ImaRunner

Hi. My husband and I are going to San Fran and Sonoma Valley for our 1 year wedding anniversary. We will spend the first part of our trip in San Fran where we will visit Alcatraz, hike at Muir Woods and ride bikes over the bridge to Sausalito among other things. Then we'll take a day to drive along the coast toward Monteray. From there we'll heard toward Sonoma Valley and will stay in Santa Rosa. We will have 3 days in the Sonoma area and I'd like to make sure we get some good wineries (and anything else) in.

We love wine, especially sparkling wines and cabernets. We want to visit wineries for their scenery and picnic areas as well as for their wines. Please critique this itinerary!

Day 1:
Chateau St Jean
Bezinger
Gloria Ferrar
Ledson
Are these wineries too spread apart?
Restaurant ideas?
Can we picnic at any of these wineries?

Day 2:
Ferrari Carano
Chateau Soverain
Clos Du Bois
Anything else in that area?
Restaurant ideas?
Can we picnic at any of these wineries?

Day 3:
Kendall Jackson
Rodney Strong
Korbel
Head back to San Fran in time for dinner

What do you think? Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

LooneyMan

I can comment on Ferrari Carano and Chateau Soverain.

Those are two great places to visit.

I do not believe that you can picnic at either one, but Chateau Soverain has a great restaurant for lunch where you can dine on the patio overlooking the vineyard. Prices are not too bad.
Chateau Soverain also has some very nice cabernets to taste or to purchase.
If you like a nice dessert wine that is not too alcoholic and is on the chocolaty side, try their Shiraz port - out of this world.

Ferrari-Carano is probably one of the most beautifully landscaped wineries in all of wine country - just a gorgeous place to visit - but does not offer much in wine tasting or wine tours.


Enjoy your trip.

Austin

IMa - I just posted our trip report for Sonoma. See "A Gem on the Russiann River...."

One could spend a whole day on and around Dry Creek Road. (Day 2?) I liked the grounds of Ferrari Carano. Do not miss David Caffaro. Just two wineries (this side) before Ferrari, also on the right, as you head north on Dry Creek. Laid back, but they give you a barrel tasting, or two, or eight. I hear that A Raffanelli is a great one, but you need a reservation. Near that is Raymod Burr, Lambert Bridge, and farther south, Roshambo.

Rodney Strong and Kendall Jackson are both jut off of 101. Off River Road, near Kendall Jackson is La Crema and Russian Hill. We had an EXCELLENT Pinot at Russian Hill. their 2002.

See my trip report for more info.

Austin

OOPS. Ferrari and Caffaro are on the LEFT, heading N. on Dry Creek. Not on the right.

jet519

another vote for Ferrari Carano. Sebastiani is really nice and has a lot of history and a tour I believe. My husband is controller for a distributer that sells their wine so he arranged a VIP tour for our daughter and her husband on their honeymoon and they really loved it. Viansa is wonderful and has a huge gift shop full of wonderful items and lots of gourmet foods to sample as well as their tasting area. Imagery winery is not too far from there and it has a mini art gallery and beautiful artistic labels on the bottles as well. Ledson is beautiful and has a big shop with a deli and gift items as well.

kimamom

Another vote for Chateau Souverain in Geyserville. We had the fixed price lunch for about $19.95 which included a nice salad, entree and a trio of mini sorbets, very nice in their elegant dining room. Wine taste after your meal and your tasting fee will be complimentary when you present your pourer with a wine cork from the restaurant. (Your tasting pass so to speak.) Cheers! ***kim***

kimamom

jet519, we also enjoyed Sebastiani very much when we tasted there in March. Isn't it one of the oldest places in Sonoma? ***kim***

andiamo

With no offense intended toward Sebastini or Viansa, if you are really into wine, I would skip them. They are great places to go if you are a wine novice. FYI: Viansa means "Vicky and Sam", the children of Sebastini! Viansa is really more of a tourist gift shop, that makes some so-so wines. Nice to look at, but again, if you are really into wines, stick with some of the ones on your list. Also, Dry Creek and West Dry Creek roads are beautiful to drive, you will feel like you are lost in the vineyards somewhere in Europe.

Have a great time, and kudos on choosing Sonoma over Napa. It's very scenic and you will love it!

Andiamo

Austin

I agree with Andiamo. Sonoma is beautiful. One could spend a whole day or two in the Dry Creek area. If possible, ask the locals - perhaps the people at your hotel - what they reccommend. We even asked a pourer at one of the wineries for suggestions. We would never have found Russian Hill (off River Road) and a wonderful pinot if not for a local's suggestion.

Dreamer2

We basically did your Day One last year, and they are not too far apart. Enjoyed them all very much, especially the Benzinger tram tour. GF and Ledson are at the "ends," so you can do them in either order. Gloria Ferrar has very specific tour hours, so you may want to confirm for that particular day if you want a tour rather than a tasting.

Can't recommend a restaurant, but Chateau St. Jean and Ledson both had deli foods and places to picnic.

Perhaps they all have similar, but Ch St. J had a separate, lovely, area for upscale tastings. We had teen-agers with us, so we didn't do it, but would definitely partake if we had an opportunity to return alone.

andiamo

If you find yourself near the square in Downtown Healdsburg, on the right hand corner, is the "Oakville Grocery". Amazing prepared food (pasta salads, etc) as well as sandwiches, a huge assortment of breads and cheeses, etc. I usually hit there to grab stuff for lunch, (they have paper plates and plastic forks, etc. as well, don't forget to grab them too) and when you find a winery you enjoy (a lot of the Sonoma wineries will have a picnic area) buy a bottle of wine (they will open it for you and provide glasses) and have yourselves a wonderful little wine country picnic!

Austin had great advice! Ask the locals! You will find everyone in Sonoma is very friendly. Feel free to ask one winery to recommend another...you will find they will be more than happy to give you some suggestions.

Also...if you're really into wines....I find that showing interest without being an "annoying wine snob" (NO MERLOT! Sorry, did you see "Sideways?") Anyway, if they are not busy, you will find that the pourers are thrilled to find people that truly know and love wine, and you might wind up with some "special" tastings from behind the counter!

Sonoma is absolutely beautiful and you will have a great time! I do know that Dry Creek Winery has fabulous wines, and also has many picnic benches so you can enjoy a picnic. There's a new winery directly across the street that used to be Pezzi King. They also have picnic area, actually their picnic area is much prettier! But, be polite. If you are going to picnic in their area, make sure you buy at least one bottle of their wine.

Enjoy, and have a fabulous time!

marlod

I plan to elope in Sonoma in October. I have already booked the Inn at Sonoma. It will just be my fiance, parents, and me. It's the 1st wedding for both and I'm looking for a special place for the ceremony to take place, maybe at sunset. I'm looking for an outside venue. Unfortunately, all the places I've searched on the internet seem to cater to "reception" like weddings with large groups. I'm just looking for a nice, memorable place to wed but not have a reception. I am willing to go anywhere in Sonoma Valley or even the Napa valley. I welcome all suggestions. Thanks!

SAnParis

2 adjustments come to mind - if you are going to Ledson, go to St. Francis (it is right next door). It is well worth it to arrange a tasting at Ledson as well but you may not want to go anyplace after that if you do. Also, if you are going to Rodney Strong (they don't typically have much you can't buy off the shelf) go to J, which they practically share a parking lot with. I'd skip K-J & Clos du Bois as well. Check out Imagery, Quivera, Preston...J & St. Francis both do food pairings which are excellent. Ledson, if you do their 'top shelf' tasting also offers some snacks + the deli is excellent.

TrvlMaven

Benziger is a must--great winery, tour, fabulous wines. In Kenwood, my husband and I eat at Caffe Citti (on the left as you head north). Excellent eat in/take out. The patio is very relaxing. Do stop at St. Francis. Not sure why you picked Ledsen--the building is beautiful, but that's about as good as it gets.

SAnParis

ttt for sara

otto

i like murphy-goode, in sonoma. ;-)

angethereader

The first day includes most of the wineries we saw.

We started at Vienza - because the info center was there. Then we went down the road to Cline, Gloria Ferrar(which has a tour of the champagne caves - very cool), bought lunch in town. Went to Chateau St. Jean were we ate our picnic lunch on the grass. We ended up at Benzinger.
I thnk I was "wined out" because I didn't enjoy the wines there as much and I do like their wines.

SAnParis

ttt for lindaq

Kris_Peterson

Hey Fellow Wino - We live just an hour and a half away from Sonoma and visit there quite often. (lucky, I know) I notice that you are considering some of the larger, volume-producing wineries. We have found some real gems around Sonoma, where you may chat with the winemaker, taste from barrel, and generally get an authentic experience:

in Dry Creek Valley -
Unti Vineyards (George and Mick Unti)

Bella (a real cave and unbelieveable zins)

A. Rafanelli - family owned for a very long time, and an absolutley incredible Cab

Wilson Vineyards - a pretty valley view

Dutcher Crossing - rather shiny and new, but gracious staff, a pretty tasting room, gorgeous views (picnic!) and top-notch wines

Yoakim Bridge Winery - tiny, friendly, bring your appetite

Closer to town: Seghesio - mostly italian varietals

Other tips:
Light lunch in the J winery Bubble room, or a wine/cheese flight on the patio (excellent)



I hope you do try to visit a few of these smaller gems - you won't be sorry! - Kris