Fort Ross Vineyard Tasting Room

Recently was tasting at Fort Ross Vineyards. I’ve now been there three times when staying in Timber Cove. Absolutely the wines and the views are breathtaking. I was so happy to have Harry working that day, since the time before was a bad experience. The people that were working were extremely unaware of wine knowledge and really didn’t care for the clients. Harry is beyond knowledgeable, and passionate about his love for wine. If you decide to visit make sure Harry will be there, it will be an experience you will not forget. Thank you Harry.

Spectacular view and totally worth the drive up the coast and hillside!!! Rarely do you get both great view with truly delicious wines… Fort Ross has it!
You will be glad your wine country visit includes this stop and tasting. The wines might be a tad pricey for some, but will not disappoint. (Tasting fee is very reasonable and waived with 2 bottle purchase.)
The tasting room attendant explains it far better, but the grapes react differently with the fog line at their altitude and often are above it so they get more full sun. Less oak is required and the taste is a bit different than others at lower altitude. The Chardonnay is particularly different and quite a treat.
Enjoy the drive, views, and wines!!! Cheers

Beautiful location, very nice tasting room, excellent knowledgable staff & interesting wines, we tried the Chardonnay 2 Pinot noir & 2 pinotage paired together with the cheese & charcuterie platter was an above average experience

Hidden little gem. My husband and saw the signs from the main road. Gentleman that helped was kind and knowledgeable. Love the drive there.

Lovely tasting, great service. We are not really white wine drinkers but we found the Chardonnay clean and gorgeous. We joined the wine club to get the Pinotage – it was amazing. Harry really knew his stuff and was very kind. We will be back!

Headed to Sonoma Coast /​County? You should definitely stop by this little winery. It’s hidden and very secluded but surprisingly very popular! I’m not sure where the visitors are coming in from since it seems a little far away from proper Sonoma. We were on the coast so it was only a fifteen minute drive from our Lodge.
What you can expect: Friendly service, clean open space, gorgeous view of the ocean and mountains, and delicious wines! We had a coupon for two complimentary tastings from our Lodge. We ended up buying a bottle of their Fort Ross Bicentennial Pinot Noir.
Tips: Leave your pup at home, they had signs saying no dogs allowed. Bring your camera, the property is beautiful. Take your time, everyone around us was drinking bottles of wine, we were the few tasting the wine, apparently we missed the memo.

A must-​go family-​run winery on the most beautiful spot of land imaginable.
Enjoy the wine in a friendly, relaxed, and welcoming tasting room. When we walked in, they welcomed us like family. There is no pretense here, just great wine served in a beautiful place. Enjoy the fantastic views from their tranquil balcony with sweeping views from the coast.
If it’s foggy on Highway 1, chances are, it’s sunny up the hill at the winery. Come out of the fog and bask in the sun on their deck.

There are few places in the world that make me feel alive again, and driving out to Fort Ross is one of them. The Pinots and Chards on the tasting menu are lovely and the views from the balcony are breath-​taking! If I ever were to have a special occasion at which I wanted to take my guests on a journey, out to Fort Ross Vineyard would be the journey I would take them on!

This was the greatest surprise of 2014 for me.
I’m a member of the industry and get around to tasting rooms frequently. I recently got excited about the new Fort Ross-​Seaview AVA status and decided to check out this site. I had no idea that this was a family-​owned operation until I got there and began learning their story. A South African family bought this property in 1988 and began planting to select clones of Burgundian varietals, but also brought something a little special with them (more later…)
LOCATION: Prime-​time, top-​notch, second-​to-​none. This is hands-​down the most coastal of all the tasting rooms in Sonoma County. Stunning and dramatic. The wines are 100% sourced from this cool, foggy, high-​elevation vineyard site.
WINES: Outstanding– the biggest surprise of all. I took a bottle of the 2012 Sea Slopes Pinot Noir in the $ 42 price point. This was a very dense, structured Pinot with tremendous ruby color, dark fruit, a firm grip on the mid-​palate and a long, earthy finish. It is more opulent on the nose, but does not disappoint at all on the palate, combining excellent acidity and a slightly-​tart fruit character with mineral, earthy nuances derived from a long growing season in thin mountain soil. I enjoy the interplay of the dark fruit with young, firm tannins but also look forward to seeing this wine in 3 – 5 years. In other words, this selection is a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir lover’s dream and an extremely versatile food pairing choice. I’d give it 93 points.
Then there was the 2007 & 2009 Pinotage– a wonderful varietal that we rarely see here. The proprietors introduced this cross-​breed of Pinot Noir and Hermitage to the Sonoma Coast AVA and it produces some stunning flavors. In a blind tasting I would have identified this as a cool-​weather Syrah– lots of eucalyptus mint, black licorice, blackberry fruit and a peppery finish. The 2007 was particularly vibrant and earthy whereas the 2009 was a bit more ripe and bombastic, but they were both stunning wines.
SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE: Again, I have only positives to offer. My hosts were wonderful, informed and engaged. Industry employees might be a bit dismayed at the wine club discount (25%) being extended rather than the standard industry rate, but this is hardly worth complaining about in my opinion. The indoor-​outdoor vibe is a huge plus. This was a wonderful experience and I will certainly be hosting friends who have yet to hear of it. This winery is in my opinion one of the better-​kept secrets in the Sonoma Coast region.
Highly recommended.

certainly way off the beaten path… but the spacious deck with the gorgeous breathtaking view on a clear day, the beautiful winery & pinots are well worth the drive. it is our nice, relaxing, laid back start of our vacation stop on our way up north…&/or…our nice, relaxing, laid back, i don’t want to go back home stop on the way back down south… even our dog hyphy, gets to enjoy the deck, the view, the expansive, nicely manicured lawn. kristen is awesome — she’s knowledgeable & friendly, always making our stop pleasant.
i truly love their 2007 & 2009 reserve pinot noir. depending on the vintage, i also loved their pinot noir, symposium & sea slopes. i can’t wait to try the terraces, which we’re laying down & waiting for at least 4 more months.
as a wine club member for 1 ½ year, my hub & i love their wine club pick up parties. they’ve got a good spread of food & they’re fun! we’ve been to two — an asian theme & mexican. i was really surprised of how well their wines paired with asian food. compared to our 3 other wine club membership that don’t have pick up parties or cost an exuberant amount, fort ross seems to value their members with their cool pick up parties & events.

We checked out Ft. Ross based on an info card posted @ Boon Hotel & Spa (another awesome place.) where we were staying for the weekend. Beautiful drive on Hwy 1 — north of Jenner and where the Russian River empties into the Pacific Ocean– the whindy road hugs the rugged coast — 5 miles feels like driving 15 — but again worth it for those stunning views. The winery is gorgeous — beautiful views — and Pinots are solid top to bottom — dog friendly which is great and Dale is a great host !

This winery is located in a beautiful location and produces very good wine. While I am no wine connoisseur, all of the wines I tasted were very good. So good in fact, that I became a member of their wine club, something I almost never do.
My personal favorite is their late harvest Chardonnay desert wine. Of course, now I need to come up with a good desert to serve along side.
You should be aware that their wines are pricy, running $ 40.00 to $ 60.00 a bottle. They also charge $ 15 per tasting. I personally dislike charging for tasting since the idea of the tasting is to get you to buy the wine.
That being said, they will waive the one tasting fee for each two bottles purchased, and I would be surprised if you left without taking a few bottles with you. Also, tasting is free to wine club members. (It is also free to join the wine club.)
They also have free wi-​fi on site, so if you absolutely must check your email you can do it here.
You should know that this winery is a bit off the beaten path. Our car’s navi system said we «reached our destination» a few hundred feet before the entry to the winery. Not a problem, we are seasoned «we will just go a bit further up the road» travelers.

We give Kristen FIVE stars — she was fabulous! We really enjoyed her. Very kind person. The view is also five stars. We really liked the Chardonnay, the light Pinot, and the late harvest wine. Bottle prices are a bit expensive though. We will certainly return to enjoy the view, a glass of wine, and Kristen’s pleasant hospitality.

The main point: Would I recommend it? No, and we will not go back. There are a plethora of other wineries with better service and better wine for far more competitive prices. To explain my critique:
Location: 5 stars. Beautiful & off the beaten path, with a lovely balcony.
Wine: 3 stars. It was fine, and wine tasting is always fun. I’d be willing to pay about $ 12 for it at the store.
Price: 2 stars. Overpriced for the perceived quality ($ 15 per tasting. If you buy 2 bottles of wine, they will then comp a single $ 15 tasting). Of all the wineries I’ve been to in Northern California, this is the worst deal on tastings I have encountered.
Service: 2 stars. We were there at 11:00am, and there was one other couple present. The server either (1) had difficulty multitasking 2 sets of customers, or (2) decided that people who look like they’ve been camping aren’t going to buy enough to deserve the same good service as other customers. Either way, this resulted in us having very long wait times & receiving bare minimum service, while the other couple was provided warm service and additional tastings. While I would have assumed they were members of the winery, from their extensive conversation it is clear that they were not.

What a lovely find. Owner of another winery near by recommended that we stop here and we were so glad we did. The setting is lovely, far views of the ocean, sophisticated tasting room, lovely deck. And the wines are REALLY good — rich in flavor and robust and smooth. We had a darling young lady serving us, Kristin. She brought us our tastes on the deck while we unpacked some cheese and crackers we had brought. She was most knowledgeable and lovely. It was a great day, a great find and suggest you go a bit out of your way to stop by!

There are some new AVAs of Sonoma County recently that I have explored. One of them is Ft. Ross/​Seaview. The very winery I went to was this place and they specialize in mostly Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. They are definitely different with the cool climate flavors yet with the high elevation production of grapes.
I was very intrigued by the pinot and chardonnay. The flavors of the pinot were earthy, blackberry and raspberries. A little deeper in color than you’d expect, but still translucent and beautiful. Great acidity. The Chardonnay almost made me want to go to the nearest fish and chip place, which would have been in Bodega Bay, and enjoy with their wine. But what blew me away the most was a very unique varietal that you don’t really find anywhere else in Sonoma County — Pinotage.
Pinotage has some serious earthy flavors (cocoa, coffee, mint), soft tannins with some eucalyptus mint. Kind of spicy finish. Very unique for me. And this is my first Pinotage and it is also a high elevation Pinotage.
Me and the group I was with were very intrigued with the Pinotage. The pourer educated us on the history and lineage of the grape (from South Africa and a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault [hermitage]). They claim to be the only producers of Pinotage in Sonoma County. So, definitely one to put in the books if you are a fan of Burgundian style wines.
So, now, I talked about the wines. What about the winery itself? It is a long drive, as it is up the coast. About 30 minutes north of Bodega Bay. Great view of the coast, as you are so high you can see above the clouds. On a clear day you can see the ocean that is miles and miles away down a stunning valley. The tasting room itself is a very modern redwood building. Concrete floors, nice countertops, clean, sleek design. Good jazz music for your enjoyment. You can do your tasting either inside or outside on the spacious deck at a nice teak table looking out at the coast.
Bring a lunch, if you are coming here, as it will probably be your only stop for the day. There are some places you can do 4 winerys a day, but this is a single winery trip.
On your way in, admire their huge bay laurel tree.
But, it is highly worth it. Check

Great Wine, amazing location.
They have a nice balcony to do tastings and we also brought a few sandwiches they let us bring in.
Must stop by on your drive through, very good estate pinot grown as close to the coast as you can get.

I was recently introduced to a Fort Ross Pinot, it was quite nice. So when we had out of town guest who wanted to go wine tasting it was a perfect opportunity to visit the tasting room. Yes, the drive was longer than we thought it was going to be. We did however find the drive to be lovely and we discovered that Fort Ross Vineyard was more than worthy of being considered a destination.
The tasting was a great experience, hosted by Don Holm who was knowledge and approachable. We all had our favorites but decided to share a bottle of the 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve with our picnic lunch and brought a bottle of the Rosé home to enjoy on one of the last dog days of summer.
Besides… they are the only ones I know of in Somona County doing a Pinotage. That in and of itself is worth the drive.

The skinny:
Unbelievable view. Seriously, check out some of the pictures, they don’t remotely do it justice. You can see from Pt. Reyes to Santa Rosa to Japan.
Just kidding about Japan. But it sure feels like it!
Now, I grew up in Fort Ross — and let me tell you, it is OUT there. You think Bodega Bay and Jenner are far from civilization?
BUT
Sometimes, that’s exactly what you need. And when you make the trip, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. The drive is awesome, the sea is incredible, the view at the top of that ridge is utterly breathtaking.
The winery itself is breathtaking, a true rustic wonderland. This is especially apparent from the beautiful 2^nd story deck that overlooks the place. Good service, some very good wines, and some wonderful conversations. It’s never crowded (big plus) and they’re always friendly.
Worth the trip. Spend a day up in the woods! Check this place out, Fort Ross State Park, and the Timber Cove inn. Come at the right time of year and there’s no better place for fresh-​caught seafood!

I work in the wine industry (at a «destination» winery near downtown Sonoma), and I discovered Ft Ross wines at a «Napa vs Sonoma Showdown» where I was pouring wine for one of the «competing» wineries at the event that night. On one of the few breaks I had, I decided to go into the «Sonoma» room to check out some wines. Luckily I stopped in at the Ft Ross table, and tried several of their pinot noirs. Two (out of 4) blew me away. Ever since then I’ve been telling people about their pinot. Once I heard that they had a new tasting room, with views all the way to the ocean, yet above the fogline, with vineyards nearby, no-​brainer! I HAD to go. I finally did and met Damian, who poured all the available wines they had for me and was extremely attentive. The locale is GORGEOUS, both inside and out, the surrounding nature is picturesque Northern California coastal woods. I think their wine is of high quality, I wasn’t a fan of every single pinot there but that’s normal, it’s rare that you’re going to be a fan of every wine on a particular tasting menu, as wine preference completely depends on one’s palate, and every person’s palate is individual and subjective. Just because you don’t like a wine, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s «bad» or «just ok». I discovered this at my current job.
If you’re not a pinot/​chardonnay fan, you might not have a great time there, and you should probably go somewhere else. But if you are a pinot/​chardonnay fan, and you enjoy stunningly beautiful scenic coastal drives through wine country and along the coast and up into the coastal mountains and Redwoods, this winery/​vineyard combines all of that. It’s extremely rare to be able to visit a winery that offers quality wine, and lets you see the ocean all in one shot. Fort Ross does that. I’d give them 5 stars if they had more varietals. And I’m not a white wine fan either (regardless of the winery, I just don’t drink whites), and I’m still developing a taste for pinotage which is definitely interesting but I’ve gotta try some more. I realize their location (so close to the coast) doesn’t exactly allow for growing an extensive varietal collection, maybe it’s not fair to «dock» them one star for that, but hey, who said quarterback wine critics are fair? So 4 stars for me. I will definitely be taking pinot fans back there in the future.