Freestone Vineyards

Freestone Vineyards has brought new life to this sleepy town and undoubtedly will attract visitors who are curious about this westernmost frontier of Sonoma County Pinot Noir country. The Joseph Phelps organization has built a magnificent 40,000 square foot winery at the end of Freestone Flat Road. Bermed into the hillside and employing gravity-flow by way of its three level construction, it sits in the center of the estate Freestone Vineyard. Unfortunately, environmental concerns prevent tastings and tours at the winery, so Freestone Vineyards has opened an attractive and comfortable guest center at the corner of Bohemian Highway and Highway 12 in the historic Pastorale Building which was formerly a woolens store (see photo below). The inviting space is furnished in country French furniture and offers the visitors an appealing copper-topped bar or a spacious table to sit and linger. The entire project initially met with some resistance from local residents, but Freestone Vineyards has proven to them to be committed to being an attentive caretaker of this historically rich area.

Freestone Vineyards dates to 1999, when Joseph Phelps, his son Bill and the Phelps management team bought 55 acres in Freestone on Freestone Flat Road. Joseph Phelps, who was fond of Chardonnay, had yearned for an appropriate location to establish a new Chardonnay program. His popular Joseph Phelps Ovation Chardonnay was sourced from vineyards in Carneros. The Freestone property, which in the past had been used for logging, dairy farming and even a rest home, was also a perfect locale for Pinot Noir. In 2000, additional nearby land was acquired including Quail Hill Ranch (renamed Quarter Moon Vineyard).

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