With its earth-tone patinas and acute angles, Aperture Cellars’ recently opened hospitality space sets a decisively modern frame around vistas of century-old vines. Produced using the most scrupulous methods, their Bordeaux-style wines are known for their complex structure and transparent rendering of terroir. Among these wines’ numerous accolades are the highest scores ever awarded in some categories by Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Robert Parker, Jr. of The Wine Advocate. The owners of the Glass Pavilions contribute to such achievements by providing Aperture with Alexander Valley’s finest Cabernet.

Aperture’s winemaking program is divided between two main series based in the themes of “site” and “soil,” respectively. These dimensions of terroir also serve as the guiding principles behind two popular tastings they offer in an incomparable setting.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the specialties of Flowers Vineyard and Winery; “elegance” and “nuance” are the attributes that their vintners draw out of this fruit. Purity of method is also a central concern. Flowers’ winemakers use only a strain of native yeast unique to their facility and refrain from intervening in a wine’s maturation once it has entered the cellar. These parameters allow for what Head Winemaker Chantal Forthun considers the truest possible expression of the rugged and remote coastal ridges where Flowers grows its wine. Tastings take place closer to sea level, amidst hospitable gardens and accompanied with carefully considered small plates.

Named for the individual who first planted Cabernet and the proprietary “No. 17” Chardonnay clone in Anderson Valley, Robert Young Winery—now operated by his descendants—specializes in those two varietals through the present day. Their production also extends to all five Bordeaux grapes, as well as Sauvignon Blanc. Book a reservation for the “Scion Experience” for a flight of single-block reserve wines, as well as a tasting of small-lot varietals offering an uncompromising reflection of their respective terroirs.

Committed to producing restrained and balanced wines, Jordan Winery considers terroir in the most expansive possible sense. At their culinary events, French-inspired wines, cuisine crafted from local ingredients, and carefully sourced earthenware together sound a complex chord. A variety of other tastings—many with food pairings—are available on a more regular basis.

Offering small-lot Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wines, tastings at J. Vineyards illuminate the unique characteristics of terroirs from the Russian River to the coast. Reserve the J. Bubble Room for a seven-course tasting menu drawing upon the best of both Sonoma County produce and the J. Vineyards cellars.

There might not be another small town in the United States with dining options equal to those of Healdsburg. At the pinnacle of its culinary scene stands SingleThread, awarded a rare three-star rating by Michelin. In concert with his wife Katina Connaughton, who heads the nearby farm supplying the kitchen, Chef Kyle Connaughton creates cuisine deeply inspired by that of Japan, especially the clay-pot cooking known as donabe. So deep is the Connaughtons’ commitment to this tradition and the aesthetic environment of their restaurant that they source their earthenware directly from master potters in Japan—some with a family legacy stretching back centuries. Their cutlery is hand-forged at an exceptional workshop right in Healdsburg.

Healdsburg also boasts a second Michelin-starred restaurant in Barndiva, which has earned a Wine Spectator Restaurant Award every year since 2016. Barndiva lovingly serves “modern country cuisine” presented with an aura of rustic elegance. Reflecting a commitment to the land and landscapes of Sonoma County, their motto “Wherever you are, eat the view” appropriately suggests a complete immersion in the elements of this region.

A more traditional white-tablecloth experiences is found at Dry Creek Kitchen, where Chef Charlie Palmer plates the “rambunctious flavors” of his Progressive American cooking. Innovative takes on classic dishes also define the offerings at Valette, the creation of two brothers—both Healdsburg natives—committed to culinary honesty and impeccable service in their hometown. Recently, Chef Dustin Valette opened his second venture right on the Plaza, a multi-story temple to good food and drink called The Matheson. Downstairs, dinner entrees and sushi expertly prepared by Chef Ken Tominaga are served in the main dining room. Also on the entry level is a bar outfitted with the “Wall of Wine,” a system that allows their team to offer single-glass pours from some eighty-eight bottles. Above a mezzanine level devoted to private dining rooms is a rooftop cocktail lounge and restaurant serving small plates from the wood-fired oven.

The Matheson on Healdsburg Plaza

Healdsburg is home to many notable wine bars and tasting rooms, all located within a few blocks of the Glass Pavilions. In some instances, these downtown tasting rooms represent a second outpost of a more remote winery. In other instances, they are the only part of the operation that is open to the public. Such is the case with Lioco, an innovative winery dedicated to working with old, hidden, and often long-forgotten vineyards. Their ongoing search for compelling sites is always focused on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, though they also bring rarer varietals into the fold when an exceptional parcel presents itself. Lioco wines offer a bracing way of experiencing compelling terroirs from a 200-mile radius.

Pinot Noir enthusiasts will also be interested in the Healdsburg tasting room of Hirsch Vineyards. David Hirsch was the first to plant premium Pinot Noir on the Sonoma Coast, long before the land became known as the Fort Ross-Seaview American Viticultural Area. Like many winemakers specializing in this grape, he also grows excellent Chardonnay, though he restricts himself to less than four acres of it. Lying close to the San Andreas Fault, the land he tends is notoriously difficult in terms of both its varied weather and a soil composition that can change dramatically from one vine to the next. However challenging, these conditions help shape the identity of the wine, contributing to what Food and Wine magazine has called “one of California’s great Pinot Noir vineyards.”

The Coursey Graves winery combines the name of vintner and winemaker Cabell Coursey with that of the Graves Vineyard, the estate that produces his Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah. This fusion reflects Cabell Coursey’s conviction that farming and winemaking are two sides of a single practice. “Freshness and precision” are the attributes he seeks to highlight in his wines, which you can sample in the rugged atmosphere of their Healdsburg tasting room. There you can also enjoy wines by Works & Days, created using native yeasts and aged in terracotta amphora.

Stephen & Walker is a family-owned winery drawing from vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Howell Mountain, Mendocino Ridge, and Monterey. Zinfandel accounts for the majority of their wines with Cabernet Sauvignon a second point of emphasis, alongside several other offerings. Wines by Stephen & Walker have won numerous awards across several categories.

With estate vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, in Santa Barbara County, and in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Hartford Family Winery’s Pinot Noirs, Zinfandels, and Chardonnays have met critical acclaim ever since Don Hartford released his first bottles in the mid 1990s. Since then, they have appeared at the top of many best-of lists, regularly earning scores of 95 points and higher from authorities such as Wine Spectator. Their inviting, classically styled tasting room offers flights including all three of the major varietals for which they are known.

Duke's Spirited Cocktail Bar is a local favorite. Seated directly on the plaza, they serve a full menu of elevated bar foods and delicious cocktails. Stop in to try their poutine or famous turkey club, and stay for the drinks. Their array of beverage choices is dazzling, ranging from sophisticated classics to brunch mimosas, and everything in between.