Winegrowers Of Dry Creek Valley

Among our favorite discoveries was Mauritson. They truly went all out! We tried their reasonably priced and delicious Sauvignon Blanc, which paired perfectly with a tasty buffalo cauliflower dish. Their red wines were served alongside an amazing cassoulet and a delectable French dip sandwich, all prepared by Charlie Palmer's culinary team, who were even present to sign copies of his new cookbook. We also really enjoyed our time at Truett Hurst, with its lovely patio and their outstanding Salmon Run Rosé and Red Rooster Zinfandel. The barrel tasting at Red Rooster was both fun and educational. To wrap up one of our days, we visited Fritz. It’s a treat with its cave, fine wines, and wonderful hospitality. The deck offers a stunning view, and the round tasting room has a unique charm. On our second day, we ended our experience at Seghesio in Healdsburg amid its elegant setting. The atmosphere was relaxed and beautiful, highlighted by great music and an incredible shrimp risotto alongside homemade sausage sandwiches. Finishing off with a taste of their excellent Zinfandel was the perfect way to conclude a fantastic event.

Most of the participating wineries are stunning, and some offer breathtaking views. Those without scenic views more than made up for it with great entertainment and delicious food. It wasn’t crowded, and since the wineries are spread out across the area, the flow of people moving from one to the next was manageable. The entire atmosphere felt fun and festive. If you’re a foodie or a wine lover, you absolutely have to experience this next year! We had an amazing weekend and managed to visit over half of the wineries on the list. Here are a few that really stood out to me. We kicked off our weekend at Da Vero, a quaint and charming winery. They set up most of the tastings in their lovely garden, providing a wonderful start to our Passport journey. I would definitely return here. Next, we made a brief stop at some tasting rooms in Healdsburg. While the setting in industrial warehouses next to each other wasn't ideal, each winery put forth effort to entertain their guests uniquely. Seghesio was a standout with their lively band and garden setup, while Selby had a fun Mardi Gras theme. However, the highlight was definitely A. Rafanelli, which consistently impresses with a vast array of delectable food and generous pours of their outstanding wines. They don’t have parking, so you have to park on the road, and they shuttle you to the entrance. We waited about an hour, but it was worth it. Ferrari-Carano was a close second, offering a well-rounded experience. Their tasting stations were beautifully spread along a pathway that wound through barrels and into a stunning garden. I completely fell in love with their Baci dessert wine, and their prices were very reasonable. Wilson had a lovely deck overlooking the vines, and we took a lengthy break there, sipping on their Zinfandel. Mauritson, though small, was delightful with excellent prices for their fantastic Zinfandel and Malbec. I particularly enjoyed a salad with salmon that paired wonderfully with the tastings. Mazzocco had outdoor table settings and award-winning wines. We lingered here, enjoying the vibrant band and the fun atmosphere—they're definitely a must-visit. Amista was another enjoyable stop with gourmet chocolates, sparkling wine, clams, and art. As for Michel Schlumberger, to be honest, I felt too full and tired to appreciate it fully. I did manage to taste some wine, but the details escape me. They have a lovely little courtyard that I enjoyed while waiting for my friends to finish their tastings. They were serving pizza too. One of my friends lost her wine glass, and the staff member at the front desk was unhelpful about it (we had no problems getting a replacement at our next stop). I ended up giving her my glass and took a moment to rest. Kachina had a Hawaiian theme going on with a whole smoked pig being served on-site, plus chocolate tastings, although they wouldn’t allow us a second chocolate taste. Gopfrich featured a nice courtyard, live music, and delicious crepes—a fun winery to check out. Raymond Burr was a tiny family-owned winery that served some excellent finger foods. My friend (the only one still able to taste at this point) really enjoyed their wine. Unfortunately, by the time we reached Bella, just the thought of more food or wine made me feel nauseous, so I sat back and enjoyed the views from their garden on the hill, listening to live music while watching others enjoy their lobster rolls. They also have a charming wine cave. Finally, Sbragia offered one of the best views from a spacious outdoor setting at the top of a hill, complete with live music and superb pizza. I neglected to take notes on which wines I liked there, but overall, it was an unforgettable experience!

The group I attended this event with were all first-time visitors, and we were all pleasantly surprised by the organization of the event. Great job, Passport crew! We participated on both days and visited a total of 16 out of 50 wineries. Our goal was to taste wines at the recommended wineries rather than rush through as many as possible. The pairings at each winery were truly impressive—it’s definitely an event you don’t want to miss! While we can't expect the same level of service at every winery, there was one winery, which I won't name, that fell short from the moment we arrived. There's not much you can do in that situation except move on. Overall, it was a fantastic event with delicious food paired perfectly with the wines. Cheers! O

I was really excited to be able to attend Passport to Dry Creek this year because I had always heard it was one of the best winery events. The event is a two day event from 11 to 4pm with over 40 wineries and restaurants involved. The price of a ticket was $120, more expensive than barrel tasting, but extremely worth it. This lets the winery do more for the event. Each winery had food pairings that were quite sizable. Everyone poured their current releases and a lot of wineries poured futures at great prices. The best part of passport was that wineries held themed events. Some of the themes I saw where mafia, Caribbean, Mardi Gras, Safari, Tuscany, Saloon, Heaven and Hell, and lots more. They really created nice atmospheres. There was no really big crowds which topped of the whole event. Only thing I would improve was the fact that there were no extra dump buckets at any of the wineries and not many vegetarian options!