Healdsburg, CA: Vines and Vibes

Zeke and Terri at Lambert Bridge Winery in Healdsburg, CA

We spent Terri’s birthday in Healdsburg, CA, a place that we used to love because it was low-key, beautiful, had great food, fun outdoor activities, and, of course, great wine.

We spent two nights there in early April, 2024 and visited three of our favorite wineries, dined at some amazing restaurants, and enjoyed a walk around Healdsburg Square, perusing the shops as we listened to live music.

While still beautiful, Healdsburg has definitely stepped it up several notches in terms of price and exclusivity. Gone are the days of driving around the valley looking for ‘wine tasting’ signs in hopes of discovering our next favorite wine and vineyard. What used to be a reasonable and charming alternative to Napa Valley has turned into an upscale and expensive destination. Some might call it bougie.

We shared more of our experience in images in our latest YouTube video, Indulging in Healdsburg, California: Vineyards, Vittles and Vibes.

Wineries

The three wineries we visited all required reservations on their websites and were more exclusive experiences than bellying up to the wine bar for a tasting. Because we were tasting on a slow Thursday and Friday in early April, all three were open to walk-ins despite what was stated on the websites. These wineries used to comp the winetasting if you bought at least two bottles but that seems to have disappeared since the pandemic. Another reason for us to search for the next NorCal wine region looking to attract visitors and market their wines to a broader customer base.

We went to Lambert Bridge Winery, Preston Farm and Winery, and Quivira. At one time we were wine club members for all three of these wineries. As a Signature Club member of Lambert Bridge, we were able to stay for two nights in their exclusive cottage on the vineyard property. It was lovely but Zeke likes to say it was the most expensive place we’ve stayed. and Terri would argue that we got some amazing wine in the deal, too. Quivira had a similar offering but, oddly, it was never available when we called to reserve it.

Lambert Bridge is beautiful and the most high-end of the three wineries we visited. They produce Bordeaux style wines (Terri’s favorite) and is woman owned (Patti Chambers) and operated with a woman winemaker (Jennifer Higgins) and if you look at their website, you will see mostly women on the team page. This is fantastic. They have lovely members-only events on the property taking advantage of not only the outdoor space (with a pizza oven) but the beautiful indoor space as well. Terri’s favorite Lambert Bridge wines are the Petit Verdot and the Cab Franc, which are hard to come by in the Northern California wine country. The tasting itself was about 90 minutes, included 4-5 very small pours, cost $75, and included some crackers, olives, marcona almonds, and a cheese spread.

Preston Farm and Winery is at the top of West Dry Creek Road and we used to love to see the pigs and piglets running around alongside the rustic road that leads to the tasting room and farmstand. The pigs and sheep went away during Covid but there are still six cats on the property (down from a high of 13). Also gone is the Guadagni (red blend jug) program where you could buy a jug of wine and bring the empty jug back to be refilled with the everchanging blend of red wine. The tasting room is lovely, and Lainey was enthusiastic about the Preston wines and history. Terri got to taste a few extra things not on the menu because a Preston wine club member was tasting with some friends from out of town. Their wines are influenced by Italian and Rhone varietals. The tasting was $35 and included about 6 different wines.

Quivira Vineyards first attracted us as a biodynamic and organic property with biodynamic wines. During the pandemic, they lost their biodynamic certification, but they continue to be certified organic. Their focus is on Rhone varietals and the tasting was $35. They have a beautiful garden with chickens and a lovely outdoor garden patio for wine tasting.

Healdsburg Bubble Bar isn’t a winery but who can resist a French inspired champagne and sparkling wine place decorated as cute as it is? Owner Sarah Quider had long been looking for a location to open a bubble bar and realized her dream in February 2024 when she had her grand opening on Valentine’s Day. Just off the Healdsburg Square, you can enjoy a glass of bubbly, a flight, or an entire bottle that you can drink from her very cute couple glasses that were a gift from her friends to celebrate her new place. Flight with 3 tastings: $50.

Other Wineries

Unti Vineyards: while by appointment only, it looks like the $25 wine tasting fee is waived if your purchase a bottle of wine. We used to belong to the Unti wine club and loved their wines. Their produce organically farmed Italian and Rhone varietals. Bottle prices are reasonable for the area and the boutique nature of the vineyard.

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery: the grounds of this winery are absolutely gorgeous and the winemakers are women. There are several wine tasting and dining experiences available either with reservation or for walk-ins based on availability. The classic wine tasting is $40. We haven’t been since before Covid and it looks like pets and no one under 21 are allowed. Give yourself time to walk around the grounds and enjoy the serenity of the space.

Restaurants

We were sad to see some of our favorite restaurants are no longer on Healdsburg Square, but we discovered some amazing new ones. We often look for women owned and operated businesses wherever we go and dined at two while we were there.

Bravas Bar De Tapas is just off the square and was really good. It was reasonably priced, low key, had great service, and the food was delicious. The crab stuffed peppers and the seasonal asparagus dishes are worth the drive to Healdsburg along. We had lunch there and it appeared to be very popular with the locals. Special thanks to our friend Jon for the recommendation.

Lo & Behold is a woman owned and operated restaurant also just off the square in the other direction from Bravas. They advertise themselves as ‘global comfort food and cultivated cocktails’ and they mean it. We sat at the bar and enjoyed talking to the staff behind the bar as we people watched. We recommend ordering whatever is on special. Don’t overthink the flavor combinations; trust that they will be amazing.

Roof 106 is part of The Matheson, a concept location on Healdsburg Square. Roof 106 is on the roof (3rd floor) with multiple indoor and outdoor lounge seating options and a bar with some dining tables. There are fire tables out on the patio making it a very comfortable setting with great vibes and ambiance. We enjoyed a delicious late lunch of an Asian chicken salad and margherita pizza. Downstairs is the main restaurant and a bar with 80 different wines on tap for tasting. The mezzanine offers a private dining experience. While this is most definitely not women owned and operated, our server gave us a list of 3 new restaurants that are women owned and operated for us to check out on our next trip to Healdsburg.

The Parish Cafe is open for New Orleans style breakfast and lunch with yummy gumbo and a tasty fried oyster po’ boy, perfect food the morning after consuming a little too much wine. It’s a few blocks off the square with decent parking behind the restaurant. They do change over the kitchen from breakfast to lunch at 11 AM and will seat guests at 11:30 once the changeover is complete.

Barndiva is steps away from the square and a delightful dining experience. We’d wanted to try the restaurant for years but had been unsuccessful in securing a reservation until our friend Moira was working there and she got us a table. It’s been a few years since we dined there but we still think it’s worth checking out.

SingleThread is a 3 Michelin Star restaurant providing an unparalleled dining experience just off the Healdsburg Square. When searching for women owned and operated restaurants in Healdsburg, SingleThread came up in the list. Husband and wife team Kyle and Katina are behind the restaurant and they have a woman chef de cuisine (Marley Brown) and a woman pastry chef (Emma Horowitz). This experience was so special, we decided to dedicate an entire video to our dining experience. From the moment we received the reservation confirmation offering up their concierge services and asking about our food and beverage preferences and allergies, we knew this was going to be a singular experience and it was. It will be hard to top this one in the near future.

Hotels

We had a less than stellar experience at the hotel we stayed at, the Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza. We stayed there about 15 years ago and had a good experience. This time, there were more than a few problems which the management apologized for and provided us with a credit against our bill in an attempt to ease our disappointment. Terri goes into more detail in her Google review (be sure to follow her as she regularly posts reviews on the hotels and restaurants she visits around the world).

H2 Hotel: this green hotel is just off the square and is part of the hotel group that also owns Harmon Guest House and Hotel Healdsburg. We stayed at the hotel right after it opened in July 2010. Zeke saw a review on it in Sunset Magazine and we couldn’t resist checking it out. We loved it. It was hipper than the Hotel Healdsburg, has a restaurant (SpoonBar) on the main level, and the Terri and the kids loved the Japanese soaking tub.

Harmon Guest House is essentially next door to the H2 and also look fresh and hip. The reviews weren’t great which is why we stayed at the Healdsburg Inn but next time we are definitely checking it out. It totally looks like our vibe.

Hotel Healdsburg is the pricier older sibling to the H2 and Harmon Guest House and is located right on the square. There are two restaurants and a bar on the property including Dry Creek Kitchen on the main level. We really enjoyed dining there many years ago. There’s a lovely pool, a spa which we haven’t tried, and they have bikes to ride around the area.

Outdoor Activities

We love camping, boating, and canoeing on Lake Sonoma during the summer, whether with the kids or on our own. One day we may sure the canoeing trip that nearly cost us our marriage. Terri is still not allowed to sit in and steer from the back seat of the canoe. We survived, barely. Note to selves: if it’s going to take until after dark to canoe across a busy lake, be sure to bring some sort of lighting so others can see you, and navigate around you.

Healdsburg is essentially on the Russian River which offers up various water activities including kayaking, canoeing, and swimming.

Cycling through the valley and the vineyards is also a great option. It’s mostly flat with some rolling hills making it an easy bike ride for people of all ages and abilities.

There are hot air balloon companies that operate near Healdsburg (some out of Santa Rosa). We’ve flown in one over Napa Valley which was incredible. There’s something very special about flying over vineyards and farmland in a hot air balloon. Terri’s first hot air balloon ride was also over vineyards in Lodi, California.

Final Thoughts

While writing this, I can’t believe we left feeling somewhat disappointed in our overall experience. I think it was that it has changed. It used to be charming, low-key, and accessible. Now it seems to be more exclusive, something that just isn’t our vibe.

If you’ve been to Napa and want to explore something different, but still want great wines (I would argue they are better than Napa), and some great food and beautiful scenery, Healdsburg is definitely worth a visit, whether for the day or a few nights.