My favorite out of the way tasting and maybe my favorite of any kind is a trip out to the Peay vineyard to hang out with Nick Peay. He’s a great guy to spend a couple hours with him and the wines are great. It’s a long drive on winding roads and best to spend the night out at sea Ranch inn or lower budget a funky motel in Gualala before or after. The town has a rugged Big Sur feel and is worth a visit in its own rite. It’s an absolutely beautiful vineyard property, the wines great and generous pours with a equally nice and generous charcuterie plate. I’ve been twice and don’t know current cost but it’s worth whatever. I left with a case both times so there was no cost. Hopefully I’ll get back another time.
Check out their website. They just added a video and pictures just can’t do that place justice
Just checked your original post and realized your trip is October which is harvest time. That is likely an issue for a visit to places like this but I’d still look into it as you never know
This is good advice. Most appointments are in 90-120 minute windows, so 4 could be a big challenge based on the travel between stops. And I would also add to the list of those who recommend Ridge and Bedrock. Ridge is close to Dry Creek Winery, and their wines are very good and the fees are usually modest.
Scott Schultz (Jolie-Laide/Asst winemaker for Pax) moved in with Sam around the beginning of the year. He has some Valdiguie but I think it’s now in a blend. An easy buy every release.
Dusty, for your day at the “true” Sonoma Coast here is my suggestion. It’s a complete day but one you won’t forget for the scenery, wine and food.
Don’t know where you are staying but around 11:00 - 12:00 off 101 in Santa Rosa take the River Road exit and head west, it’s a nice drive you pass through several small towns on your way to the Coast. you can stop for snacks etc on your way if you want to. You will meet up with Highway 1 about 1 mile from the Pacific Coast, take 1 to Goat Rock which is part of the Sonoma Coast Park System. Spend some time seeing the beautiful coast in your car and out. After Goat Rock, drive south on Rt 1, the entire coast is part of the Park System. There are numerous turnouts and parking areas to take photos, have a picnic etc.
After the beauty of the Coast, here comes the wine. Just a few miles south of the town of Bodega Bay is the Bodega Highway, take it east and using Google Maps it’s 8.7 miles to Littorai one of the premier makers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the world. They have a very nice Vineyard tour and private tasting of their single vineyard Chard and Pinot at 3:00 pm (perfect timing after touring the Sonoma Coast).
Enjoy the tour and tasting then complete the day with an early reservation at Hazel Restaurant, 7.2 miles and 15 minutes away in the funky little town of Occidental. Excellent food and if you go Thursday free corkage for Sonoma County wines. You were just at Littorai so that is easy. The tour and private tasting at Littorai is $60.00 per person but for a tour and tasting at a place like Littorai is quite reasonable.
Here are some links for the coast, Littorai and Hazel to get you started and I can answer any questions you have.
I am definitely going to look into combining the Peay suggestion with the awesome coastal itinerary suggestion. I have purchased Peay in the past, but don’t know that I’ve ever had any Littorai. I do understand that when we are going might mean that some places simply can’t accommodate tours, but the Harvest Fair this year is later in October than usual and I’m hoping many/most folks (coast may be different) will have their grapes in and resting by the 2nd week of Oct. It’s so far away that a lot of places don’t even have the option to book that far out.
Raffineli is a good call. We didn’t know they were appointment only when we went in 2017 and just happened to pull up when the gate was open (from a truck or something in front of us). We got quizzical looks right away when we walked in, but they poured us anyway. Awesome wine.
Fyi i love Littorai and it is a great tour and tasting but it’s just outside Sebastopol. Definitely worth doing too. But if you want to really go out of the way to someplace unique and beautiful I’ve found no peer to Peay.
One of my good friends down here was set to retire about 10 years ago and thinking about Bend Oregon. He always wanted to live someplace kind of remote near water like Big Sur but didn’t think it was possible. I told him about Sea Ranch. He immediately booked a trip, flew to Santa Rosa, rented a car and drove up to spend a couple nights there. And he pretty much never came back but to pack up and move there. It’s spectacular rugged coast. I owe him a visit
Since you will be at Ridge LS, I always thought the wines at nearby Unti were excellent–you’d probably try some Italian varieties alongside the Zin and Syrah. Pretty sure tastings were $5 when I first went on my honeymoon–web site now says $25 but refunded with any purchase. Can’t beat that.
And if you do get something booked for Peay the drive takes longer than it looks so plan accordingly. Maybe twice as long. Here’s my favorite itinerary.
Id start early enjoying a ride through the redwoods along River Road toward Jenner. I stop in Guerneville for breakfast and maybe begin with 10 am tasting at Fort Ross Winery which is a nice property though the tasting was kinda generic and short experience. I like to drive the HWY 1 up the coast which is a beautiful windy road passing through funky very small coastal towns. Its a highway in name only. A nice ride up the coast and get up to Sea Ranch/Gualala to see the beauty of the rugged coastline and for sunset/dinner. Spend the night up there, get up early for breakfast and beach walk then head to Peay for 10 am tasting.
If you like fancy Sea Ranch Inn is the place but I just need clean and serviceable. This is where Ive stayed
On the trip back its best to take Skaggs Springs Road a slow windy road through heavily forested mountains. Plan accordingly for both drives, take your time and enjoy the ride! IF you do a 10 am at Peay, Skaggs Springs takes you past Lake Sonoma and drops you into the north end of the Dry Creek Valley around 2ish where you can calm your nerves LOL with tons of pop in choices
Damn just writing this made me want to plan another trip up. Its probably my favorite wine country experience. Great wine, great people and some of the most beautiful places in the country
Just to add a couple sights I forgot about and adding to David’s post, if you go to the coast via River Road, make a two mile detour in Guerneville to Armstrong Redwoods State Park, a redwood forest that is absolutely magical to walk through. If you haven’t been, don’t miss it!
If you decide to head south on Rt 1 from Goat Rock, just as you enter the town of Bodega Bay make a right turn on Eastshore Road, drive around Bodega Bay to Bodega Head where the views are spectacular! If you are going to the coast, Armstrong Redwoods SP and Bodega Head are not to be missed.
Cheesy bonus, if your going to Littorai you pass through the town of Bodega (not to be confused with Bodega Bay). Stop and take a photo of the church high on the hill made famous by the scene in the Hitchcock movie The Birds.
I’d second this. We tasted there on Monday with Mick Unti, and had a great time - ended up tasting just about everything they had available, left with a mixed case (heavy on their excellent and scarce rose), and the tasting fee refunded.
I love this, and will certainly put it in the docket.
After all the great input, I am very excited to discover some wineries I wasn’t previously familiar with! Thanks everyone. Also, we are only there 10 days, but I’m looking at a day trip to Anderson Valley at this point as well.
Awesome wine.![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
![[thankyou.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/d/df165fe9c1593d19166ae7e1ffe5e272089cc07b.gif "thankyou"){kind=small}