Sonoma

Sonoma

Paul Mathew Vineyards

wine by the fireplace - Pixabay

Mat Gustafson, the former winemaker at Sebastopol-Dutton Estate Winery and current co-winemaker at Moshin Vineyards, crafts small lots of Pinot Noir and other varietals from the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast under his personal label. Prior to starting his own label, he had worked for twenty years in the restaurant business and in retail sales. Along with business partner, Paul Sloan, he launched the label in 1999, but by 2001 had assumed full control and began to concentrate on Pinot Noir.

Wild Hog Vineyard

wine corks and glass -Pixabay

Wild Hog Vineyard is at the headwaters of Wild Hog Creek (from which the winery derives its name) 45 minutes west of the small town of Cazadero. At 1400 feet elevation and 5 miles from the Ocean east of Fort Ross, the vineyard avoids most of the summer fog. The climate of the coastal range, in conjunction with our farming practices, helps to produce intense flavorful grapes.far off the beaten path, which, in my opinion, makes the place all the more special. There is no way anyone could find this place on his/her own. (You have to meander for miles on a narrow dirt road.) If you are one of the few people fortunate enough to do an actual tasting at this small, informal winery, you likely will meet the proprietor, Daniel Schoenfeld, a warm, kind-hearted gentleman, who obviously is passionate about wine-making. (He, quite appropriately, self-describes his line of work as a "labor of love.")

Arista Winery

wine corks and glass - pixabay

The grounds are absolutely stunning and picturesque. The owners have taken great pride in maintaining the original tea garden settings, and make a great place for a relaxing picnic or sipping on some of there delicious wines. Great staff. Beautiful scenery.

Jeff Cohn Cellars

Jeff Cohn Cellars is a boutique winery located in California’s Sonoma County, renowned for its artisanal approach to winemaking. Founded by winemaker Jeff Cohn, the winery focuses on small-lot production, showcasing a diverse range of varietals, including Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petite Sirah. With an emphasis on sustainable practices and minimal intervention, Jeff Cohn Cellars produces wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region. Visitors can enjoy intimate tastings, where they can experience the passion and craftsmanship behind each bottle.

Adobe Road Winery

cluster of grapes

Adobe Road Winery is a great place to hang. 

Uniquely connected to the thrilling world of professional sports car racing, Kevin Buckler understands that achieving victories at speeds of 180 miles per hour requires extreme focus, attention, and a relentless pursuit of perfection. This same dedication applies to his passion for winemaking.

Following the remarkable success of his professional racing team, The Racers Group (TRG), Kevin and his wife Debra established Adobe Road Winery in the heart of Sonoma County in 2002. Their mission is to craft wines that embody the true essence of California’s most esteemed winegrowing regions. “We work hard to ensure that each bottle of Adobe Road wine showcases the best attributes of each individual vineyard within the appellations we source from,” Kevin explains. “We select the finest sites in Sonoma and Napa Valley for our elite Cabernet Sauvignons, while Dry Creek is chosen for our hedonistically rich Syrahs and Zinfandels. The Russian River and Petaluma Gap provide the ideal conditions for our ethereal Pinot Noirs and lavishly flavored yet sleek Chardonnays.”

Robert Young Estate Winery

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Robert Young is a good example of a winery doing it right. The folks here are very friendly, and more than happy to tell you about the very interesting history of the place, the family history, and how they make the wines, etc. Nothing pretentious here, just a good, genuine vibe, all about having fun. Pours are generous, and tasting fees are refundable with a bottle purchase.

De Loach Vineyards

wine corks and wine glass - Pixabay

The wines were good, the grounds are beautiful and there are patio tables out front for pairings- you can get a cheese platter or pizza to go with your wine tasting. The pizzas are baked in an outdoor pizza oven.

Russian Hill Winery/Talawind Ranch

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Patrick Melley is Winemaker and Co-Founder of Russian Hill and Talawind Ranch wineries.

Patrick’s path to becoming Russian Hill’s Winemaker was fueled by a love of food and wine. A self-taught winemaker, Patrick developed his love of wine through attending FIU, a leading food and beverage college in Florida, coupled with many years of working in the restaurant business. He became a restaurant manager for an international affiliation of restaurants and one of his favorite responsibilities was developing their wine lists. This diverse exposure to wines from around the world refined his palate and sparked a life-long passion for wine and wine and food pairing.

The natural next step was for Patrick to make wine himself. In 1989 he started making wine at home and in 1993, he-co-founded Benicia Cellars Winery, where he was responsible for the general development of the company, grape acquisition and winemaking.

In 1997, Patrick and his partners moved to the Russian River Valley and founded Russian Hill Estate Winery. Here, Patrick could pursue his passion for Pinot noir and other cool climate varietals and make wine from the surrounding estate vineyards.

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