Tours & Events

There are often specialized wine events being offered in Sonoma County. Check out www.wineroad.com and Healdsburg.com for listings of the growing number of excuses to get out and enjoy the natural beauty and diverse flavors Northern California has to offer! The Green Machine will customize your wine tour to your specific needs, including stops at wineries that excel in your favorite varietals, and other points of personal interest. If you have a favorite restaurant that you would like to include in your tour, I will be happy to recommend one for you, and arrange reservations, or pick up prepared lunches for us to enjoy along the way.


Russian River Valley Tour

Our tour will begin bright and early as the mist rises along the bends of the Russian River. There is no better way to toast the promise of a new day than with a glass of sparkling wine raised in friendship. Our first stop will be Korbel Winery , in the heart of the Russian River Valley. Korbel was established in 1882 and has been producing sparkling wines and enhancing celebrations for over 120 years. Here you will have the option of taking a garden or champagne cellar tour in addition to tasting the wide array of choices in wines Korbel has to offer. Among the majestic redwoods that have stood through time, you will learn a little history about the Russian River Valley and enjoy the artful tradition of champagne production. Tasting and tour are complimentary.

Our next stop will be Gary Farrell . Handcrafted wines of superior quality and a lovely hilltop view entice us not to skip this stop. If you chose not to take the tour at Korbel, we might indulge in a cheese pairing tour here, at Gary Farrell ($15 per person). Sipping a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or one of his famous Pinot Noirs while watching red tailed hawks circle in the sky, the view of the river valley spreads out below us. There is a $5.00 tasting fee, not refundable with purchase.

Just down the road our next visit will be to Moshin Vineyards . Here you can enjoy wines from Moshin, Banyan and Hobo labels, which are just a few of the wine labels being produced in this small facility. This is one of those places where you can really feel the love from the staff to the glass. Several of the winemakers have chosen grapes that are organically and sustainably farmed, and a biodynamic demonstration garden is being installed. Tasting is complimentary.

Last stop; Arista Winery . This winery is tucked into a landscaped Japanese garden, where relaxing beside a trickling waterfall while sipping small production wines is a treat. These newcomers are already creating award winning wines and attracting attention with their unique flavors and style. It seems fitting to start our day with a trip to the past at one of the oldest wineries in the Russian River valley, and complete our day at the newest. Tasting is complimentary.

Westside Road Tour

Our Westside road tour begins at Alderbrook Winery . Located in the town of Healdsburg, Alderbrook offers a wide selection of varietals to choose from and has a sweet store for browsing wine related merchandise. Award winning wines (9 at the Harvest Fair alone this year!) and a delightful location will start our day on the right foot.

Next on our tour we will be visiting Armida Winery . Armida has always been one of my personal favorites; with incredible wines, charming staff, fabulous views and picnicking area, and a sense of humor, you will also feel the same way. This is my favorite spot to stop and enjoy our lunches or cheese plate while sampling the spectrum of wines Armida has to offer. Tasting is complimentary.

Just up the road we will stop at De La Montanya Winery . This family owned winery has a small production of 20 different wines. There is something here to please every palette. From the whimsical pin up series which has attracted a cult following, to the Generations series which benefits the Make a Wish Foundation, to the award winning bottles of wine, this stop is one you'll remember.

Next destination; Belvedere Vineyards and Winery . Having won the double gold for their chardonnay at both the Harvest fair and the San Francisco Chronicle competition this year, even red wine die hards will appreciate the artful winemaking that has gone into this wine. Belvedere also produces several other tantalizing varietals, and is a member of the green Business Association, farming and producing with lower energy usage and water conservation techniques that preserve the environment. Tasting is complimentary.

Most groups are done tasting by this point, but I will attempt to keep you on a schedule so you won't miss the last stop, historic Hop Kiln winery . This has been a working ranch since the mid 1800's, and was once a flourishing hop farm in the first half of the 1900's. While grapes have always been grown on the ranch for personal use, this winery began production in 1972. There are several styles to choose from, as well as a smorgasbord of gourmet condiments and accessories to take home. Tasting is complimentary.

Downtown Healdsburg Tour
$35.00 per person

I have decided to offer a discounted tour for guests that need a ride to the bucolic town of Healdsburg, but would enjoy visiting the wineries of their choice at their own pace. This tour is a walking tour, primarily, and is the greenest of all of my tours, as it requires very little driving, and therefore very little biofuel. I will pick up guests and bring them to downtown Healdsburg and offer maps and advice about which tasting rooms they might want to visit. I will remain by the Green Machine, so that people can stop by and load up their purchases and continue shopping. At around 2:00, I will suggest that we meet for a cheese plate in the square, and then head over to the new complex by the bridge, where several other wineries have converged with a picturesque view of the Russian River surging past. As the tasting rooms close, we will meet again at the Green Machine, where I will safely return you to your lodging to prepare for your evenings.