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Wineries
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Sonoma
County The Sonoma County area is one
of my favorites based on scenery and serenity
alone. Throw in a healthy dose of wineries
producing some of the best wines in the world and
you have a wine-lovers paradise. Sonoma County
wineries are often separated into two general
areas: Sonoma
County (North) and
Sonoma
Valley (South). The
northern area includes the districts of Dry Creek
Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and the
Russian River Valley, and the cities of
Geyserville, Healdsburg, Guernville. The southern
area includes the districts of Sonoma Mountain and
Carneros (which is shared with Napa), and the
cities of Santa Rosa, Glen Ellen, and Sonoma. The
rocky soil, good drainage, warm days, and cool,
sometimes foggy nights provides an excellent
climate for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay,
Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc
grapes. Although tasting rooms can get quite busy
during weekends and the summer months, they are
usually far less crowded than those in the Napa
Valley. This area includes the
districts of Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley,
Chalk Hill and the Russian River Valley, and the
cities of Geyserville, Healdsburg,
Guernville. Alexander Valley
Vineyards The rustic appearance of the
Alexander Valley Vintners tasting room and the
friendly staff both add to this winery's charm. The
winery produces Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir,
Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet
Sauvignon and a Cabernet blend called Cyrus. The
wines are all high quality and reasonably priced--
the Viognier and Zinfandel were among my favorites.
The pricier Cyrus blends (there were 3 vintages
available) are the obvious standouts and produced
some discussion in my group as to which we liked
the most. Armida
Winery Named after
founder Bob Frugoli's grandmother, Armida is
located on a hill overlooking the Dry Creek and
Russian River Valleys. The hospitality center looks
like a geodesic dome that collided with a Cape Cod
house, and is unique and quite attractive. The view
from the tasting room is impressive: overlooking
landscaped grounds, an attractive pond and the
valley below. The wine list includes several
Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel. My
favorite was a light and fruity Chardonnay with
peach and pear aromas and was reasonably priced
. Canyon
Road Cellars Fformerly the
Nervo Winery, Canyon Road Cellars is one of Sonoma
County's oldest wineries. The tasting room is
comfortable and offers gift items and some cheeses.
The Canyon Road wines, especially a floral
Sauvignon Blanc and a buttery/lemony Chardonnay,
are very good values. Wines under the Venezia label
are also tasted for a fee and includes a Regusci
Vineyard Chardonnay with vanilla, butterscotch and
tropical flavors, a Bianco Nuovo Mundo Meritage, a
Cabernet Sauvignon and several
Sangioveses. Chateau
Soverain Chateau
Soverain, one of the most attractive wineries in
Sonoma County, is fashioned in the style of a
French chateau (with a little bit of Hop Kiln
thrown in) perched on a hillside above the
vineyards. On the afternoon we were there, wild
turkeys were roaming through the vines. We tasted a
floral and peachy Viognier, a reserve Chardonnay
with aromas of spiced apple and buttered toast and
Rhone-style blend called Composee which was spicy
and tannic with flavors of berries, plums and
nutmeg. My favorites were a Dry Creek Zinfandel and
an Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with berry,
currant and vanilla aromas. There are wine-related
gift items in the tasting room and an adjoining
restaurant. Clos du
Bois Clos du Bois
is one of northern Sonoma County's largest wineries
and the winery complex was recently extensively
remodeled. The new tasting room is a large, open
space with cathedral ceilings, wood beams and a
large, roomy tasting bar. The wine list consists of
the classic varietals for the area, including
Alexander Valley selections. Particularly
outstanding was the Marlstone Vineyard Meritage
which had a fruity, berry taste, and the Briarcrest
Vineyard 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with plum,
raspberry jam and cassis flavors and a dry
finish. De Loach
Vineyards De Loach is
located in a ranch-style, weathered complex with a
small courtyard in the center. The wine list is
extensive and they offer a selection of six or
seven for tasting. The Fume Blanc was non-grassy
with aromas of figs, the Chardonnay (of which they
had four variations) was crisp and buttery with
aromas of green apple, the White Zinfandel was
effervescent and better than most, and the
Gewurtztraminer was semi-sweet with floral and
green apple aromas. There were several Cabernet
Sauvignons- the Estate Bottled was rich with
blackberry and chocolate aromas and an estate
Zinfandel tasted of raspberries and currants. The
list also includes Pinot Noir, Merlot, Petite Sirah
and Port and most are moderately priced. Dry Creek
Vineyards Dry Creek
Vineyards is a very attractive ivy-covered winery
set in a peaceful tree-studded setting. The tasting
toom has tall, wood beamed ceilings and the tasting
staff was extremely friendly. Our host, Dolly
Oberti-Rinn (aka "the Dolly Mama) has worked at the
winery for 16 years. We found a light, fresh Chenin
Blanc with citrus and tropical flavors and an
orange finish, a complex Reserve Fume Blanc (aged
sur lie) with tropical fruit, melon and
butterscotch aromas, and a Reserve Chardonnay with
tropical, honey, butterscotch and apple flavors. An
old vine Zinfandel had raspberry, strawberry jam
and pepper flavors, a Meritage tasted of
blackberry, black cherry and cassis, a Cabernet
Franc had spicy black cherry and plum flavors, and
a Cabernet Sauvignon had blackberry and currant
flavors and was a good value. Ferrari-Carano
Vineyards and Winery This is one
of the most impressive winery complexes in Sonoma
County. In the form of a magnificent old-world
Italian Villa, including formal gardens, Roman
columns, manicured lawns, flowing water and
magnificent views (the scenery directly behind the
tasting bar is worth the visit alone), this winery
is worth a visit even if you don't drink wine. And
if you do, the wines are very good. You'll find a
wide selection of quality wine related gifts in the
tasting room. Be sure to walk down to the wine
cellar below the tasting room for an impressive
view and through the gardens just off the main
path. There were
two reserve Chardonnays, one with burnt caramel,
butter and apple flavors and another with apricot,
peach and butter flavors. The Merlot tasted of
blackberry, plum and currant, while the Cabernet
Sauvignon had plum, raspberry, currant and mint
flavors. Both had a long, tannic finish. A
Sangiovese/Cabernet blend called Siena had berry,
plum and strawberry jam flavors with a dry finish,
and a fruity Bordeaux blend called Tresor had hints
of chocolate and wood with a tannic finish. A Fume
Blanc, Syrah, Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Cabernet
Franc round out the list. Hanna
Winery Hanna's beautiful tasting
room is perched upon a hill, offering a memorable
view of the surrounding vineyards. Hanna produces
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay,Pinot Noir, Merlot,
Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. The
Elias Chardonnay, touted as "creme broulee in a
glass," was big and buttery, with melon and citrus
flavors. My favorites were a Bismark Ranch Cabernet
Sauvignon, with black cherry and tobacco flavors,
and a big, bold and toasty Bismark Ranch
Zinfandel-- one of the best in the
county. Hop Kiln
Winery The winery
gets it's name from the former hop kiln (a historic
landmark) that houses the winery and tasting room.
A quick tour around the rustic tasting bar will
reveal the steel vats and wooden kegs of the
working winery below. Sarah Walker, the tasting
room manager, poured a crisp Chardonnay, a
raspberry flavored Zinfandel, a jammy reserve
Zinfandel, and a Zinfandel/Valdiguie/Cabernet blend
called Marty Griffin's Big Red, a very good value
red table wine. There are some inviting picnic
tables around a small pond and a few gift items
sold in the tasting room. Korbel Champagne
Cellars This historic winery in the
Russian River town of Guernville, is one of the
most interesting and impressive wineries in
California, if not the most, and is worth going out
of your way for. I have several times. Not only are
the flowered grounds and castle-like buildings
magnificent, you will be treated to the most
complete and informative winery tour you will most
likely experience. Visitors are treated to a museum
depicting the history of the winery, an interesting
slide show, a lengthy tour of the stone cellars,
and a relaxed tasting. The sparkling wines are
excellent and most are widely available. Korbel
also produces some varietal wines and an excellent
brandy, although the latter is not available for
tasting. Quivira
Vineyards The Quivera
tasting room is located in a somewhat modern
barn-like building with large glass doors that
offer a view of oak aging barrels stacked floor to
ceiling. There were two non-grassy Sauvignon Blancs
including a fruity Reserve with flavors of
pineapples, lemon, butter and green apple. A light
Dry Creek Cuvee was a blend of Grenache, Syrah,
Mourvedre and Zinfandel and the list was rounded
out by a medium-bodied Zinfandel and a somewhat dry
Merlot. There are also several gift items and books
sold in the small tasting room. Prices are
reasonable: from $11 for a white table wine to $20
for the Merlot. Silver Oak
Cellars This
impressive winery resembles a large English country
estate but was in fact built in the image of the
horse stables at Stanford. This is a beautiful
complex with a charming courtyard complete with
three-tiered fountain. The winery has a
long-standing reputation for producing one of
Sonoma County's premier Cabernet Sauvignons and I
was not disappointed at my last visit. Although
they were sold out of the Alexander Valley
Cabernet, they did have the Napa Valley Cabernet
available for tasting. The $5.00 tasting fee for
the one selection may sound steep, but a taste of
this Cabernet that includes a very nice logo glass
is worth the price. This Cabernet was complex and
rich, with cassis, blackberry and even a hint of
nutmeg, with a slightly tannic finish. This wine
was aged in oak for 30 months and will age nicely
for 10 to 15 years. They also produce a Port, which
I was sorry to hear was not available for
tasting. Simi
Winery Simi's
tasting room is situated right on Healdsburg Road
just north of town, but once in the winery complex
you may feel somewhat removed from civilization's
madness. The stone winery is built around an open
courtyard shaded by redwood trees and the tasting
room is an octagonal room made of stone and
wood-beamed ceilings. Simi is one of the largest
wineries in the area and it is reflected in the
wine list. The whites consisted of a
tropical/citrus/buttery Sauvignon Blanc, a
Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend and four Chardonnays
including a wonderful Carneros appelation which
tasted of vanilla, butterscotch and raw almonds.
There were two Zinfandels-- one from 95-year old
vines and a medium-bodied Dry Creek Valley Zin.
There was also a jammy Shiraz (aka Sirah) with
nuances of vanilla, a wonderful, heavy bodied and
tannic Cabernet Sauvignon with flavors of
blackberry jam, and a Muscat Canelli with orange,
peach and pear aromas. There is a large selection
of quality wine-ralated gifts in the tasting
room. Topolos at
Russian River Vineyard This winery
is rural simplicity at it's best. The main
two-story structure contains the well-known Russian
River Restaurant upstairs and a small, funky
tasting room below. They specialize in organically
grown fruit using mostly dry-farming techniques.
The wine list was surprisingly long and included no
less than seven Zinfandels, ranging from light and
fruity wines to a smooth Zin from 110-year old
vines. I liked a fruity, tannic Rossi Ranch
Zinfandel. Of the other wines, the Gewurtztraminer
had apricot/peach/honey aromas, a Charbono had
strong berry flavors and a Muscat L' Orange was
light with a distinctive orange/apricot aroma. This
is a friendly place where the staff (looking more
like surfers than wine hosts) made sure guests had
a good time. Trentadue
Winery Trentadue's
tasting room is located on the upper level of a
rather nondescript winery building but the
wood-paneled room is light and airy, as is the
winery staff. THe wine list included Chardonnay,
two sparkling wines, Sangiovese, Carignane,
Zinfandel and a Zinfandel blend. A Merlot was
full-flavored with blackberry and black cherry
aromas and the Cabernet Sauvignon had aromas of
blackberry, cassis and dark chocolate with a long
finish. The most interesting were the dessert
wines: a French Colombard-based White Port and a
Merlot Port with Chocolate Essence which was
infused with chocolate flavors before
bottling. White Oak
Vineyards The unique exterior styling
of the White Oak Vineyards hospitality center,
complete with tropical foliage and a giant gorilla,
appears to be more plantation than winery. The
spartan and tasteful interior incorporates a long
tasting bar with plenty of room to move about and
includes a second story gallery featuring a local
artist. The staff was friendly and Denise, the
Director of Hospitality, was more than
accommodating. This is also an excellent spot for a
picnic, as there are tables placed along the edge
of the vineyards. The wines included a
Sauvignon Blanc, several Chardonnays, Napa and
Alexander Valley Merlots, Zinfandel, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Syrah. The Russian River Valley
Chardonnay was smooth and buttery with apple and
melon flavors, the Alexander Valley Merlot was rich
and fruity and the Napa Valley Syrah, my personal
favorite, was big and fruity, with plum and peppery
characteristics. Don't
Miss:
Ferrari-Carano for the grounds, Korbel for the
tour, and Silver Oak for the wines. Favorite
Picnic Spot: White
Oak Vineyards (Sandwiches from the Jimtown
Store) This area includes the
districts of Sonoma Mountain and Carneros (which is
shared with Napa), and the cities of Santa Rosa,
Glen Ellen, and Sonoma. Benzinger Family
Winery Benzinger is one of my
favorite wineries in the Sonoma Valley. Adjacent to
Jack London State Park, the winery is pleasing and
well laid out, the grounds are interesting (antique
farm implements line the walkway) and the wines are
great. The tasting room hosts one of the most
complete wine-related gift shops I've
seen. B.R. Cohn
Winery The winery
was started by Bruce Cohn, the man that discovered
the Doobie Brothers band, and is evident by the
platinum and gold records that adorn the walls of
the small tasting room. The wines consist of
several tropical Chardonnays, a Pinot Noir with
cherry and black tea aromas, a Paso Robles Cabernet
Sauvignon with full up-front flavors of berries and
cherries, and a complex estate Cabernet with
intense berry flavors and a long finish. Also
available is a line of olive oils, which is
appropriate from this location of a former olive
farm. There is a picnic area just outside the
tasting room. Buena Vista Winery The Buena Vista Winery was
established in 1857 making it the oldest premium
winery in California. The longer-than-average
stroll from the parking lot along a tree-shaded
path brings the visitor to the historic stone
winery. The tasting room is cavernous, and has one
of the larger selections of wine-related gifts. The
wine, especially the reserves, were generally
excellent. I particularly liked the Carneros Grand
Reserve Chardonnay, the 1997 "Celebration"
Zinfandel and the Late Harvest
Zinfandel. Gundlach-Bundschu
Winery Gundlach-Bundschu is
definitely the most fun winery in the valley. Humor
abounds with friendly attendants, contemporary
music, and humorous posters on every wall. I felt
the Gewurtztraminer was their best wine, and the
Bearitage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
and Zinfandel, is a very good value. Also available
is Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and
Zinfandel. As their "sobriety test" poster states:
"If you can't say Gundlach-Bundschu Gewurtztraminer
you shoulnd't be driving." Imagery Vineyards Imagery, part of the
Benzinger Family Wineries, moved into the new
tasting room, formerly occupied by Sonoma Mountain
Brewery, in 2001. The room is dominated by a
double-sided tasting bar, surrounded by a gallery
of artwork created for each and every unique wine
label. The atmosphere is relaxed and offers much to
take in, and the staff is friendly. Our host,
Douglas, was very informative. There is an arty,
eclectic patio in which one can relax and enjoy a
picnic or a glass of wine. Imagery produces Pinot Blanc,
Chardonnay, White Burgundy, Sangiovese, Lagrien,
Cabernet Franc, Claret, Petite Syrah, and several
Cabernet Sauvignons. The Cabernet Franc is
excellent, exhibiting black cherry and toasty cedar
flavors. Both vineyard specific Cabernet Sauvignons
are equally as good: the Ash Creek with blackberry,
white pepper and cedar flavors and the smooth Sunny
Slope Vineyard, with notes of chocolate and
bramble. Kunde
Estate Winery The tasting
room is built on the site of an old barn and was
designed to imitate the barn it replaces.
Approaching the winery from the parking lot, the
visitor walks beside a concrete picnic area that
protrudes over a relaxing pool complete with
fountains. The tasting room, long and simple with
exposed redwood beams, is entered via dramatic
10-foot plus doors. The wines, made from
estate-grown grapes, include several Chardonnays
(the Reserve has flavors of honey, green apples and
butterscotch), a peach and honey flavored Viognier,
Gewurtztraminer, a fruity and peppery Zinfandel, a
smooth Merlot, Claret and red and white table
wines. It is well worth taking the tour to see the
32,000 square feet of wine caves, the fifth largest
in the U.S., burrowed into a hillside below
Chardonnay vines. Ravenswood Ravenswood is the place to go
if you like Zinfandel and you may find yourself
fighting for elbow room at the tasting counter. As
Zinfandel accounts for three-quarters of their
production, there are several styles to choose from
and each has a very distinctive qualitity- ranging
from light and fruity to full-bodied and complex. I
particularly liked the bright Amador County
Zinfandel and the big, peppery Barracia Vineyard
Zinfandel. Ravenswood also produces Chardonnay,
Gewurtztraminer, several Merlots, Petite Syrah,
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and an
assortment of Cabernet blands. The Pentimento, a
blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet
Sauvignon was excellent. You'll also find quite a
selection of wine-related gift items in the gift
shop. St. Francis Winery &
Vineyards St. Francis is one of the
most attractive wineries in Sonoma Valley. The
visitor center is based on mission-style
archetecture with a beautiful, grassy courtyard
overlooking the vineyards. The tasting room is
ample in size, anchored by a huge fireplace and
long, attractive tasting bar, and offers a
selection of gift items. Our host, Louis, was one
of the most gracious hosts I've encountered at any
winery. The wine list is extensive,
with selections of Sonoma County and reserve wines.
The winery produces Chardonnay, Merlot, Mourvedre,
Petite Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and an assortment of
Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels. Three wines
were standouts: the full-bodied Nuns Canyon
Cabernet Sauvignon with plum and pepper notes; the
Behler Merlot, exhibiting good structure and plum
and black cherry flavors; and the big, jammy and
earthy Zichichi Vineyard Zinfandel, with some
leather and olive flavors on the finish. The winery
also produces an excellent Sonoma County Port for a
very reasonable price. Viansa Winery and Italian
Marketplace Viansa is one of Sonoma
Valley's southernmost wineries and is an ideal
place to begin or end a winetasting tour. Here you
will find an impressive blending of excellent
wines, gourmet foods, bakery and deli items, a wide
selection of unique gifts and classic old-world
charm. The openess of the wood-beamed tasting room
gives the impression that this truly is an Italian
marketplace. The name "Viansa" is actually derived
from the owners' names: Sam Sebastiani (of the
Sebastiani Winery family) and his wife Vicki. The
long list of wines are only available at the winery
and include several Italian varietals and blends
including Arneis, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Barbera and
Muscat Canelli, as well as several traditional
Chardonnays, Zinfandel and an excellent Merlot
featuring loganberry, rhubarb and smoky aromas. Our
wine hostess Paisly had an impressive knowledge of
the wines and was friendly and informative. There
is also a 90-acre wetland behind the beautiful
winery. Don't
Miss: Benzinger,
Buena Vista, Ravenswood, St. Francis and
Viansa Picnic
Picks: Benzinger,
Buena Vista and Viansa |
