March Madness, STEP ASIDE! There's a new star in town. Sonoma's annual Barrel Tasting brilliantly shined this past weekend. My besties and I, along with our significant others, spent a weekend getaway in wine country (Happy Birthday Shannon K.!). Whether you know the difference between a Syrah/Sirah, able to detect the delicate floral/fruit/wood/nutty notes, or even the proper way to swirl your glass (pinkies down)--this event doesn't discriminate. Newbie or seasoned wine connoisseurs have one thing in common--ability to sip wine to optimal merriment! We wine-hopped to about 9 wineries in two days--sampled wines directly from the barrels, chatted with winemakers and inhaled the beautiful Russian River Valley scenery. (The wet weather didn't rain on our parade!) Highlights: + DeLoach Vineyard: We packed a picnic lunch on Saturday and feasted at their outdoor wooden tables. There was also a wine barrel making demonstration and I was amazed to see the whole process was hand crafted! { photos to come } (I just assumed machines were somehow involved) + Wilson Winery: Try their award-winning Zinfandel Molly's Vineyard at this charming, historic winery. + Francis Ford Coppola Winery: Hollywood meets Wine Country. A wine wonderland. You get excellent pours+taste, sausage dogs, breath-taking views and music. Movie-goers: take a stroll through the castle and see many of Coppola's famed movie (Godfather, Dracula, Apocalypse Now) artifacts, including his multiple Oscars(!!!!) on display. + Simi Winery: I'm longing for their Late Harvest Riesling (tastes JUST like liquid honey. Bzz bzzzz~) and their homemade tater tots. FAIL PROOF Equation (It doesn't take a math genius to figure this out) Friends + Food + Laughs + Wine + Asian Glow + Sonoma Barrel Tasting Event = BEST weekend Sonoma's annual Barrel Tasting is an event that should NOT be missed. Grab your loved ones and plan a weekend getaway to this wine and R&R oasis. You still have this weekend March 11-13 left!!!! { photos to come } read more

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I'm not a wine snob. Hell, I'm just as happy drinking wine out of a jug at a mom and pop Italian restaurant as I am finishing a $100 bottle. But I am a bit of a snob when it comes to wine tasting. One of the reasons that I love Healdsburg so much is that it lacks the crowds and overall Disney on crack vibe that has overtaken Napa. Unfortunately, I saw these crowds en masse at my beloved Healdsburg during Barrel Tasting. I witnessed bachelorette parties, people getting high in the parking lot of a winery and more party buses and limos than I thought existed in Northern California. Food was scarce at most stops (although Bella had a huge spread and Ridge featured one of the biggest hunks of cheddar I've ever seen) and most wineries had lines to get into parking lots and more lines to taste. Some wineries were definitely more organized than others (big props to A. Rafanelli) and while I still had an amazing time (hell, it was in the 70's and I was wine tasting with friends!) I doubt I'd return again during Barrel Tasting weekend. read more

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When I heard about this event, I was really excited to try barrel tasting. $20 is not bad, since you get to sample from hundreds of wineries. Then I find out its good for the ENTIRE weekend, not just the day that you go! I heard it used to be only $5, but I still think $20 is worth getting my wine buzz on. This was a really fun event. You should get a designated driver because you have to drive from winery to winery (they are not within walking distance). MAP OUT YOUR route - because any chances of getting lost will eat away at your wine tasting time. NOT ALL WINERIES ARE EQUAL! There were some that served REALLY delicious food while some didn't even have crackers. But visiting all the different wineries were a lot of fun. It was my first time tasting from the barrel - I prefer sampling the finished product. So I was happy to see that there were bottles to taste from as well. Can't wait to go to the next wine event! read more

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This is a great time to taste a lot of wine for not much money. You pay I think its $30 for tasting at about 150 wineries for the weekend. This has been a sort of family reunion for me for a while now. Trust me you will end up spending more the the $30, I usually leave with about 4 cases my cousin with about 15. You will end up tasting some really good wine from 3 different AVA's. One thing to watch out for, the party buses. A they don't belong on those narrow roads and B none of them are buying wine to support the wineries. As one winery employee joked, who needs to buy wine when you have have whiskey on the bus. True, but theres a time an place fore everything. I'm all for being responsible about drinking, but maybe a sedan services with a few friends? Speaking of being responsible, the dump bucket is there for a reason, no one is getting insulted by you taking a taste and dumping the rest. No one wants to end up at the 10th winery of the day, buying wine and forgetting tasting it. Anyway if you like wine it's a good time read more

Me: Let me get this straight... I give you twenty dollars and you give me an empty glass and a wristband? Her: Yes, That's correct. Me: And with this magical wristband I can drink indefinitely from over FIFTY different wineries in North Sonoma County. Her: Yes again. Me: AND they have food at each stop?? Her: Yes. Me: Alright.. where's Ashton??? Am I getting Punk'd?? Her: I don't think that show is on anymore. Me: What about Candid Camera... is that still on? Her: I think that's been off the air for years. Me: I was always more partial to Alan Funt. Interesting last name too. You don't meet many Funts. Have you ever meet a Funt?? Her: Sir you're holding up the line. Me: Oh... okay. Thanks for the glass! That's the deal. Twenty bucks for a full day of wine tasting accompanied by great food. I know what you wine snobs are thinking. "Oh, only heathens drink a wine before it time!" To that I say take that enormously prickly stick out of your ass!! It's not just barrel tasting. The wineries were sampling from all of their already bottled wines too. It is an amazing deal and a fantastically good time. It seemed like most places were pulling out all of the stops. What does that mean exactly?? How does one pull out all of the stops? Where are you pulling the stops out of? Can you only pull out some of the stops?? Anyways, said stops were all pulled out. Live bands, entertainment, cheeses, breads, marinated meats, fruits, blind wine tasting games, etc. What I recommend is renting some form of transportation so no poor sap gets stuck as the DD, which is usually my role, the poor sap. We rented a white limo with track lighting straight from a 1992 Prom! Class out the ass... My other tip would be to wear dark clothes. Inevitably, some lightweight in your group (my wife in ours) will take to spilling red wine as she accentuates her conversations with her wineglass. I was spilled on at least three times as the day progressed. It does get a lil' sloppy-drunk feast-y as the day wears on, but never out of hand. This is wine country after all. This was our first year at this festival and we have no intention of missing it from here on out!! Loved it. read more

$20 buys you an entire weekend [even Friday if you can make it up there] of tastings at over 100 wineries in the Alexandria Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Russian River Valley. How many you visit is really up to you, you lushes! You can even go up BOTH weekends if you want to see just how many wineries you can hit up. We ended up going up only ONE day, but it was totally worth the experience. It was a great time, and I'm thoroughly impressed by the wineries and how "at home" they really make you feel. While I like drinking wine, I don't really know all that much in terms of the process or the differences between geography/grapes and everything else that makes a wine unique, so I was expecting to feel intimidated, but there was really none of that. Everyone was out to have a good time! Here's a video of our adventure - http://vimeo.com/10053390 The purpose of the event is so that people can sample from the barrel and then buy futures. I did just that, and while my wallet is hurting, I don't regret it at all. We visited wineries in the Dry Creek Valley - Fritz Underground Winery, Dutcher Crossing Winery, David Coffaro Estate Vineyard, Sbragia Family Vineyards, and Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate. I tricked Ryan, and he was DD for the day. DD price is $10! read more

Zinfandels... Pinots... Cabernets... VIGOROUS WITH STRONG THRUSTING OVERTONES, yet subtle with trace hints of blackthorn & holly, a core of phoenix feather, and dragon heart string. So maybe I still have a lot to figure out about wine and wine making, but having gone to this Barrel Tasting in Sonoma, I've learned that it's much more then an alchemy of grapes, sugar, and unicorn tears. Its one part science, two parts art, and three parts genuine love of the craft. Don't miss the Pinot Masters from Deloach. They have a really good picnic area where you can watch barrels being made on the spot. While you're in the Russian River Valley, drive a km north to Hook and Ladder, and grab a bowl of chili with their Cab. Head over to Healdsburg and find the beautiful Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Sip on their Zin while inches away from Coppola's five Oscars set on display, but don't put your glass down on the Godfather's desk. Get yourself to Simi, and ask to try their "Noble Rot." It's a Reisilng made from the late harvest of molding grapes. Trust me, it's good. Wash it down with some of their amazing bacon blue cheese tater tots. (I got the recipe!) Go now! read more

The annual Russian River Barrel Tasting Event is AMAZING! It's a tremendous opportunity to go wine tasting at gorgeous wineries, each with its own personality, character and vibe, and you're guaranteed fun times no matter what. In 2006, the event was $5 for unlimited wine at a cornucopia of fine wineries. In 2010, the event was $20. Does the inflated price matter? NOPE! Why? Because Barrel Tasting is the BEST EVENT to hit Napa / Sonoma ever!! It's one of my top March traditions when I can celebrate the coming arrival of spring, enjoy good company, devour scrumptious foods from each winery, and immerse myself in all the richness wine has to offer. I think the event lasts for the first two weekends of March. Be sure to check the schedule because certain wineries participate during different days or weekends. You'll get to sample wine from the bottle and wine from the barrel. There will be wine already on the market and futures. They'll have everything from reds to whites to hybrids. It just depends what winery you go to. You can buy tickets at the door or in advance. If you break a glass, I think they charge you extra, but you'll oftentimes find that the entire environment is just care-free and relaxing, so people are more than willing to help you out. :) Make this a group event-- the more the merrier. I recommend renting a booze cruise bus/limo/car service because it's really convenient and I have no idea how anyone on the road during the Barrel Tasting weekends is sober. Everyone has to be somewhat tipsy because of the amount of alcohol you consume. You'll also get to sample different foods from each winery. Some places showcase family-secret recipes for cornbread, chili, sausage, etc. Other wineries will serve cheese, homemade olive oils, crackers, paella, cold appetizers, etc. Everything there is a euphoric high, I kid you not. We brought our dog when we went in 2010, and he loved it. We went to one winery that played live music, had its own family band, had a little fun karaoke going on, and had its labs running around the wine tasting area. So cute. I know a ton of spring and March bday babies~ Don't you (Eleen / Jenn / Julie / Lucas)? It's a perfect way to celebrate and get a bunch of friends together. read more

Gone two years in a row so far and loved both times! Sunce is one of my favs! There are tons of participating wineries and there are always great wines, food and people. Took a huge limo bus with about 25 friends this year and it just made it even more fun! There was tons of champagne and oj in the limo and at $50+ per person, it's worth it to share all the drunken moments with your friends. read more

Me and my wife have been going on this for years with my friend and his wife. ITs definitely an event I would recommend you go to, since for a measly $20 a person you get to try all these different wineries, many of which have complementary food and discounts on their wine. Ive been introduced to so many great wineries i would otherwise never have encountered. Wineries like Armida, Hop Kiln, and Moshin. You just cant beat this deal. get a hotel in town or close by, and go the entire weekend. Great romantic trip. you can pay at most of the wineries, and then you just carry a glass around the rest of the weekend and have each winery fill it up. One of the wineries has a Great Wild boar Chili, so that one is worth searching out if you do go. With the toddler its gonna be a few years before we get back, but we have plenty of photos from our trips in the past to remember it by. I highly recommend it. read more

I can't believe this is real. I didn't believe it, but then I experienced it, and I probably will not miss one in the following years! Our check in was a little rocky (which is why it loses one star). Yelpers be informed that you have a certain winery you are to check into (which we were unaware of). We got stuck at Hanna for an hour more than we wanted to because they had to do all these calls. Our greeter was very nice and sympathetic. Yes there were tons of people. Yes there were tons of YOUNG people. but yes the weather was beautiful, we got to try sooo many different wineries we hadn't even heard of! 1. Hanna (smaller winery) 2. Armida (has these beautiful ponds and serving up some yummy zin which they were serving with chunks of chocolate!) 3. Bella (beware that it's a drive but totally worth it.. ambiance was so lovely.. late harvest was memorable) 4. Wilson's (were bbqing yummy prime rib! and a perfect place to picnic) 5. Martorana (new to the game, two bocce ball courts and a concert stage) 6. DeLorimer (I could've skipped this one) As you can see, I drank so much wine I cant distinguish between each winery. However I will say we did all this on ONE sunday and im sure you are impressed =). Next time I will go the whole weekend and take my time. And the time after that and the time after that! read more

I love barrel tasting, but we could not afford to go this year - $20 presale or $30 day-of each is just far too much, especially when we remember not too long ago when it was just $5 a person. Even $10 or $15 would be okay, but since we usually only go to 2 or 3 of our favorites and purchase futures there, it just doesn't make sense any more. I understand they are trying to thin the crowds, and I love that some places have Thursday and Friday previews for members, but it just doesn't work for us to go during the week. So until they lower the prices, I think barrel tasting will be a distant fond memory for us. Au revoir! read more

I am SO making this an annual March tradition with my friends! Heard good things about it so I organized a trip for my group of 12 this year -- hired a shuttle van and driver, bought OJ & champagne..and hit the road! What a fabulous time :) Ride to sonoma is a luxury itself (assuming a clear day)...looking over the GG bridge, music up and mimosa in hand, we could not have had it better. I really recommend hiring a driver -- will cost you about $60/head but it's well worth it. They no longer allow buses and limos, but I think its good to keep it no more than a dozen, and limos are a pain since most the "parking" is on dirt patches. If you buy tickets in advance (for $20 instead of $30 at the door), you have to designate a vineyard to start. We chose Bella which was fantastic. Registration is quick and painless -- they snap on a wristband, give you a keepsake glass, and have you go at it! Over 100+ wineries participate and open up their barrel rooms that you dont' get see otherwise. I was worried that we wouldnt get to taste anything good since all of it would be young, but turns out they typically serve both from the barrels and bottles...plus the barrel wines were still quite tasty! Many of the places give you free tastings of food as well (i.e. pulled pork and gritas at Bella, AMAZING rosotto at Dutcher's Crossing)...check the map they supply on the site for indicators of which have food if you're a fatty like me. Good to plan out your route in general -- but even if you don't, most places are pretty close together. We checked out 5 places -- which was above our target: Bella, Dutcher's Crossing, Fritz, Ferrara, Coppolla. I cant remember which is which now, but none were a dissappointment. This has got to be the best kept secret of the bay area. Boys can do March Madness -- this is going to be my thing :). read more

One word: awesomeness! Thank you DC for introducing me to this annual March event! It's true they have raised the prices, but ppl gotta survive right?! This year's event ended last weekend but prepare for next year! Purchase your wine glass holders: those beaded hemp or thin cloth wine glass holders that go around the neck! HOT! And become a Visa Signature card member, cause discounts were given if you purchased with one! With $20 (advance purchase) you get: one non-DD glass (break/lose it, a new one for $5), one neon wristband (to shower with), one weekend of AYCE delicious small bites, and access (from 11-4PM) to more future wines and wineries than you could ever drink and visit! In 2 days, we visited 14 wineries but our other group of friends was on their 8th one when we called around 2:30P. So there is hope for those who want to make this a race! Popular Russian River Valley roads: - South: Olivet Rd. - most pop: Sunce (Generous food portions; Mystery Wine Contest where you can score a discount off your bottle purchase; Barbera) - North: Westside Rd. - most pop: Armida (Heaven/Hell themes; Poison served with BBQ; and open later than 4P) See you there next year! read more

The Russian River Wine Road's annual Barrel Tasting event is definitely something someone interested in wine should experience. The Healdsburg area is an under appreciated wine growing region, overshadowed by it's mighty Napa sibling. I've been going to this event for the past several years (unfortunately ticket prices have gone up since then, from $5 to $20) and it looks like the region is starting to become more popular. There are more and more people on the roads and in the wineries each year. It's great to see people appreciating the hard work these families put into their wines, but dangit, it just takes longer for me to get a parking spot to get my wines!..hehe In terms of which wineries to hit up, it's usually a hit or miss in terms of finding great wines and an even greater gamble to find great food pairings. Some wineries take their pairings serious while others just provide little snackies, like cheese. If you want a more substantial wine and food pairing, attend the annual Wine and Food Affair event. I recommend going to their website (http://www.wineroad.com/) prior to the event to stake out which wineries to visit. They will usually have a brochure listing participating wineries and the food (if any) served there. Hopefully I'll see you on the road! read more

One of the best wine events out there.. or used to be. All aspects of this event are perfect, with the exception of how many people attend- way overly crowded now. I attended the Barrel Tasting event every March throughout Sonoma country for the past 4 years, with the exception of last year. Ticket/wrist band prices are great- $45 gets you a weekend pass to taste at literally hundreds of wineries, taste some great food, chat with some awesome people over beautiful vineyard views. Tasting from the barrels, before the wines are ready or bottled, is quite the experience. It's incredible to see how different each wine tastes straight from the barrel and then pair and compare that with the previous vintage of the same wine. It's just so interesting- especially when you take the time to chat with the wine maker or winery staff. Fascinating. The only gripe I have is that this event is now so popular, the price is SO right, that it has become sort of a drinking fest, people arriving in large groups or in limos, stumbling out after they've finished their mimosas.. it's just sad. This great event has been taken down a star for those who are seriously into wine and serious about learning more. All that aside, the event is well executed, a fun time, great people (love all of you who work the wineries those weekends!), outstanding wine, music and food. If you have never experienced a barrel tasting, highly recommend picking one of the two weekends in March and seeing what it's all about. :) read more

This is the funnest event that I go to. We have been going there for twenty years . It has grown exponentially through the years and now it is huge. We liked it before when the owners of the wineries . many of which were not then open for public tastings were wide open for this special weekend. We have always had convertibles (first a red miata and now a red Mini cooper (brand new) and love to cruise the dry creek area with the top down and the I Pod blasting. Finishing with a picnic at Hop Kiln is always a fun thing to do. read more

I've never participated in this event, but I used to live in Windsor and Santa Rosa and I am very familiar with the Russian River wineries and I used to LOVE spending a day cruising down the wooded roads and stopping in at the beautiful wineries and sampling the fabulous grape nectors. They must have started this event after we left the area (DAMMIT!), but I hope to return in the near future to get my wine on! P.S. Sonoma County kicks Napa's snobby butt! read more

Just one word; amazing! This was my first time attending it, and I know I'll be back next year :-) Do the homework by researching about the wineries, then plan the logistics using the map which is available at www.wineroad.com. Pre-sale ticket = $20, participating winery = over 100, and the memory you share with your friends = priceless! read more

WOW - SO FUN and such a great deal. Three whole days of barrel and wine tasting. I only got to do one day, but when i go next year ( yes i said WHEN) im definitely going to try and make the whole weekend. Some of the winieries are more exciting and extravagant than others and some are more homey and simple, you pick and choose or mix it up and thats the greatest part about this event. I was surprised to see that all the wineries also had a sampling of food for u to taste with ur wine. The dutton estates had these DELICIOUS HOMEMADE MEATBALLS omg so good! With your ticket you receive a glass that is good at all the participating wineries for at least 2 out of the 3 days. Many of the wineries offer deals on their bottles/cases as well as futures from the barrel which u can order to receive almost a yr from then - which actually turns into a great surprise once u get it! The event was crowded but not overly - it was a good amount that allowed you to engage with other but not get bumped into or spilt on. read more

Loved It!!!! 2nd year coming here. Very worth-wild. Very in expensive 40 bucks for my husband and I for over 200 wineries...drinking! My favorite this year was Holly and Hanna beautiful venues....the sight was nice. The weather was just amazing.....Everyone needs to this atleast once. read more

Barrel tasting draws a lot of people, so if you mind crowds, this isn't for you. On the other hand, the wineries create a terrific time for their visitors and it is just a plain fun event. Great deals on wines, especially this year (probably due to the economy). My favorite thing about this was discovering some of the smaller wineries I haven't been to before. When I first moved to Northern California, I thought Kendall Jackson was it, but now when I am wine tasting, it is the last place I'd go. Not meaning to necessarily diss their wine, but why would you go anywhere you can pick the wine up at BevMo? Some wineries put out nice nibbles and all the terrific wine you taste, for $20 is one of the best deals you'll ever get. And, in spite of the crowds, the wineries were ready for it, so for me it just added to the atmosphere. read more

We did the annual event for the umpteenth time on Saturday, and hit eleven wineries - a record! Went to Joseph Swan off of River Road first, then to Moshin, Porter Creek, Thomas George, Hop Kiln and VML, all along Westside Road. After meeting up with friends and having lunch at the always excellent Oakville Grocery in Healdsburg, we walked to the tasting rooms of Windsor (where I buy wine & champagne with customized labels), JCB, Portalupi, Hawley (say hello to Dana), Murphy-Goode, and ended at Hart's Desire, where John is the consummate host. Winding down with a coffee and pastry at Downtown Bakery gave us the energy for the drive back home. Most of the wineries we stopped at had tastings from the barrel, running from quite good to still fermenting. While we did not buy any futures this time, we did pick up a case of Big Red from Hop Kiln, and some Chard and Pinot Grigio from Murphy-Goode. read more

This is the best value in wine tasting. I recommend starting with wineries that are typically by appointment only. There is rarely pressure to buy anything, but it's hard not to want to buy something at each winery. Some tasting rooms are busy, but fun. Some are more quiet and intimate, so you get more stories of the winery, the wine, and history of the people involved. Some have food, but make sure to have snacks on hand for in between. Drink water in between so you can make it to more wineries through the day and not have a hang over the next day. read more

i've gone to barrel tasting for 5 years in a row now and always love it. this is a standard event for my friends, we come in from our various corners of the world to convene on (our choice) the dry creek valley for one glorious day a year. if you start at 11 and go till it's over (4pm i believe) you can easily go to 3-5 vineyards plus end up in healdsburg (again, our choice) or some other place with in-town wineries to walk between. it's nice to go to 3-4 rather than 5+ because then you're able to get a real feel for the wines and have a relaxing day. my big gripe with barrel tasting (hence the 4 instead of 5 star rating) is that the price keeps going up but they don't increase the donation to charity. it used to be $5 and one day only. then it became $10 and 1, then 2 weekends. now it's $20 and 2 weekends. the $5 price was a total STEAL but i believe that $20 is still worth it. since they doubled the price from 2007 to 2008 ($10 to $20) i expected a concomitant increase in charitable donation which they DID NOT do. boo hiss. read more

wait just a second people....how did I not know about this earlier in my life- this is the best thing going...I am telling you- I did this last weekend and wish I would have made it a full weekend of it! Hand over your $20.00, you get your glass, you get your wristband and off you go! Trying as many wineries as you can in the time allotted. So much fun! Wineries go all out with food and some entertainment but really it's all about what is in that barrel. This was such a fun day. My friend-boy and I both signed up for different wine clubs. Next year can't come fast enough...I want to do it again and again and again! read more

This event is sooooooooooo much fun! All the other reviews said it too but I'll say it again...GO! You pay $20-$30 depending on when you buy your tickets and you get introduced to the best wineries the world has to offer. It does get a little crazy now that more people come from out of town and get smashed but in the end it is a grand old time that Napa can not match! Let me note though that it is not about food...it is about wine. So don't expect a full spread at every stop, bring a picnic with you to help soak up that wine. read more

I have to agree with the other yelpers! This is a great event and I owe my friend serious thanks for turning me on to it! Pay $30.00 and try barrel and bottle wines from a huge number of the wineries on the Russian River Wine Road. read more

Love it! Really love to meet the "little" wine makers... but have found that the down side is the people who just come out to drink and make it feel like your in a huge cheap bar..... read more

A very fun event... lots of wine and several places that are not normally open or are by appointment only. Seriously... if you like wine you ought to try this at least once. The ONLY problem is the fact that everyone else realizes how cool this event is so many of the places will be slammed with people.. and are few things more annoying than getting to a place you have been looking forward to just in time to see the party bus show up and let 20 people out. Just be glad that many of the places seem to be prepared for this and are good at dealing with way too many people. So you need to do your part and go, if just to help stress test the system. read more

Well I'm still a fan but it is changing as far as how good it used to be. This year they bumped the price from 20-30 per ticket and so I asked why? and got a response- "We are trying to keep the drinkers out"- I thought about it and said not a bad idea after all it's about meeting the winemakers, pricing futures, and comparing the wines.It is what has made it fun over the last 10 years for me. This year the crowds were there and limo's- it was surviveable but I hate pulling into a place saying omg it's way to crowded lets go to the next one. I don't have the answer because I believe in supporting the small wineries. Did I buy futures? YES!!! Is it fun still YES! read more

Barrel tastings can be really interesting experiences. Most professional tasters admit that tasting wines this young is much more challenging, but you have the chance to learn about components before they're "tainted" by aging, bottling, sulferization, and so on. I'm surprised that in all these warnings about imbibing too much, dd's, etc., no one recommended the practice of spitting. You don't have to glug down everything drop you're given to determine the taste of the wine. I've even taken an extra bottle along to spit into as discretely as possible. It sure beats a DUI! read more

I'm extremely familiar with the wines and wineries of the Russian River/Dry Creek areas of Sonoma County (I'll be up there tasting today) and I've attended these "open house weekend" events all around the wine country. But as someone who works in the industry, pouring wine on the other side of the counter, the majority of my guests have lots of complaints about Barrel Tasting weekend. Reading these reviews will tell you why. When visiting the wine country, the majority of folks I deal with are looking for a relaxing, educational wine experience. They want to find something they absolutely love that they've never had before and leave with a few bottles of wine and a wonderful memory (that's why you come to the Healdsburg area... right?). Most people tell me they're going to Healdsburg to avoid the crowds, the limos and the drunks. And while these weekend open house events can be fun, they are also, loud, crowded, impersonal and especially on the tiny roads of Dry Creek... dangerous. It frequently resembles a drunken frat party. Just look how many of these reviews don't mention a great tasting experience, but more about the quantity of drinking and the "buzz". Because of this, expect prices to go up and up, as the county wants the drunk-fest cut back! Fantastic wineries, great wines, wonderful place, and just the weekend NOT to be here. read more

Living in Sonoma county I have been doing the Barrel tasting for YEARS. I have to say the "cat is out the bag". The crowds have gotten bigger and bigger each year...The drunkn' 20-somethings have become like ants on a dropped piece of candy. My advice is stay away on the first Sat, the is the single most crowded day. Some wineries taste on Fridays, not all but enough this is the least crowded day to go. Also I would advice getting off the beaten path...get out of Healdsburg...Head out to the farthest wineries in Alexander Valley or Dry creek and work your way back into Healdsburg. You need to have a flight plan, pulling over at every winery is not a good plan. If you take your time and enjoy the wine and sun you'll probably hit 5-6 wineries, with that said hit the good ones. Also some advice to rookie wine tasters...you won't last long if you drink every taste they pour you....it's called wine tasting not wine drinking. It is totally fine to pour our or spit out a taste. Also bring your own food, yes they will be nibbles along the way for you to try but, pack a good lunch, post up at beautiful spot and enjoy the time with your friends....find a nice white or red found and go for it. I can't express enough how a nice full lunch will help you get through the day. read more

I returned from 2011 Barrel Tasting in Healdsburg yesterday. My Sister and I have gone to this event every year since 1989 and always had a great time. We always came home with 8-10 case of wine. This year we came home with only 6 bottles of so-so wine. We found the wineries were way over prices and at times were rude to the customer. Unfortunately we ended the weekend with the decision that this is our last time at this event. read more