Lost were five farm to table, organically farmed wineries replaced with only one new organically farmed winery.
The SF Chronicle’s Top 25 BAY AREA Wineries to Visit has for years been strong on artisanal, boutique, organically farmed, family owned wineries. This year things changed.
In addition as far as I can see, the word “organic” no longer appears in any winery description, even when a winery's wines are fully estate grown [only] and certified organic in the vineyards. The word “sustainable” is used instead to describe organic leaders like Donum and Matthiasson. This seems hugely wrong.
Here are the changes:
Dropped from Bay Area 2025 (8)
Freeman (Sebastopol) O
Frog’s Leap (Rutherford) O
Hanzell (Sonoma) O
Merry Edwards (Sebastopol) (one vineyard is O)
Preston Farm & Winery (Healdsburg) O
Unti Vineyards (Healdsburg) (Practicing O)
Tres Sabores (Estate is O)
Added to Bay Area Wineries in 2026 (8)
Arnot-Roberts (Healdsburg) (A few certified organic vineyard sources)
Donum Estate (Sonoma) (ROC)
Rhys Vineyards (Los Gatos) (Practicing O)
Ashes & Diamonds (Napa) (A few vineyards O including the estate)
Beaulieu Vineyard (Rutherford)
Goosecross Cellars (Yountville)
Hudson Ranch & Vineyards (Napa)
Robert Mondavi Winery (Oakville) (exception: To Kalon is O)
This Year, Architecture Counts For More?
Basically several corporate owned, historic wineries - Beaulieu and Mondavi, both of which were extensively renovated - were added to the list. Also Hudson, which has architecturally stunning buildings and landscaping. All three farm with chemicals.
Not including classic Hanzell this year feels like a major miss, as it is so very historic and the wines are phenomenal and regeneratively farmed.
Other Additions
Goosecross in Yountville is owned by an alum from Gallo and a Coors descendant.
Sorry to say, but I honestly do not know why Reeve made the list.
Rhys is deserving of inclusion and is an excellent addition. Until recently it did not offer tastings, but opened a tasting room (*by appointment only) a few years ago in a remote (but view filled) location. Rhys is not certified but it is practicing organic, under a celebrated vineyard manager with a deep biodynamic history.
Bear in mind, the Chronicle has OTHER LISTS - one for Sonoma and one for Napa – and some of these all star, family run, organically farmed estates appear on those lists.
Overall Changes in 2026 Bay Area List
Sonoma lost the most: Five of the eight drops are in Sonoma County, and only two Sonoma-area wineries were added (Arnot-Roberts and Donum). Napa lost three and gained five.
The new Napa entries are renovation and glamour picks: Mondavi and Beaulieu both unveiled major renovations this year. That fits the Napa list’s new focus on hospitality and experience.
Several dropped wineries are the quieter, farm-style [AND ORGANIC] stops: Preston, Tres Sabores, Unti and Hendry Ranch are all unfussy, low-key estates.
THE. (CERTIFIED) ORGANIC AMONG THE CURRENT BAY AREA LIST
The organically farmed options on the 2026 25 top Bay Area wineries include:
All Estate, Organically Farmed
Clif Family (Napa)
Corison (Napa, globally renowned Cabs)
Donum (all regenerative organic estates; which the Chronicle does not even mention)
Matthiasson (the Chronicle does not even mention the word organic in its description of this leading ecowinery)
Some Organically Farmed Wines
Arnot-Roberts (A few certified organic vineyard sources)
Ashes and Diamonds (estate only)
Brown (a few, small lot wines from their Chiles Valley estate)
Failla (Peay and Savoy vineyard wines)
Idlewild (selected vineyards)
Ridge Vineyards (estate wines only)
Ryme (lots of purchased grapes from organic vineyards)
Littorai (not certified but very organic and biodynamic farming) should also be included as 100% organic/biodynamic.
According to market data, organically grown wines are in demand among younger drinkers, and the only category that is showing growth (2%) versus declining so it’s curious and confusing why the Chronicle eliminates the use of the word "organic" entirely.
Happy travels!
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