U-Pick Pumpkin Time at Dry Creek's Preston Farm and Winery in Sonoma (You Can Get Your Winter and Holiday Wines, Too)

Gotta get a pumpkin? While it's always worth a drive to Preston Farm and Winery, an agrarian paradise and organic outpost, you probably missed the U Pick strawberries...but there's still time for pumpkins! And now cider!

They grow more than 200 crops and sell veggies, olive oil and lamb sausages at the local farmers market and their on site farm store.

 

Go for a country drive. Take the kids, the dog and leave some space in the car for their great wines, too.  

I recently visited for Slow Wine Guide USA's forthcoming 2025 guide and was reminded, yet again, what a great producer this is. When a place has a shining reputation as a farm to table winery, the quality of the wines can sometimes be overlooked. But let's let these wines speak for themselves. 

 Winemaker Grayson Hartley has really hit his stride. All of the wines were simply stunning.. 

In particular I would call your attention to the White Wine ($42), a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (50%) with northern Italian varietals Ribolla Gialla (25%), and Tocai Friulano (25%). Here are my notes: "The Sauvignon is skin fermented. On the nose, ripe apricot and pear juice with citrus and stone fruits on the palate. Complex and vibrant."

Uniquely the winery is making a Cinsaut ($40), which you don't find often. My notes: "From dry farmed vines planted in 1990. 100% whole cluster. Pressed off after a short maceration to neutral oak puncheons. A juicy go to wine with cherry pie flavors made more complex with darker fruit undertones along with herbal and savory notes in the mix. Also delicious served chilled."

Its Barbera is a standout and the Barbera Reserve ($65) is an absolute knockout. (You have to know to ask for it. Little is made.) My notes: "Foot trod and aged longer in large foudres, these special blocks produced a wine of great depth and complexity. The regular Barbera ($42), with raspberry and cherry cola on the nose and red fruits on the palate, is also excellent.

In recent years, the winery has adventurously planted Italian varieties including Barbera, Nero d'Avola, Ribolla Gialla, super rare Schioppettino (yes!), Tocai Friulano and Vermentino. And then there are the fine usual Rhone suspects–Grenache, Syrah, and, one of my faves, Mourvedre.

All definitely worth a road trip. (Or if you can't make it, you can buy wines online.)