Yes! You always need to make an appointment to taste with Kerith at Bruliam Wines (and almost always for other small, boutique producers). However, our hospitality team can (often) host walk-ins for the 3-wine Signature Tasting.

The Bruliam Wines Winemaker Experience is an intimate, personalized 90+ minute immersive experience. It includes storytelling, camaraderie, the tasting (of course!), and your behind-the-scenes winery tour. It’s fun. Snap pictures in the barrel room. Re-visit your favorite wine. It’s not a race. We want your visit to Bruliam Wines to be your most memorable wine country experience. No rushing allowed. You’ll receive my most sincere focus and attention. Because we clear our schedules to accommodate you, please make a reservation. You can reserve your tasting with Bruliam Wines by clicking here.

Here is a modest proposal. Please don’t tackle more than two wineries in a day.

We value your attention as much as you desire ours. Don’t be surprised if most tastings last 60-90+ minutes and include four or five wines. We want you to engage. We want you to feel relaxed. We want you to have fun. We want you to ask questions. So please, stay awhile and linger. There’s no need to speed taste or rush. But spitting is OK. In fact, spitting is expected and encouraged, if you’re comfortable tasting/spitting. Which brings us to…

Do you plan to spit wine at every tasting? No? Not a problem. Have you assigned a designated driver? If you answered no to either or both questions, consider hiring a driver. (Unfortunately, I don’t have any recommendations for drivers).

Sonoma is for wines. Napa is for auto parts. Just kidding (except I’m not). Here’s my non-partisan answer. Sonoma is generally more relaxed and less fussy. We are farming families and family-owned wineries. Our climate is extensive, and we can grow just about every varietal here, from Burgundian to Bordeaux to Rhone to “Cal-Ital.” Sonoma has more personality, a better sense of humor, and more spirit. My BFF is a very well-known Napa Valley cabernet producer, and her family owns a very fancy, very famous vineyard. Except she and her family live in Healdsburg. Mic drop.

Every season is special.

• Spring (April–June): green vineyards, green hillsides, mild weather

• Fall (September–October): harvest energy, beautiful light

• Summer: warm but lively

• Winter: quiet, intimate, great for serious tasting

There is no bad time to visit wine country.

That depends. (You’ll soon discover that the answer to most winemaking questions is “it depends”).  Before considering (& booking) accommodations, take time noodle what you value most about wine country. Do you prefer to walk and grab your morning coffee while meandering around town in search of a breakfast croissant? Expect to saunter to dinner? If so, choose Healdsburg. Stay in town; it’s walkable. If you’re OK with driving to meals, you’ll find more affordable options in Windsor. What if you’re craving serene, bucolic vineyard views with luxe amenities? Then consider a full-service resort like Montage Healdsburg or the Farmhouse Inn. In theory, you’ll never need to leave the property.

Wear what’s comfortable without being too sloppy. There is no strict dress code. During harvest, you’ll find me layered up in a long-sleeved t-shirt, hoodie, and vest, with jeans, wool socks, and boots.  Even in the summertime, Sonoma clocks daily temperature swings of 30-40 degrees/day. Yup, you read that right. Fog, wind, and morning chill give way to sunshine almost daily. Pack layers. Wear layers. Do refrain from heavy perfumes, colognes, and body sprays since this affects how and what you smell in the glass. It also affects the wine tasters seated next to you.

Not at Bruliam. I am a small winery, and you’re tasting with me. Your Winemaker Experience is your open access to one-on-one time with an experienced winemaker (and offers unparalleled experience). Other wineries have different policies, so it’s always best to ask.

Sonoma is bigger, longer, wider, and more spread out than most people expect. We enjoy close to 85 miles of coastline and measure 60+/- miles from the Pacific Ocean to our eastern-most border. Sonoma is huge, crisscrossed with meandering country roads and sometimes hairpin turns. You may drive an hour from a tasting room in Healdsburg to a tasting room on the Sonoma Plaza square. Consult maps. Consult Waze. Plan your winery visits accordingly. In general, we have decent north/south access along the 101 freeway. East/west is another story.

While Sonoma has become synonymous with cool-climate pinot noir & chardonnay, don’t forget Sonoma also spans eastward into warmer climes. You can grow just about any wine varietal here in Sonoma. Our diversity makes us dynamic and exciting and delicious. Be intentional with your choices. Support small, family wineries. Sample interesting and unusual varietals. Be adventuresome. Elevate your trip and your palate. If you love pinot noir, focus on pinot. But also consider exploring less familiar varietals or home in on legacy grapes like zinfandel. With so much variety, you can’t go wrong!

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