Sonoma

weather

Weather Forecast | Weather Maps | Weather Radar

Emi's favorites

Hawley, --- Mietz,--- Christopher Creek and White Oak

Map of wineries
http://www.heartofsonomavalley.com/map/
Heart of Sonoma Valley Wine Trail! The Wine Trail pass gives you access to participating wineries!
Enjoy a complimentary wine tasting and 10% off select wines at 14 wineries throughout the Heart of Sonoma Valley when you purchase a Wine Trail pass.
Select one of two options:
One-Day Wine Trail Pass = $20/person
Two-Day Wine Trail Pass = $35/person
Participating Wineries:
Deerfield Ranch Winery -- En Garde Winery -- Enkidu Wines -- Eric Ross Winery
Kaz Winery -- Kenwood Vineyards -- Little Family Vineyards -- Loxton Cellars
Mayo Family Winery -- Muscardini Cellars -- Paradise Ridge Winery
Ty Caton Vineyards -- Valley of the Moon Winery -- VJB Vineyards & Cellars

Some of my favorite Sonoma Valley wineries, that require no appointment to visit include;

Deerfield ranch
http://deerfieldranch.com/
Winery and Tasting Room: 10200 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, CA 95452
Tasting Room Hours: 10:30 to 4:30 daily
Office: 707.833.5215 o Fax 707.833.1312
Tasting fees, which range from $10 to $25 per person can be applied to the purchase of three bottles of more.

One of my favorites for their great Cabernet, Meritage blends, Merlot Cuvée, estate Syrah, Old Vine Zinfandel, Super Tuscan, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. I love their great tasting room located inside their caves, where one can enjoy seated tastings on large comfortable couches. I especially enjoy how pure and clean their wines are, as they are crafted specifically to be very low in sulphates and impurities. This makes for an especially smooth and enjoyable wine. Private tasting appointments, lunches and dinners can also be arranged at their private estate for a more intimate experience. (Certified Organic) Daily 10 - 4:30 PM.

Ledson lunch?
http://www.ledson.com/ Public Tasting
We offer three tasting options: 6 wines - $15 9 wines - $20 Wine Consultant Picks - $25
7335 Sonoma Highway (Hwy 12)
Is great for the beautiful Gothic castle-like mansion, delicious deli and their great undistributed wines. I especially enjoy their Old Vine Zinfandel, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Barbera, Merlot, Malbec, and award winning Meritage called Cinq Cepage. Private tasting appointments are also available in private rooms and patios throughout the mansion. (Great for a picnic) Daily 10 - 5 PM.

Chateau St Jean
http://www.chateaustjean.com/
8555 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, CA 95452
Our Visitor Center is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. $15 + tax tasting fee per person.
Our Chateau is open daily 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. $25 + tax tasting fee per person.
Box Lunch Program - reserve online or call $50 + tax per guest
Guests will be greeted with a glass of wine in our beautiful Mediterranean gardens before enjoying a guided terroir and history tour. Guests will then be led through a private reserve wine tasting followed by a picnic box lunch with assorted Sonoma County wines.
Duration 2 hours
For more information, please call (800) 543-7572.
Because wine tasting opens anyone's appetite, our Charcuterie (French for delicatessen) is open daily. Gourmet treats are on hand and are ideal for a picnic on our majestic grounds. We also offer several of our wines by the glass.

Is well known for their beautiful gardens and Chateau. I enjoy their great reserve Malbec, Merlot, Chardonnay, Fume Blanc, Pinot Noir and their flag ship Meritage called Cinq Cepage. I recommend visiting the reserve tasting room to the left for their higher-end wines. (Great for a picnic) Daily 10 - 5 PM.

Matanzas Creek
http://www.matanzascreek.com/
6097 Bennett Valley Road Santa Rosa, California 95404 Telephone: 800.590.6464 or 707.528.6464
Our Tasting Room is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. No appointment is needed for a tasting or a tour for up to 8 people. Daily at 10:30 am -$10 - This 45-minute tour highlights what makes Bennett Valley a unique grapegrowing region, the winery's history and showcases our sprawling estate gardens and famous lavender fields. No appointment needed for up to 8 people. Stroll the grounds, play a game of bocci or enjoy out picnic areas. Wine Tasting at the Tasting Bar: $5 - $10 per person. Taste 4 to 6 of our finest wines at our Tasting Room bar, hosted by one of our hospitality staff.
- This fantastic winery is well known for their beautiful lavender fields and their wonderful wines.

BR Cohn
http://www.brcohn.com/ 15000 Sonoma Hwy, Glen Ellen, CA 95442 800-330-4064 ex. 124
- This is a fun and classic Sonoma winery. The proprietor is also the manager for the Doobie Brothers rock band and has a great classic car and motorcycle collection. They produce award winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and estate olive oil as well. Daily 10 - 5 PM.

Mayo
http://www.mayofamilywinery.com/
9200 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood, CA 95452 - lunch one of the days? Call for res.
- This great family run winery operates out of two tasting rooms in Kenwood. The "Reserve" tasting room also offers a wonderful food pairing by appointment. They are well known for their Pinot and Zinfandel. Daily 11 - 6 PM.

Gloria Ferrer
http://www.gloriaferrer.com/?gclid=CMjVi4ay_7ECFUlgMgodXWkAGA

Guests are encouraged to savor the breathtaking views of Carneros vineyards from our Vista Terrace, while sipping a glass of Gloria Ferrer sparkling or estate varietal wine. In the tasting room, guests can enjoy all of our sparkling and estate varietal wines side by side. Savory local and Spanish delicacies are available to pair with wine purchases. Estate olive trees can be viewed from the terrace, and the award-winning oil made from these olives is sold exclusively in the tasting room. Our Sonoma Visitor Center is open every day from 10am - 5pm, with wine service available until 4:45 p.m. Guided winery tours are offered daily at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Cost is $10 per person and includes 2 sparkling wine tastes.Directions: We are located at 23555 Carneros Hwy. 121, Sonoma California. Carneros Highway 121 is also called Arnold Drive. If you are using a GPS to find us, be sure to enter Arnold Drive. Click here for maps and directions. Pricing: Sparkling wine is available by the glass from $5.00 to $10.00. Estate Varietal wines are offered in 2 oz portions for $2.00 to $3.00. Tour-goers are entitled to a 15% discount on bottle purchases during the day of their tour.
- This beautiful classic Sonoma winery produces reasonably priced but sensational sparkling wines which always scores highly. This is always a fun stop! Open daily 10 - 5 PM.

Bartholomew Park
http://www.bartpark.com/
1000 VINEYARD LANE SONOMA, CA 95476 tasting room and museum
Bartholomew Park Winery is situated in the heart of the 400-acre Bartholomew Memorial Park in Sonoma. A visit to the winery includes a sampling of Bartholomew Park's premium wines, access to vineyard-view picnic grounds, hiking trails, and a museum chronicling the property's illustrious history and current grape growing practices.The picnic grounds at Bartholomew Park overlook the vineyards and a replica of Agoston Haraszthy's Palladian Villa which was destroyed by fire around the turn of the century. In the hills behind the winery are approximately three miles of marked hiking trails. A variety of indigenous California vegetation -- oak groves, manzanita, madrone, redwood-shaded fern grottos, and fields of spring wildflowers -- provides visitors with a generous sampling of the visual delights and natural beauty of Sonoma County. On a clear day, the view from Bartholomew Park's trails extends to San Francisco. The Palladian Villa is maintained by the park and is open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 3pm.
- This is the boutique sister to Gundlach Bundschu as they only produce about 4,000 cases a year. This beautiful winery has an interesting history and great hiking trails. (Great for a picnic) Daily 10 - 4:30 PM.

Eric Ross
http://www.ericross.com/
- This great little tasting room is located in the historic Jack London Library. Their grapes are sorve from many great local vineyards, and this is the only place you can taste these wines. I love their Pinot Noir, Rhône and Spanish varietals. Daily 10 - 5 PM.

Hopkiln Wineries Tasting Room
- This fantastic Russian River Valley winery recently opened this lovely tasting room in Glen Ellen that show cases their fantastic Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, red blends and outstanding Pinot Noirs. Daily 11 - 6 PM.

Sebastiani
http://www.sebastiani.com/
Friday Nights Summer Music Series at SebastianiFriday, August 24th, 2012 - 6pm to 9pm Come join us for a FREE Live Music as our Friday Night Summer Music Series continues. Every Friday Night from 6pm to 9pm from Memorial Day Weekend until the last weekend in October. Enjoy live music in our stunning tasting room starting at 6pm. Wines by-the-glass or by-the-bottle available for purchase along with a selection of dinner items. BackTrax - September 21, 2012 Rocking hits from the 60's, 70's, & 80's . 389 Fourth Street East
Sonoma, CA 95476 (707) 933-3230
Tastings offered daily. $10 - $20 tasting fee for a flight of seven wines. Wines by the glass offered daily $10 - $18. Daily historical tours at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. No charge for historical tours.
- Located a few blocks off the plaza, this historic winery is well known for their Cherry Block Cabernet and Chardonnay.s. (Great for a picnic) Daily 10 - 5 PM.

Regarding dining reservations we have the following Sonoma favorites to share:

Santé - The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn's premier dining room. Santé has earned a national reputation for its outstanding food and service by receiving both the AAA 4 Diamond award and a highly coveted Michelin star. Conde Nast Traveler said 'it's worth a special trip just to eat here' and Gourmet Magazine calls the food 'the best of the new Wine Country style.' Only the freshest local produce, meats, poultry and seafood are used to create elegantly simple dishes that let the natural flavors of the food speak for themselves. A wine list, honored with Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence' features over 500 Sonoma and Napa wines. This is also the only restaurant in Sonoma with a Michelin Star. The quality of service and cuisine rivals any of the high end Napa restaurants.

Reservations are recommended in advance. - http://www.fairmont.com/sonoma - 2011 Michelin
Review

The El Dorado Kitchen - This lively and fun restaurant is slightly larger than others. They have a modern decor with fantastic French inspired Californian cuisine. They also have a great wine program with a full bar which offers delicious and unusual cocktail combination's like peach-jalapeno martini's. - Menu

LaSalette - Is a popular alternative for dinners looking for something different than the popular Californian, French and Italian style restaurants that dominate the market. The cuisine is Mediterranean, more specifically Portuguese. Very nice! Menu

Della Santina's - Is owned and operated by a third generation family from Luca, Italy. They make their own pasta fresh and have a great patio that tends to book first. Relaxed dinning that will make you feel as if you are actually back in the old world. Menu

The Kenwood Restaurant - Great Gourmet Californian cuisine and beautiful vineyard views. - Menu

The Glen Ellen Inn - Unpretentious service with a delicious and well rounded menu which features local California gourmet cuisine and fresh oysters. - Menu

Breakfasts:
The Big 3 - The Big 3 is located on the north corner of the Inn's grounds and has been pleasing customers for over 50 years with its casual bistro atmosphere, hearty country breakfasts and eclectic American cuisine. Our famous Lemon Pancakes, Eggs Benedict, Homemade Macaroni & Cheese and Pizzas are all specialties. The Big 3's outstanding cuisine has resulted in its consistently being a local favorite in Sonoma!

The Fremont Diner - This great local dinner was made famous by the show Dinners, Drive Inns and Dives, on the Food Network. Don.t judge a book by its cover when you pull up. I love the fried chicken and waffles.

Garden Court Cafe - If you love Eggs Benedict this is the place for you!

The Break Away Cafe - This is another popular café located about a mile from the Inn.

Sunflower Café - This great café is very popular with local and visitors alike! They were also recently featured on the Food Network.

Other Dinning Venues -

Napa Wine Train - This is another wonderful option for dinning. They offer a lunch and dinner excursions and different seating options in different train compartments.

ma Valley we recommend: