BY FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER

The Pour House, a Dry Creek Valley, CA collective of three family-run wineries, now includes Goldschmidt Vineyards and its vast domestic portfolio of labels including Singing Tree Chardonnay, Fog’s Edge Chardonnay, Gracepoint Zinfandel, The Conspirator Red Blend, Chelsea Goldschmidt Merlot, and Katherine Goldschmidt Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This is Goldschmidt Vineyards’ first ever tasting room and it’s the perfect venue for enjoying the brand's prestigious single-vineyard bottlings from Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and the Oakville District in Napa Valley. Each Goldschmidt wine highlights the distinct character derived from site-specific harvests to achieve exceptional richness, quality and balance.

"Since our first 1988 release of Forefathers Cabernet Sauvignon, the grapes of which are grown on a 5.5 acre vineyard on a small knoll in the Alexander Valley, we’ve never had the opportunity to present our wines to the public,” said owner and winemaker Nick Goldschmidt. “We finally decided to showcase not only the wines for which we are well known, but also the very small parcel lots in the 100-200 case range. With the purchase of more land, we now have the ability to offer bottlings which are super hard to make from these very specific micro terroirs. We would love to welcome you at The Pour House in Dry Creek to sample them." 

Goldschmidt’s first foray into California winemaking was in 1989 with Carneros Creek. In 1990 the Auckland native became vice president and winemaker for Simi Winery, during which time he also developed his own brands: Forefathers and Goldschmidt Vineyard. Simi was owned by LVMH where he also helped with Cloudy Bay NZ, Terrazas Arg. In 2003 he became senior vice president and winemaker for Allied-Domecq where he managed California winemaking for brands such as Clos du Bois, Atlas Peak, William Hill, Buena Vista, and Gary Farrell.

Nick Goldschmidt

In addition to refreshing its lineup of available wines, The Pour House, formerly known as Family Wineries of Dry Creek Valley, has refreshed its interior décor and operates in accordance with Sonoma County Department of Health Services regulations and guidelines. Tastings are conducted outside in the courtyard or inside at (very limited) tables socially distanced at six-feet apart from other tasters. The winery team wears masks and gloves, and each wine is delivered in pre-poured glasses. 

Ideally located overlooking Dry Creek Valley, the collective is the first and only cooperative tasting room in the area, and in addition to Goldschmidt Vineyards features the local, family-owned wines of Optima Winery and Lago di Merlo. Visitors can discover a wide range of exceptional award-winning, limited production, and single-vineyard varietal wines from each producer. The team provides exceptional and fun wine education experiences, with future winemaker tasting seminars led by Goldschmidt himself. Open seven days a week from 10:30am to 4:30pm, the site features charming picnic grounds just steps from vineyards, a bocce court, and beautiful wine country scenery. Reservations are requested in order to safely monitor and accommodate each guest. Tastings are $10.00 per person for four (4) wines; the tasting fee is refundable with a bottle purchase. Goldschmidt Vineyards’ Gold Mark Wine Club members receive complimentary tastings, as do members of the Club House Wine Club. 

The Pour House: 4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Photos courtesy of Goldschmidt Vineyards