Crafting tours since 1999
Gary Farrell has been making Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay since 1982, working through long-standing vineyard partnerships rather than a single estate. That means a tasting here moves across several of the valley's better sites in one sitting.
The winery sits up on Westside Road with a view across the valley, and Michael's ambiance score of 9 is about as high as this collection goes. The house attitude is refreshingly unfussy: they take the winemaking seriously, then hand the bottle over and let you get on with it. Appointments required. Combined with a wine score of 8, this is one of the strongest overall stops on a Russian River Valley itinerary, and the view alone justifies the drive up.
