Wineberserkers, my people… please weigh in on my agenda for our Day In Sonoma below. You all were CLUTCH in helping me figure out our trip to Napa last year (Elyse is now my all time favorite). I want a balance of tasting room, vineyard, big/small, etc. a little bit of everything, ya know? We have one day - so I’m trying to narrow down 3 (maybeeeeee 4) places. We are wine newbies so please be kind and excuse my lack of knowledge. I read Mike’s entire Sonoma post - epic.
Wineries -
Kosta Browne - this is a must-do for my husband. I’m aware there is no vineyard here, just a tasting room. So it checks that box. Thinking of doing the Reserve Flight. Has anyone done it?
Littorai - I’ve read this in a few posts as a great place to go. I’ve never tried their wines! Map says it’s close to KB, so seems to make sense from a timing perspective. Thoughts?
Calluna
Carlisle
Limerick lane
Alexander valley - love this wine. Know nothing about the experiences. Distance seems tough.
Bedrock - again, heard great things about this experience but the location is not ideal.
Are you looking at Sonoma County, or the town of Sonoma? Sonoma County is a very large area to cover in one day, so I would pick one area (Dry Creek Valley, Russian River, Healdsburg, Sonoma) and pick 3 places in that area as opposed to driving an hour to each appointment. If you choose somewhere near the town of Sonoma then Bedrock is a must do.
The Calluna estate/property is really nice but also kind of remote. That said it’s nice to go to Sonoma and drink something other than Pinot/Chard as Calluna does BDX varietals.
Ceritas is very nice - it’s a warehouse/industrial tasting room but a nice deep mix of Chardonnay and Pinot. They are building out their Cab program across Napa/Santa Cruz and last year also released some Syrah.
Ridge is classic, beautiful Estate, great wines and somewhat else to join/procure the wines if you Iike them.
I wanted to visit Scherrer but Fred wasn’t in town when we were coming in. Region is an option to do a tasting room with 30+ vendors. Region is in an outdoor mall of sorts and PAX is there as well so if you like Syrah that should be on your list as well.
As others have said, location of where you are staying is important, or at least pick 1 region and find 3 tasting rooms in that area. Sonoma is very spread out.
Kosta Browne and Littorai couldn’t be further apart in style, and if you ask me, Littorai is the one to spend time visiting but I get it, everyone has different tastes, and no judgment.
I’d absolutely throw Ridge on the list. Add the Monte Bello taste to your tour…legendary wine at a great price.
Bedrock is amazing, and well worth a spot on your itinerary. Add Extradimensional Wine Company Yeah as well, which is a few steps away and offers some beautiful expressions of grapes you probably won’t get at the other stops.
The wines range from great to superb. Fred is a master at Zinfandel (they age forever), and he offers them on futures bringing the price down to around $30 IIRC (I’ve been ordering for so long, I don’t remember anymore). His pinots are also incredibly priced and impeccable. He also does cab, chardonnay, syrah, and rose.
It’s also the ability to support a truly small, family-owned operation. When you visit, it’s literally a warehouse stashed behind nothing, and Fred or Judy do the tour, which is really just showing you around pallets of cases, and then opening a shocking number of wines. It’s the polar opposite of Napa.
If I could only buy wines from one producer, it would be Scherrer.
If you are close to the cost I recommend Fort Ross Vineyards. Absolutely stunning grounds perched high above the Pacific.
A super informal and fun tasting is Porter Bass- you must call ahead. When I was there it was just us and the owner with a couple of camping chairs set up in her driveway next to the vineyard with bottles plopped on a board between two old barrels- all wines are estate wines and they were fantastic. In fact, Ceritas and Littorai purchase their fruit for their SVD program.
Littorai makes great stuff but agree with Tim that the experience is rather formal, a little intimidating, and pricey.
I’d recommend Dehlinger, not too far from KB. Wonderful wines, somewhat understated (not a formal experience) and reasonably priced to boot. Limerick Lane is super - with gorgeous old vines surrounding the property. Easy to fit in and close to Healdsburg so you could go there and stop in for lunch/dinner.
If around, I’d obviously be happy to host you tasting Pinots from up and down the coast in Windsor, but it isn’t a vineyard experience - just a tasting room and maybe a barrel sample or two.
As many have already mentioned, you’ll have a hard time fitting many of your choices into one day due to logistics.
I’ll second not doing KB and Littorai the same day it would be like going from Champagne to 7-up.
West Sonoma County - All 4 of these are within 5 minutes of each other and all 3 wineries offer differing experiences.
Iron Horse - A John Daly driver shot from Scherrer with great views and bubbles for days
Lunch - Sonoma Pizza Co in Forestville - Great wood fired creations, tons of good local wines. Don’t sleep on this place.
Scherrer - Gentleman farmer Fred, nondescript industrial building off the beaten path. No glitz, just excellent wines and excellent company. Chard, Rosé, Pinot, Grenache, Syrah, Zin, Cab… Plus, Fred will taste you on older wines as he has back vintages for sale that can reach into the 1990s when he’s in the mood to move them.
Castelli - Excellent Nebbiolo, yes Nebbiolo and Pinot from the estate vineyard. Emilio can show you his straw bale barn where the magic happens. You can even VRBO his Lake Como home in Northern Italy!
but I get it, everyone has different tastes, and no judgment.