Garage Enologists of Sonoma County

Ben Papapietro and a friend Bruce Perry began making wine in a garage more than 35 years ago. Like their grandfathers, they started making wine for the enjoyment of their families and friends. Later as their skills improved, they began making wines to sell commercially under the Papapietro-Perry label. Ultimately, they expanded to their present location among other wineries in the Timber Crest Collective just off of Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg.

It was through their common passions - cooking and wine - that Ben and his now business partner became fast friends. The two began to make wine as a hobby. He and his partner experimented with many varietals, but both found Pinot Noir to be their true passion. Ben’s passion for pinots began when he explored wines from around the world in his early twenties and he was smitten when he tasted vintages of Burgundies from 1956 and ‘57.

Today, Papapietro-Perry specializes in Pinot Noir and make a number of vineyards designates. They also make Chardonnay, Rosé of Pinot Noir, and a Zinfandel

After almost 30 years of winemaking, we still firmly believe in a minimalist approach, allowing the wine to express itself and reflect the growing season through the nuances that appear from vintage to vintage. For this to happen and to produce those great wines, it is vital to pay attention to every detail; carefully attending to every step of the winemaking process, yet always with a light hand. We don’t over-extract or over-oak our wines. We give the wines the fermentation and aging environments that allow them to become exceptional - so we can smell and taste what the fruit has to offer us.