Blanchard Family Wines

So glad we popped in here! We are visiting from Denver and had been to Blanchard in Denver and thought we ought to pop in here. (They have two places, one in Denver and one here in Sonoma). We did not have a reservation beforehand but the proprietor (Mark Blanchard) welcomed us warmly and had the table set for us quickly. By the way, you don’t stand at a bar here—you are welcomed to have a seat around a table to taste and enjoy the wine. He served wine liberally and spent a good amount of time chatting with us and he was a warm, fun and friendly host. The wine was genuinely delicious across the board, and the “wine culture” component here was straight up down to earth and friendly. No snobby attitude at all. He taught us a lot about their process and it was so cool to visit such a small, family owned operation. As a military veteran I also appreciate that one of the two Blanchard Brothers is a fellow US Air Force Academy graduate/military veteran! If you want to get fantastic wine, have a nice visit with a small, family owned winery, and support a military veteran business—come and visit!! Mark, thank you for giving us a great time!!

Came here with my girlfriend last week and it was by far the best wine tasting experience for both of us. Mark has a much more laid back environment for the tasting and he’s also the most welcoming, especially for wine novices like us. I will continue to buy Blanchard wines

We stopped here with our friends strictly based on reviews and using the Priority Wine Pass offer of 2 for 1 tasting. We absolutely loved this stop! Mark was super engaging, friendly, and funny, telling us all about the wines and the development. Not once did we feel rushed and Mark was very generous with our group. He made us feel as though we were VIPs! Such a lovely find!

At Blanchard Family you can expect a unique and personal tasting room experience. Mark is an attentive, professional, and knowledgeable host who has local stories for days. The wine is an excellent expression of California palate and old world style at a value price tag. I have been in the wine industry for 2 decades and Blanchard Family is my go to.

Visited the California location January 15, 2020. Mark did a fantastic job conducting our wine tasting event. My wife Dianne and I traveled with the Blanchard sisters (not related to Mark) which made our visit even more fun. It's not everyday you can buy a bottle of very good wine with your name on it. I highly recommend the wine tasting at the Blanchard Family Wines.

You HAVE TO STOP HERE!! Mark is not only knowledgeable and well educated about wines, but he makes you feel at home in his tasting room. It has been one of our absolute favorite memories of Healdsburg and will definitely be sprinting time at their Denver brewery soon! Thanks again, Mark. You’ll forever be remembered.

Great atmosphere and tasting experience! Mark will sit down and just talk to your whole group about wine in a super casual and fun way. We loved the wine and more than that the experience!

My wife and I really enjoyed our time with Mark and his wines. We ordered a case and it arrived home just after we did. Wine tastings can be a bit formal and snooty. Not here. We will make a point to visit again next time we are in the area.

Father (79)/Sons (50's) trip to Sonoma in late August. We spend a Saturday in Healdsburg and our first stop was at Blanchard. As it turned out we started at the best. Mark greeted us by the door of the tasting room/production facility which is just off the square. He spent time walking through the winery's history and how he and is brother run the business. By the end of the tasting we had talked about wine, food, music, documentaries, and much more. Mark made it feel like we were all siting around the kitchen table just talking about wine and life. I liked this setting (one group at a time with 100% participation) much more enjoyable than most other wineries we visited which have more of a bar/restaurant feeling where the server would just pour your tasting, give you the one sentence blurb they learned about it and then disappearing to help other tables for 10-15 minutes until it was time for your next pour. We started the tasting with their "White Wine" and Viognier. We then moved on to the reds including Pinot, Zin, Merlot, Malbec and Cab. They were all very well made and quite tasty. Ended up purchasing 3 bottles to go and a membership to be shipped later in the year. I'd definitely recommend others putting Blanchard on their list of places to visit in Healdsburg. Appointments are needed as Mark only does one group's tasting at a time.

If I could, I would give this place a million stars. This is the kind of winery I love-one that doesn't have all the unnecessary frills and keeps it real. Mark is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate in what he does. You do have to make a reservation ahead of time though for tastings. But it's definitely worth it! That one-on-one attention and interaction is priceless. The barrel room in the back was so cool. I love all the cute chalk drawings on the barrels. Mark walked us through the process of wine making and we even got the chance to try some from the barrel! Mark's co-owner, his brother James, lives in Denver-just a short drive from Colorado Springs, where I live! Honestly, I don't remember which wines I liked best because I liked all of them. But we ended up getting a bottle and have been saving it for a special occasion until we get the chance to go back. Definitely looking forward to returning soon!

Small Winery Charm Mark Blanchard is the winery owner for the people. This guy is delightful, fun and unpretentious. My wife and I sat down in his small tasting room, sampled some very enjoyable wines (we bought four) and had a great time laughing and sharing stories. Mark, thank you so much for squeezing us in today. We will be back and yes, we will be telling friends about this awesome small winery we discovered.

Very much enjoyed our time here. Mark was garrulous and fun, and we felt very much at home conversing with him. Very lively, enjoyable time- and the wine was impressive (the Malbec in particular.) If you are outgoing and enjoy a less "stuffy" wine-tasting experience, come here with some energy and Mark will match it. (We left pretty happy.)

We stopped here with our friends strictly based on reviews and using the Priority Wine Pass offer of 2 for 1 tasting. We absolutely loved this stop! Mark was super engaging, friendly, and funny, telling us all about the wines and the development. Not once did we feel rushed and Mark was very generous with our group. He made us feel as though we were VIPs! Such a lovely find!

Friendly owner with a great knowledge of wine history both locally and in general. I'm fairly picky and more often than not don't buy wines after tastings, but the Zinfandel, Marcel Blue and Cabernet were full-bodied and rich and I ended up getting all three! I'm all for wineries that focus on the wine first and the experience second.

There really aren't enough wonderful things that I can say about Blanchard Family Wines. For one thing, their wine is just fabulous! From reds to whites and even sparkling, Blanchard seriously knows how to impress. Their tasting room is vibrant and cozy with a very comfortable and inviting atmosphere. Some friends and I dropped in for a tasting and we really enjoyed ourselves. Blanchard is a family owned boutique winery that specializes mainly in red wines. It's owned by brothers Mark and James and Mark Blanchard is the winemaker. He was working the day that we stopped by and we had the pleasure of meeting him. The tasting room itself is so adorable! When you walk in, you'll be enamored by all of the beautiful artwork on the walls. The main tasting room in set with a comfy sofa and a table along with the tasting bar. They have a barrel room behind their tasting area and you can draw cute pictures on the barrels with chalk. I'm primarily a red wine drinker, and Blanchard's wines really appeased my taste. Their Jackson James Zinfandel was simply flawless! It's everything that you'd expect a delicious Russian River Valley Zinfandel to be. Super vibrant but very well balanced with the sweet aromas of raspberries and maple syrup. I also really enjoyed their Marcel Blue red blend which is a tasty blend of Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. All I can say is smooooth! So silly and so smooth. Also not to be forgotten is their refreshing Blanc de Blanc Sparkling and their delicious dessert wine. Basically, I enjoyed them ALL! Tasting at Blanchard reminded me of how much I really enjoy intimate tasting experiences, especially when the winemaker is present. It exudes a type of passion that you don't always see when you visit larger and more commercial wineries. It's really am amazing experience that feels extra special. Loved tasting at Blanchard and I'm excited to make my way back when I'm visiting Healdsburg.

Wow, wow, wow! What a treat! And that Marcel Blue - HEAVEN!! I recently went back to Blanchard Family Wines to revisit their wines and to pick up a futures wine that I had purchased at an event that was held a month prior. Mark called to let me know that the Marcel Blue was bottled & ready for pick up. He then scheduled my pick up appointment as well as time for tasting for 3 of us, my daughter & I and a friend. And once again Blanchard Family Wines did not disappoint. Mark makes you feel like your just hanging out with friends and family, and in a sense you are so it's totally casual & non-pressured. In fact on this particular day we all sat and chit chatted and just had a ball. Besides picking up my futures bottle of Marcel Blue I ended up buying 2 more bottles during my tasting as it's that good! Before I go any further, you need to know that if you want to taste the wines at Blanchard Family Wines you need to call and make an appointment. Some people may think that's a hassle because if you're going from winery to winery you may not make your appointment. But rest assure it is totally worth it and you won't be disappointed! You get that one on one attention rather than a hit or miss that you get with other wineries where you're trying to get the attention of the tasting room associate to try a different type of wine, ask a question or even purchase a bottle. That won't happen here! The tasting room is located in an industrial building/area but don't let that fool you as they definitely are right up there with the "big boys" and hold their own! You can stand at the bar or you can sit at the table & chairs for your tasting. There's even a couch & chair to lounge at if you prefer. And behind the tasting room is the barrel room where they hold tasting events for groups where you can actually draw on the barrels with chalk. How fun is that??!!! I love everything about this winery from the delicious Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine (Love me some bubbles!) to the Malbec and right down to the BFW Dessert Wine. I'm a sucker for ports & bubbles. But that's not all I like about it, it's the heart and soul that is put into making their wines that make a big difference, Mark is very passionate about his wines. And it's a rarity when I like all of the wines that I'm tasting from one winery but Blanchard has truly exceptional wines as well as reasonably priced. I like it so much so that the next time I am up in Healdsburg I plan on joining their wine club, which is a deal in itself!

I came back a 2nd time and thoroughly enjoyed their sparkling Blanc de Blanc. It was beautifully balanced with a light bread dough and citrus flavors. Excellent imo from a house where that's not their main focus. Again I gravitated to the Winemaker- great interesting guy that makes very good wines, some of them are excellent and not saying that lightly. Most of the reds are accessible now with light to medium tannins, and good acidity. That acidity helps the wine compliment food. I also found most of these wines have 5++ years of aging potential. I had the opportunity to taste 2 Barrel samples - one was a Pinot Noir that reminded me of a 10 year old Pinot from cultish Thackrey Winery - so much complexity in this wine it will be extraordinary in a couple years at an extremely reasonable price. Side Note: Cabernet or any dry red wine does not taste good with chocolate- it compares to eating a salad with vinegar. The best wines to match with Chocolate are sweet wines. The Blanchard Family is a great personable winery worth being a destination on your agenda.

What a great tasting! Mark spent a lot of time with us. Highly recommend this family owned business

Spent a wonderful afternoon yesterday at Blanchard with Mark. Great conversation and insights into the local Healdsburg Wine History and specifically Blanchard's role in supporting this great community. Warm and welcoming - would definitely recommend everyone make a point of stopping by

Please note - this tasting room is by-appointment-only. But it's totally worth it! Is this the fanciest tasting room in Healdsburg? Not by a long-shot. It's more of an industrial warehouse with tons of barrels in the back. But what Blanchard Family Wines lacks in style, it more than makes up for with character and great wines. As their name suggests, Blanchard is definitely a family-run operation (in the best sense). Mark Blanchard and his brother started this whole business a while back (they also have a tasting room in Colorado, BTW), and it's clearly a labor of love. At our most recent visit, Mark hosted the tour & tasting and his mom and dad were pouring as well. All of them were so lovely and inviting. Mark, in particular, has a great sense of humor. His enthusiasm is infectious. And he makes the whole thing fun and not pretentious (after all, it's just wine, people... we're not curing cancer here). The wines we tasted are very reasonably priced. I took home a few bottles of their bubbles (which wound up being a big hit at my dinner party). I will definitely come back here when I'm back in the area, and I'll bring my vino-loving friends!

I am sure that my review will simply tack onto what many have already said, but seriously Blanchard Family Wines is absolutely phenomenal! I work fairly close to Blanchard, yet have only heard their name come up a few times in the past, so honestly I had no idea what to expect. I really think that Blanchard Family Wines should fall under the category of never judge a book by its cover. While it may not be the most upscale tasting room, compared to some of it neighbors nearby, it sure lines right up there with them and may be better than most! Before I dive too deep, please keep in mind it is appointment only, but so worth it as my review will go on to explain. So to get to one of the finer points, the hospitality displayed was one of the better experiences I have come across. Starting from the top with Mark, to the winemaker, and all the way to his sweet parents, they were all so welcoming and proud of the products they are producing! Mark will sit down with you and happily go through all of his wines and really go the extra mile to make sure all your questions are answered. It is always a breathe of fresh air when you meet someone such as Mark as he is so passionate about his wine and just the family ties to the winery, a really good story all and all. As for the wines, it was hard for me to not like any of them, as they were approachable almost for anyone's palette. Follow that with an affordable price tag, which is hard to come by in Sonoma County these days and it elevates to a win-win scenario. Let's also be honest too, bubbles to get things going will have most running to get a glass, so three cheers to the delicious starter. Between the Claret, Barrel tasting, Cab's, and a surprise Malbec, I was in heaven! If I was really to break down and pick a winner, even though all of them were winners, it would be the Malbec, which they are sold out of (May be wrong, don't quote me). Malbec is becoming more popular in the area, but typically is still a rogue in the field compared to many of the other well known grape varietals. To sum it up again, one of the finer tastings with a group I have experienced and would gladly do it again! Also, Mark's co owner is his brother who runs the other half of the winery and a clone of it as well, but in the Denver area, so definitely looking that up the next time I am in that part of the country.

When I saw Blanchard Family Wines with 5 stars on yelp I had to try--we had their cab for Christmas dinner last year. I called and Mark Blanchard spent 2 hours with us, as we sampled 7 wines! He said we could ask any questions we wanted, and we did--questions about vintages, old world vs. new world, different varietals, and more. The wine was amazing, especially the merlot. I realized that finding a wine maker/owner who has the same taste as me makes a lot of sense. They're trying to go for the very best wine they can produce each year rather than the same consistent product year to year. We loved the wine so much we joined the wine club, our first club ever. Highly recommend!

This tasting room is located in a business-like setting/area, somewhat off the beaten path of the usual wineries. We've been here several times based on the great Yelp reviews, but every time we go, the wines have just been okay. None have really stood out for me, to the point of wanting to buy any. The staff are friendly, though. They have a front area and a back area where they pour their wines. One of the coolest things about this tasting room is that they allow you to draw pictures on their barrels with chalk. We came here this past weekend for the Wine Road event, and I was impressed with how well they handled the crowds. I'd give this place 3.5 stars, but round it closer to a 3 rather than a 4. I hate to bring down the stars, but there are so many great wineries in the area and this one has never really had any wines that knocked my socks off.

When do you see a 5-star yelp review with more than a dozen reviewers? So, my buddy and I decided to stop in and check it out. Thank goodness for Yelp! This was a fantastic experience, unconventional, delicious, personal and fun! I would highly recommend stopping by and tasting here. Mark, co-owner is also in charge of the tasting room. He shoots the breeze, answers wine and wine related questions and is generally a wonderful human who loves to make tasting custom! Thank you, Mark!

It is such a unique and awesome experienced to actually have the owner of the Blanchard Family Wines to host, serve and entertain us. We "the ladies" had a great time! We will definitely come back! Oh ya not to mention ALL the wines .... phenomenal! We loved it all around!

We had business in Healdsburg and a Priority Wine Pass that was gathering dust so we decided to hit up highly rated Blanchard for a tasting. Communication by text was easy and when we arrived we were greeted by the proprietor, Mark Blanchard, and sat down for our private tasting. He only does tastings by appointment and for one group at a time so we felt very safe. We were there for an hour and forty five minutes as we tasted through his six current releases and one unreleased add on. The wines were great, especially the Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and the unreleased Merlot blend. Mark was the consummate host and we throughly enjoyed his stories of the wine biz and how he and his brother got started. I can't recommend a tasting with Blanchard strongly enough, it's an amazing and fun experience. He also offers wine experiences virtually with curated wine and food tasting packs for business or family events.

Mark is a fantastic host! Their wine is delicious and arguably the best in the region. Definitely a place to visit!

This is appointment only but worth the stop. We happened to stop in on bottling day which was really fun because we got to sample a little of everything being bottled, and even got to buy one fresh off the line! It's a different experience because you're sitting down doing your tasting with the owner but it's so fun because you get to learn so much about the wines and their stories.

I have to admit I have never heard of Blanchard Family Wines, until a fellow Yelper wanted to do an impromptu UYE following a Yelp Flight Club event, my fellow Eliters did some research on the various wine tasting rooms in the Healdsburg area. Low and behold, look what was the top vote getter was by my very own fellow Elites, but Blanchard Family Wines? Who knew this even existed? Not I that's for sure, even when we drove up to the tasting room, it felt more like business office, which I'm sure it previously was. But no mere mention of the experience would be without the personal touch of co-owner Mark Blanchard, who not only took all four of us on a tour of his small but cozy family owned facility, but he treated us like V.I.Ps upon the mere entry to his wine tasting room. There was no view and no uniqueness to the room because as Mark so succinctly puts it, they put all of their energy into the wines in order to go against the fancier tasting rooms in the region. As they grow, Mark says they recognize who they are. When someone comes in and sees a tasting going on, they want to give the impression that they are interrupting friends sitting, talking and hanging out over wine. And that's just what we did for the day at Blanchard. The fact that my friend managed to get a last minute wine tasting scheduled for a Sunday afternoon proves that Blanchard is here for their clients, his burgeoning fans, and wine lovers alike. Yes people, it is that easy to schedule yourself and a group of others for a personal and private wine tasting in the Sonoma Valley! You have to give credit where credit is due, and all of it goes to the Blanchard brothers who started their winery from the ground up, a mere two years ago. People who really want to experience an intimate wine tasting need to come here because Mark will treat you like a member of the family as he explains how Blanchard came to be and gives a little background into each of the many wines that he poured for us. And boy did he pour a lot, from the whites and reds to the cabs to the zins everything was provided. And get this the wine tasting was all for free (for all four of us), yes I said free upon our Yelp check in! Mark says its because he wants to bring people in the door so why bother charging them for a wine tasting? I love that concept...and of course I was inclined to buy more wine anyway. So I decided to go with my personal favorite, the sweetest 2014 Sweetwater Road White. (And at under 25 dollars I consider that a steal!) Mark had a great presentation where they told us the buy their grapes from various locations and even pick their own grapes where they can find them. Mark said their wines evolve in the bottle from month to month so his favorites change from time to time, this year alone they started four new wines! If he had to chose his favorite Mark would pick the 2013 Merlot because like all of his wines they pair best with a lot of varying foods. In the middle of our tasting, Mark took us on a tour of his facility where we saw the grapes being transported, crushed, pressed and bottled. We were shown the press with the dry grape skins. It was unbelievable that one hundred and sixty gallons of liquid pours out of that. There we also saw a ton of barrels containing all kinds of their wines many of which had chalk drawings on the barrels to signify visitor's trip the wine tasting room. None of our group could draw so we chose to deliberately pass that opportunity up. Then it was back to tasting and learning about Blanchard family wines. And that's what wine tasting should be all about. Learning, drinking, tasting the great wines from the greatest place to grow wines in the world. That's what I call a productive day! In the end, I loved our stay so much so that I truly wanted to savor the moment over and over again. That is a sign of a good winery, when I relish the day I return, and hopefully it will be soon!

This place is by reservation only, small wherehouse, tucked away in a business park. The tasting was fun and entertaining but the wines were just ok for me. The owner was full of knowledge and easy to talk to. I liked the personal attention we got. The service was 5 star, the wines were 3 star for me.

This is now one of my favorite wine tasting rooms to visit when in the Healdsburg Area!! Thank you MARK!! I was planning a wine tasting day with a couple of friends and I so I Yelped some wineries and wine tasting rooms within the area of Healdsburg and this 5 star hidden gem came up! I texted Mark with a time and date that my crew and I wanted to come and taste some of the wines and in less than 2 minutes we were scheduled for a tasting. Blanchard Family Wines in family owned by two brothers from Illinois. Mark is one of the brothers and is the main man that handles the wine tasting appointments as well as the tours. They started the business from ground up and I have to admit that did an AMAZING job! The business is still slightly new and only been running for 2 years. There is a small tasting room area in the front from about 6-7 people and what I really liked about this tour was that it was a casual and intimate wine tasting. We all sat down while Mark poured the wine and we were able to talk about the company, wines that we enjoyed and history about how the company started the business. We were able to get a tour of the building and in the back where they crush, press, and bottle the wine. We were able to taste a couple different wines! Don't forget to check into Yelp they have an amazing check in offer: 4 complementary wines to taste! Now, that's a steal deal! We were able to taste a couple different wines: ~2014 Sweetwater Road White ~2014 Voignier ~2013 Red Scarf Blend ~2013 Jackson James Zinfandel ~2012 Cash Allen Cabernet Sauvignon Since I'm a white wine type of chick I have to say my favorite was the 2014 Sweetwater Road White which was 85% Sauvignon Blanc with 15% Viognier! You can't go wrong with this wine! I even had to buy a bottle to take home as I was SO impressed with the taste! My favorite Red wine was the Red Scarf Blend that had 4 different types of blends: 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 20% Zinfandel and 10% Syrah. The pricing for the bottles were very reasonable and ranged from $25-35! Another steal deal! The tastings are always complimentary so don't wait! Come and check this amazing wine tasting room out! You will not be disappointed!

This will be my last one for Blanchard I promise. I had no intention of writing an update because frankly, how the hell can one perfect what is already perfect. His wines are still the best, Mark is still a legend and the experience..... that's where this ones gonna take a stark turn. I was lucky enough to have a friend move up to Santa Rosa (about 14 minutes south of Blanchard) a month ago. Of course I am going to be visiting. We had a plan as to what I was gonna show him, as he's never been to wine country. Then one Sunday we were talking about attending the Blanchard pickup party and left it at that. The next morning I wake up to the horrific news that a slew of fires popped up all over Sonoma County and that one was in Santa Rosa- he is fine, as is his house but Santa Rosa took a big blow. We waited to see how it would pan out over the week and then I get a notification that the party has been postponed yet I was perfectly okay with that. When people are losing their homes, some losing loved ones and smoke has people wearing face masks a wine pickup party is the last thing one should pester over. A few days later as the fires are somewhat being contained, I reach out to Mark and let him know we'll be in Healdsburg on Saturday and if he'll be there I'd love to stop by and buy some wine (if you want to help out the wineries, that is just how to). He reaches out and says to stop by Saturday. Saturday in Healdsburg the weather took a marvelous turn. No smoke, a few tourists, and the places that were open received us with such warm hospitality. Then we stop by Blanchard and I could not believe my eyes. In between all the terror and chaos reigning in Sonoma County, I saw just a tiny glimmer of joy and hope. Mark had a full table of wine tasters, a bbq rolling outside, about 10 tons of Cabernet grapes getting pressed, a ton of Marks friends helping and chatting and people just genuinely having a good time. It's almost as if for a minute, life was back to normal. We're told by Mark to come on in, we get a personalized tour on winemaking by Carl (who is a genius), then sample all of Marks new releases- literally every single wine was just absolutely delicious. Mark is just having a ball with the tasters and quite frankly I, and my friends were loving it. Hearing his story, seeing the tasters enjoy the wine, having my Santa Rosa friend just forget about the stress of the week just for a little you know just kinda makes you feel so thankful. Of all my experiences at Blanchard, this last one just had so much love and awe. One really can't describe it unless you're there- what these people have gone through with these fires, you're just left in awe with their reaction to the entire situation. Mark always brings up family and friendship when doing tastings. This past trip, with everything going on, those of us gathered, and plenty of delicious wine to go around, it truly was a family bond. It was truly a Saturday I will never forget. I just can't find the words to thank Mark for a such an incredible, warm, and comforting experience.

It was more of a 1 on 1 with him and it was fun. Perfect place to learn about wine without the snobs that like to show off their knowledge. Btw you get to draw on the wine barrels!

We had the best time at Blanchard Family Wines! Mark, the founder and owner, stages the perfect intimate tasting experience. He took us through a beautiful flight, told us the history of the business, and even toured us through the winery and taught us more about how wine is made. All of the wines were delicious! We left with the merlot and intend to join the wine club. This is an intimate experience not to be missed!

Wow! This is the Real wine experience that I was looking for when visiting Sonoma County this past weekend! The owner, Mark Blanchard is hip and an extremely knowledgeable, genuinely nice guy, ready and available to answer all of your questions. My friend and I had a blast sitting around the table drinking tasty wine while Mark kept it flowing. We even got to draw pictures on the barrels with chalk. What a delightful experience! Thank you

They close at 4:30. If you don't have a appointment, don't waste your time walking all the way out there and get disappointed like we did.

There are many ways to enjoy a visit to Sonoma, but this stop was the highlight of our visit. I almost don't want to give a 5 star review, because I'm afraid of that happens after they're discovered. This is the kind of place you want to keep to yourself. Blanchard is a small producer with exceptional varietals and blends. You'll find them in an unassuming location near downtown Healdsburg. Behind that plain fascade, you'd never know how great the experience will be until you walk in the door. Behind the tasting room is the actual production of the operation -- everything from crushing, to fermentation, to aging and riddling, and even bottling. The tour starts with a tasting of their current vintages -- a great combination of more typical Sonoma-style blends (Cab/Merlot, and other Bourdeaux-style combinations) -- and some really interesting varietals (Great Zinfandels). Then we migrated to the back where we not only got a great education in the winemaking process, but also a chance to taste some of the current production -- everything from young Zinfandels, Petit Syrahs, and a truly memorable Malbec. The winemaking style is more subtle than a lot of the Sonoma producers -- a bit more fruit-forward -- even on varietals normally not spared the oak. It makes for some really interesting and quite enjoyable blends -- as well as some truly stand-out varietals. They even have a fantastic Zinfandel Port -- I hope we bought enough, because it might be a worth a trip back if we didn't. This is the place you bring people you really want to experience what Sonoma is truly all about -- and share in the passion of making truly great wines in small batches. Thanks for an amazing visit!

This finery was the last stop on a fantastic wine tour from Terrific Tours. Let me just say, it was absolutely fantastic!!! All of the other wineries were just meh.... Mark at Blanchard Brothers was a completely different experience. He sat down with us and gave us a very personalized story about his background and how he got started in the wine business. He poured us as many glasses as we wanted of each type of wine and then he took us in the back and actually showed us how the process works. It was truly an amazing experience and I would highly recommend this winery to everyone who wants a personalized wine tour experience.

We always enjoy visiting wine makers who operate on a small scale, creating great wine that can't be found in our restaurants and retail stores back home. Blanchard Family Wines certainly fits the bill, and Mark was an excellent, personable, and entertaining host. We're very happy we stopped in, and would recommend this stop to all who are wine tasting in the Healdsburg area.

Great wine and super friendly experience! Tasting is private and by reservation only. Wines were wonderful!!

Great Wines Purpose Desire These amazing wines are here because of the story behind them. Why does Blanchard Family Wines make amazing wine? Because that was their dream! They remind us here that effort can out perform size any day! One of my favorites quotes from my own business, "quality over quantity" always! They have something special here and it needs to be experienced by everyone! Never lose sight of your !

Awesome place to sample some great wine. We had an awesome time listening, learning, and drinking!

Hands down the BEST wine experience I've ever had! And I've been to many, many wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms. My friend and I visited Healdsburg for the first time and this was our very first stop. It's a tasting room (not vineyard), located where they make and bottle their wine as well, which made it perfect for a wine-making tour :) The minute we walked in, we were greeted by Mark's big smile and a big welcome! He started us on a tasting, which included all types of wine - from Chardonnay to Pinot Noir to Zinfandel, etc. They were all pretty good, but the best part was Mark's thorough description about their company, wine making process, and tour around the place. We also got to meet Mark's brother (and other owner), James, who was just as friendly and knowledgeable. They let us decorate and "leave our mark" on their wine barrels with colorful chalk :) My friend and I were smiling and laughing the entire time! Seriously, the most fun experience I've ever had wine tasting... you must go here!

If you're in Heldsburg and want to have fun, go see Mark at Blanchard. Do him a solid and book ahead, but if you can't, he'll take walk ins. My lady and I were there on Memorial Day weekend and he was booked for the whole day and had even more people calling to book a tasting, and he refused to turn them away. Mark truly makes the experience. He's funny, boisterous, and gives the least pretentious tasting in wine country. For most of our tasting, we talked about sports and how he got into the business. He doesn't bombard you with how the wine is supposed to taste he lets you experience it for yourself. Once you're done tasting the finished wines, Mark will take you around back and let you try some straight out of the barrel... then you can draw on it, no joke. His menu is ever changing so if you've been before, go back. Also, buy a bottle when you can. He sells out so fast that we had to buy his upcoming sirah while it's still being aged (barrel tasted it; it's fantastic and it's not even finished yet). If you buy a bottle, he'll waive the tasting fee. Going to Sonoma County? Do yourself a favor and stop by Blanchard Family Wines.

Mark Blanchard gave us the most informative discussion of wine making we have ever had. The wines are excellent. Get a reservation for a private tour.

We loved our afternoon with Mark tasting his wine, picking his brain about wine making and tasting, and learning about the wine process. He offers free tastings with a yelp coupon, and amazing private tastings. The wine is delicious! We highly recommend it!

Mark is amazing! The wine is amazing! We just happened upon this place and thank goodness we did! We ended up spending a couple of hours here tasting, barrel tasting, and just chatting with the owner. All worthwhile. My service dog in training was welcome and treated very well. Next time we are going to join the wine club.

Stopped here for a private tasting and was not disappointed. Mark answered all our questions in the 2 hours we spent with him. This is definitely a must visit if you are in the area. If you want to express your artistic side you can draw on a wine barrel with caulk. Thanks for a great time

Thanks, Yelp Community for the 5-star recommendation here as we lost almost a whole day to great wine and good conversation with Blanchard Family. Heading up to Healdsburg for an impromtu day of tasting, Blanchard was first on my list. After stumbling upon the brilliant winery-in-industrial-park that is Tin Barn and brewery-in-strip-mall that is AleSmith, I've learned never to judge a book by its cover so pulling into a nondescript building at the end of a cul-de-sac just made me more excited for the adventure that awaited. However, we pulled into the parking lot to find it rather dark with a sign on the door indicating they were by appointment only. I figured we'd hit another spot and give them a call to see if we could come back later, when I noticed someone in the parking lot heading for the door carrying a space heater. Trying not to appear like a total wine-stalker to this poor gent who just arrived and hadn't even had a chance to take off his coat, I asked if they were open and if we could taste. We were welcomed with open arms! Turns out, this lovely gentleman was Mark Blanchard, one of the owners of the winery who stepped out to buy a heater for the tasting room because it's freakin' freezing this winter. He joked about being the janitor, the owner, the hospitality manager and a wearing bunch of different hats. Truly they are a mom and pop shop...or whatever the two brothers equivalent of mom and pop is...bro and bro? Once inside we had a seat at what felt like a living room table and started tasting and chatting with Mark. As the new space heater warmed our toes, the delicious wines warmed our bellies and hours seemed to pass as we tasted, chatted, toured, barrel-tasted, drew chalk art on barrels, and revisited. Mark also let us do something we love, which is compare two different years of the same vintage (Grenache...mmmm). Bottles were reasonably priced and we enjoyed many things. Our favorites were the 2013 Jackson James Zin, the 2014 Pinot Noir, and the J Cole 2012 red blend. Someone is almost always in the tasting room so you can totally just walk in, but it's worth giving these guys a ring for an appointment just so you can get some one-on-one time with them. Definitely worth it.

Great tasting experience with Mark one of the owners of Blanchard family wines it was more like friends sitting around having a glass wine and talking then a tasting Mark told us how he got started answered all the questions we had for him it was not rushed at all we even walk thought where all the magic is done where grape are turned to wine. The wine we tasted was the2014 Sweetwater road white, 2014 Viognier, Red scarf blend, 2013 Jackson James Zinfandel, 2012 cash Allen cabinet Sauvignon and two other that where not on the tasting menu the 2013 Merlot and Pinot out the barrel witch is coming along nicely,out of these wines I like the 1. 2013 Merlot 2. The 2013 Jackson James Zinfandel and the rest of the Reds I like them all. The 2014 Sweetwater roads white was pretty nice too. If your in the Healdsburg area you have to come to Blanchard family wines you won't be disappointed. Can wait till my next visit thanks Mark

Mark was an amazing host. The wine was incredible and you don't feel like he is just running off a script. I wish they had a bar open daily so I could go more often.

What a great experience for my wife and I on a recent visit to Healdsburg. Made an appointment with Mark for a tasting. Spent 2 hours tasting and talking wine with owner Mark. We thoroughly enjoyed the wines and left with 2 bottles. It was incredible to be able to sit and ask all the questions you have had about wines and protocols from someone so knowledgeable, friendly and passionate about the industry. I would recommend this experience highly. Thanks, Mark for your time and best wishes in the future

My husband and I stopped here because of the amazing Yelp reviews. Even though we did not have an appointment for a tasting, Mark (the owner) was the most sincere and down to earth man. He is very personable and made the experience 10 times better than imagined. The 2012 Zinfandel is out of this world...I highly recommend leaving with a bottle. Thank you Mark for making this a very memorable stop and for making it a memory we will never forget. Micro wineries are the best places to go to! Thank you again Mark!!

First stop on this field trip, found this wonderful, personable establishment on "Yelp". Absolutely a MUST!!! Enjoyed almost 2 hours with Mark who is awesome beyond words. If you're in the area it is a MUST!!! Can't wait to visit again.

This was my favorite stop of the day! Mark was incredibly knowledgeable and a super funny sense of humor - we found ourselves wishing we could hang out with him longer. And to top it off - FANTASTIC WINES. Do yourself a favor and stop by Blanchard!

Had the BEST experience wine tasting with Mark. This is a must stop if you're in the Sonoma area. Great vibes and amazing wine. Can't beat it. I think my fave hurt from laughing and smiling so much. The Pinot is to DIE for!! Thank you!!

This place was A-MAZ-ING! Loved getting to visit with Mark. It was awesome that it was a small family operation with great wine!! Had to bring home a bottle. Highly recommend! Please stop in and visit! Also liked being able to draw on the barrel and get Mark's signature on my bottle. Just can't recommend them or say enough great things about this place!!!

My husband and I were skeptical as we walked to Blanchard, but we were blown away. Mark went above and beyond to share his knowledge with us and educate us in addition to let us taste. We were thrilled with this in town gem!