winegrowers,  Winemakers,  Shopkeepers 

We are Pete and Lorna Opatz, proprietors of Route 128 Winery.  We tend to our vineyard, hand craft a few barrels of wine and sell our vintages bottle-by-bottle in downtown Geyserville, along California’s Wine Road, Route 128.

Pete:  A life-long farmer, wine making enthusiast and viticulturalist who has been driving a tractor since age 10 “I live and breathe vines and wines.  I’ve spent more than 4 decades working with the terroir of prime vineyards throughout coastal California and Argentina.  Together with my wife, Lorna, I personally work our family vineyard and handcraft our wines.  We carefully selected varieties and clones for this specific mountain location, and make small lots of wine from our exceptional estate grown grapes, on Route 128.”

Lorna:  “The wine business has been my passion since my first day of work in 1980.  I love the seasons, the people, the smells of fermenting wine, working with Pete in the vineyard and in our little winery, which is just a stone’s throw from our home.  As the winery’s official administrator and hostess, I personal work our tasting room in picturesque small town Geyserville, on California’s Wine Road, Route 128.”

The Vineyard:
The wines are only as good as their origin and skill from which they are created.  So why the Yorkville Highlands?  From our first visit in 1998 to our property Pete sensed the incredible potential for winegrowing.  Immediately after the purchase of the ranch property, Pete went to work on his tractor and planted 5 acres of Viognier, Zinfandel and Syrah with the addition of an acre of field blend Bordeaux varieties a few years later.  For us, the Yorkville Highlands appellation provides the perfect marriage of a coastal mountain climate, thin weathered soils and elevation, creating unique vineyards that rival some of the world's best.

The Opatz Family Vinyard is planted at an elevation of 1,400 feet, in high density plantings of 1,250 vines per acres.  The Yorkville Highlands' unique micro-climate with its influence of Alexander Valley's warmth and Anderson Valley's nightly cooling optimizes the grapes' acidity, critical especially for our Viognier.  This south facing vineyard features abundant sun, daily afternoon breezes, and thin mountain soils promoting wines of concentration and intense flavor. 

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In the News

Marina Times and JetSet Extra:
Geyserville is Worth a Visit

Examiner.com:
Set Your Cruise Control on Route 128 Wines

CBS Eye on the Bay:
Daytrip to Geyserville

7x7:
Wine Myth Busters

WineOh:
Geyserville: Uncovering Wine Country