A great winery for Pinot Noir. Emeritus was recommended by a friend as one with high points for PN. Since this is winter, we did not get to view the vineyards and due to the cold climate. The opportunity to sample five different flights sounded inviting but coming directly from an earlier tasting without food is not recommended. Felt a bit queasy and did not get to fully enjoy the different flights. Will have to return and stick with only one or space out the tastings better. read more

Fantastic wines. Try the white Pinot and Ruby Ruby as well as the Pinot. Beautiful setting too. I drink the Ruby Ruby with a splash of Fresca in the summer read more

Soooo beautiful. So delicious. We wanted to have one wine tasting excursion on our fall trip to Bodega Bay, so we headed out towards Sebastopol with no place in mind. We came upon Emeritus and decided to see if we could walk in without a reservation. Lucky for us, they were kind enough to give us a prime patio seat with an incredible view. I don't remember which exact wines we had, but I DO remember loving them all. Jon and I totally fell in love with Bill, the vineyards "Wine Wolf." To us he's the most interesting man in the world (for real, go read about Bill on Emeritus' website)! The way he explained the mission of Emeritus, their wines, dry farming, why and how their particular land and climate is so special.. it was truly fascinating... like a history, science, and culture lesson all in one. A lesson you actually want to learn! Emeritus does pinot noirs and does them beautifully, and I'm not even a pinot noir person. Now I am because of Emeritus and Bill! You guys must must MUST try their 2019 Hallberg Blanc.. this is the wine I DO remember tasting because we bought a bottle of it. It's very accessible at $40 and super lovely and unique (at least to us). Their website describes the wine as "made by gently removing juice from the red Pinot Noir grape skins before fermentation, so the juice stays white, resulting in an aromatic and beautifully textural wine." To me, this pinot had so much body and flavor, whereas I typically find them to be too light. Beautiful wine from a beautiful vineyard, made and shared with the world by beautiful people! read more

Emeritus Vineyards - Beautiful white Pinot noir - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

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Delicious Pinot Noirs! Only Pinots here. Emeritus was on the Pinot list with 90+ points and luckily for us, it's right around the corner to my mother in laws house. She got me their Pinot (Wesley Reserve 2017) for my birthday last year and it was good, we didn't have time to make it out until recently. Pinots were delicious. We especially like the Dons Block and La Combette. They also have every day Pinots - the Hallberg Reserve, good price if club members. Which my MIL joined! So now we'll be ordering more! A lot of their Pinots are lighter and has a nice vanilla silky finish and notes of strawberries. We're a fan! Can't wait to return in the summer when we can enjoy a bottle outside. read more

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We stopped into this place on our way to our Vineyard tour and was absolutely amazed by how delicious the rosé was! The person who helped us with our wine selection Megan was super knowledgeable and super friendly. Overall a great person with just lovely energy. I highly recommend this place and highly recommend having the wine tasting. read more

Emeritus Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Beautiful tasting room with views of the vineyards. Glen gave my wife and I an outstanding tasting experience. Glen was very knowledgeable and fun to talk with. The wines are delicious and well crafted. read more

What a lovely tasting room and tasty wines. This was my first visit hosted by a wine club member. I can see why they love this place. The view of the vineyard is calming as is the entire environment of their modern tasting room. Their wines are lovingly made and tasty. Their rose "ruby" was perhaps the best I've had from our Sonoma Valley (and have had many), and their Halberg Ranch Pinot was fantastic. Definately worth a visit! read more

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Beautiful location on vineyard, and outside seating was super inviting. However, while sitting in the center of the Pinot universe, what they poured were mostly high priced and not special. Great stop for the view, but better wine up the street. read more

I was so excited to check out this winery with my parents after months of seclusion and isolation. The location and winery won this a rating of five stars - it's gorgeous and airy - plenty of space. We were seated immediately in a premier location. Our server (I think that's what they are called - no offense if not) was friendly and knowledgeable and dealt with my ridiculous father's ranting about his knowledge of wineries very well. We tasted five wines: one rose and four pinots. All but one were just okay. I really didn't love any of them! And after it was all poured out, I found like enjoyed the cheapest and most distributed Pinot over the expensive reserve ones. Dropped the rating to four stars. As we enviously looked at our neighbors table, I realized they were served a white wine! I asked our server if I could try what they were tasting and she informed me that it was for wine club members only. Lame. Big time. So I asked her boss when he came out to check on us and like a good service man he said sure. Out comes a fantastic glass of Pinot noir blanc. I've never heard or seen of such a thing and I was hooked! I offered to buy four bottles (by the way, tasting here is an exorbitant $25/person for barely one regular glass of wine) because they offer to wave the tasting fee if you buy four bottles (which I would also have to ship to CO!). The bar manager said no - only for wine club members!! Tell you what, I'm a member of four different clubs so I wasn't going to join this one with the mediocre tastings and the exclusive selling. I was really disappointed in this place. One more thing, I grew up in the north bay and never once have heard of this place. I was really looking forward to sharing my awesome experience - which may have been so easily rectified if they sold me what I wanted to buy. Fail. read more

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The wine was delicious the Vineyards were very pretty and such a great view. We sat inside only because it was a bit cold outside but the inside was very comfortable. read more

Took a day trip to Bodega Bay..we wanted to include some wine tasting nearby. We came across Emeritus through the Yelp family!! This was a great find!! Beautiful location and great Pinots. I was trying to understand the clones, but failed miserably! I just appreciate complex wines with nice tannins. I signed up for its membership and will be bringing more friends to this spot! read more

If you are in the Sonoma valley, definitely make this winery one your stops! Specializing in Pinot Noir -- all the wine at Emeritus Vineyards is dry-farmed and estate grown. Beautiful grounds and friendly staff. We decided to become wine club members! read more

Emeritus Vineyards - Tasting menu and potato chips - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

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I am a big pinot noir fan I like a Burgundian style of wine The Halberg Ranch (estate) wine is my favorite my second favorite is the Ruby Ruby which isn't 100% pinot noir rather it's a Rose with a touch of pinot. In any case they keep me coming back for more. The winemaker is impressive the tasting room is feels open and lux in a west county sort of way and the tasting room staff are knowledge interesting and eccentric just like I like'em. The proprietors daughter runs the show and she is quick and charming lots of love for this Sonoma County gem read more

Emeritus Vineyards - Emeritus harvest day (Oct) day in the vineyard event - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Beware of the Emeritus wine clubs unless you are a fan of bait and switch tactics. Be doubly wary if you are not a local like me who can pickup at the winery. If you have the wine shipped to you, for all practical purposes, you are stuck with what they send you. The way their wine clubs work, you get 6, 12 or 24 bottles shipped to you 2 or 4 times per year. The winery picks out which wines they send you. You can override their selections by logging into your "account" during a 7 day window between receiving the notice of your pending shipment and the shipment. Or you can change the wine selections if you're picking up at the winery. It is not clear if changes can be made after the charge/shipping deadline. So where's the bait and switch? Emeritus's least expensive wine, Ruby Ruby, is arguably their most enjoyable (read the other reviews). Only wine club members can buy Ruby Ruby so, if you like it, joining one of the wine clubs and walking out with just Ruby Ruby is appealing bait. The switch happens when they have no Ruby Ruby (which goes fast). In that event, you can substitute other selections or accept their default selection. In our case, the first 6 bottle shipment was $156. The second 6 bottle shipment was $446 after the 10% discount. We swapped out their default selections (because pickup was at the winery) reducing the cost to $258 and we have 6 bottles of decent Pinot Noir we would never have otherwise bought 6 bottles of. Vineyards and wine tastings are supposed to be fun. Most are. Getting caught up with a wine operation that plays a game of gotcha is not so much. read more

Beautiful vineyard! It's the perfect place to sit outside with a Pinot Noir and enjoy a view of the vines. All the staff is so friendly and helpful. read more

Emeritus Vineyards - Vines - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

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Great place. Didn't find any wine we loved but enjoyed our short little tasting here. Beautiful place too. Easy and ample parking read more

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Amazing place! Had the best time here with Bill the Wine Wolf. The wine is delicious, the tour was personal and succinct, photo ops were prime, and the whole vineyard is immaculate. I would love to come back to visit again! read more

Awesome beautiful place. Our host Mary was THE BEST. Ask for her. Wine was outstanding, ordered some to be shipped back home. First time at a vineyard and learned alot. Wish we had more time there. Views are stunning and place is beautiful. read more

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I had such a great time wine tasting at Emeritus that I became a member! Mary did a wonderful job hosting us throughout the morning. We learned so much about the vineyard and she made us feel like family from the very start. This is definitely a must visit if you're in the area. They only have a few varieties of Pinot Noir so you can count on them being some of the best in the area. read more

Emeritus Vineyards - Great way to start my Sunday! - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

In the land of west Sonoma County, aka west county, there is a magical road known as the Gravenstein Highway/116 where there are some remarkable wineries, specifically, makers of pinot. One that absolutely stands out is Emeritus. The owner/winemaker gets his chops from Sonoma-Cutrer. Emeritus means "to earn by service" We also think it means to "dream of pinot". Bryce Cutrer-Jones is the owner. He made his mark at the famous local winery, Sonoma-Cutrer. After selling his interest he bought land from the Hallberg family. Originally zinfandel was planted during prohibition and then apples. Once he acquired the land he pulled the orchard and started planting pinot. He set about to bring out the best the grape had to offer, so he gave the vines the best he could offer - organic farm, dry farming and no pesticide/herbicide spraying. He wants to let the grapes grow and draw from the terroir. When my wife and I visited the winery I had the pleasure of being able to have a brief conversation with Bryce while sitting in their beautiful open room viewing the vineyard. He is a humble man who speaks with deep love of what he does. When trying to give him a compliment he deflected it with a powerful statement - "God makes the wine." Indeed. But he uses this man's hand to do so. Now to the experience. They built a beautiful retro industrial building and recently expanded it to include a well-appointed and open tasting room. With a movable window wall you get to see who the real star of the show is - the vineyard. You can feel the coastal breeze, even on a hot summer day, which is what gives us some of the magic for this area and the Russian River Valley. Walking up you are greeted by tasting room staff and they pour you a glass of sangnee. You don't initially realize it, but your experience has begun. That wine you are holding is the key to the door at Emeritus. They encourage you to sit wherever you are comfortable and then join you there for a more intimate experience with the wine. The sangnee is delicious. Ruby Red is it's name and it is very limited production. (in fact, when I went out a second time to purchase a bottle it was wine club restricted due to dwindling stock.) For those not familiar with sangnee, it is the original style of rose. It is the first free run of juice, as opposed to blending or pressing, to produce rose. The three pinots were clear examples of their individual terroirs - sonoma coast near Annapolis and higher elevation, russian river valley and then sonoma coast/petaluma wind gap. (At the time of tasting the petaluma wind gap was a future AVA, but has since been approved.) All are amazing. Hallberg vineyard may sound familiar to a few fellow pinotphiles because Bryce sells some grapes to wineries such as Joseph Jewel, Gary Farrel and Sherrer. Of course, they keep the best grapes for themselves. I am truly glad they do. Check it out! read more

Maya was an amazing host. Funny lady from the east coast. Chatted about the history, wines, clones, winemaking, everything I needed to know. Their pinots were amazing. read more

This winery is a gem. Beautiful grounds, excellent, personalized customer service, and beautifully-crafted wines.... Tasted several pinot noirs and loved them all, but our favorite was the Hallberg Pinot, which we purchased a bottle of. One thing to note: Tasting fees are $15 per person and they do NOT waive fees if you purchase a bottle (which is hit or miss for wineries in the area). I know it shouldn't be expected, but when you have gone to as many wineries as we have (I am talking hundreds), and have 12 wine clubs to prove the enthusiast you are, it kind of bites to buy a bottle and still have to pay the tasting fee when so many others out there waive theirs with purchases. Hence the 4 stars instead of 5. read more

Are you kidding me? High, high prices for underwhelming wines. $25 tasting fee? Per person? Staid and awkward tasty room. Don't be taken for a ride, go north to Sonoma Valley, or better yet Mendocino county. You may find a tasting fee here and there but usually waived by any purchase. Think Pinot is your thing? Anderson Valley Pinot has far superior examples at more reasonable prices. There's a glut of wine out there, that wouldn't exist if more wineries would opt for reasonably pricing their product, so check around. My family has a small 23 acre vineyard in cab in Mendocino county but I have no axe to grind as we are just farmers. Our grapes are under contract already. However, my wife and I have tasted all over Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties for over 20 years. Go north young wine drinkers, go north! read more

I'm a pretty big fan of the wines here. A love a couple of their Pinot's and their Ruby and Pinto Blanc are my absolute favorites. The staff here are very friendly and pretty familiar with the area so if you're looking for more winers to taste at while you're out and about just ask. read more

This vineyard is super amazing. The customer service, the amazing views of the vineyard while wine tasting and the knowledge of The wine team. We were given a vast knowledge of the vineyard and the history behind them. The wine making process and a private tour of the wine storage area. Tasted several pinot noirs here but was super impressed with William Wesley Vintage 2013 Pinot Noir. And yes, another bottle joined the ride home. Absolute must visit Vineyard. read more

Emeritus Vineyards - One view while sitting and tasting wines - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

My husband and I were in the midst of a cross-country road trip and had spent a couple of days in Santa Rosa. We were driving and he randomly pulled off at Emeritus, as we had discussed enjoying a wine tasting experience. We sat in the comfortable outdoor patio furniture while our wine hostess poured for us. The weather could not have been more perfect; it was sunny with a light, comfortable breeze in the cool, fresh coastal air. I lounged back in my chair and enjoyed double-fisting my wine and water while breathing and taking it all in. Their flight of 4-5 wines with the offering to revisit any were all good. The tasting was a splurge for the day for us, being on a budget for our road trip, at $15 per tasting and the fees don't get waived with bottle purchase (which can be expected in this area, and we didn't purchase a bottle anyway). It was worth the experience! read more

Emeritus Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Wine tasting at Emeritus was a pleasure. Their tasting room is a large open room with lots of glass to see outside and an assortment of comfortable seating. The hostess comes to the seating area to tell us about the wine and answers questions as she pours the tastes. She was very warm and welcoming which added to our enjoyment. We started with the 2014 Ruby Ruby Saignée, a Pinot Noir Rose with a depth of flavor that stood out. Next we tasted the 2013 Hallberg Ranch Pinot Noir. We liked the mix of fruit and the bit of mineral flavors that marked this wine. Pinot Noir is my favorite varietal so I was happy to continue with the 2013, Pinot from Pinot Hill, The grapes for all of these wines came from Emeritus Vineyards. This is at a relaxed pace which was perfect for us. We also went during an event when there was no additional charge for tasting. We liked the wine and did purchase bottles of each wine we tasted today. We also plan to return and do some additional tasting. read more

This winery is not open to the public. They make two different vineyard Pinot Noir's all from Russian River Valley vineyards. I found their wine online and was convinced to buy a couple bottles based on their online video. The powers to social media always amaze me. Most of their wine is sold to restaurants and their mailing list. I opened the 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The alcohol is 14.3% with aromas of cinnamon, leather, dark fruit. Lighter mouth feel, which gets spicier as it opens up. Found the aromas more interesting than the palette. Good acidity with little tannis. Red fruits started to come out as well with dried cherries. A wine I would drink again. read more

Lovely wines in a very relaxed tasting room environment. Unlike most winery tasting rooms Emeritus's tasting room has no tasting bar but has a series of intimate seating areas of various sizes. You sit and relax as the host/hostess pours your tastes and gives you the background on their wines. We found our hostess to be very customer oriented, knowledgeable, and friendly. Exactly the right mix for this job. We particularly liked the 2014 Emeritus Vineyards, Ruby Ruby Saignée. This is a tasty Rosé made from Pinot Noir grapes from the Russian River. We're not big Rosé fans, but this wine won us over. We also liked: The 2013 Emeritus Vineyards, Hallberg Ranch. We found it to be a medium/light bodied fruit forward Pinot with a hint of spice. and The 2013 Emeritus Vineyards, Pinot Hill. This wine comes from a cooler steep hillside vineyard that's cloaked in fog for most of the growing season. We tasted a peppery spice with bright cherry and raspberry fruit and hints of clove and bay. Emeritus is open for tasting, but it's best to make an appointment. Tasting fee is $15 for non wine club members. We went during an event so there was no additional charge for our tasting. We came away with 2 bottles of the Rosé, and 1 of each of the Pinots. read more

Very nice modern winery. Samantha was very friendly and knowledgeable and poured us some excellent wines. We are looking to go back soon. This was a great change from a typical trip to the Napa valley. read more

Emeritus Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Sebastopol, California

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This was one of the most informative tastings I've ever experienced! Wandered in here on our way to Guerneville, and wow, what a find! The staff was amazing, informative, welcoming. They sit with you and can tell you everything about the wine, history, and vineyards. The wine was exceptional as well. Can't wait to visit again. Highly recommended!! read more

What a fantastic experience tasting with Bill. Extremely welcoming, knowledgable, and gracious as our host. He provided coloring books for the kids and served some delicious wines from their dry farmed vineyards. You'll love your stop at this beautiful winery! read more

Had the great pleasure of meeting Brice at the wedding of my daughter's Georgetown University four year roommate this past weekend. Fortunate to be seating next to Him at the reception. Super guy who thoughtfully brought a few of his award winning Pinot's that we shared at the table and in deck chairs overlooking the Long Island Sound. Life really can't get any better. His wines are amazing As his enthusiasm and commitment to excellence! Ed Christie read more

Their wine is exceptional -Loved Ruby Ruby. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. In an era of water shortages their method of growing grapes with dry irrigation was enlightening and environmentally sound. Would highly recommend a visit and a tasting. read more

Fabulous Pinot Noirs, great tasting room experience. Chill and professional. A great start to our day.

Truly an fantastic experience!!! Bill was beyond knowledgeable, friendly, entertaining, the list goes on. What a great tour/tasting! Beautiful views, great wine, excellent service! We are from CO but will be coming back. read more

Visited Sonoma for the first time this weekend. We went to 5 different wineries throughout the day and this was my favorite by far. The wine was excellent and the tasting area was by far the most relaxed area. This was a great place to just relax and drink great wine with friends. There is also a great area to take pictures in front of the vineyard. read more

Wonderful pinots, lovely rosé. If you can, taste with Bill who is knowledgeable and charming. What a fun time!

We love Emeritus! The customer service and wines couldn't be better. The tasting room is beautifully decorated, with tons of outdoor space overlooking the vineyard. We love it so much, we joined the wine club last year! read more

They have a very friendly and personable staff, and the grounds are lovely. Having the opportunity to choose indoor seating, outdoor seating, and something in between really does help to customize your tasting experience for the better. Also, having a thought out directory of their vineyards that you are tasting from, as well as an explanation of the soil and climate, goes a long way in appreciating what's in your glass. I went there as someone who is studying wine on my off time, and I will be there again sometime soon. Finally, I wanted to give a big shout out to Bill Caruthers in the tasting room. Your enthusiasm to educate and indulge is not overlooked. read more