EXHIBIT 5.1
                   [LETTERHEAD OF FARELLA BRAUN & MARTEL LLP]



August 18, 1999



Ravenswood Winery, Inc.
18701 Gehricke Road
Sonoma, California 95476

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8 - 1999 Equity Incentive Plan and Employee
    Stock Purchase Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         You have  requested  our  opinion  with  respect to certain  matters in
connection  with the filing by  Ravenswood  Winery,  Inc.  (the  "Company") of a
Registration  Statement  on Form S-8  (the  "Registration  Statement")  with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  covering the offering of 550,000 shares of
the Company's  Common Stock (the  "Shares"),  including  279,500 shares issuable
pursuant to outstanding  options under the Company's 1999 Equity  Incentive Plan
(the "1999 Plan"),  220,500 additional shares available for grant under the 1999
Plan and 50,000  additional  shares issuable under the Company's  Employee Stock
Purchase Plan (the "ESPP").

         In  connection  with this opinion,  we have  examined the  Registration
Statement and related Prospectuses,  your Articles of Incorporation, as amended,
and  Bylaws,  as  amended,  and such  other  documents,  records,  certificates,
memoranda  and  other  instruments  as we deem  necessary  as a basis  for  this
opinion.  We have assumed the  genuineness  and  authenticity  of all  documents
submitted to us as  originals,  the  conformity  to  originals of all  documents
submitted to us as copies  thereof,  and the due  execution  and delivery of all
documents   where  due  execution  and  delivery  are  a  prerequisite   to  the
effectiveness thereof.

         On the basis of the foregoing,  and in reliance thereon,  we are of the
opinion  that  the  Shares,   when  sold  and  issued  in  accordance  with  the
Registration  Statement  and the 1999 Plan or the ESPP, as the case may be, will
be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         We  consent  to  the  filing  of  this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration Statement.

                                             Very truly yours,

                                             /s/ Farella Braun & Martel LLP

                                             Farella Braun & Martel LLP

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