Artisan Wines Crafted with Care

At Woodenhead Winery, we create our wines by hand, respecting the natural rhythms of the land, water, air, and seasons. Our winemaking process avoids mechanical pumping, ensuring a gentle touch. We utilize French oak barrels, inoculated yeast, malolactic cultures, hand punching, and basket pressing, all while sourcing the finest California fruit. Our goal is to produce ultra-premium wines in small, unique batches that reflect the essence of our region.

Meet the Winemakers

Nikolai Stez, our dedicated winemaker, learned the art of fermentation from his immigrant parents, who introduced him to "kvas," a traditional Russian drink. His passion for winemaking blossomed in 1986 while studying biology and botany in college. Partnering with him is Zina Bower, who left Los Angeles in 1992 and fell in love with the world of wine. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to Woodenhead.

About the Russian River Valley AVA

The Russian River Valley AVA is home to about one-sixth of Sonoma County's vineyards. This region enjoys a cool climate, heavily influenced by fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean. It is particularly known for producing exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Our tasting room is located in the heart of this beautiful valley, offering visitors a chance to savor the unique flavors of our wines.

Experiences to book at Woodenhead Winery

Top reviews

Marina Ouahidi
August 18, 2019
This is the best wine ever in all Russian River, Sonoma, Napa region. We went to hundreds wineries over here, and were surprised to find this hidden beauty. Plus the price of the tasting is 15$ instead of 20$:) It’s small bonus. The most important is the wine, it’s so good.
Michelle Larsen
April 19, 2024
This winery was recommended to us by a few other small wineries, and it was amazing. The people are friendly, give you nice pours for the tasting. We started off with Zin's they were wonderful, but the Pinot's are one of the best we tasted! We joined the wine club and cannot wait to return for another visit.
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Location

Location 5700 River Road, Forestville, California 95436, United States

Region

Russian River Valley, California, USA

Spoken Languages

Services

Reduced Mobility Access
Pets Allowed
Parking

Visiting Hours

Monday - Wednesday
closed
Thursday - Sunday
11:00 - 16:00

Wine types

Red Wine
White Wine
Sparkling Wine

Grape varieties

Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Zinfandel
Syrah

Other wineries in California

Visitor reviews

What our community thinks about Woodenhead Winery

Check out verified reviews from visitors who've enjoyed their time at Woodenhead Winery.

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Reviews (5)

Caroline Wiggins
Reviewed on September 30, 2024

Such a delightful experience and the wines were fantastic. Love this small and intimate experience.

Review provided by Google

Nancy James Spiritual Warfare University
Reviewed on June 12, 2024

Woodenhead winery Is Magical!! Their wines are magnificent !! They have won hundreds of awards & the awards & trophies are on display!! The scenery is breath taking!! They will treat you like family. You are Not rushed through a trough, like cattle in feeding days! OK we were recently there for a breakfast for my son's 30th birthday. It was 10:30 in the morning and quite chilly. I'd prepared a breakfast charcuterie. I did not prepare for jackets and the precious women gave me their jacket!! and they made me keep it!! I'm not kidding more than 10 times, they said "keep it ! don't bring it back you keep it !!" how amazing is that! who does that anymore !! it was like we were family !!! The scenery is breathtaking!! Obviously, The customer service is out of this world and their wines are amazing they have hundreds of awards and if other wineries were winning awards, they would display them!WOODENHEAD WINERY gives you AWARD WINNING WINES & BREATH TAKING SCENERY!!Theres not a better combination!! We did a thorough research of Vineyard's that won awards and WOODENHEAD WINES were superior to even the Ward Winning Wines.

Review provided by Google

Sarah Hedstrand
Reviewed on June 8, 2024

As always we had a wonderful time at Woodenhead! The patio tasting overlooks a beautiful valley and honestly we loved every wine. Will be back for sure!

Review provided by Google

Michelle Larsen
Reviewed on April 19, 2024

This winery was recommended to us by a few other small wineries, and it was amazing. The people are friendly, give you nice pours for the tasting. We started off with Zin's they were wonderful, but the Pinot's are one of the best we tasted! We joined the wine club and cannot wait to return for another visit.

Review provided by Google

Marina Ouahidi
Reviewed on August 18, 2019

This is the best wine ever in all Russian River, Sonoma, Napa region. We went to hundreds wineries over here, and were surprised to find this hidden beauty. Plus the price of the tasting is 15$ instead of 20$:) It’s small bonus. The most important is the wine, it’s so good.

Review provided by Google

Frequently Asked Questions about Woodenhead Winery

Where is Woodenhead Winery located?

Woodenhead Winery is located in Russian River Valley, USA

What type of wines does Woodenhead Winery produce?

Woodenhead Winery produces Red Wine, White Wine, Sparkling Wine.

What grape varieties do they plant at Woodenhead Winery?

At Woodenhead Winery, they cultivate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah.

What languages do they speak at the Woodenhead Winery?

At Woodenhead Winery they speak English.

Do they produce organic wines at Woodenhead Winery?

No, Woodenhead Winery is not an organic wine producer.