Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Longboard Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
A surfer winemaker's urban winery by the Healdsburg railroad tracks, with surf artifacts, an estate Merlot and a barrel-fermented Brut, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Longboard was founded in 1998 by Oded Shakked, who was born in Israel, spoke Hebrew, Spanish and French by the age of 12 and built surfboards for a living after his military service. Surf trips to France, Spain and Portugal led him to wine, and he graduated from UC Davis in fermentation science in 1988, interned at Domaine Chandon and Château Lafite-Rothschild and worked at Jordan before spending 18 years, from 1990, as head winemaker at J Vineyards, where he built its sparkling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay programs.
Longboard started as a hobby and became a full-time winery in 2005, when the tasting room opened in downtown Healdsburg. Oded owns and lives on the estate vineyard, which grows about a fifth of the grapes he uses. Two wines stand out: an estate Merlot from a cooler site, which surprises a lot of guests, and a Champagne-method Brut that is fully fermented in neutral barrels and finished very dry. With 40 years of winemaking behind him, he is still at it every harvest.
The tasting room, which Longboard calls the Surflounge, is two minutes' walk from the plaza, right by the railroad tracks. It is relaxed and talkative: surfboards and surf artifacts on the walls, stories about the restored 1951 Ford Country Squire woody, and a winemaker who encourages guests to trust their own palates. You can stay on with a glass in the barrel cellar or on the patio.
Tasting Fees
$20 per person for the Longboard Tasting of four current releases, waived with a two-bottle purchase or by joining the wine club.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
5 Fitch Street, Healdsburg
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Open daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; tastings end at 5 p.m., and bottles and wines by the glass are served until 6. No reservation is needed for a tasting, and walk-ins are welcome. Groups of 8 or more should call ahead.
Known For
An estate Merlot from a cool site and a barrel-fermented, Champagne-method Brut
Founded
1998
Good to Know
A cheese and charcuterie tray can be added for $15 per person; it needs a reservation and is designed for groups of 6 or more, with a la carte options for smaller groups. There is plenty of parking.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:50 a.m. from a Healdsburg hotel such as Hotel Healdsburg or h2hotel.
10:50 · Pickup at Hotel Healdsburg or h2hotel
Hotel Healdsburg, on the town plaza, and h2hotel, a green-roofed hotel just off the Healdsburg plaza, are each about 5 minutes from Longboard. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Longboard Vineyards
The first stop. The Longboard Tasting of four current releases ($20), as the doors open at 11.
12:10 · Due Ruscelli Vineyards & Winery
About 10 minutes away. Michael and Melissa's family winery on Limerick Lane, started in 2011 and named for the two seasonal creeks that frame its vineyard, making Italian varieties such as Primitivo, Sangiovese and Barbera. A family member hosts each experience: a winemaking tour and tasting is $40, and a tasting paired with meats and cheeses $60. Walk-ins Friday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; other days by appointment, booked a day ahead.
1:20 · Lunch at Costeaux French Bakery
About 10 minutes away. There has been a bakery on this stretch of Healdsburg Avenue since 1923, and the Seppi family has run it as Costeaux since 1981. The café serves hearty seasonal dishes indoors or on the patio. Open daily from 7:30 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:55 · Dutcher Crossing Winery
About 25 minutes away. Debra Mathy's family-run winery at the confluence of Dry Creek and Dutcher Creek, in a 1900s-style farmhouse winery whose breezeway frames the whole northern end of the valley; guests love the view from the patio. The winery does not publish its tasting fee; we confirm it when we book. Reservations recommended; open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
3:55 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 4:20 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Due Ruscelli takes walk-ins Friday to Sunday and appointments on other days, which we book a day ahead, so this day works any day of the week. Lunch is a little after 1, and the day ends around 4:20.
About $60 to $80 per person at Longboard and Due Ruscelli, paid directly to each winery; Dutcher Crossing's fee is to be verified upon reservation.
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 Longboard?
No. Walk-ins are welcome, and groups of 8 or more should call ahead. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Longboard?
$20 per person for four current releases, waived with a two-bottle purchase, as of September 2026.
Who is the winemaker at Longboard?
Founder Oded Shakked, a surfer who was head winemaker at J Vineyards for 18 years before making Longboard his full-time winery.
Where is Longboard?
At 5 Fitch Street, about two minutes' walk from the Healdsburg plaza, by the railroad tracks.
What wines is Longboard known for?
An estate Merlot from a cool site and a Brut sparkling wine made in the Champagne method and fermented in neutral barrels.
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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