Petaluma Gap · Sonoma County
Visit Portworks with a Private Chauffeur
Sonoma County's dedicated port house since 1994, now pouring ports and Heringer Estates wines in a riverfront lounge in Petaluma, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Bill and Caryn Reading founded Sonoma Portworks in 1994, and their Petaluma tasting room became known as Sonoma County's only dedicated port winery. Over three decades they built a loyal local following for award-winning ports made with an eye for balance and creativity. In 2025 the Readings handed the winery to longtime friends at Heringer Estates, a family winery with generations of farming in Clarksburg, and it became Portworks by Heringer Estates.
The signature fortified ports are still the heart of it, now joined by sparkling, still and non-alcoholic wines and even wine slushies. Everything is made from the Heringer family's own estate vineyards in Clarksburg, certified sustainable under the Lodi Rules and Protected Harvest programs, so the grapes come from outside Sonoma County; the reason to stop here is the port, the style the winery was built on.
The lounge is in the historic Foundry Wharf building right along the Petaluma River, a short walk south of downtown, with seats inside and on the patio. The tasting is a flight of four wines from Sonoma Portworks and Heringer Estates, and the cheese box, with local cheeses and chocolate, is a natural partner for port. It is a relaxed, family-friendly room where leashed dogs are welcome too, and an easy way to start an afternoon in the Petaluma Gap.
Tasting Fees
$20 per person for a flight of four wines, 45 minutes to an hour. A cheese box with crackers, dried fruit, chocolate and cheeses is $20. Club members taste at a discount or free.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
613 2nd Street, Petaluma
AVA
Petaluma Gap
Visiting
Open Thursday to Monday: noon to 5 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The last tasting starts an hour before closing. Walk-ins are always welcome; groups of 6 or more call at least 24 hours ahead. The website gives other hours in places, so we confirm them when booking.
Known For
Small-batch port-style fortified wines, alongside Heringer Estates wines from Clarksburg
Founded
1994 (as Sonoma Portworks; Heringer Estates since 2025)
Good to Know
Well-behaved children are welcome if they stay seated with the group. Leashed dogs are welcome inside and on the patio. Parking is free on evenings and weekends in the Foundry Wharf lot. An 18% gratuity is added to tasting fees for larger groups.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 11:45 a.m. from a Petaluma hotel such as Hotel Petaluma or the Sheraton Sonoma Wine Country Petaluma.
11:45 · Pickup at Hotel Petaluma or Sheraton Sonoma Wine Country Petaluma
Hotel Petaluma, a restored 1923 hotel downtown, is about 5 minutes from Portworks, and the Sheraton Sonoma Wine Country Petaluma, overlooking the Petaluma River marina, about 10. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
12:00 · Portworks
The flight of four wines, 45 minutes to an hour ($20), with a cheese box if you like ($20).
1:00 · Lunch at Brewsters Beer Garden
About 5 minutes away. A family-friendly open-air restaurant in downtown Petaluma with more than 350 seats, serving Southern-style barbecue made with produce and meat from local farms and ranches, with local wine and craft beer. Open daily from 11:30 a.m., and 11 a.m. on weekends. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Karah Estate Vineyard
About 15 minutes away. The Karah family planted its first vines here in 1991, and winemaker Lisa Albert farms 36 acres regeneratively on a 144-acre estate in the wind-carved hills of the Petaluma Gap; the 2024 Estate Pinot Noir took bronze at the 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Relaxed tastings look out over the vines, and the fee is paid at the tasting room. Open Friday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; walk-ins welcome.
3:50 · Montagne Russe
About 20 minutes away. Kevin Bersofsky designed roller coasters before he made wine, and his single-vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah are poured in a tasting room on Petaluma Boulevard that doubles as a record store, with more than 4,000 vinyl records. Five pours are $35; Winemaker for a Day, with a blending session and a bottle to take home, is $100 (Friday to Sunday, 2 days' notice). Walk-ins welcome; open until 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday.
4:55 · Back to your hotel
Back in Petaluma by 5:00 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a relaxed day of tasting. Portworks opens at noon, so this day starts at 11:45 and ends around 5 p.m. It works Friday to Sunday, when Karah Estate is open; on Monday or Thursday we swap in another stop.
About $55 per person at Portworks and Montagne Russe ($20 and $35), paid directly to each winery; the Karah Estate tasting 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 Portworks?
No. Walk-ins are always welcome; groups of 6 or more should call at least 24 hours ahead. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Portworks?
$20 per person for a flight of four wines, as of September 2026. A cheese box is $20, and club members taste at a discount or free.
Are Portworks wines made from Sonoma County grapes?
No. Since Heringer Estates took over in 2025, the ports and wines are made from the Heringer family's estate vineyards in Clarksburg. The lounge is in Petaluma.
Can I bring children or a dog to Portworks?
Yes. Well-behaved children are welcome if they stay seated with your group, and leashed dogs are welcome inside and on the patio.
Who owns Portworks?
Heringer Estates, a family winery from Clarksburg, since 2025. Bill and Caryn Reading founded it as Sonoma Portworks in 1994.
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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