Northern California
Petaluma Gap
A curated guide to wind-swept, cool-climate wineries
15 featured wineries · 7-page PDF guide
Download the free PDF guideWhere the wind shapes the wine
The Petaluma Gap is a break in the coastal hills that funnels ocean wind and fog inland toward San Pablo Bay. That daily breeze defines this cool-climate appellation, which spans southern Sonoma and northern Marin counties.
The wind slows ripening and builds bright, intense flavors, especially in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. The river town of Petaluma, with its historic downtown and farm heritage, makes a delightful base.
At a glance
- Signature wines
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and cool-climate Syrah
- Getting there
- Along US-101 in southern Sonoma County, about an hour north of San Francisco in light traffic
- When to go
- Late summer and autumn; bring a layer for the afternoon wind
- Plan ahead
- Many producers are small and by appointment
The 15 featured wineries
- Cruse Wine CompanyPetaluma
- Kastania VineyardsPetaluma
- Keller EstatePetaluma
- Koch Family VineyardsPetaluma
- Land of PromisePetaluma
- McEvoy RanchPetaluma
- Parum Leo WinePetaluma
- Adobe Road WineryPetaluma
- Azari WineryPetaluma
- Clouds RestPetaluma
- Lookout Ridge WineryPetaluma
- Peter Paul WinesPetaluma
- Slo Down WinesPetaluma
- Sonoma Valley PortworksPetaluma
- Sophie James WinesPetaluma
Full details for each winery are in the free PDF guide.
Data: California ABC & TTB public records
Download the free PDF guideMore Northern California wine guides
- Amador County, Sierra Foothills34 featured wineries
- Anderson Valley & the Mendocino Coast30 featured wineries
- Brentwood & the Contra Costa Delta8 featured wineries
- Calistoga, Napa Valley58 featured wineries
- Capay Valley & Winters5 featured wineries
- Clarksburg & the Sacramento Delta12 featured wineries
- Davis & Woodland2 featured wineries
- East Bay Urban Wineries16 featured wineries
- El Dorado, Sierra Foothills33 featured wineries
- Gilroy & Morgan Hill18 featured wineries
- Healdsburg, Dry Creek & Alexander Valley131 featured wineries
- Howell Mountain & Pope Valley21 featured wineries
- Humboldt & the Redwood Coast5 featured wineries
- Lake County17 featured wineries
- Livermore Valley41 featured wineries
- Marin County7 featured wineries
- Napa, Carneros & Coombsville227 featured wineries
- Nevada County & the Yuba Foothills13 featured wineries
- Northern Sacramento Valley12 featured wineries
- Placer County, Sierra Foothills17 featured wineries
- Russian River Valley & West Sonoma County30 featured wineries
- Sacramento15 featured wineries
- San Francisco Urban Wineries7 featured wineries
- Santa Cruz Mountains (Bay Area side)30 featured wineries
- Santa Rosa & Windsor53 featured wineries
- SF Peninsula Urban Wineries4 featured wineries
- Shasta Cascade10 featured wineries
- Silicon Valley Urban Wineries5 featured wineries
- Sonoma Coast7 featured wineries
- Sonoma Valley76 featured wineries
- St. Helena, Napa Valley136 featured wineries
- Suisun Valley & Solano County11 featured wineries
- Ukiah, Hopland & Redwood Valley13 featured wineries
- Yountville, Oakville & Rutherford60 featured wineries