Founded in 1979, St. Francis has spent over four decades on elegant, fruit-driven Sonoma wines — Cabernet and Zinfandel from Dry Creek hillsides, Chardonnay and Merlot from Sonoma Valley, Pinot from Russian River. Its national reputation rests on Chef Peter Janiak's seated wine-and-food pairings, repeatedly ranked among OpenTable's best.
St. Francis Winery has been producing Sonoma Valley wines since 1979, with a particular reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from estate and sourced vineyards across the appellation. The Old Vines Zinfandel is among the best values in California for the variety — consistently ripe, structured, and food-friendly. The Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon is similarly well-regarded. The winery is also known for its food-and-wine pairing programs at the tasting room, which have become a template for Wine Country hospitality.
Old Vines Zinfandel, Sonoma County — Sourced from heritage vineyards in Sonoma, Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valleys, many head-pruned and dry-farmed on 50-to-100-year-old vines. The Press Democrat's Wine of the Week and the everyday Zinfandel that anchors the house. ~$22.
Behler Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Valley — From the original 1971 estate plantings in Kenwood; aged 20 months in 100% new French oak. The benchmark for what the founding Behler Ranch can do.
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley — Chris Louton's flagship Bordeaux — 87% Cab with Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, 18 months in French oak. Black cherry, dried herbs, anise, baking spice.
Sonoma County Pinot Noir — Katie Madigan's everyday Pinot from Sonoma Valley and Russian River vineyards — night-picked, fruit-driven, fairly priced.
Sonoma Valley Merlot — The varietal Joe Martin first planted in the appellation in 1971; still anchors the property's identity. Tom Mackey-era Master of Merlot DNA, contemporary restraint.
St. Francis has spent more than fifty years crafting elegant, fruit-driven wines from across Sonoma County — Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from Dry Creek hillsides, Chardonnay and Merlot from original Sonoma Valley vineyards, Pinot Noir from Russian River. The estate farms over 400 certified sustainable acres and is led by winemakers Katie Madigan and Chris Louton. The Tuscan-inspired tasting room is a destination in its own right, but the winery's national reputation rests on Executive Chef Peter Janiak's seated wine-and-food pairings — routinely ranked among OpenTable's best in the country. Artisan flights and Tower tastings in the redwood grove extend the visit for serious drinkers. Walk-ins welcome; reservations encouraged for groups.
St. Francis runs a two-winemaker structure under Katie Madigan (Burgundy and Zinfandel) and Chris Louton (Bordeaux varieties and Sauvignon Blanc). Madigan is a UC Santa Barbara chemistry major who joined St. Francis as a harvest intern in 2002, became a lab tech, then earned her Enology & Viticulture degree from UC Davis in 2005 while working her way up to Winemaker in 2011. She was named Best Woman Winemaker at the 2015 International Women's Wine Competition and Zinfandel Producer of the Year at the California Zinfandel Championship in 2014 and 2015. She oversees the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Old Vines Zinfandel programs and championed night-picking of all Chardonnay fruit early in her tenure. Louton has overseen the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc programs since 2013, including the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sonoma Valley Merlot within the Reserve portfolio. Both winemakers inherited the stylistic lineage of founding winemaker Tom Mackey — named "Master of Merlot" by Wine Spectator — who shaped St. Francis from 1983 to 2011.
Executive Chef Peter Janiak leads the acclaimed culinary program at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, whose seasonal wine-and-food pairings have made the estate one of Sonoma Valley's premier tasting destinations. Working from the winery's mission-style home at the foot of the Mayacamas, he designs multi-course, small-plate pairings built around the Artisan Collection wines and local, seasonal ingredients. The program has earned national recognition, repeatedly ranked among the country's best winery food-and-wine experiences.
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Old Vines Zinfandel, Sonoma County — Sourced from heritage vineyards in Sonoma, Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valleys, many head-pruned and dry-farmed on 50-to-100-year-old vines. The Press Democrat's Wine of the Week and the everyday Zinfandel that anchors the house. ~$22.
Behler Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Valley — From the original 1971 estate plantings in Kenwood; aged 20 months in 100% new French oak. The benchmark for what the founding Behler Ranch can do.
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley — Chris Louton's flagship Bordeaux — 87% Cab with Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, 18 months in French oak. Black cherry, dried herbs, anise, baking spice.
Sonoma County Pinot Noir — Katie Madigan's everyday Pinot from Sonoma Valley and Russian River vineyards — night-picked, fruit-driven, fairly priced.
Sonoma Valley Merlot — The varietal Joe Martin first planted in the appellation in 1971; still anchors the property's identity. Tom Mackey-era Master of Merlot DNA, contemporary restraint.
St. Francis Winery has been producing Sonoma Valley wines since 1979, with a particular reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from estate and sourced vineyards across the appellation. The Old Vines Zinfandel is among the best values in California for the variety — consistently ripe, structured, and food-friendly. The Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon is similarly well-regarded. The winery is also known for its food-and-wine pairing programs at the tasting room, which have become a template for Wine Country hospitality.
St. Francis has spent more than fifty years crafting elegant, fruit-driven wines from across Sonoma County — Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from Dry Creek hillsides, Chardonnay and Merlot from original Sonoma Valley vineyards, Pinot Noir from Russian River. The estate farms over 400 certified sustainable acres and is led by winemakers Katie Madigan and Chris Louton. The Tuscan-inspired tasting room is a destination in its own right, but the winery's national reputation rests on Executive Chef Peter Janiak's seated wine-and-food pairings — routinely ranked among OpenTable's best in the country. Artisan flights and Tower tastings in the redwood grove extend the visit for serious drinkers. Walk-ins welcome; reservations encouraged for groups.
St. Francis runs a two-winemaker structure under Katie Madigan (Burgundy and Zinfandel) and Chris Louton (Bordeaux varieties and Sauvignon Blanc). Madigan is a UC Santa Barbara chemistry major who joined St. Francis as a harvest intern in 2002, became a lab tech, then earned her Enology & Viticulture degree from UC Davis in 2005 while working her way up to Winemaker in 2011. She was named Best Woman Winemaker at the 2015 International Women's Wine Competition and Zinfandel Producer of the Year at the California Zinfandel Championship in 2014 and 2015. She oversees the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Old Vines Zinfandel programs and championed night-picking of all Chardonnay fruit early in her tenure. Louton has overseen the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc programs since 2013, including the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sonoma Valley Merlot within the Reserve portfolio. Both winemakers inherited the stylistic lineage of founding winemaker Tom Mackey — named "Master of Merlot" by Wine Spectator — who shaped St. Francis from 1983 to 2011.
Executive Chef Peter Janiak leads the acclaimed culinary program at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, whose seasonal wine-and-food pairings have made the estate one of Sonoma Valley's premier tasting destinations. Working from the winery's mission-style home at the foot of the Mayacamas, he designs multi-course, small-plate pairings built around the Artisan Collection wines and local, seasonal ingredients. The program has earned national recognition, repeatedly ranked among the country's best winery food-and-wine experiences.
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