(Kinda) Chilled Reds for the (Kinda) Heatwave
Don't let rosés have all the fun this summer
If you’ve been up to Sonoma this summer, you might have noticed something strange: you were sweating less. That’s because Sonoma (and Napa) are having an unusually cool summer. But as someone who lives in San Francisco and endures the annual back-to-back acts of June Gloom and No-Sky July (which, apparently, is a thing?), even 80 degrees feels like a heatwave.
So if you’re looking for a way to beat the heat—or simply pretend it’s hotter than it is—may I suggest chilled reds? I’ve rounded up a few Sonoma wineries making not just interesting and unusual wines, but reds that delightful in the sun.
Sparkling reds are naturally best chilled, but lighter-bodied reds—think Gamay, or a delicately extracted Zin (yes!)—can be absolutely delightful with a slight chill. Just avoid the freezer: too cold and you’ll mute all those beautiful aromatics.
Idlewild - Piemontese cool
Idlewild is the passion project of winemaker Sam Bilbro, focused entirely on Piamontese (northern Italian) grape varietals. We’re talking Timorasso, Erbaluce, Freisa, Grignolino— honestly, I’ve not heard of them either. Idlewild leans hard into an old-world ethos: minimal intervention, native yeast fermentations, sustainable farming, and little to no new oak. The goal? Honoring these unusual varietals. It’s no surprise that Idlewild has earned a cult following among sommeliers and adventurous wine lovers alike.
Tasting Experience
Idlewild’s tasting room, tucked into downtown Healdsburg, is cozy, unfussy, and refreshingly down to earth. Thoughtfully curated flights, stories about obscure grapes you’ll want to remember, and a generous board of salumi and cheese that pairs just right. It’s like your favorite neighborhood wine bar got really into Piemonte <insert Italian accent here>.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Arneis, Cortese, Vermentino, Erbaluce, Muscat, Timorasso
🍷 Red: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, Brachetto
Other Essentials
🔗 Idlewild
📍 Healdsburg🍷
📅✅ Booking Link
🍾💲 Median Bottle Price: $$$ ($40-$70) | Tastings start @ $30
Breaking Bread – The Glou Glou of Sonoma
You might be surprised by how many Sonoma wineries dabble in natural winemaking—but Breaking Bread does it in the most traditional (and dare we say, joyful) sense. If your mental image of natural wine is something light, fresh, and a little funky, you’re in the right place. These wines are bottled young to capture that juicy, drink-now energy—the kind lovingly referred to as "glou glou" for a reason.
Expect Euro-inspired vibes (think Beaujolais or a rustic Italian red) layered over California fruit: bright, un-oaked, un-fussy, and very modern Sonoma. The project is helmed by Erik Miller of Kokomo Winery, and it’s all about low-intervention winemaking: carbonic maceration, chillable reds, and skin-contact whites that practically hum with personality.
The star of the show? The Breaking Bread pet-nat. Made from 100% Zinfandel, it’s a fizzy, slightly wild delight.
Tasting Experience
Breaking Bread shares a home base with Kokomo Winery near Healdsburg. Set within Timber Crest Farms—a cluster of boutique producers surrounded by 120 acres of Dry Creek benchland vineyards.
The experience leans rustic and real– dogs lounging on the patio, a picnic you packed yourself, and a host who’s genuinely excited to talk about these offbeat bottles. It’s unpretentious, refreshingly chill, and (shhh!) at $20-$30/bottle an absolute steal.
Notable Varietals
🥂White: Muscat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
🍷 Red: Zinfandel, Mourvedre, Dolcetto, Petite Sirah, Gamay
Other Essentials
🍷📅✅ Booking Link
🍾💲 Median Bottle Price: $25 | Tastings start @ $30
Reeve - Burgundian chill
Reeve is set amidst the serene beauty of oak trees and vineyards (and an occasional goat and chicken). Think trendy, bucolic farm, in the best way possible. The focus is Pinots, though they do have a couple of bigger reds, too. While more known for Pinots and Chardonnays, try their Ya Moon Pinot and their Gamay - both made with a whole cluster fermentation. They are pretty, they are enticing, and they are delicious slightly chilled.
Tasting Experience
Rustic lights, cozy heaters, sitting out on Adirondack chairs or on their patios overlooking the vines. Thoughtfully provided blankets, and a bite with your tasting (it was a pizza made with farm grown veggies for us). It all felt pleasantly effortless in that very curated way.
Notable Varietals
🥂White: Chardonnay, Vermentino, Pinot Gris, Riesling
🍷 Red: Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Gamay
Other Essentials
🔗 Reeve
🍷📅✅ Booking Link
🍾💲 Median Bottle Price: $$$ ($40-$70) | Tastings start @ $50
Obsidian Wine Co. - chill on totally their own terms
Obsidian isn’t afraid to get a little weird—in the best way possible. While they’re best known for their Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (from their Red Hills Lake County vineyard with Napa-like soil and climate, but decidedly not Napa-like prices), they also make some seriously interesting sparklings. The star of the show (IMHO)? Their "Chambrusco"—a Syrah-based take on Lambrusco that is both fun and unexpectedly delicious. They even make sparkling wines with actual fruit added. It shouldn’t work, but somehow... it does.
Tasting Experience
Tasting Experience: At Obsidian’s "Base Camp" tasting room just off Sonoma Plaza, expect a casual yet stylish space with glass walls that open to a zen garden.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
🍷 Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Gamay
Other Essentials
📍 Sonoma
🍷📅✅ Booking Link
🍾💲 Median Bottle Price: $$$ ($40-$70) | Tastings start @ $30
Rootdown - a cool take on classic California Grapes + Jura
Winemaker Mike Lucia has a few labels under his belt, Rootdown is probably his best-known, but the one turning heads is his newest endeavor: Cole Ranch. Tucked way up in Mendocino, Cole Ranch is not just a vineyard, it’s also the smallest AVA in America.
Across the board, Mike’s style is decidedly minimal. We’re talking organic fruit, native yeast, no new oak, ultra-low sulfur. The results are wines with freshness and finesse: low alcohol, high acid, and delicate color, especially the reds, which are picked early to preserve vibrancy. Try the Sangiovese (an unusually light expression of the grape) or the Trousseau chilled (lightly).
At Cole Ranch, the historic plantings include Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The Riesling is zippy and nervy, as for the Cab and Merlot? Grown in such a cool northern site, they land with unexpected delicacy. (This post inspired me to open a 2020 bottle of Cole Ranch Cabernet, and it’s playing very nicely with today’s San Francisco "heat wave.")
Beyond that, Mike is slowly transforming Cole Ranch into California’s own Jura outpost, planting grapes like Trousseau, Poulsard, and Savagnin. Most of these are yet to be released, but the Trousseau is ready to try!
Tasting Experience
Once upon a time, Rootdown poured at "The Drink" in Healdsburg. These days, Mike and Jill host tastings at their home near Healdsburg. I haven’t been to the new setup (yet!), but given the wines, I’m sure the tasting is quite fun, too.
Notable Varietals
🥂White: Riesling, Chardonnay, Savagnin
🍷 Red: Trousseau Noir, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir
Other Essentials
🔗 Rootdown
🍷📅✅ Booking Link
🍾💲 Median Bottle Price: $$$ (<$40)
⭐ VIVINO: 4 | ⭐ Google: 5