Sonoma Valley. That’s our valley and the valley you are in. This tour is based on the idea that you shouldn’t zig zag across the valley’s to get to wine you like or wine you had back in your grocery store. This allows more time to lollygag.
Itinerary:
1: Domaine Carneros
Unless you are a Republican you absolutely must start your day drinking champagne and for this you have to go to Domaine. Domaine is in the Carneros appellation of Sonoma in the southern part of Sonoma County and is best known for its Chardonnay’s and Pinot’s but most of all, Domaine has excellent bubbly. It is also a great place to start since it is open early at 10:00 am. Ask the nice people for a wine map, they all give them out. It will be your guide. If you aren’t into bubbly the Pinot Noir called Famous Gate is top shelf.
2: Nicholson Ranch.
These folks have amazing unfiltered chard’s and the friendliest tasting room in either valley and are a very informative bunch. They guy who started the place is named Socrates. They are very close and are a very good value. We were in their club for the better part of 2 years. They have a nice lake, a cool cave and do great tours but it is all about the wine. Unfiltered Chardonnay is very different.
http://www.nicholsonranch.com/
3: lunch
Lunch. It’s only two stops but by now its noon and you will be hungry. Drive into the town of Sonoma which is only 10 minutes away and on the way to the other Sonoma wineries. Sonoma is an old Spanish town, the northern most of the Jesuit missions. It has a central square with several places to eat. El Dorado Kitchen and The Girl and The Fig are at the top of the list. EDK has better outdoor seating. There is shopping around the square as well.
4: Oak Hill
There is a fantastic flower and veggie farm on hwy 12 as you are headed to Kenwood. This place epitomizes the slow life. A must stop. Say hello to Gail
Time to start drinking again:
5: Chateau St Jean
The prettiest winery in the valley is Chateau St Jean. This is in Kenwood, about 15 minutes north of the square and 10 minutes or less from Glen Ellen. It is one of the few wineries where every single wine you taste will be great. There are two tasting rooms, the regular and reserve, I recommend paying the money and going to the reserve room. The staff is very knowledgeable. When you are done tasting, the regular room has quite the gift shop. On a side note, this is also a good place to start since the wines are so damned good. The reserve Merlot is amazing and one of my favorite bottles in the valley.
6: Audelssa: Spectacular. The tasting room is in DT Glen Ellen. Superb staff, exceptional wines. These are the kind of reds that will explode in price over the next 2 years. I recommend pretty much all the reds.
7: Rams Gate.
A new winery on your way home that will force the rest of the wine country to up their game. Finish your day here and get there by 4 or 430 so you can relax before 6p close. Beautiful setting, great building and some of the best food in either valley, bar none. The wine is good, not as good as rest of this tour but good, Rams Gate is more of a cultural touchstone, the essence of the wine country and a restaurant experience more than anything.
beggarsgourmet.com 