Wine Country Road Trip: Healdsburg

This week we took a virtual road trip through California’s wine country, with stops in Point Reyes, Sonoma, Napa, Yountville and St. Helena. Today, we’re wrapping up our adventure in Healdsburg — follow us on Twitter and retweet our #wsroadtrip tweets with your favorite spots in Napa and Sonoma named for a chance to win a $100 gift card!

 

For food lovers in Healdsburg, a visit to The Shed is a must. Part cafe, coffee bar and fermentation bar, part housewares shop and part community meeting room, the space has something for all visitors. Check out their workshops and events to learn about everything from home brewing to tending a garden.

 

There are plenty of opportunities for wine tasting in the area, too, with Russian River Valley just south of the town. At Rochioli Vineyards and Winery, you can sample some of the appellation’s best Pinot Noir wines with a picnic alongside a vineyard and rose garden. The space also has a rotating art gallery showcasing works from Sonoma County artists. Call ahead to make an appointment.

 

The father-and-son team behind Thomas George Estates produces handmade Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, which you can sip in the tasting room inside their history winery, a converted hop kiln from the 1920s. There are plenty of beautiful picnic areas as well.

 

For dinner, grab a table at the tiny but lively Scopa, an Italian restaurant hidden under an old barbershop sign. The seasonal menu features classic thun-crust pizzas, fresh pastas and proteins, such as the braised chicken inspired by the chef’s nonna. If you can, reserve a table on a Wednesday, when a local winemaker joins the intimate crowd as a server on the floor.

 

Or, enjoy creative spins on locally sourced ingredients at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen, situated in the Hotel Healdsburg. The terrace creates a beautiful alfresco setting — complete with a crackling fireplace on chilly nights — and presentations are stunning. The extensive wine list makes for some of the area’s best food and wine pairings.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed our virtual road trip! Visit Taste all month to meet the wine country locals in our exclusive interviews and to bring the region’s inspired cuisine home with our recipes and entertaining tips.

 

Official rules here.