Founded in 1882 in the Russian River redwoods, this working winery's historic main house is the site of an 1880s cook's death; the Heck family and groundskeepers report orbs of blue light moving around the property.
13250 River Rd, Guerneville, CA 95446
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Complimentary winery tours and tastings. Tasting fees may apply for premium selections.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Historic winery grounds with paved paths; some gravel areas near cellar buildings.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1882 · One of the Oldest Continuously Operating Champagne Cellars in North America · Pioneer of Domestic Méthode Champenoise Production · Survived Prohibition Through Religious Wine Exemption
The Korbel brothers arrived in California in the 1850s, initially working in lumber and still wine production before turning their attention to the forested Russian River valley. In 1882, Francis, Anton, and Joseph Korbel formally established their champagne cellars at 13250 River Road in Guerneville, constructing the brick cellar buildings that still anchor the property. That same year they shipped their inaugural sparkling wine, becoming one of the earliest domestic producers of méthode champenoise sparkling wine in North America.
By 1894 the brothers were selling their champagne commercially, and by the end of the century Korbel had won international recognition at exhibitions in Europe and North America. The winery survived Prohibition (1920–1933) by obtaining permits to produce wine for religious use—a legal avenue that kept the cellars operational when most California wineries went dormant.
Adolf Heck purchased F. Korbel & Bros. in 1954, beginning a family stewardship that continues today. His son Gary assumed control in 1982 and expanded production from approximately 150,000 to 1.6 million cases per year, making Korbel the sixteenth largest wine producer in the United States as of 2022. Brown-Forman has handled marketing and sales since 1965.
The property retains its original circa-1882 brick cellar buildings, a brandy tower, and the historic main house. The surrounding grounds include second-growth redwood forest that replaced the trees the Korbel brothers logged in the 1870s and 1880s. Complimentary tours have been offered since the mid-twentieth century.
Sources
The haunting at Korbel is tied to a single documented tragedy from the winery's founding era. In the 1880s, a cook employed at the property died by suicide in the attic of the main house. The specific circumstances of this death have not been elaborated in the sources that mention it.
Since that event, groundskeepers and property workers have reported seeing orbs of twinkling blue lights moving in and around the main house and adjacent grounds, particularly at night. The phenomenon has been observed consistently enough that Aaron Heck—son of winery owner and president Gary Heck—has publicly confirmed there have been a number of paranormal events at the Guerneville property. His statement was reported in the Press Democrat's 2018 survey of Sonoma County haunted locations, one of several regional publications that have documented the accounts.
The blue lights are the primary reported phenomenon; there are no accounts of apparitions or physical disturbances attached to this location. The sensitivity of this account warrants restrained framing: the death involved suicide and the person involved is unnamed in available sources.
Complimentary 60-minute guided walking tours of the historic circa-1882 cellar buildings and museum. Tours depart multiple times daily. The tour covers production history, the original brick cellar, and the property's legacy under both the Korbel brothers and the Heck family.
The winery complex sits among second-growth redwoods along the Russian River and includes the original 1882 brick cellar, a brandy tower, and the historic main house associated with the haunting accounts. The grounds are accessible during winery hours.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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