Best Sonoma wineries you've never heard of
Jun 17th, 2013, 10:37 AM
#121
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 17,801
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We absolutely love the Dry Creek AVA, so we stay in Healdsburg. Like Sonoma (the town), it has a lovely town square, load of restaurants within easy walking distance, and so on. Sonoma is about a 20-30 minute drive from Healdsburg.
Jun 17th, 2013, 11:08 AM
#122
We're going to stay near Sonoma for 3 nights in August. I can't wait. We're renting a house with friends who have never been to California before and they chose the larger town as a good base. I couldn't argue with that as it is all good. We still plan to spend a day around the Dry Creek area.
Jul 30th, 2013, 05:28 PM
#123
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We always have stayed in Santa Rosa. Its not the picturesque, quaint environment that Sonoma or Healdsburg or Glen Ellen would be, but for us its worked because its really in the middle of everything and the rates run as much as 20% less...leaving more $$$ for buying wine.
Where to stay is really determined by what you want to drink, IMO. Pinots, probably lower county like Sonoma town or Glen Ellen; Zinfandel- upper county like Healdsburg; whites- probably most will be in Alexander Valley area, but I'm not sure where one would stay...Healdsburg, I guess, or maybe Geyserville.
If you have a longer visit, then Santa Rosa may be a good choice for convenience's sake, if you can give up that "wine country ambience" that is important for many people.
Paradise Ridge is one of our favorite producers...gotta love the Convict and Elevation. And the little place in Kenwood is charming, I think, and far less busy than the Santa Rosa facility.
Has anyone here ever been to Kachina? or Montemaggiore?
Where to stay is really determined by what you want to drink, IMO. Pinots, probably lower county like Sonoma town or Glen Ellen; Zinfandel- upper county like Healdsburg; whites- probably most will be in Alexander Valley area, but I'm not sure where one would stay...Healdsburg, I guess, or maybe Geyserville.
If you have a longer visit, then Santa Rosa may be a good choice for convenience's sake, if you can give up that "wine country ambience" that is important for many people.
Paradise Ridge is one of our favorite producers...gotta love the Convict and Elevation. And the little place in Kenwood is charming, I think, and far less busy than the Santa Rosa facility.
Has anyone here ever been to Kachina? or Montemaggiore?
Sep 5th, 2014, 12:49 PM
#124
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,667
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>Birdie on Jun 5, 13 at 6:23pm
Bookmarking for my trip this fall (happy dancing!!!).<
Birdie~I just came across this as I was looking for some of the wineries for our itinerary the first weekend in October....when will you be in Sonoma?
Bookmarking for my trip this fall (happy dancing!!!).<
Birdie~I just came across this as I was looking for some of the wineries for our itinerary the first weekend in October....when will you be in Sonoma?
Sep 11th, 2014, 07:47 PM
#126
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also, tenthumbs, if you are going in the first week of October and that includes the first full weekend of the month, do visit harvest fair! you can try wines from all over the county in a one-stop shop situation
Sep 17th, 2014, 01:08 PM
#128
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sure thing. Its easy to overlook the year notations when the threads have been silent for so long.
Listen, the results from the Harvest Fair competition will be posted after the awards gala, which is held the weekend before the fair. Don't have a calendar at hand, but you can find the list at the Harvest Fair website and at the website for the local paper- the Press Democrat- sometime the week before. Its a great way to prioritize your winery visits, even if you don't go to the fair itself.
Its how we learned of Montemaggiore and Dutcher Crossing.....
Listen, the results from the Harvest Fair competition will be posted after the awards gala, which is held the weekend before the fair. Don't have a calendar at hand, but you can find the list at the Harvest Fair website and at the website for the local paper- the Press Democrat- sometime the week before. Its a great way to prioritize your winery visits, even if you don't go to the fair itself.
Its how we learned of Montemaggiore and Dutcher Crossing.....
Sep 17th, 2014, 01:27 PM
#129
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,667
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is the info on the Harvest Fair if any one else is interested. I'm not sure if my travel companions and I will be able to swing it, but I'll certainly keep it in mind for next year if we don't make it!
http://www.harvestfair.org/schedule
http://www.harvestfair.org/schedule
Sep 18th, 2014, 11:19 AM
#130
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It looks considerably more sophisticated than in years past!!
But if you want to try wine from all over the county, and don't care to do all the driving needed to accomplish that task, this one-stop opportunity happens once each year.
But if you want to try wine from all over the county, and don't care to do all the driving needed to accomplish that task, this one-stop opportunity happens once each year.
Sep 22nd, 2014, 12:35 PM
#135
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,667
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'll do a mini-trip report when I get back. We've rented a small cottage in Sebastopol via VRBO, so I'd like to report on that as well as the wineries. The ones I can remember off the top of my head we plan to visit are Iron Horse, Merry Edwards, Taft Street, and Dutton-Goldfield.
Sep 23rd, 2014, 07:01 PM
#136
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This may interest you , then...
I was just reading about a place called "The Barlow" in downtown Sebastopol that is an old apple production facility. It sounds like its a take-off of Oxbow Market in Napa with wineries, food producers and artists sharing space. Kosta Brown, Marimar, MacPhail and Lafollette are reported to be part of it; I think there are around 20 businesses all together.
The article came up when I was searching for new wineries in Sonoma County...I think it was in the Sonoma Magazine online edition.
I was just reading about a place called "The Barlow" in downtown Sebastopol that is an old apple production facility. It sounds like its a take-off of Oxbow Market in Napa with wineries, food producers and artists sharing space. Kosta Brown, Marimar, MacPhail and Lafollette are reported to be part of it; I think there are around 20 businesses all together.
The article came up when I was searching for new wineries in Sonoma County...I think it was in the Sonoma Magazine online edition.
Nov 7th, 2015, 11:36 AM
#139
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This thread has been quiet for a long time, so I'd like to give it a little bump-up by asking if anyone has new Sonoma County wineries to comment on.
I recently read about a few; does anyone know about these?
Madrone Vineyards
Kistler
Auteur
Valdez
Meeker
Halleck
Bump Wine Cellars
Kobler Estate
---and I'm still looking for wines that come from Rhone Grapes, like Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Cinsault.....
so if anyone has inroads to producers of Rhone wines, please share!
Thanks
I recently read about a few; does anyone know about these?
Madrone Vineyards
Kistler
Auteur
Valdez
Meeker
Halleck
Bump Wine Cellars
Kobler Estate
---and I'm still looking for wines that come from Rhone Grapes, like Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Cinsault.....
so if anyone has inroads to producers of Rhone wines, please share!
Thanks
