Pendleton Estate Vineyards & Winery

This man does not make a bad bottle of wine, the views are amazing. Call ahead for a private tasting with the winemaker

Amazing wine, the owners are great, and some of the best wine I have had in this area. Definitely worth making an appointment and taking you time to talk and enjoy the knowledge that they share with you.

Great wines made by a great guy. Michael and Jeannie are a great team with spirit that shows through in the wines. Get Michael talking about winemaking and you can just feel the passion. The property/​vineyard was a fabulous place to stop and our favorite wines? The Mouvdre and the Celebration blend, okay and the Zinfandel wait, also, the Cab — how do you pick! From the difference in the way the grapes are pressed to the direction the vines grow — we learned a TON and are completely happy with every moment we spent at this winery. Bold, colorful wines that make a lasting impression in the Sonoma neighborhood. Check out the wine club to always be in the loop! Cheers —

Michall is a great host who makes wine fun. The visit was special and his vineyards are beautiful. We enjoy his wines very much and enjoyed the time we spent with him. Even though it is not close to other wineries in Sonoma County, it is worth a call to Michall and well worth the time.

Michall and his wines are so special, located right on the border of Mendocino County. He does the tastings at his private home and property. The property and views are amazing. The varieties are fantastic and unique for the area, Petit Sirah, Mouvedre, Zinfandel and more. They are very reasonably priced and full of bold dynamic flavors. It’s truly a unique experience that I hope everyone tries when they are in the area.

Michall Pendleton does private tastings at his winery just off Hwy 128 a few miles west of Cloverdale. He takes about two hours to tour the grounds, get acquainted and serve his current and past bottlings. He is a creative spirit when it comes to winemaking. He is always experimenting and changing his approach from vintage to vintage. That is not a bad thing, but it makes for some interesting outcomes. His wines can be purchased at a good price point for the product and for wine club members, his prices represent a very good value.
Pendleton Estate is an interesting location as one transitions from Dry Creek to Yorkville and Anderson Valley AVA’s. His vineyard is not quite in the Yorkville AVA and he does get some of his grapes from the Dry Creek area.
We tasted a large number of varietals with him. We purchased: 2009 Buzzard Red (a blend) which is a huge value for the big taste served up by this wine; 2010 Cuvee Rosé because there just isn’t enough good Rosé being made in California any more; and 2009 Late Harvest Duriff which is a very good value in a late harvest red.
We appreciate Michall actually making a Rosé because White Zinfandel which has been bastardized all across CA is not a Rosé. When thinking about Easter dinners and Thanksgiving dinners his 2010 Cuvee Rosé would please many palates with ham, lamb or turkey main courses. His Duriff would be a great after-​dinner treat with dried fruit and sharp cheese.
We joined the wine club so we would have an excuse to come back to the area for his pick-​up parties.
³⁄₂₀₁₆ update — Michall keeps experimenting, keeps winning awards and we keep buying. This time we bought 2011 Celebration Cuvée a blend of Cab Franc, Petite Sirah, Zin, Peiti Verdot, Cab Sauv and Merlot. Powerful and ready for aging. We got some 2014 Cabernet Rosé for the summer. Friends of ours with us bought 2013 Cabernet Sauv and 2013 Estate Petit Sirah along with the same two we bought. We also picked up a bottle of 2011 Cat’s Meow with his daughter’s drawing on the label. Another $ 270 order for Michall.

It’s a bit of a drive to get there but COMPLETELY worth the trip. We had a truly memorable afternoon chatting with Mike and learning about his estate and experiencing his passion for his craft. All in all a GREAT time. Looking forward to taking friends and family.

This is a delightful wine tasting experience, far from the crowds, a lovely home/​winery on the top of a hill with great views. The wines are excellent and there is an interesting variety.,.many winners every year, especially good zins. The owners are usually there and are delightful people — a nurse and a retired fireman — you will feel welcome and will have fun and enjoy very good wines.