Fritz Underground Winery

I visited Fritz Winery during the Barrel Tasting event on Saturday, March 5^th. My group included my wife and my two adult children. I am industry, working as a wine specialist for a winery in Sonoma. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my business cards along on the trip (usually have them in my car and we took someone else’s) and was unable to produce them at the wineries for my discount. In the past, I have never been turned down for industry discounts on wine purchases when on rare occasions I couldn’t produce my business cards. As documentation, for their records, I would write the pertinent information on paper that they need to substantiate my status and they would keep for their records. No problem ever.
I decided to buy a few bottles at Fritz using my industry discount. The lady at the bar, who I later discovered was Laura Coy the Tasting Room Manager, said they needed my business card. I explained about not having a business card with me, but verbalized the information she would need to grant me my discount. I also said I would write this information on their letterhead to confirm. My wife and daughters were with me listening to the dialog. She flatly and unsympathetically said NO we cannot honor your discount. My wife said, «give her your hat as your business card» (I was wearing the winery hat and logo’d attire) and Laura coldly told her «anyone can wear a hat, that doesn’t prove he works there» and walked away. I was embarrassed and dumbfounded at her remark and behavior. Essentially she said that my wife and I were both liars.
My recommendation for the Fritz ownership group is, get Laura some formal training courses on customer service and treating customers with respect. This negative attitude gave our group of 8 a bad taste and we won’t be returning any time soon. We didn’t let her attitude ruin the rest of our day, but it could have.

Our first visit to this beautiful place was during barrel tasting. We stopped at about 9 wineries that day and this is our favorite place. They sampled some sweet potato sauce with crackers and we’re hooked. I had to take a bottle home. My husband took home a few bottles of red and Sauvignon blanc for me. The tasting room had a great setup. Very beautiful, clean, and modern tasting room. Staff members are very pleasant and personable. There’s nothing pretentious about this place. The property is amazing and the wine is great. This place stands out to me because of the staff, beautiful property, and of course the wine. I highly recommend visiting this place.

Probably the favorite of all 8 of our wine clubs. First of all, we love the wines. They are spectacular (and we know a little bit about wine). And not just the «Dry Creek Zins» because this is a Dry Creek winery. Everything from the crisp Sauvignon Blanc to the Estate Proprieter’s Red are absolutely amazing. We have never had a wine we don’t like here.
Second, but certainly not a lesser point, we love the staff. From Shonia (the tasting room manager) to Clay Fritz (the owner), all of the folks at Fritz Underground Winery are friendly, welcoming, personable, and all-​around amazing people.
They have frequent events here at this beautiful and off-​the-​beaten path location. I highly suggest the events. They are wonderful. Great food, live musical entertainment, and of course, fantastic wine. I cannot recommend their wine club enough.
Stop in for a visit. Tour the underground wine cave. Have a sip on their patio and listen to some live music. You will not be disappointed. I promise. :)

Fritz. Want music with this review? Open this in another tab and read on.
I signed up for four «cave tour» tickets at $ 40 a pop. Cave tour plus tasting. The «cave» is a 300′ tunnel into the mountain that dead-​ends at 300′ with cement blown onto the walls. Our guide explained that this is a «real» cave because it is «into the mountain» while man-​made caves are concrete structures covered with dirt. Never mind that a bunch of guys (probably men) got some heavy digging equipment and dug that cavity into the mountain. The cave tour may have taken 30 minutes and was lame.
The tour ended with «Shall we taste some wine?» I was a good ending because any other ending would beg the question: «Is that all there is?» If I was leading the cave tour I would have said, «Okay, shall we forget all of this and go drink some wine?»
With our package we had the choice of a flight or tasting. We went for the tasting. The pours were generous. I believe the first wine was a Sauvignon Blanc. It brought back memories of sneaking into the garage when I was 12 and having a few hits from my Mom’s cooking wine — sauterne in a gallon jug. I remember the family dog Homer looking at me with his head cocked to the side quizzically while he watched me chug as much as I could stand.
The wine got better with the reds — but nothing rang my bell.
They have some good olive oil — we purchased a couple bottles. They gave us a generous sample of that with some bread while we tasted the wine.
They have some cool wine aerators that attach to the wine bottle. The aerators are different animal heads. When you pour the wine, it comes out of the mouth of the creature.
What is unique and good about Fritz? The bird feeders and the landscaping are very well done.
Tips for visiting Fritz:
— Bring your camera, tripod and some cheese. Set up your camera on the pod pointing at the hummingbird feeder — fetch a bottle of their good pinot and relax while the birds come for their sweet fluids.
— Avoid the «cave» tour.
— Avoid the whites

Our group of 5 had a terrific time at Fritz. We signed up for the tour, which is different than the winery hike. The winery hike occurs every morning at 10:30 and is an actual hike up to the top of the mountain on the property. The tour is a brief discussion about the winery, followed by a walkthrough of their barrel room and cave. The tour itself was fun, but not necessarily new or different information than tours at other wineries. I would recommend it for wine newbies or for those very interested in winery operations.
After the tour it was time for some tasting! There are 3 options: Regular tasting, reserve tasting, white wine only tasting — with some overlap between the three. Between the 5 of us, I was able to taste everything. All of the wines were good, I’d have to say the sauvignon blanc, the rose, and the pinot were my favorites. We enjoyed chatting with Laura (?) who I think is the tasting room manager. She was friendly and knowledgeable. The tastings are reasonably priced $ 10-​$ 15 and comped with purchase.
The grounds are beautiful and the view is just as nice. There are a few picnic tables but it was too early in the day for us to have lunch. Next time!
It’s a bit of a drive but worth it. A new favorite in Dry Creek!

What a view. My friend and I attended a Unilocal party at this winery. We thoroughly enjoyed the wines. It was a relaxed Sunday morning and the staff generously poured the sparkling on our arrival.
I would definately go back to this winery and keep it on my list as a destination winery. There are so many wineries in the dry creek valley to choose from and I’m glad Unilocal introduced my friend and me to Fritz.

We stopped at Fritz during this vacation because of the cave tour. We had stopped by a couple of years ago during harvest but the grapes were fermenting in the caves and the CO2 levels were too high. This year with the early harvest, the air was breathable in the caves. As we were the only people going on the tour that morning, we had what amounted to a private tour of the caves. We enjoyed the tour, but unfortunately, we didn’t get a barrel tasting when we were in cave. The tour ends by walking up some steps and entering the tasting room through a side door. We tasted two zins, a cab, and a pinot noir. My favorite was the reserve zinfandel.

What a fantastic day at Fritz Underground Winery!
It started with a sip of their crisp Sav blanc then out into the winery for a hike. We did the vineyard hike tour with Katie. We wandered by their lake then through some St. Peter’s Church Zin clones — she said we could taste some of the «second crop»…high brix, great for eating — jammy little devils.
Next, uphill to the cabs (tasted those too), wandered by a veggie garden with more tomato plants than I have seen anywhere… That is what I want to do next year. :-)
We finally found out why we were asked to wear closed toe hiking shoes… a «real» hill. Give yourself some room between yourself and the person in front of you so you won’t have to stop short when they stop and you wont have a problem.
At the top of the hill, we looked at and tasted from their head-​trained old vine Zinfandels.
Once the group was ready, we continued into the redwoods and found one of their natural springs. It was beautiful and cool in the shade of the second growth redwoods. (A fire took out the first growth many years ago.)
We cruised through the outside crush pad down to stand on the «roof» of the tasting room. Another great view from the roof… (The wine-​making is done with a gravity flow system.)
Just as it started to get too warm, we went down below into the cellar. Wow, that felt great after that little hike. They don’t have to cool the building underground. It is always 55 degrees.
Once we had properly cooled down, we went out to the pretty patio to enjoy a wine tasting. Everything was wonderful. I liked that the chardonnay as it wasn’t overly oaked or buttery. My kind of chardonnay. The zins were lovely and I liked the dessert wine as well. My very favorite was the Pinot noir.
Thanks to Katie and her team for a great day.

Visited this winery as part of the Unilocal event on 10÷11÷15… it was so much fun! We had a great group of people, great weather and our guide Katie was awesome!
Pros:
–The underground rooms were awesome and unique to see. The explanation of the wine making process was also a treat.
–The wines were excellent! The two that suits or to me were the Chardonnay… which I do not normally drink or enjoy… it was so light and enjoyable, very unique add far as Chardonnay go. The reserve Zinfandel was also a winner!
— The hike was informative and being able to pick not only grapes and raisins, but also fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden was nice!
Cons:
— The only thing that stood out to me was the intensity of the hike. We were told to wear closed toed shoes, which was a greatly appreciated tip! I wish they would’ve added that the hike had slippery inclines and probably not recommended for anyone with leg or back troubles. While I was fine for the most part, there were some older folks and lots of sweating through shirts… LOL… so it would be good to know beforehand.

What a lovely afternoon. I attended an event with other Unilocalers that showcased the winery and its wines. Katie and the staff at Fritz were welcoming and friendly. We had an amazing afternoon.
WARNING WARNING WARNING! If you’re not into exercise, don’t do the private tour! It’s a lovely hike through their second growth Redwood trees. But a hike is a hike and I’m sooooo not into mixing my exercise with my wine! In retrospect, I’m glad I «pre-​burned» the calories so I felt completely justified in all of the delicious calories I poured down my throat.
Fantastic wines. Cute little tasting room. Crazy amazing tour guide Katie. Awesome view of the vineyard and the pond. It’s off the beaten path but well worth the trip. Relax at the picnic tables. Lounge on the deck overlooking the vineyard. Or take a peaceful and shaded hike through the redwoods on the property.
When you visit a winery, you expect wine. This one does wines well! But what is unexpected is the vast land and landscape that surrounds the tasting room. Unexpected, too, is the pride and knowledge that oozed from our tour guide, Katie. The wine making is done underground. This part of the tour begins by opening the over-​sized door with the two turkeys above (Katie says there’s turkeys about but we didn’t have a turkey sighting on the day we were there). The tour takes you past rows of French and American Oak barrels with their luscious wines inside. Once downstairs (yes, even further underground), you’ll find a deep cave where Katie hopes to have a tasting table placed in the future. In the meantime, she has hosted a dinner at the mouth of the cave opening which sounded lovely. I’ll be signing up for the next one they have. The tour leads you back up the stairs and into the small tasting room. The small size of the tasting room is made up for with the big bold velvety tasting of their Reserve Zinfandel. Serious yumminess. And Katie teased us by showing us the Malbec grape vines they’ve planted on the property. Did we get a taste? Nope. There is such a short supply that it is reserved only for Fritz members. Lucky peeps!
Go. You’ll be happy you did.

We visited as part of the Unilocal Event on 10−11−15. The winery is north of Healdsburg set away from Dutcher Creek Road in a beautiful setting. Our hostess, Katy, did an outstanding job in presenting this winery. She took us on a long (ish) walk around the winery grounds, to the Cave and then to the tasting area which overlooks a small pond/​lake. The wine tasting comprised 7 wines ranging from a Proseco (which is imported), the 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, the 2014 Estate Rose, the 2012 Chardonnay, the 2012 Pinot Noir, the 2013 Estate Zin and finally a Reserve Zin the year of which I do not remember. All these wines were drinkable but not outstanding. Unfortunately, several of the wines were not chilled enough and that reflected on the flavor. Overall, an informative and pleasurable experience.

Fritz is an amazing winery experience, just off the beaten path north of Healdsburg. I went as part of an event, and so was able to do the full winery hike and the tour of the winemaking facilities. The landscape is beautiful, and the tour is friendly and fun. It’s well worth spending the extra time at the facility. As for the wines, their signature Zin was very, very good, as is the Chardonnay they blend from other local grapes. My recommendation? Go there early for the tour, and stick around for a bit. Pack a picnic lunch, grab a bottle for yourself, and enjoy a meal with a view from their patio. :-)

I’ve driven by this place a few times exploring Sonoma. Finally was able to visit. Took the special cave tour. The grounds are so incredibly beautiful. Redwoods, a natural spring, gardens and the wildlife. What a gem.
The wines are nice and tasty. Perfect for a warm summers day. Purchased four bottles this afternoon. I highly recommend stopping here. It’s off the main path which is great. Beautiful vineyard. Really great tasting room and the ladies who work here are so helpful and nice.
STOP HERE.

Nice tasting room and yes good wine. I was a big fan of the Zin from Dry creek. We joined the wine club can’t wait to start getting our wine. @sonomachat

Great wines and a wonderful visit. Looking to get off the tour bus and wine limo-​beaten path of Napa? Head up to Fritz. The Chardonnay, Pinot, and rosé in particular were fantastic. Beautiful grounds set atop a hillside, and the staff was super friendly and engaging.

We found this winery from the road signs. Beautiful view and very clean. We were offered a free wine flight if we purchased a bottle. The server only poured the expensive wines for us to sample. They were good, but not out of this world. Settled on a 50.00 bottle of ⁶⁰⁄₄₀ split. Wouldn’t return.

Awesome! This was a unique wine tasting experience! They have a «cave» to keep the wine barrels the right temperature. The wine was delicious and the staff was very knowledgeable. Thanks Fritz’s Underground Winery for a great experience and wonderful wine!

More construction, SEE Gloria Ferrer but Do NOT go to GF until their never ending construction is completed.
Fritz is tasting in their cold underground cave for now. WAY classier than the Gloria Ferrer tent with traffic nazis, outdoor portapotties, extra flies etc.
Fritz was a lot more fun the last time we were here, maybe last millennium. There were cats and the owner was fun, we got a really cold looking pourer. Fritz used to have the only cab I ever had where I could actually taste the hints of alleged chocolate, and they had a white called Melon that you would swear had those hints of apricot etc they are always mumbling about.
That’s all gone but the chard now is good. No cats, COLD. No refund on the tasting equals NO buying, just paid our split tasting and split.
You might want to skip this one too.

Wonderful setting, great people, and tasty wine. The location is set up in the northern part of Sonoma County, not too far but far enough to feel as though you’re completely off the beaten path. Beautiful surrounds and quite area.
Tastings were relatively inexpensive at $ 10−15/per flight.
Would visit again.

Good wines made here. The several varietals are uniformly smooth, flavorful, and have pretty colors in the glass.
The drive is a medium length jaunt off the 101. Upon arrival you will feel «out in the country».
The smallish, modern look tasting room can handle about 20 people. There is a small overflow patio in front, but no table service, you have to go inside to the bar to get the wine.
Dogs are tolerated on the patio, but not inside the tasting room.
Be aware that if you are in Railroad square of downtown Santa Rosa, all of the Fritz wines can be tasted & are sold at Station 1870 wine bar. Fritz owns and operates Station 1870.