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Papapietro Perry

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Papapietro Perry Winery

Papapietro Perry Winery

4791 Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Website: https://papapietro-perry.com/

Papapietro Perry is a little gem in the center of Dry Creek Valley.  The winery was started by friends Ben Papapietro and Bruce Perry.  Ben is a native from San Francisco of Italian descent who grew up with wine.  He learned from his grandpa who made wine in his basement.  Ben met friend and business partner Bruce Perry working together at San Francisco Newspaper Agency.  They started making garage wine as a hobby.  They both had a love for Pinot Noir.  The two friends got into the wine business after volunteering to help with harvest at a Sonoma County winery.  Now, it’s been 35 years since they’ve been making wine for their namesake winery.  Ben’s wife Yolanda joined the business in 2008, and Bruce’s wife Renae manages marketing and sales.

I wanted to visit this winery because it was recommended by locals for their great Pinot Noir.  That’s their specialty.  My husband and I visited during Passport to Dry Creek Valley weekend, which is a huge event in the sprint every year.  Each participating winery comes up with a theme and has food and wine pairings.  Their theme was The Beatles.  The winery is located in a little industrial park type area with a few wineries in the same cluster.

Papapietro Perry Barrel Room

Papapietro Perry Barrel Room

From the outside, Papapietro Perry looks like someone’s country home.  To the left of the tasting room is the barrel room inside a big garage-like structure.  During Passport weekend it was completely open with different stations for tastings.  The place was hopping with people.  We meandered through the barrel area to a huge patio on the opposite side of the tasting room.  There was a Beatles tribute band on stage.  It was like being at a friend’s outdoor party listening to music.  The patio was set up with small tables, lounge chairs, and ceiling fans overhead.  It was a totally casual environment.

A Beatles tribute band playing on Papapietro Perry's patio

A Beatles tribute band playing on Papapietro Perry’s patio

The wines live up to their reputation.  This winery is truly a place for Pinot Noir lovers.  They have so many to choose from different vineyards throughout the various AVAs in Sonoma.  My favorite of the day was the Campbell Ranch Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast.  It had lots of juicy red fruit flavors and a freshness that you would expect from the Sonoma Coast.  It paired well with the ham and beans they were serving.  I was also fond of their Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel.  It’s totally worth a visit if you are coming for Pinot Noir, but if that’s not your thing you probably want to seek out someplace else.  There are several other tasting rooms within the same block.

 

Sbragia Family Vineyards

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Sbragia Family Vineyards9990 Dry Creek Rd, Geyserville, CA 95441

Website:https://www.sbragia.com/

I visited Sbragia Family Vineyards during the Passport to Dry Creek Valley weekend.  This event has been hosted each April for the past 30+ years. Guests who want to indulge in this experience can purchase a one or two day pass to visit wineries throughout the valley, enjoying food and wine pairings at the various locations.  Each participating winery has a theme and some sort of entertainment, including live bands, barrel tastings, or games. It’s truly a fun time, but you need to prepare yourself for the large crowds.

Sbragia is in the same vicinity as Ferrari Carano off of Dry Creek Road.  To get to the winery we had to drive up a hill to the parking area following a line of cars.  This was a popular stop on the passport map. The terrace at Sbragia Family VineyardsI will say that the winning feature of this winery is the large open terrace with sprawling views of Dry Creek Valley.  It is definitely a photo opportunity. During the event there were food and wine stations set up in different sections of the terrace. There are lounge chairs, couches, tables all around the terrace.  On a less crowded day it would be the ideal tasting experience to sip wine in the fresh air relaxing on the comfy couches surrounded by the beautiful view. When we visited they had a band set up in one corner of the terrace.  Despite the large crowd, everyone was having a good time.

A view of Dry Creek Valley from Sbragia's terrace

 

There’s much more appeal to this property than just the outdoor views.  The Sbragia family’s history in Sonoma dates back to 1904 when current owner Ed Sbragia’s grandfather came over from Italy.  For the first several decades, the family grew prunes like many others in the area. It wasn’t until the 1950s when 2nd generation Gino Sbragia replanted wine grapes, mainly Zinfandel.  Even then, the family grew and sold most of their grapes to other wineries, keeping a small portion to make wine at home. Ed Sbragia grew up wanting to fulfill the dream of his father to own a family winery, and he did so, opening Sbragia Family Vineyards in August 2006.  Prior to starting the winery, Ed spent an impressive 32 years as Winemaster at the historic Beringer Vineyard in Napa Valley. Today Ed’s son is the winemaker, carrying on the legacy of his father and grandfather.

Even though most people were drawn to the terrace, I wanted to check out the interior tasting room.  It was jam packed with people. Somehow my husband and I managed to squeeze up to the tasting bar. A mural of the vineyards inside Sbragia's tasting roomThe room has a modern atmosphere with some Italian touches.  One of the focal points of the room is a pretty mural of the vineyards. Typically I think the room would feel spacious and relaxing. One of the girls behind the counter was doing her best to keep up with everyone.  She noticed I was taking some notes as she walked me through the tasting and paused when she could to provide some details on the wines. The Home Ranch Chardonnay was bright with a creamy taste of pears and tangerine.  Their interesting pairing with the Chardonnay was deviled eggs and it went well together.  The reds were the standout wines to me. The 2015 Vino Rosso Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc had a smoky barbecue smell and smooth, yummy red berry taste.  The 2014 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon was my favorite with an aroma of cinnamon, cloves, and black currant and a rich fruit taste touched with cocoa. . I was impressed with the wine and ordered some to ship home.  Sbragia has a second tasting room in downtown Sonoma and they offer several different tasting options. Check their website for details. If you are in the Dry Creek area, I would recommend going to the estate. The views are worth it!

I’d like to return to this winery on a much less busy day to truly experience the place.  We hopped around to several different tasting rooms that day, but this is the one that sticks out to me the most.  I wish I had more time to savor the wine while I was there because it was great!

 

Fritz Underground Winery

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Fritz Winery

Fritz Winery

24691 Dutcher Creek Rd, Cloverdale, CA 95425

Website: https://www.fritzwinery.com/

I have visited over 200 wineries in California, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg compared to how many are out there. I’m always intrigued by what makes each one different. What’s their “calling card” so to speak? Before I visit most wineries, I look them up online and read about their story because I want to understand what got them started. It gives me a deeper appreciation for the wine they create.

Fritz Winery is located in the northern hills of the Dry Creek Valley. What makes this winery so different is that it is underground. It is literally built into a hillside. Original founder, Arthur J. Fritz (referred to as Jay), started the winery in 1979. His son, Clay Fritz, and family run the winery today. Jay had the foresight of building an efficient, environmentally friendly place with his subterranean design that is an attribute to modern day winemaking. By being a part of the hillside, the winery is able to maintain naturally cool temperatures for cellaring and fermenting the wine. They are also able to take advantage of gravity flow to minimize any manual interference with the grapes and juice as it moves from the crush pad to the tanks and barrels.

Fritz Underground Winery

Fritz Underground Winery

When we drove up to the winery we passed by the picturesque scenery of rows and rows vines. As we walked up to the winery from the parking lot, we saw the white structure that was the front entrance with two large glass doors. The rest of the structure was completely covered in green plant life that formed the hill that the winery sits in. Off to the right is a patio with some picnic tables and red umbrellas for guests. As we walked through the big glass doors, we entered directly into the wine cave where we were surrounded by tall stainless steel fermentation tanks.

Between the wine cave and the outdoor patio there is an indoor tasting room that has a natural look and feel. The ceiling and walls are dome shaped and look like they are made of stucco. The shelving and trim around the room, as well as the tasting bar, are framed of dark wood. The square-shaped, white marble top tasting bar in the center of the room has room for a few small groups of guests at a time. Even though is inside of a hill, the room is brightened by the natural light coming in from the big glass doors leading to the patio. The patio is also pretty spacious with several tables to accommodate a few groups of guests. From the patio is a nice view of the vineyards down below.

Fritz vineyards

Fritz vineyards

Fritz is open to the public for tastings inside or for picnics on the patio. Check their website for specific days and times because they are closed a couple days during the week. You can also sign up for an underground cave tour if you reach out in advance. The winery focuses on producing wines from the Russian River and Dry Creek Valley areas, and their varietals include Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a sparkling Blanc de Noirs. My personal favorites were the Estate Zinfandel with lovely black currant flavor and the Estate Proprietor’s Red that had notes of dark fruit and spice. Both wines pair well with grilled or BBQ meat. Fritz recommends pairing their sparkling wine with a doughnut, which we tried and it did pair amazingly well.

I wasn’t sure what to expect leading up to my visit, but I left feeling pleased that I stopped in. I can sum up my overall sentiment with the 3 things I liked most about it – family run, environmental stewardship, and good wine!