Wild Hog Vineyard is at the headwaters of Wild Hog Creek (from which the winery derives its name) 45 minutes west of the small town of Cazadero. At 1400 feet elevation and 5 miles from the Ocean east of Fort Ross, the vineyard avoids most of the summer fog. The climate of the coastal range, in conjunction with our farming practices, helps to produce intense flavorful grapes.far off the beaten path, which, in my opinion, makes the place all the more special. There is no way anyone could find this place on his/her own. (You have to meander for miles on a narrow dirt road.) If you are one of the few people fortunate enough to do an actual tasting at this small, informal winery, you likely will meet the proprietor, Daniel Schoenfeld, a warm, kind-hearted gentleman, who obviously is passionate about wine-making. (He, quite appropriately, self-describes his line of work as a "labor of love.")

The scenery is great, there is outdoor seating for a picnic and a fabulous bottle of wine to accompany it. Beautiful tasting room and a wonderful selection of wines. If you like white wine you are in for a treat with the viognier, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. On the red side they have tempranillo, barbera, syrah, mourvedre and zin.

When William and Jane Ballentine bought a nineteenth century ghost winery in St. Helena in 1999, little did they know it would take them three years to acquire a permit to open its doors which had been shuttered since Prohibition. The reason: county laws prohibited restoration of abandoned wineries with less than ten acres and the young couple only owned five. After several years working with the county, the Ballentines received a special historic winery ordinance that allowed them to reopen the 1873 winery.

The views are beautiful, the wines are great and the staff are all excellent; informative about the wines and the region. Rosalyn has poured for us several time and is professional and adorable. Make a reservation, get the Bench wine tasting, claim any one of many spots overlooking the valley and relax. All the wines we tasted were pretty good, the service was great, and the atmosphere fantastic!They treat you well and the location is awesome. It is also dog friendly which is a plus.