Fort Ross Vineyard Tasting Room

From the town of Jenner-by-the-Sea, at the mouth of the Russian River, travel five miles north along the Pacific Coast Highway 1, turn right onto Meyers Grade Road. The Tasting Room is 2.6 miles up the hill from the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway One and Meyers Grade Road. Visitors travelling north will first pass one set of large wrought iron gates on the right. This is the exit from the tasting room so pass it by and follow the sign that reads “Fort Ross Tasting Room 500 yards ahead” Continue 500 yards to the second set of wrought iron gates, set in tall basalt columns, and you will have arrived at the entrance to the Tasting Room. Enter through the gates and pass through a block of Pinot Noir grapevines and then, in quick succession, through a Redwood forest, a tree fringed meadow and by a pond. By the time you reach the tasting room you will have had a quick tour of the terroir of the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA known for its vibrant Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinotage.Tasting RoomDesigned in the vernacular of the rustic barns that dot Sonoma County, the tasting room has a steep roof made from corrugated Corten steel oxidized to an earthy hue with three cupolas perched on the top. Adjoining the main building is a classic tall water tower that houses the stairs leading to the cellar below and the offices above. The shingles that cover the walls of the building are reddish brown and mirror the bark of the surrounding Madrone trees. In front of the building is a long wooden pergola that is planted with heirloom climbing roses. The garden is filled with swaying grasses and the driveway travels around a circular stone wall that delineates a Botanical garden that is being planted with Proteas. From the Tasting Room there are panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean framed by tall Redwood forests and golden meadows.