Winemakers preach about the glories of pairing wine with food, but can we agree that pairing wine with a view is equally essential for an epic wine tasting experience? Because the charming town of Healdsburg is surrounded by three mountain-hugged wine valleys, there are several scenic Healdsburg wineries with a view for unforgettable wine tastings. There are hundreds of wineries with charming views, so we’ve narrowed this list down to the best Healdsburg wineries in Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley, organized geographically by region, that host hilltop wine tastings with vista views. By exploring different wine regions, you’ll taste different varietals of wines and discover different vantage points in the gorgeous hills around Healdsburg, bringing more diversity and depth to your Wine Country travel experience. Many of these high-elevation, alfresco wine tastings include food pairings and require reservations, but those who welcome walk-ins are noted. Feast your eyes on Healdsburg’s Top 10 Wineries with a View.
Best Healdsburg Wineries with a View (Updated April 2024)
Jordan Vineyard & Winery
Tucked away in the rolling hills just north of downtown Healdsburg, Jordan Vineyard & Winery has been making elegant wines at its French-inspired chateau for almost 50 years. More recently, second-generation owner John Jordan has focused the winery’s hospitality around alfresco food and wine pairing experiences that allow guests to explore the 1,200-acre Jordan Estate in Alexander Valley. On the Estate Tour & Tasting, visitors get to rare glimpse inside the expansive diversified farm, which is mostly preserved natural habitat. After exploring the chef’s gardens, vineyards and nature, the tour group arrives at Vista Point, Jordan’s highest hilltop near 700 feet elevation, called the best view for wine tasting in Alexander Valley by Fodor’s. Under the shade of an open-air pavilion, guests enjoy a seated food and wine pairing presented by the estate chef—paired with panoramic views of the vast Alexander Valley stretching to the north, the Mayacamas Mountains, Russian River snaking through the hills and the base of Dry Creek Valley. The unobstructed view of Mount St. Helena in the distance, coupled with a downhill slope of Jordan malbec grapevines in the foreground, makes for a beautiful backdrop for wine tasting with gourmet food pairing. “I really enjoy getting out of the kitchen and interacting with the guests,” says Jesse Mallgren, executive chef, who is grilling meatballs tableside on this year’s Estate Tour & Tasting. A Chef’s Terrace Tasting lunch experience is also hosted at the hilltop chateau, overlooking the chef’s garden and Chateau Block Vineyard with views of Geyser Peak in the distance. Estate Tour & Tasting offered May through October by appointment; Chef’s Terrace Tasting offered July through October. $110-$160
1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg, CA, 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com
Hawkes Wines
A tiny IYKYK producer with a gift for silky-smooth cabernets and crisp chardonnays, Hawkes has been growing grapes in Alexander Valley for 50 years and today operates two tasting rooms—one in downtown Sonoma and one next to the historic Jimtown Store just outside of Healdsburg in Alexander Valley. Wine tasters who opt to visit the latter can book the Private Vineyard Tour & Tasting, which begins at the tasting room and culminates with a seated tasting and food pairing on a benchland plot above a sea of Hawkes’s estate cabernet sauvignon grapevines. Offered daily at select times, this private experience features current vintages and library wines paired with cheese, charcuterie and accoutrements from the Hawkes family farm. Sip on a beautiful vista view above the Alexander Valley floor and raise a toast to second-generation vintners Jake Hawkes and his sister, Giannina. $70
Hawkes Wine, 6734 CA-128, Healdsburg, CA, hawkeswine.com
Stonestreet Wines
Continuing east from Jordan, Stonestreet is known for crafting inky, complex red wines grown on steep slopes in the mountains of Alexander Valley. It’s a place you must visit to truly grasp the concept of mountaintop farming, and it comes with a bonus: You get to experience one of the best views for wine tasting in Sonoma County. The Jackson family, owners of Stonestreet—the middle name “Stonestreet” has been passed from father to son for three generations—offer a seasonal wine tasting experience, the Stonestreet Mountaintop Excursion ($200), which transports visitors from the tasting room to the top of their 5,000-plus-acre property on Black Mountain for a vineyard tour paired with Stonestreet Estate wines. The view of the towering mountaintops behind the picnic table, which range in elevation from 400 to 2,400 feet, and the patchwork of vineyards on the valley floor and the rolling foothills in the distance are truly spectacular. Most of the forested land has been left wild, so there’s diverse typography to behold just beyond the regeneratively farmed vineyards. Guests can opt to add a box lunch ($60 per person) or a caviar and sparkling pairing ($150 for two people). Reservations required. $200-$260
Stonestreet Wines, 7111 Highway 128, Healdsburg, CA, 707-433-9463, stonestreetwines.com
Robert Young Estate
Until recently, the Young family—seven generations and counting in the winegrowing business—hosted wine tastings in a small tasting room attached to their white-washed barn winery, next to the family home. In 2018, the family built the Robert Young Estate Scion House on the hill above the winery, a special setting surrounded by a patchwork of vineyards where many generations of Youngs have been married through the years. “We love to share our way of life, and this is one of the best views of Alexander Valley and the Mayacamas Mountains,” says Fred Young, founder and president. Ideally situated in the center of their 448-acre ranch, Scion House is now the heart of Robert Young hospitality where three wine tastings are offered by appointment, all with magic views. Both the Estate Flight (wine only) and the Scion Experience (with light local bites) take place in lounge areas on the back patio, while the Vineyard Experience (with locally sourced lunch) allows guests to appreciate the family’s 310 acres of vineyards, with equally dreamy vistas and estate wines. The most historic producer on our wineries with a view list, farming the land since 1858. $40-$150
Robert Young Estate, 5102 Red Winery Road, Geyserville, CA, ryew.com
Trattore Farms
Since opening its home ranch property to the public in 2015, Trattore Farms’s Italian farmhouse-style tasting room has been wowing guests with intriguing wines, olive oils and some of the best high-elevation views in Dry Creek Valley. The tasting room and its expansive terrace overlook steep hills dotted with olive trees and grapevines, and the sweeping views continue across the valley of old-vine zinfandel vineyards to slopes covered in fir trees. “The stunning vistas we enjoy at Trattore Farms are unique to Dry Creek Valley,” says Mary Louise Bucher, co-owner, master miller and club manager. “Sitting on a ridgetop at the far end, we can truly appreciate how pronounced and amazing this winegrowing region is. We are blessed to view it every day. It never, never gets old.” Mary Louise and her husband, Tim, started the multi-year project of building their dream winery and visitor center in 2008, after several years of producing Dry Creek Olive Company artisanal oils and Trattore Farms wines. Upon arrival, charcuterie plates and paninis are offered to guests as menu additions to enjoy on the terrace with Rhône and Italian-inspired wines. On Sundays from spring to fall, the terrace’s Mugnaini oven fires bubbling pizzas. Walk-ins are welcome at the tasting room, but reservations are recommended for large parties. $20-$125
Trattore Farms, 7878 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville, 95441, 707-431-7200, trattorefarms.com
CAST Wines
A lesser-known producer in the valley, CAST is located in between Trattore Farms and Sbragia, completing our Dry Creek Valley wineries with a view trifecta. Owners Jack and Ann Seifrick were searching for land to build a winery in 2011, and the views from the hill that is now home to their rustic-chic tasting room “cast” a spell on them, hence the name. The CAST Exploration and The Art of Sparkling tastings both include snacks, and visitors can choose from enjoying their experiences indoors with air conditioning or under the palm tree on the CAST Beach, but for the best view, opt for the Adirondack chair lounges on the upper terrace or cocktail tables on the patio, which boast an infinity view from their estate grapevines down to the valley floor vineyards—there are no railings to avoid in photos like you find at the higher-elevation terraces. For those who’d like to graze and gaze longer, CAST offers a Bring Your Own Picnic reservation where they supply the wine and the setting. Walk-ins are welcome. $40-$200
CAST Wines, 8500 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville, CA, castwines.com
Sbragia Family Vineyards
With its fascinatingly diverse panoramic view of west Dry Creek Valley, Sbragia offers wine tasting and bottle service on a spacious, covered patio overlooking the vineyards, mountains and Lake Sonoma’s dam. The Sbragia family has been in Sonoma County for over a century, arriving here from Tuscany in 1904. For years, they grew zinfandel on their property, but it wasn’t until 2006 that Ed Sbragia opened the namesake winery, after 25 years of winemaking at Beringer in Napa Valley. Ed received many accolades for his chardonnays and cabernets from the other side of the mountain, and he kept his relationships with grape growers in Napa strong, so Sbragia is one of the few Sonoma wineries where you can taste bottles of Napa cab alongside Dry Creek zins and Russian River chardonnays. His son, Adam, has taken the reins as winemaker in recent years as the fourth-generation Sbragia winegrower. Casual food options, such as charcuterie boards, burrata plates and truffled popcorn, can be reserved in advance when you book your tasting on Tock. Grab a seat at one of the lounge and savor wines from one of Sonoma County’s great family producers with Italian roots. $25-$65
Sbragia Family Vineyards, 9990 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville, CA, 707-473-2992 sbragia.com
Chalk Hill Estate
Hidden in the hills southeast of Healdsburg, Chalk Hill Estate is located in its eponymous appellation, which borders east Russian River Valley and southern Alexander Valley. Of all the wineries with a view on this list, it’s closest to Copain and then Stonestreet, if you’re plotting Healdsburg wineries with a view itinerary. Chalk Hill is surrounded by 1,300 acres of woodlands and vineyards, and its Vineyard Overlook Experience is the most accessible tasting to soak up the views while you sip. Aptly named, seated tastings take place on an elevated terrace overlooking rolling hills of vineyards. $50
Chalk Hill Estate, 10300 Chalk Hill Rd, Healdsburg, CA, chalkhill.com
Copain Wines
After apprenticing in France’s Rhône Valley, Wells Guthrie developed a European attitude toward winemaking and returned to California to create Copain, French for “friend.” He built a loyal following amongst the wine press, sommeliers and collectors for his cool-climate, lower-alcohol syrahs, pinot noirs and chardonnay, and soon established a lovely modern farmhouse winery for Copain to call home. Perched on a hilltop across the valley from William-Selyem and Rochioli, Copain hosts tastings by appointment, though same-day visitors are welcome to call ahead. Seasonal flights and a food-focused Winery Promenade & Pairings are offered seasonally from April through October when alfresco wine tasting is in its prime time. Ownership has changed—Jackson Family Wines purchased Copain in 2016—but the stunning views have not. The view is best enjoyed from the dining tables and Adirondack chairs on the edge of the property, overlooking the chardonnay-carpeted valley floor. $65-$100
Copain Wines, 7800 Eastside Road, Healdsburg, CA, copainwines.com
Gary Farrell Winery
Gary Farrell was one of the early pioneers in single-vineyard bottlings of pinot noir in the Russian River Valley in the 1980s, setting up shop at the far end of Westside Road where the river meets high hills. Though he sold his winery in 2004, the winery has remained small and keenly focused on vineyard-driven pinot noir and chardonnay from Russian River. Today, Gary Farrell is owned by lawyer-turned-vintner Bill Price, who has invested in significant winery and tasting room renovations. Their modern, sleek living room-like tasting space features lounge and dining table seating and glass walls that open to a central, shaded terrace with gorgeous views of rolling vineyards and forests beyond. Two tasting flights are offered, one of which includes artisan cheese pairing. Reservations are required, but they are happy to accommodate same-day visits with an advance call to their concierge. $55-$75
Gary Farrell Winery, 10701 Westside Road, Healdsburg, CA, garyfarrellwinery.com
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