Idlewild Wines

Idlewild Wines is one of the most intellectually exciting small producers in the greater Healdsburg wine scene. Sam Bilbro — who grew up at Dry Creek Vineyard where his father David was winemaker — founded Idlewild in 2012 with a mission to prove that Northern Italian grape varieties can produce world-class wines in California's cooler mountain and coastal sites.

The results are extraordinary. Idlewild's Cortese, Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo — all sourced from high-elevation Mendocino County vineyard sites in the Fox Hill area — produce wines of remarkable authenticity and food-compatibility that regularly earn comparisons to their Piemontese originals. The Fox Hill Barbera in particular is one of the finest California expressions of an Italian variety produced in the state.

The Healdsburg tasting room on Plaza Street offers an immersive introduction to Sam Bilbro's Italian-California vision — educational, personal, and genuinely exciting for anyone who believes California wine's future involves looking beyond Cabernet and Pinot Noir toward the vast diversity of European varieties.

At its Mendocino County, Sonoma County location, Idlewild Wines presents a featured lineup that includes Fox Hill Vineyard Barbera, Fox Hill Vineyard Dolcetto, Cortese, and Nebbiolo. Together, these bottles provide a focused introduction to the varieties, vineyard sources, and style that define the winery's current portfolio.