nothing bad to say about this winery. 1. Fair tasting fee amount ($10). 2. Tasting involves a fun experience (barrel tasting). 3. Friendly staff members. 4. Delicious wine. 5. Decently priced (red) wines....especially for wine club members. 6. Beautiful property. read more

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One of the reasons that I recommend visiting Healdsburg over Napa is the laid back, friendly nature of the wineries. Zichichi is no exception. Not only did we taste a number of wines in the tasting room but we were also led back into the barrel room to taste wine straight from the barrel (an interesting experience, I highly suggest you try it!) I didn't love the wine that we tried in the tasting room but did enjoy some from the barrel and ordered a couple of bottles that will be ready in a year. I guess that'll give me an excuse to return to Healdsburg! read more

Zichichi Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Healdsburg, California

My wife knew the owner. Well, sort of... He used to be a doctor in New Orleans in his previous life and had operated on her sister. Close enough... He was pouring that day and we did his standard tasting, two zins and a cab in the tasting room. Then we headed into the back for a barrel tasting. These wines were available for futures purchase and were nearly sold out already. The wines were great, even considering the personal connection. We bought 2 bottles, one cab and one zin. read more

Absolutely stunning property in Dry Creek. The patio was absolutely stunning and I could sit out there all day drinking the fine wines produced here. Our wine educator was Amanda and she was friendly, professional, and let us know a lot about Zichichi and the way they make wine. We loved everything we tasted and will definitely take friends and family by to check out this gorgeous family owned winery! read more

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Love these wines. They only offer barrel tasting, allowing guests to taste their three unfinished wines (zin, estate zin, and syrah). Guests can then buy a future case. It's a lot to spend at once, an uncertain purchase, and a large delay until you get your wine. And to an extent, it's a bit gimmicky. That stated, I've gotten cases three or four different years and they have been absolutely outstanding. It's a great price if you get outstanding wine. read more

Wine tasting #3 Did barrel tasting here. That was fun, never did that before and it was interesting to taste the wine straight from the barrel. We were brought into the barrel room and they had 3 barrels laid out for us to taste. Nice place to take some pictures. The winery itself is beautiful and had a nice tasting room. If you are in the area check this place out. read more

Zichichi Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Healdsburg, California

We visited during the Winter WINEland weekend, January 13-14, 2018. We enjoyed the barrel tastings and found the whole concept of the "wine futures" very interesting but not for us. Fortunately, we were able to buy and depart with an actual bottle of Zin from the Block vineyard for $40. We enjoyed meeting and talking with the owner. The balcony patio overlooking the vineyards is lovely. Other wineries visited and enjoyed over the weekend: J. Rickards, Papapietro Perry, Amista, West, Martorana, Mill Creek, Armida, and Porter Creek. And we stayed once again in our favorite Glen Ellen at our favorite Jack London Lodge and gratefully they survived the October wildfires and are doing well. Do not be afraid to visit the wine country. It's as wonderful as ever! read more

Occaisionally I have run into a business owner that takes an attitude that certain customers should be punished for their mistakes, and unfortunately that happened here. After purchasing some futures and picking them up, I purchased additional futures in custom bottles. I failed to pick up the futures after they called me. When I later contacted them they said they had no record of my order and asked me to bring in my credit card statement if I could find it to prove my purchase. I did so, but was confronted by the unhappy owner who took two contradictory lines of argument with me: 1. I should charge you a "storage fee" for not picking up your wine on time 2. Of course we don't have your wine, you did not pick it up on time They did not keep my wine for me, which is understandable, but in light of that threatening to charge me a "storage fee" for something they did not actully store, is only an exercise in venting anger at a customer (who has paid for wine in advance). I did not ask for a refund, but rather to receive comparable wine during the next release. The owner thought that I should not be able to receive the same value and proposed that I receive less wine, as a punishment for having been a bad customer. The anger was all one-sided - I never got emotional or threatening during this exchange. This experience has managed to turn around a paying customer who has sent a few friends by to check out their winery into someone who gets a bad feeling whenever I see their label. The whole thing was unnecessary, but I would simply say in response that there are many fine wineries in Californa, so having written this down as a warning, I will look forward to enjoying the hospitality of other winemakers and vineyard owners. read more

When reviewing a winery it's always difficult for me to decide how much focus I should place on the quality of the wine. The truth of the matter, while there is definitely some overall good vs. bad, people have different tastes and what floats my boat, may sink others. That said our visit to Zichichi was great both because of the wines and because of the experience. I don't tend to rate wineries based on their location (i.e. "It was such a beautiful setting"), because MANY wineries are pretty. In fact I think most in Napa and Sonoma (and Santa Barbara for that matter) have their charms, setting-wise. Again, that said, the tasting room was quaint and simple and not too kitschy and full of crappy win e paraphernalia. We were served by the owner, who was happy to tell about his techniques and philosophy of wine-making. We only tasted two wines in the tasting room, a Zin and a Petit Syrah, before heading in the barrel room for a round of barrel tasting. This was my first experience at barrel tasting and it was great to have the winemaker there to talk different stages of evolution of the wines. As others have said, I do believe this is an up-and-coming winery so you should visit now before it become overrun with newbie schleps like me. read more

While in search of another winery (the name of which no longer recall, but may also have started with a "Z"), our GPS got us spun around and out of sorts. In the end, serendipitous turn of events as a simple roadside sign touting "Barrel Tasting Today" attracted our attention and drew us in with "we're here, let'c check it out" whimsy. (Just so you know, there's a difference between Dry Creek Road and West Dry Creek Road. Maps schmaps...) The small storehouse is attached to an even smaller tasting room, but once inside, we were greeted by big smiles from the attentive hosts/vintners. Corresponding with their small facility, the winery only produces and bottles a handful of vintages per harvest year, and a limited of cases at that. Our tasting consisted of 2007(?) zinfandel, old vine zinfandel, and petite syrah(?). Each wine had a velvety feel and complex profile, but the old vine zin stood out as my favorite and most pronounced. I was nearly sold on picking up a bottle of it... Nearly. Then we were guided and toured through the storehouse for the barrel tasting that had been our impetus stopping in. After a casual brief on the Zuchichi family history and some insight of the operations of the winery, we were treated to tastes of the "futures" (vintages currently aging in oak barrels, awaiting bottling in the next few months). Of the three "futures", again the Old Vine Zin was my favorite, so much so that I committed to buying 2 bottles, contributing to a half-case purchase with Ed H. and Cobber L. Before leaving, I'd also picked up two jars of artisan Tangerine Habanero mustard to accompany our home-cooked dinner that evening. Delish! It's a friendly experience, through and through, and a fun departure from the usual tasting rooms. We were impressed and had a good time. I'm sure we'll be back. ___________________________________________ Buying wine that won't be bottled until the coming Spring... probably not what "investing in the future" means, but still. read more

I scored a free ticket to this past weekend's Dry Creek Passport event and, out of the 10 wineries we hit, Zichichi's 2009 Zinfandel future was by far the superior wine... and its not even being bottled until DECEMBER! I highly recommend grabbing purchasing some before its too late. Great patio to just chill overlooking the valley and they also carry some intriguing mustards and whatnot as well. And, if you are going to Zichichi, skip down the road a bit and check out Bella with the underground caves. read more

Stop #1 on our first day of Barrel Tasting and talk about starting off on the right foot. Doing the barrel pours were the wine maker himself and his assistant. I really enjoyed talking to them about the wine, bottling process, last year's weather and how the wine will develop in the barrel. They had Estate Zinfandel, and Old Vine Zinfandel and a Petite Sirah in the barrel. I was impressed with each one and bought futures of the Old Vine and Petite Sirah. I can't wait to see what it grows into! They have a small deck off of the tasting room with a table or two and a lovely view of the Dry Creek Valley. read more

Another great spot in the Healdsburg region. You would be hard pressed to beat the views off of the back patio overlooking their plots, especially on a nice day. Zichichi also poured the best Zins we had on our trip, especially when you head into the back for their barrel tastings. had our pockets been a little deeper, we would have taken them up on a half case of futures. Come for the view, stay for the wine and enjoy the Zins read more

Zichichi Winery - View out of the back - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Healdsburg, California

Just two wines to enjoy; Zinfandel (2 labels) and Petite Sirah. The have a Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Oakville which I was told they will not produce another Cabernet Sauvignon. Convincing wines and commanding view. Call ahead for picnicking on the balcony; a sweeping view of their estate that is perched at least 30-40 feet above the vineyard floor. The parking lot is small so I would come early. A gem to seek out. read more

This is a cool spot for a totally different wine tasting experience. As other yelpers have noted, Zichichi only does tastings (and really only sells) wine futures, meaning stuff that'll be ready months from now. It's interesting to get a taste directly from the barrel and start to understand how the wines mature. It'd be cool to taste from the barrel and also taste the previous year's finished product for a side-by-side comparison, but they're such a small winery that they completely sell out before anything is even bottled! Definitely a good spot to come to first or early in your tasting excursion, since sober taste buds are pretty paramount to the full experience. ;) read more

This is not a place for beginners. We have been going wine tasting for many years, and have been to a lot of wineries. There is no standard way wineries run their business. At Zechichi, they selling futures and that is the only way you can get their wine. The Petite Sirah is the first to sell out. They have a nice big tasting room, but no wines to try (A little funny). They will let you barrel sample. We buy their wines. read more

This was a memorable stop and the staff very informative and helpful. We were lucky to be offered a barrel tasting of two different red wines. The view is beautiful and we loved the intimacy of is vineyard. We ordered some futures and highly anticipate their arrival. After visiting some of the bigger and more commercialized wineries, this opened our eyes to a wonderful gem of a stop. read more

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I'm a huge proponent of the small family wineries in Dry Creek. In general they make some pretty darn good wine. Some wineries make a bit great, a bit good and a bit...eh. I found this to be the case with Zichichi. The smallness of the operation truly shows in the lack of variety in the wines. You can go to any winery in the area and get Zinfandel, Cab, and Petite Sirah. Kind of an underwhelming selection, except for the barrel tasting. Their 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel was clearly the best in my humble opinion. It tastes like the perfect example of old vine Dry Creek zins. I believe they have a brand new tasting room with a sweet deck overlooking the vineyard. It turned out to be a nice place to get a photo and relax for a minute. Honestly, Zichichi shouldn't be a high priority on your list, but if you're around the corner, you may as well pop in. If you like old-vine Dry Creek Zinfandel, you wouldn't mind taking home a bottle of theirs. read more

Zichichi is a perfect wine country stop. The location gives you a great view of Dry Creek Valley and the old vines are really intriguing with their thick stems that have years of grapes and stories behind them. The story behind this place gives the rest of us hope that we might some day have our own little vineyard. The wines are excellent. There was only one release for us to try when we last visited, the Old Vine Zinfandel, but it was easily one of our favorites for the trip. Additionally we got a barrel tasting of the petite sirah and promptly signed up for a three bottle shipment. If it's that good in the barrel when it's still young and still developing, it's going to be amazing in the bottle (and since we've received and enjoyed it, YES, it is). read more

My wife and I stopped by here this past weekend during a tasting extravaganza. We were only here for a moment because, unfortunately, there were only two wines to taste: the 2005 Old Vine Zin and, from the barrel, a new Cab. And they were both really good. I like Zins generally and don't have the words to really get into what the wine did for me, other than to say that it surely was tonic to come here after our experience at Preston, which is not far away. And the tasting room was gorgeous, with one of those priceless Dry Creek views that just unfolded out from the deck as if to say "why would you ever consider leaving this place?" But with only two wines to try, we had to leave. But we'll be back the next time we're in Dry Creek - without a doubt. read more

Wine: Overall, the wine was slightly above average - with one exception: the 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel, a clear stand-out winner. The nose and initial flavor were pleasant, but what bowled us over was the incredibly long and strong mocha chocolate finish. Wonderful! Other: Only one of the 4 wines we tasted were from bottles, the other 3 were thieved from barrels (fun!). Barrel tasting is always a fun experience. read more

Absolutely lovely winery! We bought a few bottles of the Estate Petite Sirah and wish we had bought a case. The Petite Sirah is so incredibly delicious. Bold, smooth, and rich. This is now a new favorite as I tend to favor Cabs. Not into futures so I was so happy to be able to purchase wine there. We will be back soon. Hope you are ok and not affected by the fires. read more

Fabulous! Zichichi winery is a must stop on any Dry Creek Road tour. Currently, they only have one varietal available bottled (2005 Old Vine Zin), but 3 available by futures (2008 Old Vine Zin, Cab, and Petite Sirah). They will taste anything they have bottled, as well as, do barrel tasting of everything else. Everything we tasted was wonderful. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. If you ever have the opportunity to grab a glass or buy a bottle of Zichichi don't think twice... it will not disappoint!! read more

By far, this is my favorite spot. This is a fantastic, smaller winery. Their four wines are priced from $30-$50, which is a bargain for their taste! Get a bottle, and sit out on their deck. Take in the view, and chat with the owners. I promise it is worth it. read more

We love Zichichi!!! We came for the first time about 3 years ago with a friend who grew up with Steve. We tasted from the barrel and purchased futures (first time doing so). We loved the wines from the barrel and they are even better as they age. We now visit Zichichi every time that we come to Sonoma!! They always take great care of our group and it is fun to receive their wine from the wine club!!! Always a great experience!! read more

Great Zins and petite Sarah not much for sell. I bought a 2014 Petite Sarah from the library which I did a side by side tasting at our rental house against the 2014 turley Presenti old vine PS from Paso Robles and it was a hard decision picking the best. read more

All barrel tasting. Great and unique experience tasting sins and petite Syrah. Very little bottled wine available largely purchase of futures. read more

I have to judge Zichichi on their Winter Wineland experience and it definitely was not my favorite. They do have a beautiful deck and the wine is good, but it definitely didn't wow me. They had barrel tasting on three of their future releases, which was nice but not super exciting. read more

Please pay no attention to sub-par reviews. The business model is that almost all his wine is sold on futures. Not a conventional tasting room. So this is not a place necessarily for newbies. I have never seen the wine in stores or restaurants. In my experience (over 40 years) these are top flight Zins (old vine) and Petite Sirahs. They need some more time in the bottle (1-2 years) after their release. You will be rewarded! I am a local and in the industry, specializing in Zinfandel. I'm just saying! read more

Old vine Zinfandels are my new favorite thing ever and the 2004 old vine zin, the first vintage of such by Zichichi Winery, is delicious and is only going to get better with age. I've tried to lay two different bottles down but have been unable to resist the velvety temptation of such beautiful complex wine, beckoning to me from within my dark closet. It also kept me off the Silver Oak and the Chateau Montelena, which is good. According to the website, the 2004 is sold out, but the 2005 old vine zin is on the way and I'm confident it will not disappoint. I found this little gem in the wine country of Healdsburg with some friends while we were out for an afternoon constitutional, trying to walk off some killer Thanksgiving hangovers. All eight of us were blown away by the zinfandel and six went in on a case of the super-special, super-green, as-yet-to-be-bottled petit verdot. Steve Zichichi, the man himself was behind the tasting counter and he graciously offered us a taste of this wine straight from the barrel. It was a bright, jammy color, with amazing viscosity for such a young wine and though the flavor profile was still clearly immature, you could just taste all the juicy yumminess that was going to come forward on the palate in due time. The tasting room is bright and large and simple, with a stone fireplace and a wide deck that overlooks the vineyard. It's a comfortable place, and Steve was a wonderful host, a patient answerer of questions and very excited by our enthusiasm for his wine. I've been back two more times. The last time to reserve two bottles of the petit verdot for my parents and to grab yet another bottle of the zin to "lay down." Of course I drank it a week later. It's too delicious. Keep an eye out for Zichichi wines. It's a young venture, but it is worthy of support from wine lovers coast to coast. Try it out and spread the word. read more

Yet another wonderful experience at Zichichi Winery on 12/30. As a local and in the industry myself I do my fair share of wine tasting on my off days. With visiting friends in town, one of them remembered visiting a few years ago and asked to go back. I am so glad we did. It's always a fun experience to taste out of the barrels. Fun to imagine what the wines will taste like in a year or two. Our host was amazing as we've tasted with him prior. It got busy and a lot of wine being ordered before we left. Thank you for the great experience. read more

Nice property that has a bit of an elevated view. You can also go down some stairs to see the vines up close. Nice staff, pleasant when asked 'how it works' over and over again. 3 tasting room wines, 3 barrel wines. All reds when we went. Not sure if they produce whites, wouldn't be surprised if they did. $10 per tasting, waived with purchase. read more

This is a true gem of Dry Creek Valley. All their wines a simply amazing and the owners and employees are very friendly. I suggest everything but the 07 and 08 Zin are drinking perfectly and the 07 Petite Sirah is simply awesome. Do not miss this winery when you hit the Dry Creek Valley! read more

The wine was OK; not my fave, but nice owners and newly-renovated tasting room is nice (small but nice)