A few years ago, we were scheduled to meet with winemaker Chris Barrett at the Pezzi King Estate. Concerns over inclement weather resulted in moving the visit to the Pezzi King tasting room in Downtown Healdsburg, which we wrote about here:
Perlises Pick: Pezzi King Winery – Eve’s Wine and Spirits 101
Admittedly, at the time we thought that an excess of caution was applied in making the decision to not meet at the estate. This trip, we were determined to go there and the weather cooperated! Driving up the winding narrow road with sometimes just room for one vehicle we could see why the decision was made last time. It is an absolutely beautiful drive but not one to try in the rain.
The estate itself is incredible, 135 acres in the hills above Dry Creek Valley, of which 56 acres are planted to mostly Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was founded by James Rowe Sr. in 1993 when he acquired the property and renovated the existing winery and vineyard. He was ready to retire in 2012 and sold Pezzi King to Ken and Diane Wilson. Chris had actually become head winemaker at Pezzi King in 2008 and has continued in that position under the Wilsons’ ownership – he jokingly[?] said that it hadn’t hurt that the year the Wilsons acquired the property was the same year that his Pezzi King Reserve Row 26 Zinfandel and Royal Rot Sauvignon Blanc won the rare “Double Sweepstakes” award at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Chris also makes the wine for the Wilson-owned St. Anne’s Crossing as well as contributing to the Wilsons’ Coyote Sonoma and Rockpile labels.
Chris was gracious enough to take us into the winery to taste a few wines that were in tanks:
2025 Sauvignon Blanc Estate. Notes of guava and citrus fruit to savor with a big mouthfeel. Planted in 2000. Will bottle in May 2026.
2024 Chardonnay – from the exciting and in-process Pocket Peak AVA. Slight woodsy scent. Crisp tangerine on the palate.
2025 Rosé of Zinfandel – Russian River Valley AVA. Rose petal aromatics and big cantaloupe melon on the tastebuds. Hint of sweetness on finish.
Chris then tasted us through a few of the wines in bottle that he had made:
2023 Pezzi King Zinfandel Row 26 Reserve – 90% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah, 5% Petit Verdot, Dry Creek Valley AVA from the Pezzi King Hunny Hill Vineyard that was planted in 1995 to the Monte Rosso clone. Intense prune and plum flavors and a medium finish.
2023 St Anne’s Crossing Zinfandel Split Rail Reserve – a blend of 92% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah, from a Pezzi King vineyard that was planted in 2000. Plump dark fruit with a hint of sweet cherry.
2023 Coyote Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Block 3 Reserve – these grapes from Pezzi King are packed with juicy blackberry fruit. Good structure, high acidity and solid tannins. Very approachable. Planted in 1970.
Just before we finished this article, we learned that Chris Barrett’s wines scored big at the 2026 Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge so we wanted to share that with you:
2023 Pezzi King Zinfandel, Old Vine, 98 Points, Best of Class
2023 Pezzi King Zinfandel, Hales, 98 Points, Best of Class
2023 Pezzi King Zinfandel, Maple Reserve, 98 Points, Double Gold
2023 Coyote Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon, Block 3, 97 Points, Double Gold
2023 St. Anne’s Crossing Zinfandel, Split Rail Reserve, 97 Points, Double Gold
2023 St. Anne’s Crossing Malbec, Los Chamizal, 96 Points, Double Gold
A huge thank you to winemaker Chris Barrett at the Pezzi King Estate for hosting us. If you want to taste excellent wines in gorgeous surroundings, schedule a visit if the weather isn’t inclement. Otherwise, check out their new tasting room in Healdsburg. Even better, the new tasting room for Soda Rock Winery [also part of the Wilson Artisan Wineries] is now right next door so you can make a full afternoon of it. You won’t be sorry.
Karen and Michael Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers.
