Location:  

Hop Kiln Winery

6050 Westside Road

Healdsburg, CA  95448

Hours of operation: 10:00 am.- 5:00 pm daily

Contact information: 707/433-6491

Wine Tour and Tasting:

No tasting fee

Tasting Fee Refundable w/purchase

Benefits of hiring a limousine for a Wine Tour: Relaxation, socializing with your friends, convenience, and most importantly, you will never have to worry about getting a DUI.

Additional information:

Built in 1905 the Hop Kiln is the most famous landmark in Sonoma County. The structure is on the registry of National Historic Trust Buildings and it has been used as a backdrop for four movies. Today the building is a winery, but at the turn of the century it was a hop kiln.

Dr. Martin Griffin purchased the 240 acre sheep ranch in 1960 with a building that was practically falling apart--the hop kiln. Dr. Griffin, who grew up on a dairy farm in Utah, purchased the property with an eye toward eventual retirement. That however, was not to be.

Shortly after he purchased the Sonoma Hop Kiln ranch, he started to restore the building with the help of two friends. In order to finance this project he decided to turn it into a winery.

There were already grapes on the property which were about 100 years old. When the building was used as a hop kiln, from 1905 to the early 1940's, the Petite Sirah and Zinfandel which grew on the property were made into wine for the workers. Shortly after Dr. Griffin purchased the ranch he added more vineyards because the ranch has several microclimates suitable for grape growing. There are now 47 acres planted in vineyards which include Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Valdiguie and Pinot Noir.