10 Best Sights in Geyserville, Napa and Sonoma

During private tastings at this 100-acre property, you may find yourself swept away by husband-and-wife Justin Miller and Karin Warnelius-Miller's passion for their land and determination to craft collector-worthy wines. Justin grew up on the ranch, which his father purchased in 1963; Karin's Swedish-born parents owned vineyards and a winery nearby. Just as his father became an early Alexander Valley adopter of Cabernet Sauvignon, well before many of his peers, Justin embraced sustainable practices early on. Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and the rare-in-California Scheurebe are among the white grapes grown here; Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals go into the flagship Tesserae red blend. Justin and Karin jointly make their small label's wines, only releasing the red after eight years in bottle. Supple upon release, it's built to last. Appointment-only two-hour tastings (book well ahead) include a vineyard tour; there's also a 2½-hour Cabernet library session.

Panoramic Alexander Valley views unfold at Scion House, the stylish yet informal knoll-top tasting space of this longtime Geyserville grower. The first Youngs began farming this land in the mid-1800s, raising cattle and growing wheat, prunes, and other crops. In the 1960s the late Robert Young, of the third generation, began cultivating grapes, eventually planting two Chardonnay clones now named for him. Grapes from them go into the Area 27 Chardonnay, among the best whites. The reds—small-lot Cabernet Sauvignons plus individual bottlings of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot—shine even brighter. Tastings at Scion House, named for the fourth generation, whose members built on Robert Young's legacy and established the winery, are by appointment. Call ahead for same-day reservations. Cab fanatics should consider the Ultimate Cabernet Lovers Experience of top-tier estate wines.

Sister-and-brother team Lisa and Mark Mazzoni (she runs the business, he makes the wines) debuted their small winery's first vintage in 2014, but their Italian American family's wine-making heritage stretches back more than a century. Named for the siblings' great aunt Lena, known for her hospitality, Zialena specializes in estate-grown Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, some of whose lush mouthfeel derives from techniques Mark absorbed while working for the international consultant Philippe Melka. The Zin and Cab grapes, along with Chardonnay and Sangiovese for the seductive rosé, come from the 120-acre Mazzoni Vineyard, from which larger labels like Jordan also source fruit. Tastings are by appointment only, with same-day visits often possible.

Brook Bannister's appreciation for his mother's wine-industry achievements inspired him to, as he puts it, forsake his career as a furniture maker "to keep her dream alive." That dream, which Martha "Marty" Bannister initiated in 1989, was to make layered, graceful age-worthy wines. Brook continues this tradition with the core lineup of Chardonnay, Riesling, several Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandel, supplemented in recent years by wines from lesser-known grapes. In 2022, Bannister Wines opened a gallery-style tasting room in the 1901 Geyserville Bank structure. Full of stories all its own, it's a fanciful space to sample Brook's well-crafted wines and learn more about this multigenerational labor of love.

A small-batch winery that produced its first 10 vintages in a garage, Crux validates the notion that superior fruit and an individual perspective can trump high-tech equipment and a textbook approach. Viognier, Grenache, Syrah, and a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvѐdre) blend are the wines to seek out, but there's not a bad sip in Steven Gower and Brian Callahan's mostly Rhône-grape lineup, which also includes Grenache Blanc, a GSM rosé, Mourvѐdre, and Petite Sirah. The winemakers grow six varietals (including non-Rhône Zinfandel) at side-by-side estate Russian River Valley vineyards and purchase grapes, too. The two host tastings in the industrial-park space where they make their wines. The setting is bare-bones, but if you're looking to tap into the passion that drives Sonoma County's grassroots "handmade wines" scene, you'll likely find a stop here enlightening.  

One of the Dry Creek Valley's least pretentious wineries, David Coffaro specializes in red blends and single-varietal wines from grapes grown on a 20-acre estate. Zinfandel and Petite Sirah are strong suits, but Coffaro and his team also make wines using Lagrein, Aglianico, and other less familiar grapes. These also find their way into his unique blends, including the Rhône-style Terre Melange, with Peloursin and Carignane added to the usual Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre mix.

The fun at what the film director has called his "wine wonderland," since 2021 owned by Delicato Family Wines, is all in the excess. You may find it hard to resist having your photo snapped standing next to Don Corleone's desk from The Godfather or beside other movie memorabilia. A bandstand reminiscent of one in The Godfather Part II is the centerpiece of a large pool area where you can rent a changing room, complete with shower, and lounge poolside, perhaps ordering food from the adjacent café. A more elaborate restaurant, Rustic, overlooks the vineyards. As for the wines, the excess continues in the cellar, where the team produces several dozen single-varietal bottlings and blends. You don't need an appointment to taste at the bar but do for seated experiences. All memorabilia may not be on display when you visit—items are sometimes on loan.

If you're serious about wine, this tasting room is worth the trek 8 miles north of Healdsburg Plaza to downtown Geyserville. Connoisseurs who appreciate the owners' ability to spot up-and-comers head here regularly to sample the output of 10 or so small wineries, most without their own tasting rooms. There's no fee to sip—extraordinary for wines of this quality—and the well-versed staffers are happy to pour you a flight of several wines so you can compare, say, different Cabernet Sauvignons.

The tectonic shifts that created the Dry Creek Valley reveal themselves at this winery atop one of several abruptly rolling hills tamed only partially by grapevines and olive trees. Food offerings vary by day and time of year but might include cheeses, charcuterie, panini, and wood-fired pizzas. The main events, though, are the views and the Rhône-style wines, among them a Marsanne-Roussanne white blend and reds that range from Grenache to the Proprietor's Reserve GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre). Trattore Farms also makes Cabernet Sauvignon and a Cab-Zinfandel blend. You'll get a feel for the rollicking terrain on the fun (by appointment only) Get Your Boots Dirty vineyard, olive orchard, and mill tour in a Kawasaki 4x4. Reservations for tastings are recommended, especially on weekends. To fully enjoy those valley views, book a seated outdoor tasting.

Zinfandel and La Storia Cuvée 32 (a "Super Tuscan"–style blend of Sangiovese and several other grapes) are among the strong suits of this Alexander Valley stalwart. The late Leo and Evelyn Trentadue, credited with planting the first vines in the Geyserville area since the Prohibition era, established the winery in 1959. The lineup also includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and dessert wines, all moderately priced. Tastings take place inside an ivy-covered villa, in a courtyard, and under an arbor. All visits require an appointment, with same-day visits usually possible.