I recommend this winery only for those who want to drink real natural wine made the same way as 120 years ago. However, if you prefer Napa Valley or commercial wines, it's better not to visit. The taste is completely different from modern wines. This is probably what the original taste of wine was like. As the name suggests, it has an "Old World" flavor. If you like Georgian wine, the original natural wine, you should definitely visit. read more

We had a lovely tasting experience at Old World today! We did not have a reservation, but it just so happened they had a last minute cancellation, and we were able to snag that opening. The wine was delicious, Susan (who take care of us) was amazing, and the outdoor setting was very pleasant. They were kid-friendly (and have chickens!), which we appreciated. All the wines we tasted were great - they specialize in reds. Our favorites were the Pinot Noir, Luminous, and Syrah. Susan was wonderful. She was warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. She is also great with children, and made my 3 year old feel very welcome! Out tasting took place outdoors, and the setting was casual, rustic, and quite pleasant. The chicken coop on the property was a big hit with my daughter (she loved feeding them corn!). We had a lovely tasting here (we took home 6 bottles of our favorite wines), and look forward to returning! read more

I have nothing against organic wine or all natural wines (two different things, btw), but I recently attended a dinner at The Sea Ranch where they only served wines from Old World Winery. None of them were remotely drinkable. Just horrible. Know before you go to this winery. read more

If you know old world style wine which no comical either no add sugar , hand picking foot stumps, you will love it. If you love California new world style wine, I don't recommend be there. It is completely different taste. Some of wine is yeasty and funky taste which I love it. read more

Old World Winery - a row of bottles of wine - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

My sister and Broil (bro-in-law) invited me to join them for a wine-tasting dinner that they've attended at Old World winery. These events happen and if you're a regular at the winery, you'll somehow come to know about these. The dinner event has a limited quantity and fills up immediately, so if it's something your considering, just do it! The setting for the dinner wine event is homely with every nuance & offering of a sheik sit down atmosphere available. I met all sorts of people from retired hand craft makers, small business entrepreneurs and a wonderful couple from SF that works in brand marketing. The chef of these events is the wonderful Helena G. Giesea of "Helena's Kitchen". Her food was five star quality as was her personality in table side conversation. Our host of the evening was Derek Trowbridge (owner) of Old World Winery. Darek shared stories of wine making, tradition and family. His presence was warm and inviting quite like the tastes of their Old world wines. Needless to say, with every pairing from the dinner event, I ended up leaving with a few bottles of tasty wine for friends back in Chicago. If OWW is a possibility on your list of "to try" when in wine country, definitely ask about the dinner event or other such events. Tasting at wineries is one thing but getting to enjoy a quality meal with pairings is a whole other level to tasting. I'm uploading photos for your viewing pleasure. I love pot pies and Helena won me over with her Dungeness crab pot pie. read more

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Really great natural wine. Really great service. Great and interesting info from the staff about wine production. Highly recommend a tasting!! read more

Old World Winery - a menu and a glass of wine - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

What I liked about OWW, is that they make wines both new style and old world style. One of the wines I liked during barrel tasting was the Sauv Blanc - fermented in a cement egg shaped fermenter and then aged in oak - which was crisp yet had a minerally feel to it which I liked and appreciated. I also enjoyed from the barrel a grape varietal called ABORIOU which is rarely grown in California and is an almost extinct grape varietal originally from France. Very interesting and look forward to its bottling. This winery is easy to miss, being the first winery on River road off 101, but worth the stop. read more

Old World Winery - Shower in the bathroom awesome! - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

Great "old world" winery. They hand pick the grapes and stomp and don't use additives or chemicals. The wines were all delicious. We visited during the Wine and Food Affair and this was by far my favorite winery and food pairing. Each one we tasted was great and we had a case shipped back to us. Also, I'm joining the wine club! The food pairing we had here was out of this world too, an open faced empanada with pork and pineapple, yum! This was from chef Brian at Canastitas Argentinas. The young man who was pouring for us was very knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend visiting if you like real wine. read more

Old World Winery - Wine and Food Affair Pairing - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

First off I am going to throw some shade at a previous review. This is NOT novelty wine -- on the contrary, this is wine in purist sense of the word. These are the wines that the person you just bought that $100 overly manipulated Cabernet is drinking. Old World is making wine the way it should taste, with nothing added and nothing taken away (my guess is they do sulfur on bottling to ensure the wine can be somewhat stable). There is beauty in the variance and the volatility; you should be able to tell the difference between vintages. Robert Parker would probably find many "faults" in this wine and that's a good thing because he sucks and his torched palette has set winemaking back a generation. What the folks at Old World are doing is beautiful -- wine making is beautiful when done in conjunction with the land. They are not manipulating but rather guiding the grapes through the process of becoming wine. I spoke with Darek today and he is passionate about his craft and understands that as natural winemaker (I assume he hates that term but it's what I am using) he is advocating for a movement towards a more pure juice, a better juice. I signed up on the spot to be a member because we, as a wine consuming community, need to reward the people who treat winemaking as an art instead of a science project. Don't show up and expect cave tours, art sales, or overpriced tapas. Show up and see what a working farm looks like and how a family is connected to their land. Last thing, I am a huge fanboy of funky grape varietals or field blends that just throw everything under the sun into the vat. Old World does all of that and more. Do yourself a favor and go ASAP. read more

Friendly, earthy and yet sophisticated enough to please those looking for the real Sonoma County experience - Darek and his family know wine (and have a history of making it) and are also farmers committed to saving agriculture and natural land for current and future generations. The 900 pound pig, the ease of access and their story of how they make wines (not to mention allowing people to help harvest in the fall - a truly amazing life experience! read more

Old World Winery - Hauling beverages across icy pasture on work day at farm - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

We stopped by randomly on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The place doesn't really have a "wine country" vibe - the outside is cluttered with random things that I'm sure come in handy at a farm/vineyard, but it looked messy and uninviting. We weren't even sure if the tasting room was open. There's really nothing to do or see here - you can see the airport, a busy road, and that's about it. There's a small outdoor patio type area, but it looked like an afterthought. The wine was lovely, but much pricier than suggested in previous reviews (maybe the reviews are dated). The tasting fee was standard. I usually share a tasting on wine tasting days, that way I get to try more wine at more places and make sure the ones I take home are my favorite. However, I definitely wouldn't recommend sharing a tasting here - the pours were the tiniest I've ever had anywhere. If you do the standard "swirl" with the tiny amount of wine, the only thing you can smell is whatever the cool looking wine glass was washed in, making it difficult to detect the wine's notes with your nose (which is super important). The man pouring our wine was really knowledgeable and fun to chat with. We're excited to explore more of this part of wine country in the future. read more

A really authentic spot that has been doing natural wines for 25 years! The people there are lovely and in no way pushy. They just want to share their wine with others. If possible ask to met Mia the 800lb pig that is a mush! read more

Old World Winery - Mia! - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

Tasted here during this weekends barrel event. I like the fact that I was greeted by a chicken, LOL. The wines are very good and they have a grape that you can only find here. I'm not going to spoil it so come here and see what I am talking about. Nice staff, "old world" grounds and wine making ways...like...foot stomped! =) read more

One of the most beautiful things about Sonoma County are the people that make it so unique. Darek at Old World Winery makes wine in the "Old Way" Just like his Grandfather did in the late 1800's in Sonoma County. He welcomes the public to participate in his events and to come out and stomp grapes. His wines are very unique in the sense that they are made in the same ways his ancestors made wine. And in case your wondering who he is related to... Look up Martinelli Winery. A six generation family of Sonoma County winemakers, Darek definitely keeps it real! Thanks for sharing it with us at Sonoma County Wine Blog!!! read more

Old World Winery - Darek getting down with the 2014 crush the old way! - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

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I can't say enough good things about this winery. Derek the owner is so friendly, knowledgable and personable, I always have a great time here. Yesterday we came here in a group with several kids age 2-8. They loved the swings, chickens, pig and being able to run around. The adults loved that we could enjoy tasting the wonderful wine while the kids hung out on the completely enclosed patio. Derek makes Sauvignon Blanc, pinot Gris, Zin, blends, and a couple french varietals that I have never heard of. All the wine here is great! read more

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Fantastic 2009 Petite Sirah bottle for only $21! A steal. It's a privately owned, family vineyard that specializes in 'old world' techniques, the owner hires a team and actually goes out and hand picks the grapes himself a few times a year. There is zero additives or chemicals or fancy machines which may ruin the quality. You can taste the difference. He also specializes in ancient Italian (I think) vines that are really unique flavors. The farm has pigs and chickens and fresh eggs as well. Definitely worth a visit to pickup some cases (some are as low as $5 a bottle) or a nice Petite Sirah. read more

This is a cute family owned winery! There isn't much to do or see here but I enjoyed how homey this winery felt. We were the only customers and the girl who served us was relatively new but knowledgeable about their wines. I'm not usually a white wine type of person, but there is some novelty to their whites. I actually purchased a bottle for $12, which I thought was a GOOD price. They also grow a grape called Aboriou, which is rare in California. It's a big hit among wine lovers. read more

Darek was a great host. First met in New Orleans when he was pouring at a local wine store. Took him up on his offer if we were ever in Santa Rosa. Definitely a stop to remember! Coordinated a picnic lunch and spent several hours on a Sunday afternoon in his picnic area enjoying the wines and his company. It was a hard decision on which to buy but ended up sending a case of his Zin home. We're coming back as it is very hard to get his wines locally. I would recommend both visiting the tasting room and buying some wine. read more

Old World Winery - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

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Derek was great! He works very hard for this place! The wine in the pic was the best!!! read more

Old World Winery - Wineries Near Me - Fulton, California

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A must if you're exploring wineries in the area. I drink wine (a lot) but am not really knowledgeable. This wine appealed to me in the way a sour beer or cider does (they have cider too.) It was really interesting to hear about natural wine. Dareks devotion to his craft and his staff is really apparent which is wonderful to see. Susan was very kind, was knowledgeable about the wine as well as the area and even took us on a tour of the farm. After the tasting she took us to meet two enormous pigs and the chickens and offered to let us grab some old vines for home decoration. A really local, inviting experience! read more

I'm sorry, but this was the worst winery I've ever been to. The girl who did the tasting was sweet, but the wine was not even palatable. We love wine and have never been so disgusted by a tasting as we were today. There were 4 of us and we literally couldn't choke down the wine. Never before have we ever wanted a tasing to end as much as we did today. I wanted to love it as we like to support the small local businesses, but there just wasn't anything pleasant about the wines. Even the color of the wine was a dingy brown as if it had been open for weeks. We kept looking at each other trying to figure out if it was a joke. We normally always buy a bottle and could've bought something for the same price as our tasting, but there was literally nothing we could stomach and we paid the tasting fee just so we could get out of there as soon as possible. Contrary to what you might think, I don't enjoy giving a bad review, but we looked at Yelp and can usually count on it being pretty reliable. We stopped because it had 4.5 stars and can usually count on that being a good experience. Sadly, we have never felt so duped as we were today. I love the idea of the natural winery, but was so utterly disappointed by these wines. read more

Very quaint little tasting room. The woman working was friendly and professional. By no means my favorite wine tasting of the region. But a nice visit nonetheless. I bought a bottle of Zinfandel that was rich, bold, and enjoyable. Thank you Old World Winery! read more

Darek had done a tasting on the East coast in Hoboken a few years back. My husband and I went out to California during the Harvest for our honeymoon that consisted of touring wine country in Sonoma, Healdsburg, Petaluma and Napa. We called ahead and Darek was so accommodating and gave us a private tasting of some of the wines we tasted back home. He truly embodies old world style of wine making and the wines reflect the style of his forefathers. He even has an old wine press in the tasting room that his grandfather used. Darek gets his hands dirty and his vineyard is super chill. We took home two delicious bottles. If you're in the area, you have to stop in read more

Just opened January 2010 and it should not be missed. If you are in the Santa Rosa area doing some wine tasting this should be on your list. The Owner/Winemaker Darek is super down to earth, pours great tastings and is reasonably priced. The tasting room has some stories so be sure to ask about the bar and the different furniture pieces. Darek is sometimes joined by his daughter who is super cute and learning the business quickly! Oh and he pours late so definitely do not skip! Looks can be deceiving. read more

Came here for Barrel Tasting Weekend! a great small little hole in the wall winery (which I like!). Good Zin! Will come back for more tastings during the Summer read more

I have been enjoying the wines of Old World Winery for about 4 years. When his wines are good they are outstanding and great bargains. His wines are not for those who want the same thing year after year. He surprises you with every vintage and every wine that he crafts. read more

Really fantastic wines! Especially the Aborious which is a rare grape in the world and grown only at this vineyard in the US. The owner is friendly and so are the rest of the staff. Go here on your next time in CA wine country!! read more

This winery sits on the cusp of town. It is indiviually owned and operated; Darek is a wonderful host and wine connoisseur. And if his kids are around, they are an even bigger treat! We thoroughly enjoyed the blends which are his specialty. Try the Jauggernaut. It is in a unique flip-top bottle that you can bring back to refill. Can't wait to go back and visit again. read more

Old World Winery! Not only is the wine all natural and delicious, the owner Darek is super helpful and lovely. When I drink these complex and lively wines at home I remember the beautiful vineyard, the family history behind Old World Winery, and Darek's warm smile. Take a drive out to taste some; you won't be disappointed. read more

Have stopped in on Derek quite a few times. Found him on Barrel tasting weekend a few years back and he is always on the list when friends and family visit. Awesome reds and some unique twists on whites make his wines interesting and very drinkable. Favorites are his Zin and Abourious, but to be honest he doesn't make a bad wine. Always warm and gracious. A must stop on any Sonoma County wine tasting tour. read more

Very small winery, but very interesting wines. The case sales are a great bargain, for very nice wines at about $ 8 a bottle. Happy to have found this place and will be back read more

It doesn't get any more "real" when it comes to this wine! The owner is a descendant of the Martenelli Family (famous for their wine and cider in California) and the winemaker actually learned from Grandpa before studying winemaking. If you are looking for salt of the earth people, a relaxed environment, and real answers about the passion of winemaking... this place is a must-stop. read more

What a great find! I didn't get the name of the young lady who was pouring, but she was very knowledgable and nice. The wines were quite good (and the prices were FANTASTIC) - and the Aborious was a very interesting new taste for us. Nice use of upcycled materials in the tasting room, and fascinating fermentation method as well. It's a bit of a trek from San Francisco, but we hope to come back often! read more