Brooks Note Winery

Brooks Note Winery is a small, family-owned winery based in Petaluma, California, founded in 2011 by Garry and Joanne Brooks. The winery focuses on producing balanced, elegant wines that reflect the diverse terroirs of California Wine Country, with a particular emphasis on sourcing grapes from lesser-known vineyard sites and hidden corners of the state's premier wine-growing regions. The winery operates a tasting room in downtown Petaluma and offers private event hosting as well as a wine club membership program.

The winery's philosophy centers on restraint and terroir expression — grapes are harvested earlier than industry norms to preserve freshness and acidity, and the use of new oak in the cellar is deliberately minimized to allow the character of the vineyard to shine through. Brooks Note takes a hands-on, artisanal approach to winemaking, producing small-lot, handcrafted wines with a strong emphasis on quality over volume.

While Pinot Noir remains the cornerstone of the portfolio, the winery also produces limited quantities of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Rosé, a Rhône-inspired red blend, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Blaufränkisch, offering a diverse range of varietals that reflect the breadth of California's wine regions. The inclusion of uncommon varietals such as Blaufränkisch and Marin County-sourced fruit underscores the winery's commitment to exploring distinctive and often overlooked growing areas.

Winemaker and co-founder Garry Brooks brings a deep academic and professional pedigree to his craft. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis and has accumulated hands-on experience at some of California's most respected wineries, including Ravenswood, Acacia, Kosta Browne, and Dutton Goldfield. At Kosta Browne, Garry was part of the team behind the 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 2011. His tenure at Dutton Goldfield introduced him to the unique viticulture of Marin County, a region he has long been passionate about. This combination of formal education and elite cellar experience informs every aspect of Brooks Note's winemaking approach.

The winery's vineyard sourcing strategy is deliberate and research-intensive, seeking out growers and sites that may not yet be widely recognized but that offer compelling terroir characteristics. This approach allows Brooks Note to deliver distinctive, site-expressive wines that stand apart from more commercially driven California labels. The winery's roots date back to 2002, when Garry and Joanne planted a small vineyard in Sonoma, long before the commercial label was established, giving the operation a genuine grower-producer heritage.