Here at MacRostie Winery and Vineyards, we love wine and we love people. That’s why in the 10 years since opening our beautiful MacRostie Estate House near the charming town of Healdsburg we have been hailed as one of “The Ten Most Beautiful Wineries in California” by Condé Nast Traveler, the “Best Tasting Room in Napa and Sonoma” by San Francisco Magazine, and one of The Press Democrat’s “go-to Sonoma County spots to take out-of-town guests.”

While our love for welcoming guests always shines through, we love dogs just as much. Sure, they never buy wine, and we’re not certain that they tell their doggie friends about how much they enjoy visiting MacRostie, but when they’re here at our estate, everything seems even more carefree and fun.

Calling us dog friendly is probably an understatement. We are dog delighted, dog passionate, maybe even a little dog obsessed, which means dogs are always welcome and we treat them like the amazing furry beings they are. From fun doggie merchandise like branded puppy bandanas, personalized dog bowls (for dog regulars) and plush toys shaped like wine bottles, we are ready to host your dog (and you) at MacRostie.

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring—it was peace.”―Milan Kundera

As dog lovers, we are thrilled with how dog-friendly Sonoma County wine country has become in recent years. From dog and pet-friendly hotels to restaurants and wineries, there are many destinations where you can feel at ease visiting with your canine companion. With National Dog Month just around the corner in August, we’re highlighting a few of our favorites:

Pet-Friendly Hotels

Offering 6 acres of intimate gardens, winding flagstone paths, verdant archways, fire pits and secret nooks, the MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa will delight any dog and their owner, and happily welcomes pets of any size for a fee of $150 per pet. Another popular doggie destination is the The Lodge at Sonoma Resort, which allows 2 pets up to 75 lbs for $150 per stay. Providing an oasis of serenity within walking distance to quaint shops and world-class restaurants at the Sonoma Plaza, the Lodge at Sonoma provides dog beds, water bowls and treats for animal visitors. One of wine country’s most iconic resorts, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa features a 40,000 square foot oasis set atop an ancient mineral hot spring and offers a variety of spa experiences. While there is no spa for animals, four-legged friends are welcome for $150 per pet, and beds, food and water bowls are provided.

Dog-friendly Restaurants

With beautiful weather and abundant patios, Sonoma County even has dog-friendly restaurants, including HopMonk Tavern, which has locations in both Sonoma and Sebastopol. With expansive biergarten patios and delicious pub fare, the outdoor seating area is great for hanging out with your dog. For a truly deluxe dining experience with your doggie, try Healdsburg’s famed farm-to-table Barndiva Restaurant. One of the fanciest places Rover will ever go, the Michelin-starred restaurant’s lush garden patio welcomes your doggo with water and biscuits. For breakfast or lunch, grab a sidewalk table at Sunflower Caffe in historic Sonoma Plaza. Or, if you’re in the mood for Mexican food, El Molino Central is a dog-friendly Mexican restaurant serving street food to Boyes Hot Springs locals and tourists alike.

Dog-Friendly Wineries and Wine Tastings

In addition to visiting MacRostie, where dogs are always welcome, there are several other nearby Healdsburg wineries where you can also bring your furry friends on leash, including Mauritson Wines, Papapietro Perry Winery and the Sip Sip Lounge at Matrix Winery, where four-legged patrons are welcome to join their parents on the patio seating area.

Wine Country Dog Parks and Trails for Dogs

Once you’ve eaten your fill, savored the best Sonoma County wines, and perhaps even had a spa treatment, it might be time for you and your dog to go for a hike or a walk, and Sonoma County wine country has tons of great options. One of our favorites is Bartholomew Park, where you can walk your leashed dog on a 3-mile trail featuring a duck pond and windmill, mature oaks, madrones, redwoods and beautiful vineyards. With a fully fenced dog park that’s perfect for off-leash play and a half-mile paved trail with picnic tables, Ernie Smith Park in Sonoma is another great spot. We also love Healdsburg’s Riverfront Regional Park, a pet-friendly destination with a redwood grove picnic area, two lakes for water activities, and scenic hiking trails including the 2.18-mile Lake Trail, circling Lake Benoist, and the half-mile Redwood Hill Trail through coast redwood trees.

Heidi Bridenhagen, Winemaker

In 2011, when I joined MacRostie, we had less than 10 employees and no Estate House. Back then, Steve and Thale MacRostie would host our team at their home for an annual pre-harvest celebration, where meals always started with a glass of sparkling wine on their patio followed by an intimate seated tasting, and you definitely couldn’t leave without a tour of Thale’s beautiful garden! When we visited, Steve and Thale made us feel like members of their family or dear friends visiting from far away.

A few years later, with renowned wine country architect Douglas Thornley set to design our MacRostie Estate House near the charming town of Healdsburg in the Russian River Valley, we wanted to emulate what Steve and Thale did so flawlessly. This included greeting guests with a glass of wine and providing beautiful spaces for people to relax and enjoy each others company.

This month marks ten years since we unveiled our stunning Estate House. I remember the excitement when we broke ground, the pride that we all felt when we welcomed our first guests, and countless wonderful memories from events over the years. The response to our Estate House has been amazing, both from customers who have made it their wine country home away from home, and from the press, with the Estate House being hailed as one of “The Ten Most Beautiful Wineries in California” by Condé Nast Traveler, the “Best Tasting Room in Napa and Sonoma” by San Francisco Magazine, one of the “Best Winery Patios in Sonoma & Napa” by Sonoma Magazine, and one of The Press Democrat’s “Go-To Sonoma County Spots to Take Out-of-Town Guests.”

The Estate House changed everything for MacRostie. It gave us our Thale’s Estate Vineyard and a new small-lot winery exclusively for Pinot Noir. Most importantly, it gave us a home that we could share with our growing community of customers, club members and other friends. Guided by the gracious approach to hospitality we learned from Steve and Thale, and by the vision of architect Douglas Thornley, the Estate House made MacRostie more than a name on a label; it made us a place where wine lovers can explore our wines and share their passion with like-minded wine enthusiasts.

Douglas Thornley, Estate House Architect and Wine Club Member

When we set out to build the MacRostie Estate House over a decade ago, we sought out the talents of award-winning architect Douglas Thornley. Not only is Douglas one of wine country’s most sought-after architects and the creative force behind such spectacular wineries as Cuvaison, Hamel, Baldacci, and Paraduxx, he is a longtime MacRostie club member, so we knew we were in great hands!

When Douglas, who is currently a principal at Goring & Straja Architects, was designing the Estate House, one of his goals was to give Steve MacRostie the winery home he’d always wanted. “I took the idea of creating a ‘home’ for Steve and MacRostie literally and found inspiration in the region’s agrarian residences with gable forms and wood finishes. I also worked to create a destination with multiple indoor and outdoor spaces for visitors to enjoy.”

For the interior, this includes exposed Douglas fir rafters and a beautifully rendered wall of cathedral-like cabinetry, 10-foot-high glass windows overlooking the arrival plaza, and collapsing Schweiss doors that fold up and in, providing a canopy framing the Estate House’s showplace Barrel Hall. Outside, the Estate House offers three patios: a covered terrace overlooking the Russian River with sweeping views of Mount St. Helena, a balcony terrace looking towards Thale’s Vineyard, and a private terrace off the sophisticated VIP room. The property also includes custom water features, a paved terrace with curved seating walls, and a hidden gravel terrace with custom multi-sided wood-bench seating under a beautiful old oak within the vineyard.

For Douglas, three factors make a successful winery. “A successful winery is a three-legged stool. It offers great wines, great staff, and a memorable space that people want to return to again and again. MacRostie does all three.” Looking back on his design a decade later, Douglas is particularly happy with the way the Estate House blurs the lines between the indoors and outdoors, especially the courtyard with its view into the barrel room. “The goal was to create a fluid relationship between the inside and outside. In places, this includes using tumbled American stone flooring materials both indoors and out, and interior walls clad with exterior materials to blur the lines between the two, with the goal of creating a bright and modern sense of space.”

Douglas fondly remembers the opening of the Estate House. “It takes a team to create something special like the Estate House, and I will always remember the big unveiling party they had for the staff and design team. It was a magical moment.” As a club member for over a decade, Douglas loves to come to the Estate House to watch guests interact with the space. He also has his own favorite spots. “When I visit, I particularly love the north porch. It’s my favorite place and has my favorite couch. It’s also the hotspot of the Estate House, where I can watch everything that I helped create come to life.”

A decade after its opening, we continue to find new ways to showcase the beauty of Douglas’s design. From unique wine events like our upcoming Spring Soirée to our wildly popular Sunset Series, where guests savor the stunning vineyard views as they enjoy different pop-up chefs and live musicians, the Estate House is an idyllic spot to savor, celebrate, and unwind. With tasting options like our new Nightwing Experience, which features a flight of 90+ point, limited-production Nightwing wines paired with caviar and local artisan cheeses and charcuterie, it is also the perfect place to foster a deeper connection with MacRostie and our wines.

For those who love wine and food events, or are planning a wine tasting trip to explore the best of Healdsburg or Sonoma County, our tasting room offers an unforgettable all-season destination. We hope to see you soon!