Macphail Tasting Lounge

Specialties

Open at The Barlow since July 2014, the MacPhail Tasting Lounge features Winemaker James MacPhail’s Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River, and Anderson Valley appellations. We offer a variety of unique wine tasting options, including our «Terroir Tasting,» and cheese plates to pair with our wines, featuring a different local cheesemaker each month.

History

Established in 2002.

James MacPhail worked as an apprentice with local winemakers Greg Lafollette, Gary Farrell, and Merry Edwards before launching MacPhail Family Wines in 2002 to focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay produced in his own style from carefully selected local vineyards. In 2008 James built his winery in his backyard in Healdsburg and planted his first estate vineyard in Freestone, west of where the Tasting Lounge now resides. In 2014 James opened the Tasting Lounge in Sebastopol and released his first vintage from his Mardikian estate vineyard. James continues to focus on unique single vineyard bottlings from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River, and Anderson Valley appellations.

Meet the Manager

James M.

Manager

My father inspired a love for travel, which led me to consider a hospitality career. Traveling the world inspires, working inside, not so much. Life’s circumstances brought me home, and a passion for Pinot Noir pulled me back to California’s North Coast, where I spent my early days.

As an apprentice with winemakers I long admired, like Merry Edwards, Gary Farrell and Greg La Follete, I learned how old world ideas paired in exciting ways with the emerging cool coastal growing regions of the Sonoma Coast and Mendocino’s Anderson Valley. My affair with Pinot Noir became more passionate, and I knew my destiny was my own brand, influenced solely by my own hand.

MacPhail’s wagon label represents the simple joy and sense of a close, loving family, values that guide my life. My daughters played in the same Flyer wagon my sister and I shared, and I still cherish it today. I know my wines will be part of many special moments, and I take care to make them memorable.