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You are here: Home / Archives for Preston Winery

Two Throwback Wineries in Dry Creek Valley

November 13, 2019 by Joe Becerra

Please give us back the good old days of wine tasting. Please, no more plush tasting rooms with exotic appetizers paired with outrageous tasting fees. Cut the chicness and give us plain wine speak.

Here are two wineries in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County that will put back the fun in wine tasting. These two wineries are family-owned and do things the old-fashioned way, treating tasting room folks with good hospitality.

The amazing and fun Dry Creek Valley wineries
The amazing and fun Dry Creek Valley wineries

Preston Farm and Winery

Way down at the end of West Dry Creek Road is where you will find the Preston Farm and Winery Start your journey at the Madrona Manor Inn off Westside Road near Healdsburg. The trek down West Dry Creek Road to Preston is four miles. This bucolic road is one of the most beautiful backroads in all wine country. Watch for walkers, cyclists and joggers. The road is a favorite for outdoor activity.

Lou Preston working the winery and farm
Lou Preston loving his wines and farm

Lou and Susan Preston’s terrific small winery and vegetable farm is something out of the past. Quiet and peaceful are the watchwords at Preston. All of the land is Biodynamically farmed. At one point the Prestons were making 30,000 cases of wine. They found this to be overload for the other farm products, so they cut wine-case production to 8000 cases. The wine is delicious and reasonably priced. The tasting fee is $20, but purchase a bottle and the fee is waived. It is almost as good as a free tasting. Tasting room hours are daily from 11 to 4:30 pm.

The casual Preston tasting room
The casual Preston tasting room

One of the most delightful pleasures is to pack your picnic lunch, buy an excellent bottle of their chilled white wine and enjoy the wonders of the farm. Chances are you will see Lou Preston on the grounds. Lou does it all on his farm and winery. There is also a Bocce court. Play a game with your family and friends; it adds to the enjoyment of the wine experience.

Before you leave Preston, stock up on freshly baked bread and some fantastic olive oil. Check out the veggie offerings.

The next tasting room stop is Unti Vineyards. From Preston Farm and Winery head back on West Dry Creek Road. Turn left on Yoakim Bridge Road. Turn right on Dry Creek Road and head to Unti, about 5 minutes away.

Unti Vineyards

Until Vineyards is another family-owned winery, run by George and Linda Unti and their son Mick. The vineyards were established in 1990 and the winery followed in 1997. Today Unti grows and produces a remarkable mix of wine varieties, some of which are seldom found. Have you tried Fiona, Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, Montepulciano, and Mourvedre? You will have your chance at Unti.

Unti tasting room
The fun Unti tasting room

Unti Vineyards is open by appointment only, 10 to 4 pm. Call a few days or weeks ahead to book your visit to the tasting room. Like Preston, the tasting style is casual and laid back. The good old days are alive and well in the land of Unti.

Montepulicano vineyard
One of the several interesting varietals farmed at Unti

All you need to know for your Dry Creek Valley getaway

  • Where to stay
  • Where to dine
  • Where to purchase your picnic lunch
  • Other cool wineries on Dry Creek Road and West Dry Creek Road

Filed Under: Dry Creek Valley Tagged With: Preston Winery, Unti Vineyards

Lou Preston — Wine Man of Many Talents

September 21, 2009 by Joe Becerra

We always enjoy a visit to Preston Vineyards, but this time our visit was more special than usual. We had the pleasure of meeting and taking a tour with Lou Preston. Lou’s story began 40 years ago when Lou and his wife Susan purchased their property in the Dry Creek Valley. They slowly grew their winery and vineyards, producing some 25,000 cases of wine. In the year 2000, they decided that big is not necessarily a good thing. They began to “grow down”their winery and today produce 8000 cases of wine, and farm and live a lifestyle that is environmentally in tune with their farmland.

Read More »

Filed Under: Dry Creek Valley, Wine Information Tagged With: Lou Preston, Preston Winery

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