Velvet Ridge
Estate Winery
Guerneville — Russian River Valley
Pinot Noir With Backbone & Soul
Single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley’s steepest slopes. Limited production. Goldridge soil. Unforgettable.
Our Story
Not Your Typical Coastal Pinot
In 2005, we planted vines on 38 acres of hillside land that everyone said was too steep, too rocky, too unforgiving. The Goldridge soil—named for the estate itself—wouldn’t produce “typical” Pinot Noir. It would produce ours.
We’ve spent two decades learning to listen to what this land wants to say. Every vintage, we push a little further. Every year, the wines get more honest, more complex, more utterly themselves.
— Margaux & Eli Thornton, founders
The Collection
Current Releases
Limited-production single-vineyard Pinot Noir and estate Chardonnay from Russian River Valley.
Goldridge Block
2022
Estate Pinot Noir
Black cherry, plum and baking spice with silky tannins and a mineral finish.
$72 Club $57.60
Ridgetop Block
2021
Pinot Noir Reserve
Our oldest vines, our steepest slope. Dark and brooding with structure for the cellar.
$95 Club $76
Estate Grown
2023
Russian River Chardonnay
Stone fruit and Meyer lemon with subtle oak and a mineral backbone.
$48 Club $38.40
The Terroir
Born in Goldridge Soil
The soul of our vineyard lives in the earth beneath our vines. Goldridge soil is a sandy loam composition unique to this ridge—a weathered volcanic base overlaid with alluvial fans from the Maacama fault system. It drains exceptionally well, forcing the roots to work deeper, extracting minerals and character that no amount of winemaking can replicate.
At 550 feet elevation with 15 feet of soil depth across our 38 acres, four distinct vineyard blocks each express slightly different facets of this terroir. The fog rolls in from the Pacific, moderating heat. The clay substratum holds just enough water to sustain, but never to coddle. This is the land that made us.
Winemaker’s Note
I want our Pinot to challenge people—to make them rethink what Russian River Valley can be. These wines aren’t polite. They’re honest.
Eli Thornton, Winemaker & co-founder
Velvet Ridge is making the most complete Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley—wines that combine power and elegance in a way few estates can match.
— Wine & Spirits magazine, 2025
The Estate
More Than a Tasting Room
Our redwood estate building sits at the heart of the vineyard, a 1970s structure we’ve thoughtfully restored to honor its timber heritage while adding modern hospitality. The tasting room overlooks the blocks where our Pinot is born, and every corner tells the story of two decades of learning this land.
38 acres
21 vintages
2,400 cases/year
Plan Your Visit
Find Us on the River
Goldridge Estate sits on the east ridge above the Russian River, eight miles north of Guerneville. We’re open Thursday through Monday for small-group tastings by reservation. The tasting room overlooks our four vineyard blocks, and every visit is an invitation to experience what Goldridge soil can express.
Location
14820 River Road, Guerneville, Calif. 95446
Hours
Thursday–Monday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Fee
$20 per person, waived with purchase
Contact
hello@velvetridgeestate.com
(707) 555-0178
Reserve Your Tasting
Small groups, unforgettable wine. Reserve your place at the table—all requests accepted within 48 hours.
