A working family farm at the northern end of Alexander Valley, 45 sustainably farmed acres on Chianti Mountain, including 1908 Zinfandel vines still producing. Jim Rickards bought the ranch in 1976 and revived the old vineyard; the winery launched in 2005. The Darn Fine Brown Barn anchors a hospitable visit.
J. Rickards Winery is a working family farm at the northern end of Alexander Valley — 45 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards on Chianti Mountain, including original Zinfandel vines planted in 1908 that still produce today. Jim Rickards bought the ranch in 1976 and revived the old vineyard before adding Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Bordeaux varieties; his wife Eliza joined the operation in 1991, and the winery itself launched in 2005. The Darn Fine Brown Barn — built in 1997 to house tractors and gradually evolved into the tasting room — anchors a casual, deeply hospitable visit experience that has become quietly noteworthy among Alexander Valley regulars.
Old Vine Zinfandel, Alexander Valley — An estate field blend from 100-plus-year-old vines (planted in 1908), mostly Zinfandel with Petite Sirah and Mataro; deep, structured and supple.
Five Sisters Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley — An estate Bordeaux blend (Cabernet with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec) that has earned Best of Class and a 96-point score.
Brown Barn Petite Sirah, Alexander Valley — A gold-medal estate Petite Sirah, dark and powerfully tannic.
Croft Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Alexander Valley — A Double Gold–winning estate white, crisp and aromatic.
Salem Ranch Viognier — An aromatic white from the estate's holdings; the winery also bottles a well-regarded Sémillon.
Jim and Eliza Rickards founded the winery in 2005, building on vines Jim has grown since 1978 around the original 1908 Zinfandel planting at the north end of Alexander Valley. Fruit also goes to neighbors like Silver Oak; the family's own small-lot wines are found almost only at the winery.
The estate sits at the foot of Chianti Mountain on the Cloverdale side of Alexander Valley — far enough north that visitors rarely arrive by accident, which suits the family-run character of the place. Tastings are casual: walk-in or call ahead Monday through Thursday, by appointment Friday and Saturday, with outdoor seating both covered and open under valley views. The wine cave is genuinely worth the visit — cool, dim, and a welcome contrast to the warm Cloverdale afternoons. Wines are hand-crafted in small lots, with Zinfandel from the 1908 block forming the historical heart of the lineup alongside Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Carignane, and a range of small-production whites. The $20 flight is waived with a two-bottle purchase or club membership. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, picnics are encouraged with 48-hour notice for box lunches from Big John's Market in Healdsburg, and vineyard tours can be added to any reservation.
Jim Rickards founded J. Rickards Winery with his wife Eliza in 2005, though his roots in the ground run far deeper: he bought the 60-acre ranch on the eastern slope of Cloverdale's Chianti Mountain in 1976 and has been one of northern Alexander Valley's foremost growers ever since. The estate's signature is its 1908 old-vine Zinfandel field blend, vinified as the Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel, alongside Cabernet, Petite Sirah, Malbec, and other Bordeaux varieties farmed sustainably across the property. Tastings happen in the rustic 'Darn Fine Brown Barn' and an engineered underground wine cave overlooking the valley.
Eliza Rickards is co-owner and proprietor of J. Rickards, the Cloverdale winery she built alongside her husband Jim at the northern end of Alexander Valley. Jim bought the 60-acre ranch in 1976 and revived its original 1908 Zinfandel vineyard — planted by Rosa Brignole of the Italian-Swiss Colony — but it was when Eliza joined him in 1991 that the estate took its modern shape, adding Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Bordeaux varieties across the hillsides. The couple opened the winery in 2005, and Eliza helps steward both the historic vines and the family operation.
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Old Vine Zinfandel, Alexander Valley — An estate field blend from 100-plus-year-old vines (planted in 1908), mostly Zinfandel with Petite Sirah and Mataro; deep, structured and supple.
Five Sisters Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley — An estate Bordeaux blend (Cabernet with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec) that has earned Best of Class and a 96-point score.
Brown Barn Petite Sirah, Alexander Valley — A gold-medal estate Petite Sirah, dark and powerfully tannic.
Croft Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Alexander Valley — A Double Gold–winning estate white, crisp and aromatic.
Salem Ranch Viognier — An aromatic white from the estate's holdings; the winery also bottles a well-regarded Sémillon.
Jim and Eliza Rickards founded the winery in 2005, building on vines Jim has grown since 1978 around the original 1908 Zinfandel planting at the north end of Alexander Valley. Fruit also goes to neighbors like Silver Oak; the family's own small-lot wines are found almost only at the winery.
J. Rickards Winery is a working family farm at the northern end of Alexander Valley — 45 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards on Chianti Mountain, including original Zinfandel vines planted in 1908 that still produce today. Jim Rickards bought the ranch in 1976 and revived the old vineyard before adding Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Bordeaux varieties; his wife Eliza joined the operation in 1991, and the winery itself launched in 2005. The Darn Fine Brown Barn — built in 1997 to house tractors and gradually evolved into the tasting room — anchors a casual, deeply hospitable visit experience that has become quietly noteworthy among Alexander Valley regulars.
The estate sits at the foot of Chianti Mountain on the Cloverdale side of Alexander Valley — far enough north that visitors rarely arrive by accident, which suits the family-run character of the place. Tastings are casual: walk-in or call ahead Monday through Thursday, by appointment Friday and Saturday, with outdoor seating both covered and open under valley views. The wine cave is genuinely worth the visit — cool, dim, and a welcome contrast to the warm Cloverdale afternoons. Wines are hand-crafted in small lots, with Zinfandel from the 1908 block forming the historical heart of the lineup alongside Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Carignane, and a range of small-production whites. The $20 flight is waived with a two-bottle purchase or club membership. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, picnics are encouraged with 48-hour notice for box lunches from Big John's Market in Healdsburg, and vineyard tours can be added to any reservation.
Jim Rickards founded J. Rickards Winery with his wife Eliza in 2005, though his roots in the ground run far deeper: he bought the 60-acre ranch on the eastern slope of Cloverdale's Chianti Mountain in 1976 and has been one of northern Alexander Valley's foremost growers ever since. The estate's signature is its 1908 old-vine Zinfandel field blend, vinified as the Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel, alongside Cabernet, Petite Sirah, Malbec, and other Bordeaux varieties farmed sustainably across the property. Tastings happen in the rustic 'Darn Fine Brown Barn' and an engineered underground wine cave overlooking the valley.
Eliza Rickards is co-owner and proprietor of J. Rickards, the Cloverdale winery she built alongside her husband Jim at the northern end of Alexander Valley. Jim bought the 60-acre ranch in 1976 and revived its original 1908 Zinfandel vineyard — planted by Rosa Brignole of the Italian-Swiss Colony — but it was when Eliza joined him in 1991 that the estate took its modern shape, adding Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Bordeaux varieties across the hillsides. The couple opened the winery in 2005, and Eliza helps steward both the historic vines and the family operation.
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