Sonoma Wineries:
Preston
Vineyards: Organic Wines for 30 Years
Tucked away on this upper end of West Dry Creek Road, Lou Preston of Preston Vineyards has been farming organic, chemical-free grapes for over thirty years. An acclaimed baker, Lou Preston bakes bread in his forno––a wood-fired oven. Visitors to the tasting room can taste and purchase his delicious breads, which may be prune and rosemary, rye or walnut raisin, take away some home-grown olives and olive oil.
On Sundays, bring your own jugs to Preston Vineyards to fill up with "Guadagni Red," a blend of Italian varietals––Zinfandel, Malvoise and Carignane––available only at the winery and only on Sundays. The jug wine is produced as a tribute to Jim Guadagni, one of the founders of the Dry Creek Valley tradition of grape growing, who once plowed his hillside vineyards with a horse-drawn plough.
Turning back to cross the Yoakim Bridge east, try to stop on the bridge or walk out onto it for a scenic view of the creek and a look at the misty mountains in the near distance above the Warm Springs Dam. Just across the bridge, keep your eyes peeled for a small orchard, where you can buy fresh peaches in the summertime.
Continue the Dry Creek Valley Winery Guide With a Stop at Ferrari-Carano Winery »
The article on this page is adapted from the book, Backroads of the California Wine Country by Karen Misuraca (www.karenmisuraca.com), published by Voyageur Press.
Photo Credit: The pictures on this page are by Lisa Moore. www.studioponderosa.com