DRNK Wines

This is a very unique winery experience. Enter the cave and taste the wonderful wines with the family/​owners. Talk wines and wine making… have fun!

Another overdue review. Our group had a wonderful tasting experience with the winemaker, Ryan. This was a last minute decision and I’m glad he was able to accommodate our group with such a short notice (do call ahead). He was friendly and easygoing which allowed for a relaxed, un-​hurried tasting experience. As others mentioned, tasting inside the cave adds to the unique experience and I liked how he was able to address our questions, some with «hands-​on» comparison of the current and future (from barrel/​tank) vintages. definitely shows his enthusiasm. During my first visit, we had a little mix-​up w/​our order but Ryan was able to straighten it out (great customer service). I’ve since returned with another group and picked up a few additional bottles to add to my collection. Highly recommended if you are looking for that friendly, unpretentious, yet educational tasting experience from a family winery.

Great wines, fun people. Their 2012 Chardonnay was a HUGE hit on Thanksgiving!

This is one of the very few wineries in the Russian River Valley that has a wine cave. It is one of the few that the entire production (from receipt of grapes through finished wine) is all done within the cave.
It is just past the Lynmar Estate Winery, and tucked behind (and underneath) a hill.
First time I went here I came with my wine buddy and we were very enthused about visiting but didn’t check ahead to if it was open to the public or by appointment only. (oops!) We get there and hear some nice soft rock and acoustic jazz coming from behind the large metal doors of the cave. We walk in and follow the echoing music past chambers of tanks and equipment. Just about then we figure we probably shouldn’t be in there looking for someone we turn to leave. Then we were spotted by the winemaker, a nice looking young man, who greeted us and welcomed us to the winery. He was ecstatic to show us around and gave us a wonderful tour of his wine cave and his entire operation. He is a one man show and very proud of his operation, with good reason. The winemaker is none other than Ryan Kunde (yes, of the famous Kunde wine family.) I was impressed to see a young vintner in the business. From my experience and travels it is a rarity to find someone in their 20s making wine, let alone really good stuff.
The winery is partnership between the Dougherty and Kunde families and is named for the members of the partnership — D (Dale Dougherty) R (Ryan Kunde) N (Nancy Dougherty) and K (Katie Kunde). I vaguely recall that this partnership is him, his in-​laws and his wife. I am a huge fan of family businesses.
The first time was actually very fun, being unannounced and kind of off the cuff. He took us through all his wines in between working tanks and his daily routine.
He has a Pinot Gris — referred to as the Orange wine — he produces in the presse method (letting the grapes sit and then pressing to the desired color rather than blending or bleeding.) The thing that is unique about the wine is the color — orange, peachy. The viscosity is heavy, oily, yet savory with a finish of dried stone fruit. I was intrigued and wanted to try more.
I liked the Chardonnay — it was very good for RRV. Flavor notes I remember, lemon crème brûlée came to mind.
He had two Pinot Noirs — both RRV — and I was impressed. Both of these wines were very complex and very good representatives of the AVA.
I returned 6 months later with my wife, as part of the Pinot Classic event. I was very happy to see Ryan and his family participating in the event. When he saw me he recognized me and he knew I was the Vino Brotha from our last meeting.
Since it has been a while I realized that he had a few new releases. Besides the wines already mentioned he released a Rose and a 2012 Viognier Katie’s Corner (one block in Saralee’s Vineyard) RRV. I am a huge fan of Viognier, so I was excited. I’m going to tell you about the rose first. The rose was produced in the Saignee method and was crisp, with strawberries and light pomegranate flavors. It had a slight buttery finish, as it was barrel aged.
Now to my all time favorite white, Rhone, varietal — Viognier. Beautiful orange blossom floral nose. Crisp peaches, tropical fruit, nice minerality with some white pepper to the finish. Something that is unique of Viognier is that is is one of the most tannic white wines. (it is also known as the red wine of white wines, btw.) Definitely on my list as one of the top 10 Viogniers I’ve had to date.
If you are out wine exploring in Russian River Valley you might want to make this a stop on your travels. Call ahead and get an appointment so Ryan can show you his unique operation and you can sample his great wines. One note, don’t be shy about picking up a bottle of DRNK at local grocery stores, either. Really is good wine.
Check it Out!

Okay Ryan, the man behind this incredible wine, is freakin awesome. We spent 4 days in Sebastopol next door to this winery and spent an afternoon tasting his fantastic concoctions. Super passionate and genuine wine enthusiast! He taught us so much as he invited us into his wine cave and elaborated about the story behind every flavor. If you’re in the area, you absolutely have to visit this winery.

I’ve been to a few vineyards and wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and the Russian River Valley, and DRNK was a truly exceptional experience. Unlike many tour options in the area, DRNK is only a winery, buying grapes from many of the vineyards in the area. This gives the owners a unique perspective, and the tasting included a fascinating discussion of how to select a block of grapes from different vineyards, how to blend wines with multiple grape sources and varieties, and other topics that you won’t get at a combined vineyard/​winery. The tasting was guided by the owner/​winemaker, who was very informative and engaging. Furthermore, while the rolling hills of vines are a gorgeous backdrop for any wine tour, after a day of vineyard tours the cave tasting at DRNK is a fun departure. Finally, in true Bay Area fashion, the winery is pioneering the use of drones and sensors to help manage and select grapes from wineries around the area, and leaning about this was really fun! Check out their website for a video of the drones.
Upshot: the wine was fantastic, the pours were generous, the bottles were not overpriced, and the tour was fun and informative. I recommend that anyone visiting the Russian River valley round out their trip with a stop at the DRNK winery.

We are a group of friends that meet every few weeks to go and taste wines in the Sonoma Napa area. this time we decided to go to Sebastopol area.
We came across DRNK winery, a new winery that opened last year.
When we called to coordinate a tasting, Ryan the owner and winemaker answered the call, LOCAL & PERSONAL just what we love — already I had a good feeling about this place.
When we arrived Ryan gave us a personal tour of the winery, and the wine making process — the winery is inside a cave and there is a special atmosphere around. When we set down for the tasting, Ryan gave us more explanation about the rigen and the grapes, and we tasted some of his pinot & chardonnay, and the wines were very good.
So…
The wines where great!
The visit was fun and interesting!
A great place to visit.
Highly recommended!