Paradise Ridge Winery

High on a hill above the Santa Rosa plain, on the northern edge of the City of Santa Rosa, is Paradise Ridge Winery. The magnificent winery, owned by Walter and Marijke Byck, overlooks what was once the legendary Fountain Grove Vineyard, founded by the mystical prophet, Thomas Lake Harris. Harris and his followers brought their Brotherhood of the New Life to Santa Rosa in 1875, where he established his vineyards and hired the distinguished Japanese winemaker, Kanaye Nagasawa, to create what were regarded as some of the finest wines produced in pre-Prohibition California.


Wine, however, was not what drew the Bycks to the 156-acre ranch. They were looking for land with room for five kids and some horses to grow up in a naturally beautiful setting. As the children recall, they were just sitting down to dinner one evening when Walter burst through the door and announced, “Marijke, children, I have found Paradise!”

The grapes came next, when the family planted Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, and in May 1994, the winery was opened. There is no tasting fee, and the wines currently in production are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Next year, the first Pinot Noir and Shiraz will join the line. There is also a charming Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine, originally designed to celebrate the Bycks’ daughter’s wedding.

However, wine is not the only attraction at Paradise Ridge. About halfway up the winding drive is the Paradise Wood Sculpturegrove. The current show, “Old Growth – New Life,” is composed of eight massive and impressive sculptures by internationally lauded artist Bruce Johnson, crafted from redwood tree trunks abandoned by loggers decades ago.

Paradise Ridge Winery is at 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa. A perfect time to visit is on a Wednesday evening, when visitors are invited to salute the magnificent sunset with a glass of wine on the long deck.