If you like Pinot you will love this winery. Just driving to this winery is reason enough to visit! Its a small winery, that isn't super cute, but the service and tastings were great! Our server asked if he could just pour what he wanted and we ended up getting an extensive tasting.
Stephen Singer founded Baker Lane in 2003 after decades of work in the wine business in the San Francisco Bay area. He was the wine director at Chez Panisse for many years and was married to owner Alice Waters. He has partnered in the restaurants Cesar in Berkeley and Pizza Vino 707 in Sebastopol. Singer farms an estate vineyard just beyond Sebastopol planted to Syrah and Pinot Noir. The winemaker is Steven Canter. Baker Lane wines have some restaurant and retail distribution and are sold online.
With not more than a vision for making cool-climate, single-vineyard Pinot Noirs some friends made their first vintage - 250 cases - in 2004. Less than five years later, they have a critically acclaimed brand and more demand for their 1,500-case annual production than they can meet. They've earned having Anthill Farms in the coveted spots on wine lists at the French Laundry, Cyrus, Gary Danko and other well knowns and sommeliers say they can't keep the bottles in stock.
Hart's Desire had absolutely exceptional wines, and very many at that. They had a lot of varietals that you rarely find elsewhere in Sonoma County except for in blends, such as Malbec, Claret, and Cabernet Franc. Their tasting room has beautiful artwork and has an old school jukebox playing great tunes!
Everything we tasted was so good.The staff at the winery are more than willing to talk with you about the history of the wine and the grounds. It is THE place to go for lavender lovers - especially in the Summer when they have their lavender festival.
What really made the experience magical was the overall layout and view of the place. The wine tasting counter/bar is backdropped by an amazing window that overlooks the vineyards. The wine tasting room itself is on a hill overlooking the vineyards, so all you see out the window is a sloping valley of gorgeous grape vines.
The Amapola Creek story began in 2001 when Richard and Alis Arrowood discovered a very special place on the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains—those magnificent mountains that rise between and separate the Sonoma and Napa valleys. From the first moment we set foot on the 100-acre ranch that the Arrowoods now call home. It was almost as if we had known and loved the place in anoter lifetime. There is, in fact, a deep connection to the past here. The red-brown volcanic soils reveal the mountain’s fiery history, and traces remain of the old stagecoach road that once ran through the property. Stone walls still stand where Chinese immigrants built them more than a century ago.
Windsor Oaks estate is open to the public only eighteen days a year. They do offer limited VIP tasting and tours.In an wine tasting event that sadly has become increasingly all about tour buses, limos, bridal parties and frat boys guzzling Coors Light in the parking lots, many wineries struggled to find the right balance of paying attention to those that were there to focus on the art of winemaking, and those that were there to party. The folks at Windsor Oaks rose above and created a memory for all in attendance. Special thanks goes to winemaker Julie Hagler Lumgair, who climbed atop a second tier barrel, and from above, shared a taste of yet another wine "off the list"...her passion, expertise, warmth, and generosity.
Wellington Vineyards is owned by the father and son team of John and Peter Wellington. John purchased the winery site in 1986. At the time, it consisted of 20 acres of old vines and a few decrepit old fruit and nut trees. Replanting of part of the old vineyard and orchard started in 1988. The winery was completed in time for the 1989 crush.
Roche is a great spot for a glass of wine or a tasting in Sonoma. I've brought nearly every visitor/friend I've had, here, because of its proximity to the square and its fantastic outdoor tasting bar. Very quaint and dainty! For $5.00 you can taste all the wines. You can sit outside, and for the brisk afternoons they have fire pits at the tables. The estate chardonay was crisp and slightly sweet. The cab was nice. The Syrah was robust and peppery. Late harvest chardonay close to amazing.
