A walking tour of Healdsburg’s tasting rooms

Topel Winery Tasting Room
Handcrafted wines from Mendocino County are showcased in this downtown tasting room. Wines are made with minimal intervention using biodynamic and organic techniques. Cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, syrah, red blends and sauvignon blanc. 125 Matheson Street, Healdsburg, 707-433-4116. La Crema
Daughters of Jess Jackson (of behemoth wine empire Kendall-Jackson) run La Crema, which has one of the newest and most spectacular tasting rooms in town. Sleek and modern, La Crema is more Prada than Birkenstock, eschewing the homey casualness that works in some of the other places around the square. Many of the wines are priced between $18 and $35, making them eminently approachable. 235 Healdsburg Ave., 707.431.9400.

Murphy-Goode
Recently moved to downtown Healdsburg from their long-standing Alexander Valley location, Murphy-Goode presents solid, mostly everyday wines from one of Sonoma’s favorite wineries. Their Fumé Blanc is a summer staple, and Liar’s Dice zinfandel is a classic picnic sipper. Just down the street from the Healdsburg Bar & Grill, at 20 Matheson St., 800.499.7644

Thumbprint Cellars
Enter the comfy wine lounge at Thumbprint and enjoy the party. Run by a young husband-and-wife team, Thumbprint is a boutique winery focused primarily on reds – pinot noir is tops, along with syrah, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and a blend called Threesome. 36 North St., 707.433.2393.

Stephen and Walker
Sample outstanding artisan cabernet sauvignon from this family-owned winery that recently opened its sleek, modern tasting room just off the square. 243 Healdsburg Ave., 707.431.8749.

Rosenblum Cellars
Next to the Healdsburg branch of Oakville Grocery, Rosenblum’s tasting room reflects the devil-may-care attitude of Kent Rosenblum, a former veterinarian and legendary winemaking character. There’s little pretense going on here, despite the caché of some of Kent’s wines. The tasting room offers plenty to choose from, with about a dozen wines available for tasting at any given time. Best plan is to start with casual sippers like Chateau La Paws, then move to impressive vineyard-designate wines. Make sure to save time for the zinfandels, however, which are a special strength. 250 Center St., 707.431.1169

Gallo Family Vineyards of Sonoma
Hearty Burgundy this ain’t. Under the watch of Gina Gallo, a new generation of well-crafted wines is impressing critics and former naysayers. Wine flights offered in the Healdsburg Plaza tasting room let visitors sample several different wines side-by-side at comfortable tables while checking out the Plaza action. 320 Center St., 707.433.2458

The Wine Annex
Annex to what, pray tell? To the Bottle Barn, the discount Santa Rosa warehouse with hard-to-fine local as well as international wines. In Healdsburg, you can skip the lost-in-the-supermarket vibe and actually sit and taste some wine, or even buy a bottle and have a quick picnic at one of the bistro tables, without paying restaurant prices. 340 Center St., 707.433.6488.

Topel Winery Tasting Room
Handcrafted wines from Mendocino County are showcased in this downtown tasting room. Wines are made with minimal intervention using biodynamic and organic techniques. Cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, syrah, red blends and sauvignon blanc. 125 Matheson Street, Healdsburg, 707-433-4116.

SOUTH OF TOWN

Camellia Cellars

Approachable and easygoing wines are offered up at this tiny tasting room often staffed by family members, one of several nestled in a welcoming cluster down by the Russian River near the bridge. Includes a picnic area and tours by appointment. 57 Front St., Healdsburg, 707.433.1290

Old Roma Station

There are 5 wineries in this wine mall, 4 of which offer tastings. Camellia Cellars (above) is our favorite, but it may depend on the day of the week. Others include Holdredge Winery (51 Front St., 707.431.1424), open only on Sat-Sun; Sapphire Hill Winery (55 Front St., 431.1888), open Fri-Sat-Sun; and Huntington Wine Cellars (53 Front St., 707.433-5215), open daily. See their WineTravel.com listings for more details.

Longboard Vineyards

Between the Front Street "wine mall" (above) and downtown, you pass by the surfer-styled Longboard in a big quonset warehouse. Keep your head low when you enter, lest ye get skagged. Owner and winemaker Oded Shakked is a surfer first, winemaker second (he says), but his success with the fruit of the vine is legendary. Syrah may be one of his best, don't overlook the cab, and ask about his sparkling wine for other producers. 5 Fitch St., 707.433.3473

NORTH OF TOWN

Seghesio Family Vineyards
After years in the bulk-wine business, this fourth-generation winemaking family has returned to the simpler ideals of family patriarch Edoardo Seghesio. Now crafting premium Italian varietals in relatively small quantities (about 35,000 cases annually), the winery is just minutes from downtown in a quiet residential neighborhood. Zinfandel is the winery’s top seller, much lauded by critics and fans. Penny-pinching? Go for the blue-capped Sonoma County Zin, an affordable critics’ favorite. Other appellations and price-points are similarly color-coded. 14730 Grove St., 707. 433.3579

Simi Winery
Usually packed to the hilt, Simi staffers are patron saints of patience – jovial and willing to accommodate. Wines run the gamut from outstanding to just okay. Best bets are sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and zinfandel. Tours of the winery and winemaking process are available daily. Includes a picnic area. 16275 Healdsburg Ave., 707.433.3232

Now you're on the verge of your next WineTravel adventure -- just keep driving north, and you can explore Appellation: Alexander Valley.