Unti Vineyards

Well, I suppose it was inevitable that we stumble upon a winery that we’d be disappointed by. My bf had enjoyed Unti years ago and I remember being gifted a decent bottle years ago as well, so when we were in the area, we thought it’d be cool to stop by. The vineyard is reservation only, but you can basically just call from your cell phone at the gate and make a reservation.
The grounds are nice — there are several picnic tables so you can get your cheese and salami on. The staff was nice and the room wasn’t packed (Isn’t it the worst when you’re in the presence of wine, but you can’t get any because there are too many people at the bar?). The tasting fee was $ 10. So far so good right? Then we tried the wine. Sigh. It’s a shame.

We were having a girls weekend in Sonoma and stumbled upon Unti. Our tasting was poured by the winemaker himself. He was extremely knowledgable and did not rush is even though we didn’t have an appointment. I think we ended up spending 1.5 hours just tasting wines with Mick! Great wines, great customer service.

Great wine. Very knowledgeable and personable staff. The wines are great across the different grapes. You need to make an appointment but they are pretty accommodating. The Syrah and barbera are awesome.

I have been drinking their wine for years. I have it shipped up to Edmonds. The wine is moderately priced for the rich flavor. The Curve Blanc is unique and a great summer wine as is the Rose. I love the Syrah and Barbara — but my favorite is the Montepulciano. My cousin drives down every year to this winery and I can hardly wait to make it one trip as well.

Unti is one of my favorite wineries in Healdsburg. Wine taste is pretty subjective, but I really enjoy their Italian style wines. I always leave here with a few bottles if not half a case.
Tastings are by appointment only, and Unti generally serves no more than 2 – 3 parties at once. You get the undivided attention of a staff member who makes conversation and fields questions.
The tasting fee is $ 5 for roughly 5 pours and is waived with purchase. The staff members pour generously and are happy to make substitutions or throw in extra wines beyond the ones on the tasting menu.
The tasting room is like a small cabin and feels serene compared to many of the other wineries in the area. There are a few picnic tables outside, but they aren’t very shaded.
Unti feels low key in general, which I like. They don’t do big events and don’t have a wine club, but they have release parties several times a year.

Yeah. There’s so many wineries around here, some of them have to be average. We went to a release event, and fortunately it was free, since I really wasn’t impressed by the wine which I found gritty.
There was food on offer too (not vegan), and I was rather unimpressed by the slobbery dog walking loose in the food preparation area.
This place isn’t terrible, but wine drinkers have a saying about life being too short for bad wine. I think you could do better elsewhere.

This was our second trip to Unti. It had been 3 years since the first experience, but since it was such a memorable time and the wines were so great, we decided that we’d make a stop on this trip. Their new tasting room isn’t huge but it is light and bright with a view of their vineyards. We walked in without an appointment but they made space for us and were extremely gracious and friendly as were the folks who were there tasting. We tried every red they had. My favorite was their Barbera which is difficult to find in the Dry Creek Valley. It did not disappoint. I bought a case and had it shipped which was kind of a bummer since that night I was really wishing I had a little more. If I could give this place 6 stars I would.

My wife and I had such a great experience here. It has an awesome tasting room. It’s appointment only, but we were given an appointment in 3 minutes. We had a very informative tasting experience. The wines were great. We left with a bottle of the barbera. I would definitely return.

I really love Unti.
Great wines at good price points. Also interesting Mediterranean grape varieties like Grenache and Barbera that you won’t see too often in the Dry Creek Valley. We bought 3 bottles during our tasting visit. Drank the Barbera and the Grenache the first night after purchasing, and letting the Syrah age.
Really friendly and knowledgeable staff. We came 10 minutes before closing without a reservation and they still took their time with us.
I’ll definitely be back for more wine next time I’m in the area. Also I’m keeping my eye out the next time I see Unti on a wine shelf! Must stock up on excellent wine.

I love wineries like this. The kind of place when you walk in you feel like a guest verses just another customer.
An environment that’s casual with all snooty attitudes checked at the door.
Where the staff is super knowledgable and super friendly.
And bed of all, excellent wine!
Unti focuses one Italian varieties, which admittedly is not my strong suit. But even wish my limited knowledge, I felt at ease when given a lesson on a true old world wine.
No weak links here as everything we tasted was super awesome. We started with some interesting whites and ended up with festive reds. As we were tasting, the owner of the winery made a brief appearance and was quite nice and entertaining.
We have been drinking Unti wines for years, yet for whatever stupid reason never made into the winery. My oh my are we glad we finally made the trek in. 5 dollar tasting fee is the lowest you will find anywhere.
The winery is appointment only, so be sure to book in advance.

Love this place! No pretentiousness, no flash. Just people who love to make wine. The staff is really laid back and extremely knowledgeable. The wines are unique. My favorite is the Segromigno. I will make a point to go back to Unti whenever I’m in Healdsburg.

We stopped in Unti on a whim as I recalled it having such great reviews on Unilocal and other sources. So glad we did (though appointments are requested). Very friendly staff who walked us through what makes their varietals so different than anything else in the valley. It was a very nice change of pace from the other Zin focused producers in the region.
While we didn’t have a reservation, we were warmly welcomed in. That said, a reservation is a good idea since this is a family run winery. Well worth the time to visit.

I had high hopes for Unti based on all the Unilocal reviews, but this winery ended up being the least favorite of our trip. The most positive thing I can say about this place is that they are open at 10am which is earlier than most wineries.
We were able to get an appointment just before we arrived since it was still early in the day. The woman pouring for us gave us a little info on the winery, but she wasn’t at all engaging. We didn’t enjoy their wines at all. I think it’s a big mistake trying to make Rhone style wines in California rather than working with the terroir.

The Monarchs have won four straight STATE championships. YES!!!
But I was route runner and under the radar and the ball bounced funny.
But I’m in good company, Unti’s wines consistently win state competitions and recently racked up a slew of medals at the Orange County Fair.
Bo knows hopscotch, Untii knows wine (and cheese… yes, ask).

Unti was my first vineyard wine tasting experience during my first trip to California wine country. The tasting is by appointment only. Unti is a small producer and the tasting room and style reflected its station in the Sonoma hierarchy. This is not to say the experience was not a good one. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The tasting room was small and rustic and very comfortable, a place to focus on wine, not souvenirs. Our host Cameron was a very pleasant, affable, and knowledgeable host. As he explained, the owners of Unti, one of whom has roots in southern France and the other in Italy, focuses on Mediterranean wines, Rhone and Italian varietals. Their wines are full of flavor and complexity and are very true to their heritage. This is a great place to experience a tasting from a small producer.

Our absolute favorite winery in Dry Creek Valley. Unti consistently produces unpretentious, accessible wines. They have an exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable tasting room staff. Their new tasting room is dog friendly and very laid back. I wouldn’t dream of a trip to Sonoma without a stop at Unti!
In my opinion, they make the best California Rose by far w/​a pale peach color and super dry yet full bodied finish. It’s very ‘Bandol’ in style and each year it keeps getting better and more refined.
That said, don’t overlook their reds. The Granache is a personal favorite and their Zinfandel is everything you’d expect from a good dry creek Zin. Don’t forget to try the Barberra too… exceptional/​
Prices are very reasonable considering other comparable wines of the area. Be sure to call ahead for an appointment before visiting.

***DISCLAIMER: Anything I write in a winery review about the actual wine is based on my personal tastes /​opinions /​palette and is not intended to be taken as an objective measure of quality or deliciousness. (I would think this is obvious, but apparently not.)***
Headed to Sonoma? Like good wine? Like not being broke? Done; go to Unti. There you will find excellent Rhone varietals & blends as well as a few Italian ones, a crisp, dry, flavorful Rose, and a handsome Zin that drinks like a faintly fruity nebbiolo. You’ll find a delicious Cuvée Blanc made from grapes you may not have ever heard of. You will find a comfortable, unpretentious tasting room and knowledgeable people who will tell you all about what you’re drinking without trying to guilt you into buying anything you don’t like. And most importantly, you will find prices that are what they should be for excellent, well-​made Sonoma wine (generally $ 20 – 40 as I recall, depending on the bottle).
Don’t let the appointment-​only designation put you off; it’s just a legal formality, and as long as you call ahead by a few minutes to let them know you’re on your way, you’ll be all set.

This place is by appointment only, which is quite understandable considering the tiny size of their tasting room. It is a charming, high-​quality, family-​owned winery, which is rather refreshing compared to some of the more ‘established’ vineyards in the area. Unfortunately their specialty is the reds (syrah and zin seemed favored); I have a red wine allergy :(But, non-​the-​less I highly recommend this friendly, off the beaten path vineyard!

I wouldn’t dream of making a trip to Sonoma without visiting Unti, a winery that’s been my favorite for years. I stopped in this past weekend and sampled the Montepulciano, Grenache, Syrah and Syrah Benchland. Tastings still happen right next to the barrels (n.b., there’s little protection from the elements in here so expect it to be cold in the winter and broiling in the summer) though likely not for long as construction has already begun on a proper tasting room.
We arrived without an appointment and were accommodated easily but I would book ahead if you’re coming at a peak time like Saturday afternoon. Tastings are $ 5 but this fee is waived with purchase.
I’ve yet to meet a bottle of Unti I didn’t like and this time went home with a bottle of the Grenache and two of the Syrah. I’m already scheming on what to pair them with!

Day 2 of Post Ironman 70.3 Wine Tour: Charming Family Owned Winery!
Our group popped in here on Day 2 of our wine tour. We didn’t have a reservation but we were thankful that they had an opening for us as we found their tasting facilities are limited in space.
Unti has been in business since 1998 and if memory serves me right, they have 60 acres of land. Our server Dee was very sweet and knowledgeable about each of their wines. I particularly enjoyed the 2008 Syrah (bought a bottle $ 35) and the 2008 Port ($ 20). I can’t wait to enjoy that bottle of port with friends, it was so tasty! So tasty, everyone in our group ended up buying a bottle of it.
This is a small but very charming winery certainly worthy of a stop. Make sure you call ahead to make a reservation. We got lucky!