Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Foppiano Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
One of Sonoma County's oldest family-founded wineries, a Petite Sirah pioneer that survived a Prohibition raid, with picnics welcome on the grounds, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Giovanni Foppiano came to New York from Genoa in 1855, and in 1896 he bought a working winery on the south side of Healdsburg known as Riverside Farm. During Prohibition, in 1926, federal agents raided the winery and forced the family to pour out 100,000 gallons of wine. The family carried on for generations; Paul Foppiano, of the fifth generation, joined the family business in 1994.
Foppiano released its first Petite Sirah in 1967 and became known as a pioneer of the grape; its 1996 Petite Sirah won the Civart award at Vinexpo in Bordeaux. The estate also grows Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, and its 1896 Red Blend nods to the founding year. Foppiano is now part of CMB Family of Wines, the family-owned group based at Martin Ray Winery in the Russian River Valley.
A visit is an old-fashioned country one: the estate sits just off Old Redwood Highway minutes from the plaza, and guests are invited to bring a thoughtfully prepared picnic to enjoy on the grounds. For Petite Sirah lovers it is a chance to taste the grape where it made its name in California.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
12707 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Open to guests Wednesday to Monday. Tastings are requested through the winery's form; hours are not published, so we arrange the visit on your behalf and confirm times when booking.
Known For
Petite Sirah, first released in 1967, and estate wines from a winery founded in 1896
Founded
1896
Good to Know
Guests are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy on the grounds. Closed on Tuesdays.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Healdsburg hotel such as Hotel Healdsburg or The Madrona.
10:00 · Pickup at Hotel Healdsburg or The Madrona
Hotel Healdsburg, on the town plaza, is about 5 minutes from Foppiano, and The Madrona, a 24-room hotel on a historic estate on Westside Road, about 10. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Foppiano Vineyards
The first stop. A tasting of the estate wines, Petite Sirah first; we confirm the fee when we book.
11:45 · Moshin Vineyards
About 30 minutes away. Former math teacher Rick Moshin planted his first Pinot Noir here in 1989 and, with family and friends, built one of California's first gravity-flow wineries, four levels that move the wine without pumps. The Classic Wine Tasting is $40, waived with a two-bottle purchase per person. Open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; leashed dogs welcome.
1:10 · Lunch at Bravas Bar de Tapas
About 25 minutes away. James Beard finalists Mark and Terri Stark's tapas bar on Center Street, steps from the Healdsburg plaza, with paella, Spanish wines and tables indoors or outside. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:45 · Bricoleur Vineyards
About 25 minutes away. A family estate in Windsor, opened in 2020, with a stone pavilion, culinary gardens and lawns where children and dogs are welcome. Soaring pairs three wines with small seasonal bites from the estate and local farms for $75; most tastings take about 90 minutes. Open Thursday to Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., last seating at 4.
4:15 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 4:40 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Foppiano is closed on Tuesdays and Bricoleur on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so this day works Thursday to Monday, and it ends around 4:40.
About $115 per person in tasting fees for Moshin and Bricoleur; Foppiano's fee is to be verified upon reservation. Each is paid directly to the winery.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Foppiano?
Tastings are requested through the winery ahead of time, and we confirm the time for you. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Foppiano?
Tasting fees are to be verified upon reservation; the winery does not publish them online.
What is Foppiano known for?
Petite Sirah. Foppiano released its first Petite Sirah in 1967, and its 1996 Petite Sirah won the Civart award at Vinexpo in Bordeaux.
How old is Foppiano Vineyards?
Giovanni Foppiano bought the winery, then called Riverside Farm, in 1896, making it one of Sonoma County's oldest.
Can I bring a picnic to Foppiano?
Yes. Guests are invited to bring a picnic to enjoy on the grounds.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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