Red Car Wine Co
Winery · Graton ·

Red Car Wine Co

Winery · Graton ·

Focuses on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Rosé.

Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null
Red Car Wine Co by null

Information

8400 Graton Rd, Sebastopol, CA 95472 Get directions

$$

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8400 Graton Rd, Sebastopol, CA 95472 Get directions

+1 707 829 8500
redcarwine.com
@redcarwine

$$ · Menu

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Dec 15, 2025

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Leah N.

Google
My best friend took a wine class during the pandemic that featured Red Car's rose and she immediately became a member. Since then I have enjoyed some incredible wine club release parties and experiences as her +1. The folks at Red Car are not only serious about making great Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir, and Syrah but they also take pride in the relationships they build with their members. Yesterday was my third rose release party and it was so great to reconnect with familiar faces and their winemaker Tanner. They always support a local business that provides catering (tacos, BBQ, pizza), have a great live band, and other local artisans selling their products. I would recommend a stop at this tasting room and a visit to the Barlow (nearby) for a perfect day out.

Brais S.

Google
Go and visit! Don’t overthink it. Red Car is that good! We booked one of Red Car’s wine tasting experiences, the one that includes a tour around their fields. We were lucky enough to taste some of their wines during our walk, and we even had a nice end-of-afternoon wine tasting at their cool room topped with some delicious cheese. Special thanks to Brady, who took extremely well care of us, assuring we had a great time. And we did. So much that, here I am, December 2019, purchasing some of their wines for my Christmas presents. Such a memorable Pinot Noir!

Laurie D.

Google
I loved every varietial I tasted from the Chardonnay to the Pinot Noirs (several different Pinot Noirs - all amazing) to the rich and silky Syrah.

Penny K.

Google
Couldn't have been more pleased finding this treasure! Excellent Pinot Noir and the people were extremely welcoming. We enjoyed the wine tasting so much that we instantly became club members. If you're in the area, it's a must visit!

Ed E.

Google
We were a party of 5 and were hosted in the VIP room, and elegant and comfortable setting. Five wines were poured and each is a winner. The cab, however, is the unanimous fave of the group. Our host was great fun, engaging with a deep knowledge of all aspects of winemaking. Do yourself a favor and visit Red Car.

Luis Q.

Google
Awesome spot! Chill vibe and come see Melissa!

Kristy C.

Google
All of the wines were really good, but the 2019 rose was absolutely delicious! The winemaker, Tanner, led us through our tasting experience and made us feel like we had been longtime friends. We could have hung out with him all day. If you’re in Sebastopol, you don’t want to miss Red Car!

Brent C.

Google
Great times! Charlie and Rick made me feel part of the Red Car family. I’m a casual wine drinker so I enjoyed the boutique feel of this place - and the wines were great! I look forward to returning!
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Chris W.

Yelp
This place came recommended by wine friends, since we were in the area decided to stop by without a reservation. Place was empty aside from one other party so they were able to accommodate the walk in. The tasting room itself is nicely decorated, clean, spacious, with a more private room in the back and several tables outside. Reason from giving this place a 5 stars is we felt this place was very transactional and not personable like many other wineries in the Sonoma area. Once the tasting flight is done they ask you to either join the club for the comp, buy two bottles, or pay the $35 tasting fee - no offer to revisit any wines or pour something extra they have in inventory. I was curious to try their Sonoma cost Syrah but they didn't have any bottles open. Wines themselves were fine - enjoyed the Pinot rose and Chardonnay (made in Chablis style so more minerality), but their Pinot noirs were quite different from the typical Sonoma coast ones I've had (e.g Williams seylem, Kosta browne, Rochiolli, Arista, etc). These were much darker and less aromatic, no tannins and fuller bodied with some spice notes but short finish. The gentleman pouring for us said these are good to pair with foods, which I could imagine is true. Their estate syrah is similar in style, so similar to their Pinot noir actually, a lighter bodies and ABV Syrah that doesn't have the depth and complexity as syrahs from Paso region that I personally enjoy. But anyways, these are personal preference - when I mentioned a specific tasting note, our host basically said I was wrong. I laughed it off and went along with it, but it didn't sit well.
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Leah E.

Yelp
My best friend took a wine class during the pandemic that featured Red Car's rose and she immediately became a member. Since then I have enjoyed some incredible wine club release parties and experiences as her +1. The folks at Red Car are not only serious about making great Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir, and Syrah but they also take pride in the relationships they build with their members. Yesterday was my third rose release party and it was so great to reconnect with familiar faces and their winemaker Tanner. They always support a local business that provides catering (tacos, BBQ, pizza), have a great live band, and other local artisans selling their products. I would recommend a stop at this tasting room and a visit to the Barlow (nearby) for a perfect day out.
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Miranda L.

Yelp
Loved visiting Red Car while staying in Sonoma County to experience their greater wine portfolio. Red Car is a boutique winery that I've had the privilege to sample back home. Their tasting flight is very reasonably priced and their tasting room is beautifully designed. Rick took us through their Rosé, Chardonnay, two Pinot Noirs, before finishing with their Syrah. I was impressed by their Syrah and Estate Pinot Noir! I loved the wall mural showing where each wine is picked from as Rick introduced each tasting. I highly recommend stopping out at Red Car for a lovely tasting experience!
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Kiana H.

Yelp
I first came by this place because they teamed up with body Rok and did a mat Pilates class in their tasting room. After the class we were awarded a glass of rosé and a goodie bag with a free tasting for a future visit. I ended up going today to do the full tasting and it was great. Very intimate setting. The decor is so tasteful, the music playlist was spot on and we had a great time with tasting associate. We tasted their rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot, and Syrah. All we super light and flavorful from the Sonoma coast, one of my favorite regions and we ended up leaving with a bottle of the Syrah. We will definitely be back!

john c.

Yelp
We live locally and this is the only winery where we are wine club members. They make about the best wines in Sonoma County that include Pinos, Chards, Rose of Pino, Syrah and Cab. Each is wonderful and the Estate wines are especially wonderful. It's always fun to see the differences between the wines from their various vineyards. They recently had a wine/food event that was a great opportunity to meet the owner, head winemaker and taste some of their products along with some great food. They are really fine people, all knowledgeable without any pomposity or pretense. The folks working at the tasting room regularly are great too and a major asset to the winery, we enjoy their company whenever we visit. This is where we take out of town visitors who always buy a case to ship home.
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Charles H.

Yelp
Red Car is very pricey & the wines are not complex. Each wine, even the whites have a similar style and average taste. Complex wines should excite all of your senses with a great finish, and Red Car falls short. They get a 3 because they offer a comfortable tasting room & the staff are friendly. You could obtain similarly average wine at Grocery Outlet for a far less price than Red Car.
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Karen G.

Yelp
Charming wine host full of suggestions of things to do and funny stories. He was patient and let us stay as long as we liked. Pretty gardens, Tasty pinot flights and very fruity rose . Would stop in again if I was in area.
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Shana W.

Yelp
Stopped in on a whim and were blown away by how amazing their pinots are as well as the rest of the wines we tasted!! I mentioned the Pinots first because I have been pretty Pinot-ed out lately! But they switched me back on! The man who helped us was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed chatting with him while enjoying their great wines! We weren't planning on adding anymore clubs but couldn't resist and had to join because the wines are fabulous! Even during the covid era they made us feel at home/welcome while practicing social distancing and sharing their winery story with us! Definitely a must try if you're in the area!
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Lance M.

Yelp
Many better options for a day of tasting. They will charge $25 for a tasting even if you buy a bottle or a case---the only winery in the county that does that.
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Jason F.

Yelp
Red Car Wine Co. is burgeoning winemaker in the far nether regions in the heart of Sonoma County, their tasting room is located near Graton, off the corner of Graton Road and the Gravenstein Highway. They started in Santa Barbara and they specialize in Pinots, so they decided to relocate up here, thanks to the high quality fruit and cool climate personality of the Sonoma Coast. Since their origins are Southern Californian, the name of the winery is a tribute to the electric trolley cars that ran throughout Los Angeles from the late 19th century through the early 1960's. These "red cars" provided transportation in a romanticized time and place. Their goal is to make their wines that are similarly "timeless and transportive," whatever that is supposed to mean. I would say they have succeeded by showcasing their wines that are lean and intentionally feminine with richer textures and body. I came on a Sunday afternoon with a friend who became a member after doing a little research on the undiscovered wines of Sonoma County and he wanted to pick up his quarterly reserves and also wanted me to sample on their prized daily tastings which normally would be 20 dollars a person or waived with not a one but two bottle purchase. So they don't play around here at Red Car and their tasting are in fact the real deal. Tastings included selections of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and their prized Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir and Syrah. Red Car sources their fruit from the extraordinarily cool western edge of the Sonoma Coast, which includes its Estate Vineyard located just above Fort Ross three miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. It's the perfect place to grow a unique type of grape and in their wines I noticed hints of tangerines, pomegranate, raspberries, and huckleberries. I really loved our final wine tasting, the Syrah, with its light peppery taste and little hints of violet. It shows off the way how they grow their grapes at Red Car is really taken into consideration, with "big legs" with a lot of body and tannins coming from the skin of the grapes. The goal at Red Car Wine Co. is to offer balance and purity while expressing fruit and the terroir from which the grapes are grown in. I really loved their hip modern tasting room where you could sit outside or inside their huge room and shop for fine jewelry and eclectic home décor items while you sip and learn more about the West Sonoma Coast. Their tasting room associates are top notch as it wasn't busy and as we sat in the comfy garden chairs outside, they made sure we were constantly served each wine dutifully. Red Car Wine Co. is a hidden gem among vast wineries of the Russian River Valley where they source their grapes, make great wine and market it in an inventive, original way that's perfect for connoisseurs and amateur wine lovers alike.
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Lance M.

Yelp
Generally when out wine tasting in Sonoma County the winery will wave the tasting fee for the purchase of a bottle or two of the wine. Not so here at red car. Generally I get a few bottles and leave a nice tip for the server. not here at red car, when I heard my friend got charged for his tasting and three bottles at 50 a piece I cancelled my purchase and just paid for the $25 tasting bill. Cannot recommend the experience to others. if you want to try their wine buy a bottle at Safeway there are better wineries to go tasting at.

Joanne C.

Yelp
Red Car Wine is a BEAUTIFUL place for a wine tasting on a sunny day. Charlie, in the tasting room, was extremely knowledgeable on the history of Red Car Wine as well as all the wines we tasted! Everything we sampled had a wonderful flavor and we enjoyed it so much we all purchased bottles afterwards. Would highly recommend the Rosé of the Pinot Noir and the Pinot Noir from the estate.
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Savannah B.

Yelp
Rose Rose Rose! Usually Rose doesn't mean fantastic, quality wine but Red Car defies this! The rose is killer, and it's nice to taste a cab every once in awhile in this area. Heidi, Charlie, and Rick are very kind and knowledgeable. My favorite neighborhood spot to drop in at a tasting for!
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Sarah S.

Yelp
Very enjoyable tasting experience on the patio. The tasting room is airy and feels like something out of Sunset magazine. Really nice, old world-style wines. The estate Chardonnay is wonderful. Sadly a bit out of my price range! I walked out with some Rosé (which I can purchase at my local wine store) and didn't forget to write on the bathroom wall before I left!
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Donny E.

Yelp
Me and my sister work in the industry. She's a waitress and I'm a bartender here locally. We were wanting to learn about the locals wines in our area. We thought we would give red car a chance .. made a reservation.. but when we walked in we were seated then the server helped the people who came in after us first .. they had no reservation... I guess we didn't look rich enough. Either way wines are sub par location isn't special . its off the hwy . 25$ for a tasting. And of course no industry discount... I would not be sending any of my friends or customers to this snooty place ..
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Amy W.

Yelp
The winery space is nice - but the tasting fee s $20/person for 5 small pours and we did't love the wine (which was also expensive). Bathrooms are nice!
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Kelli H.

Yelp
I came here in July after going to the beach with some friends and our dogs. I knew that Red Car allowed dogs in their tasting room, so we stopped in on our way home. From the outside I didn't expect much, but the inside was nicely decorated and airy on a hot day. The dogs sat underneath the bar quietly and the social media woman took photos of them and shared the picture on Instagram, which I loved. The man who did our tasting was excellent! He told us SO much about wine regions, the grapes, the wines, the history. He totally exceeded expectations. Plus, he told some pretty hilarious jokes. My husband and I really loved their syrah's and ended up buying their rose and a bottle of syrah. The $15 tasting fee was waived with a $50 purchase. I guess my one complaint would be that I think the tasting fee should be waived with a purchase of any of their wines. Other than that, I truly enjoyed Red Car, and would definitely come back to buy more of their wines. Great job, Red Car! You guys rock.
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Stevi B.

Yelp
I suppose this place had the misfortune of following our first stop, which was a fantastic experience. For our tastings, it was difficult to tell if the service was hoping we would just hurry up and leave... Or if he just had more of a passive personality. While I didn't hate any of the wines included in the tasting, none of them blew me away. For $55+ per bottle, I expect something I just can't say no to. My favorite was one of the pinots with all of the sediment... I felt it helped the flavor stand out more. (I apologize for not being able to provide more descriptive info in what we tried!) I would likely go back if I were in the area to enjoy a glass... But it's one of those places you just stop in to for a quick sip.
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Mimi S.

Yelp
Overall: Balletic, Tasteful and Charming. Wines are well-balanced, elegant, restrained and lovely. I could have spent my entire day here happy as a clam. Chic, glamorous tasting room ... (black furry shag tasting chairs! interesting etsy-inspired knick-knacks with a vintage, coachella vibe!) Erin Callahan ... (our tasting server was so warm, bubbly and friendly (see photo series) and we all agreed we wanted her to be our friend. Truly a gem.) Rosé! Olé! ... The wine was gorgeous and I am looking forward to my wine shipments. I can't wait to open up my Spring showstopper: a tall, lithe magnum of rosé for picnics all summer long. Get yourself to Red Car immediately.
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Adam J.

Yelp
Excellent, dry wines. Heidi took care of our large Stanford party and hosted us in the warehouse. What an experience! + dry wine + excellent service + private area for large parties - warehouse was a little cold. Bring a jacket or maybe wool socks!
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Randi C.

Yelp
The service earns the fourth star. We were on our way to Dutton Goldfield tasting room, but were very early to that appointment (Or so we thought, for that debacle, please read my DG review). So we decided to see if Red Car would be able to handle all of 13 of us. Yep, a 13 person drop-in. That should seem like every service person's worst nightmare. But not at Red Car Wine Co. They situated our group on the lovely funky fabulous couches, pulled up a few extra chairs and brought over the wine. The sir pouring our wine was professional but warm, quick to enjoy a laugh and even more on top of who had tried what. (I'm still not sure how he was keeping track.) The aesthetic appearance of the winery was top-notch, whoever does the decor definitely has their finger on the "trendy-pulse." Seriously, it could only have been more hip if all the employees were required to wear Toms. ;) The wine was lacking a tad, still good, but we had just been to Merry Edwards and Ironhorse, and I'm not sure they are fair comparisons. That said, I know I will be back to this location, and will happily update my review at that time. I think our palates were quite done by the time we reached Red Car, and I would hate to have my review not accurately represent the wine. The reason for all the stars with only a lukewarm wine rating? The hospitality. There is a TON of fantastic wine in Sonoma County, heck, even just off of 116. The service is what turns one time visits into repeat trips and/or wine club memberships. Thank you, Red Car!
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Garret B.

Yelp
We were excited to try some Red Car wines after we we realized they were on the Visa signature program "for buy one and get one free tastings" and had we had a recommendation to visit. Unfortunately, after we arrived and asked if we could utilize the program they said we needed an appointment. After we offered to make an appointment they said it wouldn't work and they turned us away without a second thought. Considering there were a whopping two others in the tasting room, I left very disappointed with no wine in tow. Service and consideration were very disappointing, which I put a high value on.
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Jocelyn L.

Yelp
This place has great wines!!! My favorite is the Heaven & Earth, one of their pinot noir reserves which is phenomenal. It is so wonderful and there are so few of the wines that they don't have it on the tasting menu - so go ahead and just buy the bottle, trust me! It is truly wonderful. The service here is great! I'm surprised the lady (brown hair, doppleganger is probably Lea Michele) recognized my boyfriend, even knew his name! Pretty surprising. All of the staff were very friendly. I also like the atmosphere of the tasting room, it feels eclectic, similar to Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie. They have fun wine gifts such as tote bags and vintage couches to sit on while you sip. Last great thing, they comp your tasting fee if you buy some of their wine. Can't wait to return! PS their cool wine rack isn't for sale.

Liza G.

Yelp
4.14.22 around 4:00 PM. Let me first say that my complaint is solely for Red Car Wine Co. and its employees. The Dutton-Goldfield employees were amazing!! I needed to pick up a case of Dutton-Goldfield wine for a work event, so I confirmed my order and the address and started to head there. I thought that this was the address just for Dutton-Goldfield. I had no idea and no reason to think that there were two tasting rooms for two different companies that shared the same spot. I turned into the designated area and was immediately confused. Both buildings look exactly alike. Green metal siding buildings. One building said "Dutton-Goldfield Winery & Tasting Room" with an arrow. I thought that there's no way that I'm picking up a case of wine from the tasting room. I had to pick up a case of wine last week from another winery and I was instructed to pick it up at the loading dock, so for me, going to the loading dock was not an unheard-of thing to do. The door to the loading dock for one of the green buildings was open, so I parked and walked up to it. Not realizing that I was at the Red Car loading dock. Yes, there is a sign on that building that says, "Red Car", but I honestly had no idea that it wasn't related to Dutton-Goldfield. There was an employee ascending the stairs there and when he saw me, he asked what I needed. I told him I was there to pick up a case of wine, I hadn't yet specified that it was Dutton-Goldfield wine because I thought I was at Dutton-Goldfield. He laughed and said this is the loading dock. Let me be very clear, it was a condescending laugh. He said I needed to go around the corner to the tasting room while laughing again. I tried to explain to him why I thought to check to dock first but he just kept up his mocking attitude. So, I said thank you and left. I then went around the corner to the tasting room. The bar tender asked if he could help. I told him an employee had just been rude and laughed at me and he said, "don't worry, I won't laugh at you". I told him I was picking up a case of wine and he asked to see my order form. Then he pointed to the logo at the top of the form and said something to the effect of "See this? This is that tasting room over there.". So, he was correct, he didn't laugh at me, but he was just as condescending as the last Red Car employee. Again, all the buildings look the same and I had no idea that Red Car wasn't apart of Dutton-Goldfield. There wasn't a specific sign outside the Dutton-Goldfield tasting room other than the initial big sign with an arrow I saw on the side of the building when parking that was pointing to the general area of both tasting rooms. Once I made my way to the Dutton-Goldfield tasting room the employees took care of me and were incredibly kind. When I was driving away, I saw that the entrance to the whole area had a sign for Dutton-Goldfield and Red Car, but it was covered by foliage and not very visible from the street side. Even if it was visible, it's still reasonable that I would think these buildings/tasting rooms were all a part of the same company. Wineries buy other labels all the time. They give tasting rooms unrelated/weird names. There was no reason for these employees to belittle me for simply asking a question. I was kind and respectful so I'm not sure why I was greeted with condescension. What a great first impression for someone who is new in town. Honestly Red Car, I don't care what your wine is like, if this is how your employees treat people then y'all can go kick rocks in the street.

Michael G.

Yelp
My wife and I stopped by yesterday without an appointment. We had just picked up some take-out from a local restaurant and thought to grab a good bottle of wine to pair with our food. We were in the area and love the Red Car wines, so we thought we'd stop in and pick up a bottle or two. Rick, who greeted me, was so nice and welcoming that we changed plans and decided to do a tasting. Rick and Charlie were wonderful hosts - friendly, knowledgable, passionate. We loved the wines and had such a good time that we signed up for a wine club! I'm in the wine business and own a couple wine bars in the South Bay - so I'd like to think that I know hospitality AND wine pretty well. Rick (who I found out later, is the Hospitality Manager) and Charlie nailed it and the wines were, as usual, right up our alley. They are restrained (in the best way), balanced and showcase the fruit without burying things in oak and alcohol. Lovely cool-climate wines made with respect and care. I don't belong to many winery wine clubs since I can get wine wholesale - but my wife and I want to support wineries that make wines that we enjoy, and, as I mentioned, we've been Red Car fans for several years now, so we took the plunge. Happy to support a winery with such good wines and great people. We now have a few of wineries AND restaurants in the area that are on our "Must Visit" list, so we plan to make regular visits as we do our loop through this section of the Russian River region. Highly recommended.

Ben F.

Yelp
I've been a fan of Red Car's wines for the past couple years now and ended up joining their wine club a few months back because of their ever impressive Rosé and single vineyard Pinot Noir's from the Sonoma Coast. I head up to their tasting room on a fairly regular basis (once a month or so) and always enjoy myself. I've been involved in the wine industry for a long time and it's pretty unlike me to join wine clubs because I like the ability to be flexible when it comes to purchasing wine from different producers. This past weekend they were having a "Magnum PI" party which featured a bunch of single vineyard magnums and hawaiian shirts to match the P.I. theme. For those of you who don't know what a magnum is, it's 1.5 liter bottle as opposed to a standard 750ml. The tasting room was pretty busy but, the wonderful employees were attentive and super friendly as usual. I was particularly impressed with the Heaven & Earth Single Vineyard Pinot Noir and naturally, the Rose of Pinot Noir. If you ever find yourself in Graton, CA or Sebastopol, CA for that matter, I'd make it a point to stop here and taste the juice. Red Car ranks up there with some of the better Sonoma Coast producers and you won't be disappointed.

Louise W.

Yelp
Can't tell you if the wine is any good because we walked out of the tasting room after encountering the rudest server at the tasting bar. He was rude from the moment we walked in and seemed annoyed by our presence. After this treatment continued we walked out after he poured our first taste, as I was in complete shock at how he was speaking to us. How he has a job in the service industry is beyond me. He also seemed annoyed by the fact that we found the tasting room by searching on Google - cuz you know in today's day and age, that's a really weird way to find places...umm no it's not. For reference my husband and I are in our late 30's and have been to many tasting rooms and wineries all over the world and have never received this type of "service" anywhere.
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Abby S.

Yelp
The rose? Reason enough to make a stop inside this chic tasting room. A little off the beaten path, I will admit. But some things are just worth spending time to find. It feels very "LA" when you walk inside. Sleek furniture, handmade jewelry, record player... Almost too cool to be a tasting room. Just get the rose. Get it. The rest of their wine is fine, nothing jumped out at me. But that rose is splendid. One of my California favorites. Price point for a tasting or a bottle is quite reasonable - averages about $15-20 per person. The accessories around the shop are much pricer, but make the visit more fun.
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Hugo C.

Yelp
This ain't your momma's wine tasting. Just finished with lunch, we put down the top on the rental and fired up the Yelp app to figure out where to continue our Sonoma adventure. In the mood for some adult libations, we couldn't pass up Red Car's check in offer of 1 free wine tasting flight. At worst, we expected some lame tasting room with horrid wine and terrifying service. Maybe it was the look of the space, or the more-than-friendly faces pouring, but I couldn't help but feel like I was in a large loft tucked away in DTLA someplace. Having arrived quite early in the day, we had the room all to ourselves and couldn't help but indulge in a few bottles and a few awesome conversations. Totally worth making the stop if you're in the area.
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Sarah B.

Yelp
Visiting the Red Car tasting room is like having a wine tasting at an Anthropologie/Urban Outfitters. Cool environment and interesting staff. So-so wines for the price ($15 tasting, ~$50 bottles). Not a great choice compared to the abundance of quality of wines available in the area. Our server was kind but only somewhat knowledgable (she seemed to know a lot about Red Car wines, but not as much about wines in general). Their award winning (Wine Enthusiast magazine) rosé was tasty, but by no means our favorite rosé (even of the day). We were also surprised to see they still had 2012 Chardonnay available, given the ideal conditions of that growing season, most vineyards we visited were sold out of that vintage. I LOVED the label designs on their bottles. Truly beautiful. Rather forgettable winery. I'd send my hipster friends here for the atmosphere, but probably won't be back myself.
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Stephanie K.

Yelp
As a tourist from Ohio, I wasn't aware that a lot of tasting rooms in this area close at 4:30pm. I was pretty disappointed when I was turned away from Merry Edwards just 3 minutes after they closed. I even told them I traveled from fricken Ohio. Red Car allowed me to do their tasting even though it was already 10 past closing time for them. The decor was fun and had a vintage/hip vibe about it. I liked the enormous guest book at the front with pretty feathered pens available for signing. There was also a very inviting large green velvet couch. The employee working the front area was super friendly. He walked us through the flight we had chosen and answered all of our questions. I purchased a Pinot Noir from them. (Sorry don't remember the year - and i'm not at home at the moment) When we asked about other wineries in Sonoma that might be open, he offered a map to us and circled some places that might interest us. After a good 30 minutes past closing time, he even offered to give us a tour of the back warehouse area to learn how their wine is made. We gladly accepted. We got to sniff vats of fermenting grapes and even taste the grapes pre fermentation. It was like being in the Willy Wonka Factory, but with booze! I really appreciated the customer service here. They went above and beyond to take care of their customers. They seem to genuinely love what they do.
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Derp S.

Yelp
Besides being large and overpopulated, the one thing that New York and Los Angeles have in common is that their people are very into their sense of style. Being a northerner myself, I haven't really addressed to give a $%!# about my own style, but Carrol Kemp, the owner and wine maker (who's breaking into the scene here all the way from LA) has busted down the doors and is declaring his sense of style with a finesse bravado that is truly inspiring to the aspiring: Cool Climate. The tasting room/lounge is the eye catcher- a bar with stools (if I remember correctly) purse/coat hangers on the waist high portion of the bar- a long beautiful table for large groups, and cool custom jewelry hand made by his wife. Beautiful tasting room, no doubt about it. But let's get to the wine. Cool Climate. A chardonnay, several pinots, and several syrahs. Not the overzealously overripe syrahs you might expect from places like Paso Robles or certain areas of Australia, no, these are contained, elegant, and complex. These syrahs are done in the style of the cooler Northern Rhone. I wasn't much of a syrah guy before I tasted at Red Car, but these are simply the shit. I was keeping a few bottles at home for a while, The Fight, and the Cuvee 22. I had an arguement with my girlfriend over something stupid that I don't remember, but when I went out with some friends and left her with her homework, I put the cuvee 22 in front of her, and said "honey, drink this, I'll see you in 45 minutes". By the time I got back, her smile had a slight purple tint, she was a glass and a half into the bottle, and we were in love again. The pinots are pretty awesome as well, fruit coming from freestone is bomb- and the pinots also express ageability, which to me doesn't matter but there are people out there that like to cellar their wine. This works for them then I suppose, but they are highly drinkable now. We can also talk about the labels. The label for this brand are off the hook. Very unique digital artwork, it's refreshing to see someone use some real art on their labels. If you're in the area, and you like cool climate syrah, pinot, and chard, go to Red Car, there ain't a chance they won't disappoint.
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Chuck Z.

Yelp
Really enjoyed the tasting and the Rose. The space is comfortable and location is in a great spot near some additional wineries. I see a lot of folks concered about the tasting but $15-20 is the norm in that valley- head east an you will pay even more. We had the pleasure to be served by Rick the Tasting Room Manager- first off this guy is a closet comedian and should consider satire as his second career. Lastly, Rick was very helpful, extremely knowledgeable Red Car wines as well as other wineries in the area. Recommended several really good locations food as well. Was very pleased overall and would recommend if you are heading out that way.
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Starred S.

Yelp
Lineup of wine was awesome from start to finish- and we pretty much tried everything they produce thanks to great service from Jon. It was hard to decide which wines to buy since all were so good. The place is really well designed and fun. Our favorite stop from visit to Sonoma. Highly recommend and will definitely be back!
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Lexi N.

Yelp
While the winery itself probably wasn't my favorite, I have to say Red Car Wine had some of the best wines on our trip. I've never been crazy about Rose. I will drink it but it's never been amazing in my opinion. It was however amazing at Red Car Wine. The Rose tasted more crisp in my opinion which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. I tend to go for Sauvignon Blanc's because of the citrus flavor and this rose tasted somewhat similar to me. I was also a huge fan of their Chardonnay's which is a wine I never drink back home. I've never enjoyed it even enough to drink it but this Chardonnay was delicious. Of course their Pinot Noir was amazing as well given that this area is known for their Pinot Noir's. While I wasn't able to order any wine while I was there, I discovered that I can order it online so I will definitely be doing so in the next few weeks!
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Erin K.

Yelp
We came here with a large group of 11 people. I thought the wines were OK and the $15 tasting fee was reasonable. There is another tasting room right next door, so this would be a good stop if you wanted to try wines from 2 different wineries without having to drive. There's not really an outdoor space her to sit outside and drink. We were there on a rainy day so this worked out well, but keep that in mind if you want to enjoy the sunshine and beautiful wine country scenery this is probably not the best spot.
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Quinn S.

Yelp
The most enthusiastic service I have ever had at a winery. This young guy (didn't catch his name, but I remember that he mentioned having a finance degree, but coming back to Sonoma for the love) knew his wine, but was also passionate about his wine. He also had the patience to deal with my tipsy mother and still treat her with the utmost respect, even if she was a bit sloppy by the end of the day. He even took the time to show us how the labels were created as a narrative series and pulled out all the bottles to tell the story. That level of individual attention is rare, even in Sonoma (impossible to find in Napa). I haven't gotten around to mentioning it yet, but the wine is outstanding and the space is gorgeous. Reminds me of what Roshambo tried to do with their fun and funky tasting room, but with the wine to make it more than a sideshow. Whoever crafted that tasting room has an excellent eye for design.
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Jennifer C.

Yelp
Everything on the tasting menu was delicious and worth the fee because we ended up becoming members. I have never liked a certain wineries' selections enough to become a member. This place got me! The rosé was delicious and very popular with everyone in the room. The pinot's were delicious as well. Staff was very friendly and likeable, i wanted to hang out all day! Ambiance is very hipster and to my liking. Jewelry sold in the shop was beautiful and well crafted. Items for sale? I wanted to make some purchases but the club was enough for today.
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Jenn C.

Yelp
Popped in here on a whim with a friend while on a road trip -- we saw some good Yelp reviews so checked it out. Super clean, spacious and comfortable tasting room - we enjoyed their choice in music. The staff were very nice -- and the wines we tried were delicious though we didn't end up buying any bottles. It was a nice place to stop and chat over a glass of wine and I'll definitely stop again!
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Tina O.

Yelp
Just a quick thank you to Erin for the near-closing time quick tasting yesterday. Love your wines - thx!
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Derya A.

Yelp
I really loved this winery. I came here with a larger group, which can be overwhelming, but they handled us wonderfully here. The chardonnay was really really delicious. The decor and overall aura of this place is very modern and unique. The lounge area was really comfy and quirky. The mushroom bruschetta was amazing. Gorgeous stone jewelry as well.
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Sasha W.

Yelp
Summary: 4+ Well designed tasting room, love the wines (although a bit pricey)...especially the 2012 Estate Pinot and the 2012 Heaven and Earth. Always loved their Rose of Pinot... Goes great with spicy andouille. Staff were very knowledgeable and fun. Attended a wine dinner at Lela's in Fresno 2 years ago that was one of the best wine dinners ever and joined the wine club. Wine labels are beautiful...Just wish the tasting room was on a vineyard.
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Jeff H.

Yelp
Hipster winery is a pretty good description of this place. A lot of appearance, not a lot of substance. Tasting room is ripped from an Urban Outfitters decor department. Staff are young and energetic, but hard to tell if they're knowledgable of the product because they spent very little time with us. We were specifically told to try the Rose. We were immediately told they weren't tasting the Rose because it was almost sold out. So that was a disappointment. Sonoma Coast Chardonnay: way overpriced for a Chardonnay that doesn't want to be a Chardonnay. Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay: much more traditional Chardonnay for which you will pay a whopping $58. No Chardonnay is worth $58. Sonoma Coast Pinot: the only reasonably priced bottle on the taste menu. It's simple flavor is worth it. Zephyr Farms Pinot: truly stunning but out of my price range. Cuvée 22 Syrah: delicious, but again not worth 50$. What really made the tasting a disappointment is the 20$ tasting fee (a ridiculously high fee) it may be comparable to other wineries in the little area, but much higher than most of Sonoma County. Also, only waving the fee for a two bottle purchase is significantly outside the Sonoma norm. Overall, overpriced and selling policies make this winery a disappointment despite some fairly delicious wines.
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Viviana R.

Yelp
Great wines! This is a small-production winery that makes some very tasty pinot noir -- the best we had of the wine we tried at 4 wineries we visited in the area. They also have a light and dry Rose that is very refreshing and flowery in its flavors without being too sweet. We had a great time tasting here, particularly because Rick in the tasting room was friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful in his suggestions for what to do in the area. Regading Wild Flour next door -- we couldn't try it because it is closed on Wednesdays.
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Christine N.

Yelp
They were really nice here and I really liked the Thomas Edison light bulbs, but tasting was extremely expensive at $15 - waived only with a $50 purchase. The pinots were good, but not $50 good. Ridge is a better winery and even they aren't that expensive.
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T A.

Yelp
Total hipster winery. Lots of cool art and furniture in this place make it festive and fun to hang out. I loved the music they were playing. Spoon came on & that was unusual to hear in a winery, but in a good way. Our winetender was cool but not too cool to be cool. Very nice bathroom with chalk walls...This chick cannot pass up the opportunity to write on walls. I blame the Hispanic blood coursing thru these veins. ;) Shut up..I can say it..you can't. Oh yeah, the wine.. Well.. it was good. It wasn't the best wine in all the land, but it was good. I have to say I liked the graphics on the older bottles more than the new. I didn't want to say that to our winetender, as he was the guy in charge of new graphics. But, the older ones were grittier and artsier...I feel their original labels fit the theme for their winery, whereas the new 'photo-based' graphics set them side by side with competitors...and are kind of boring (sorry cool wine guy, don't be mad) We left with a chardonnay (with the new graphics on the bottle.. Boo!) , it's your classic oakie/honey chard and not too rich for just popping open any ole day of the week. Tastings run $15..good thing we had a deal for a complimentary one, because $30 for 2 peeps to taste is ridiculous.
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Steve T.

Yelp
I liked the wines here and the staff is friendly. It's got a nice, friendly vibe to the place.
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Justin L.

Yelp
Typically, I tend to stay away from wineries that have a tasting room. I find it tacky, usually commercialized, and below average wine (Behringer?). As I traveled with some relatives around the Sebastopol area to do some wine tasting, I recalled passing by Red Car wine and seeing their wines at lists at prestigious restaurants (FL & GD), so I had to check it out. My oh my... Pretty DAMN good stuff here.The winemaker is from LA and the tasting room definitely resembles kind of a La Brea feel to it, kind of fun and different! The staff is SUPER nice and even though it gets somewhat busy, they really give you time and attention to explain what they're pouring and a bit about the wine. I really liked them! Now the wines, pretty damn good. Everything form their entry-level Box Car wine, to their mid range Trolley line, to their high end reserve stuff, everything is good! I have already come back twice for their Red Trolly Syrah and friends and families have raved about their moderately priced Box Car Pinot Noir. Very fruit forward and rolls on your tongue smooth goodness. I'm usually a fan of Pinot Noir, but this place has certainly got me thinking about Syrah more and more. I've gone back twice and even signed up for their wine club. Highly Recommend! A+++
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Amy B.

Yelp
This tasting room is nice, and I liked the Jeep grill on the wall. It had more of a coffee shop feel than a tasting room. The wines... eh. I did not like any of them. Usually we will buy at least one bottle, usually we like at least one wine. Not here. I didn't like anything. I think they need to age their reds a little more before they have them up for tasting. I will say that the lady behind the counter was pleasant and attentive.