Day Trip to the Russian River Valley - Sonoma Co.

This is a quick and rewarding wine country getaway for visitors who only have one day to travel to the wine country.  The Russian River Valley in Sonoma County is filled with numerous small country roads that lead to wonderful and exciting wineries and other delights. We took this winter getaway on a very cold and foggy day in January. The fog adds a certain mystical touch to the dormant rows of vineyards. It is very beautiful.

Take the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway 101 to Santa Rosa, about an hour’s driving time from the bridge. Take the River Road/Mark West turn off at the north end of Santa Rosa. Take a left and travel west along River Road for two miles to the Martinelli Winery.

Martinelli Winery

The Martinelli Winery is one of the oldest wineries in California, having been founded in 1896. It is now in its fifth generation of family operation. The Pinot Noirs are excellent as well as the Zinfandel from the Jackass Hill vineyard. Martinelli also makes one of California’s finest Gewurztraminers.

Continue along River Road for another mile and turn left onto Olivet Road. Olivet Road is a quiet and secluded four-mile country road where six wineries reside. Our recommended wineries on this visit are the Harvest Moon and the Hook & Ladder wineries. See our Olivet Wine Trail for descriptions of the other wineries on this trail.

Harvest Moon Winery

Travel one mile along Olivet Road and watch for the Harvest Moon Winery on the left. Randy Pitts is the winegrower and winemaker at this small family-owned winery. Case production is only 2000 cases. The flagship wine is the Pitts Home Ranch Zinfandel. This Zin is made to go with food. Harvest Moon also produces a very nice dry and an off-dry Gewürztraminer. 

Hook and Ladder Winery

Hook and Ladder is a recent addition to the Olivet Road wine trail. The owner is Cecil De Loach the former owner of De Loach Winery (down at the opposite end of Olivet Road.) now owned by Boisset America. Cecil is a former San Francisco fireman, hence the name of the winery, Hook & Ladder. Cecil had the good fortune of purchasing a large number of acres of land in the Russian River Valley and nearby in the Chalkhill area in the 1970’s. There are many good choices of wines here and most at very reasonable prices.

Lunch in Graton
Two Choices: Underwood Café or the Willow Wood Market & Cafe

Continue down Olivet Road from Hook & Ladder. You will pass several other interesting wineries. Turn right at Guerneville Road and travel a couple of miles to where Guerneville Road meets Highway 116. Turn left onto Highway 116, the Gravenstein Highway.  In a short distance you will spot the signs for the tiny town of Graton. Head down Graton road to the town center, all of two blocks long.

The Underwood Café and the Willow Wood Market & Café are directly across the street from one another. Both have the same owners. The Underwood is a little classier and more upscale that Willow Wood. The Willow Wood is more casual and café like. Either spot is just perfect for lunch. As you work your way back to San Francisco via Sebastopol, you may want to try one more winery.

Taft Street Winery – The Bargain Hunter’s Winery.

From Graton, drive back up the hill and turn right at Highway 116. Travel one mile and turn right onto Occidental Road and look for Barlow Lane about a half-mile down Occidental. Turn left and Taft Street Winery is on your immediate right. We always find a bargain at this winery. On our visit in January we purchased a case of 2004 Sauvignon Blanc for a measly $72.   They needed to make room for their 2005 vintage of this very nice Sauvignon Blanc. We also recommend the Taft Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley; it is a delicious wine.

From Taft Winery, head back to San Francisco by continuing on Highway 116 to Highway 101 and then south on 101 to San Francisco. As you make your way through the Sebastopol area, you may be tempted to stop at one of the many antique stores or browse the boutique shops in the town of Sebastopol.