Blue Rock Vineyard is on the western side of Highway 101 just before the town of Cloverdale, and the origins of this 100-acre estate date back to the 1880s. It makes a wide variety of wines, from Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon, much of it from estate-farmed grapes.

A lovely winding road leads around the vineyard to a beautiful set of stone buildings (one of them the original site of Villa Maria Winery) and gardens, where tastings take place. Visits are a full immersion in the property and its wines. They typically last about two hours ($45) and include food, wine and a walk through the vegetable gardens, olive groves and vines.

A more rewarding experience is the Vintner Table Lunch for groups of four to 12 people ($150 per person). Here, a four-course, chef-prepared meal is made from elements of the property to pair with Blue Rock wines. For an even deeper experience, consider booking the guest house, and you might have a meal or two prepared by the proprietor, Tennessee-native Kenny Kahn.

The winery’s Best Barrels program includes the best of its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, the wines ready to enjoy upon release but also capable of slumbering in the cellar. Its Baby Blue Bordeaux Blend ($29) and Baby Blue Blanc ($24), a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Viognier, offer great value.

WHAT TO TRY: Though Blue Rock is predominantly a Bordeaux-inspired producer, its Pinot Noir ($60) is a standout, made from cool-climate grapes that give it memorable balance and freshness. The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($49) is made from the estate’s oldest vines, planted in 1987. It is elegantly restrained and resplendent in spice.

INSIDE INFO: It would be criminal to come this close and not stop by Diavola for lunch or dinner. Across the highway from Blue Rock in Geyserville, the restaurant makes some of the best pizza and pasta this side of the Atlantic.

Article by Virginie Boone
Originally published by San Francisco Chronicle