The Bedrock Wine Co tasting room is one of the best in downtown Sonoma. Winemaker and Master Sommelier Morgan Twain-Peterson sources from the oldest vineyards in California, and the wines dazzle.
The wines of Bedrock Wine Co appeal to wine geeks who want to take a deep dive into a piece of California history, and wine drinkers who simply love finely crafted wines with a whole lotta soul. When you visit the brand’s wine tasting room on The Square in downtown Sonoma, you won’t find any of the frills and tourists trappings like you might in luxury-oriented Napa Valley.
Instead, it’s the vineyards that tell the story of these bottles. Owner Morgan Twain-Peterson works with some of California’s most historic vineyard sites, including Evangelho, whose vines are over 130 years old.
The charming tasting room is also a short walk to some of Sonoma’s best restaurants like Valley Bar + Bottle Shop and the girl and the fig.
About Bedrock Wine Co.
If you’re into old vine California wine, then there’s no doubt you’ve heard of Morgan Twain-Peterson, the owner and winemaker at legend-in-the-making winery Bedrock Wine Co. Morgan’s father, Joel Peterson, started Ravenswood Winery, and, another little tidbit of history about the family: Morgan was the first baby born in the town of Sonoma in 1981.
In 2007, after a stint in New York City, where he would meet future business partner Chris Cottrell, Morgan founded Bedrock Wine Co. Rather than join his father’s business at Ravenswood, Morgan had his own mission: to preserve California’s historic vines, and shine a light on these revered grapes.
A few other facts about Morgan Twain-Peterson
- 2014, he was named co-Winemaker of the Year by the SF Chronicle, along with Sandlands’ producer Tegan Passalacqua
- 2017, he became a Master Sommelier
- 2020, Bedrock was named Winery of the Year by wine critic Antonio Galloni
Bedrock Wine Co Tasting Room Location
Bedrock’s wine tasting room is located in the General Joseph Hooker House, a historic home in downtown Sonoma. “The Square”, as it’s known in downtown Sonoma, has a number of tasting rooms, but many of them are more style than substance, so Bedrock is a welcome addition if you want to explore some of the most exciting low-intervention wines in California.
Keeping to the vibe of the General Joseph Hooker House, which dates to 1852, the tasting room is free of frills and pomp. If you visit Bedrock Wine’s tasting room, you’re coming for the wine, not for the Instagram photos. The walls are lined with photos of the General, along with historic maps of Sonoma County, and hanging alongside those artifacts are pictures of the people that farm the vines, and whose fruit ends up in Bedrock wine bottles.
The space is simple, comfortable, and quiet. What better place to sample wines from historic vines than in an historic tasting room?
What’s included in the tasting?
I visited the tasting room in the winter of 2023. These were the wines poured at my tasting.
2017 Under the Wire Alder Springs Sparkling Pinot Noir
I have been wanting to try Twain-Peterson’s little California sparkling wine side project, Under the Wire for a while now, so seeing this wine at the top of the list was pretty exciting. This California sparkler is acidic, yeasty, and brimming with strawberry notes.
Bedrock also offers an Under the Wire tasting which features only sparkling wines. I would love to come back for that one!
2021 Cuvee Karatas Heritage
Bedrock’s Bordeaux-Blanc inspired blend features 68% Bedrock Semillon blended with 32% Sauvignon Blanc from Judge and Uboldi Vineyards. The wine is bright, aromatic, and ripe with citrus. This white wine was my mother’s favorite of the day.
2016 Bedrock Wines Evangelho Vineyard Heritage
The Evangelho Vineyard was planted in the 1890s, and, as was a popular practice at the time, the vineyard was planted to a field blend of Zinfandel, Mourvedre, Carignane, and Alicante Bouschet. Winemaker Twain-Peterson used a mix of 60% Zinfandel, 35% Mataro (Mourvedre) and 5% mixed black grapes in the 2016 Evangelho Vineyard bottling.
Studious is a good way to describe the palate on this wine. It’s refined and aromatic, with notes of black pepper and five-spice, red fruit, and savory garden herbs.
2020 The Bedrock Vineyard Heritage
If you can believe it, the Bedrock Vineyard Heritage 2020 vintage is a field blend of 28 varieties. Talk about a grab bag. As you can imagine, the wine has a dense palate. Trying to pick up all of the notes in this bottle is like looking for a light switch in the dark. The most noticeable notes were red fruit and spice. Kind of wish I would have purchased this one.
2021 Pagani Ranch Heritage
Pagani Ranch Vineyard was planted in the 1880s by Felice Pagani, an Italian immigrant, and like Contra Costa’s Evangelho Vineyard, the vines produce a limited yield of highly prized grapes. Bedrock’s 2021 Pagani Ranch Heritage is the last vintage to be produced by Twain-Peterson, who has parted ways with the owners of this venerable vineyard in Sonoma.
This wine paints a beautiful picture of what California’s heritage vines can do in capable hands. There’s a lot of concentrated red fruit, a good tannic structure, and a lengthy finish.
BONUS POUR: Bedrock Wine’s Wirz Vineyard Old Vine Riesling!
I was on a California Riesling kick when I booked our tasting appointment, and while it wasn’t on the menu, our friendly tasting attendant poured us a splash of the 2021 Wirz Vineyard Old Vine Riesling. What a treat!
I’ve written about the Wirz Vineyard before. My review of the 2018 Stirm Old Vine Riesling from Wirz vineyard was one of my favorite California Rieslings a few years ago, so this was truly exciting! Like Ryan Stirm’s Riesling from Wirz, Bedrock’s is dry, crisp, and adorned with zippy lime. Not surprisingly, I purchased a bottle of this delicious wine!
More Cool Info on Evangelho Vineyard in Contra Costa County
Evangelho deserves an entire post of its own. This is a storied vineyard among those who view themselves as the shepherds of California’s heritage vines.
The tasting room attendant (she was so nice and I’ve totally forgotten her name!) told us how much collective effort is being expended to protect these wizened vines. It seems as though Evangelho Vineyard is sometimes used as a dirt bike track (can you imagine!?), and a number of vines have been toppled, uprooted and destroyed. A security guard has been hired to keep an eye on things.
Historic vine advocates Ridge Vineyards and Sandlands also source fruit from Evangelho. Bedrock owns 30% of the Evangelho Vineyard, and leases the remaining acres from PG&E (yes, the electric company).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a tasting at Bedrock Wine Cost?
Wine tastings at Bedrock Wine Co in downtown Sonoma cost $45 per person. One tasting fee is waived for every two bottles purchased. This is a great excuse to purchase a bottle of Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel or their crisp Riesling.
Do I need to make an appointment to taste at Bedrock Wine?
Yes! To provide the best service, tasting appointments are required. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable about the wine, and can go pretty deep on all of the ins and outs of the vineyard, the fruit, and the profile. When you visit a tasting room like this, you will be glad they are appointment-only.
Where do I park?
The square at downtown Sonoma can get pretty busy during peak tourist season, but I’ve never had a problem finding a spot. Don’t be afraid to park on the opposite side of the square from where Bedrock is located. You can easily cut through the park, rather than walking all the way around the perimeter of the park.
Closing Thoughts
If you’re traveling from Napa to Sonoma, stopping at the historic Bedrock Wine Co. tasting room is a must. Wine geeks, and those that just really love well-made wine by a Master Sommelier, will love these wines. You’d be hard pressed to find a review of Bedrock Wines that has a single bad thing to say, so what are you waiting for?!
Location
General Joseph Hooker House
414 First Street East, Sonoma, CA 95476