Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Old World Winery with a Private Chauffeur
A natural-wine winery in an up-cycled building of reclaimed redwood and century-old brick, pouring field blends from vines planted in 1890, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Old World Winery is a small, family-owned winery on River Road in Fulton, run by pastoral winemaker and proprietor Darek Trowbridge, who has more than 20 years of hands-on experience in vineyard management, grape growing and natural winemaking. His roots here run deep: the 1890 Block on Martinelli Road was planted by his great-grandfather, Giuseppe Martinelli, and has been harvested for well over a century.
These are natural wines in the strict sense: grapes from organic, biodynamic, dry-farmed vineyards, picked by hand and fermented only with native yeast, with nothing added but a little protective sulfur. The head-trained, unirrigated vines of the 1890 Block grow Muscadelle, Trousseau Gris, Palomino, Mondeuse Noir, Abouriou and Zinfandel together, and the winery farms what it says are the only four acres of Abouriou, a Basque variety, in the New World.
The building is part of the visit: reclaimed redwood, 100-year-old brick and an entirely up-cycled structure, with a working farm around it. Tastings are by appointment, Thursday to Saturday, and with rare grapes and old field blends in the glass it is a very different stop from the polished tasting rooms nearby, a good choice for guests curious about natural wine.
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
850 River Road, Fulton
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
The tasting room is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, by appointment only. Book through the winery's website, by phone at (707) 490-6696 or by email.
Known For
Natural wines from old field blends and rare varieties such as Abouriou
Founded
Not published by the winery
Good to Know
The Backyard Friends club includes free tastings for a member and five friends. The winery also runs an Adopt a Vine program.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:10 a.m. from Vinarosa in Santa Rosa or Farmhouse Inn in Forestville.
10:10 · Pickup at Vinarosa or Farmhouse Inn
Vinarosa, set among 92 acres of vineyards in Santa Rosa, is about 10 minutes from Old World, and Farmhouse Inn, a 25-room inn on River Road in Forestville, about 20. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:30 · Old World Winery
The first stop. A tasting by appointment of natural wines from old vines and rare grapes; we confirm the time and fee when we book.
11:55 · Matrix Winery
About 25 minutes away. A small family-owned winery in the Middle Reach of the Russian River Valley, one of the Wilson Artisan Wineries, with a shaded veranda looking over its hillside estate vineyards. The Outdoor Seated Patio Tasting of five Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Zinfandels is $25, paid when you book. Walk-ins welcome, reservations encouraged; open Thursday to Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1:05 · Lunch at Bravas Bar de Tapas
About 10 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.
2:30 · Trecini Winery
About 15 minutes away. A boutique winery taken over in 2025 by Kyle and Christina Cameron, whose family has farmed in Fulton since 1853, pouring estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc in a tasting room on the Windsor Town Green. Walk-ins welcome; open daily from noon, until 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. We confirm the fee when we book.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Santa Rosa or Forestville by 3:55 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Old World hosts Thursday to Saturday, and Matrix is closed on Wednesday, so this day works Thursday to Saturday. It ends around 3:55.
About $25 per person at Matrix, paid directly to the winery; tasting fees at Old World and Trecini are 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 Old World Winery?
Yes. The tasting room is open Thursday to Saturday by appointment only. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Old World Winery?
The winery does not publish its tasting fee, so tasting fees are to be verified upon reservation.
What is natural wine at Old World?
Wine from organic, biodynamic, dry-farmed grapes, picked by hand and fermented with native yeast, with nothing added except a little protective sulfur.
Who makes the wine at Old World Winery?
Proprietor and winemaker Darek Trowbridge, whose great-grandfather Giuseppe Martinelli planted the 1890 Block on Martinelli Road.
What is Abouriou?
A rare Basque red grape. Old World farms what it says are the only four acres of it in the New World, and makes a dark, ripe red from it.
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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