Fountaingrove District occupies the volcanic hillsides rising above Santa Rosa, named for the utopian community that farmed these slopes in the late nineteenth century. The terrain is dramatic: steep, east-facing slopes with thin, rocky volcanic soils and elevations between 400 and 2000 feet. The vines sit above the marine fog that fills the lowlands, bathed in sun from morning to evening while cool air drains down from the higher ridges at night. Bordeaux varietals thrive here: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc develop genuine structure and complexity. The 2017 Tubbs Fire devastated the area, but the vineyards and wineries have largely rebuilt.
Tasting fees are per person: $ under $25 · $$ $25–50 · $$$ $50–100 · $$$$ $100+. Reserve and seated experiences may run higher.
Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher on 100 acres of hillside in the Mayacamas above Santa Rosa. The mountain estate, at 1,200 to 1,500 feet, sits in the Fountaingrove District AVA. Three second-generation siblings, Whitney, Rob, and Cameron, lead the family's classically balanced Chardonnay and Bordeaux reds.
These wineries make wine from this appellation’s grapes and pour at their own tasting rooms elsewhere in Sonoma County. Ask for it when you visit.
A small Latina-owned family estate on the volcanic hillsides above Santa Rosa, in the Fountaingrove District AVA. Winemaker Belén Ceja produces about 1,500 cases a year, anchored by an estate Cabernet Sauvignon with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, rosé of Cabernet, and a Bordeaux-style red blend. Poured from Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg.
Founded by the Hanson family in 2017; 'bricoleur' is French for a handyman who builds something thoughtful from what's at hand. Tom Pierson was promoted to winemaker in late 2025 and leads the cellar with winemaker Bob Cabral. Pond-side pavilions, bocce, and gardens surround the Rooted food-and-wine pairing. Reservations recommended.
Joe Donelan fell for the Northern Rhône and set out to replicate its elegance on Sonoma's hillside sites: single-vineyard Syrah and Chardonnay from Chalk Hill and Knights Valley. Robert Parker called the Obsidian Syrah 'a candidate for perfection.' The tasting room sits in a Santa Rosa warehouse district; family pours.
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