HELP! What Sonoma Winery to Visit????

My daughter Karn, who many of you know, is called to Sonoma tomorrow for business, and wants to know which winery would be the best to visit. Karn likes wine, and loves MoCOOL, but is not very knowledgeable about wine making, and would love to visit a winery that gives good tours, and has a (modestly priced) tasting room. Any suggestions? She will be staying right in the town of Sonoma at the Best Western.

Well, OW, I kind of like Cline Cellars and across the way is Jacuzzi which has some very nice architecture, views, and olive oil tasting in addition to the wine. Cline has some lovely gardens which should be fairly resplendent at this time of year and an aviary as well as a California mission museum. Roche isn't bad either and, as long as you're in that neck of the woods, you can hit Viansa, have a sandwich and look at the wetlands. All these wineries along with Gloria Ferrer champagne and Schug are located on the southern end of Arnold Drive, a.k.a. as SR121. But there are others, too. I just like the compact nature of this route. As to tours, they ain't what they used to be. Tell your daughter to stop in at Angelo's Wine Country Deli for some samples of jerky if she's down that way.

There's a nice museum at Bartholomew Park in which she can learn a little about the lore surrounding Agoston Haraszthy. And you can take a nice walk in the woods there, too.

There's just too much and I'm sure I'll click "submit" and think of more.

O.W.,

Ravenswood offers a very educational guided walking tour as well as free tastings afterwards in both their barrel room and tasting bar.

My daughter Karn, who many of you know, is called to Sonoma tomorrow for business, and wants to know which winery would be the best to visit. Karn likes wine, and loves MoCOOL, but is not very knowledgeable about wine making, and would love to visit a winery that gives good tours, and has a (modestly priced) tasting room. Any suggestions? She will be staying right in the town of Sonoma at the Best Western.

OW, it is good to see your name on the forum again, where have you been all winter. I suppose you wintered on the med, and played poker and blackjack in the casino on Monaco.

I agree with Gary. Driving up from the south, Cline and Roche (who only sell their wines at the winery, or by mail-order) are worth a visit. Schug is one of the hidden gems of Sonoma. Viansa is a good stop for the food; less so for the wines, IMO.

Ravenswood is also a good tasting stop. Haven't done the tour there, so can't comment on it.

What I usually do is to get one of the tourist maps that shows where the wineries are, pick a road that has a bunch of wineries located on it, then visit each place that's open. You inevitably get some disappointments this way, but that's more than made up by the surprises from wineries you'd otherwise never have thought to visit.

-Paul W.

Thank you all. I have forwarded all of this to Karn, who leaves tomorrow morning.
And Bob, I've not been in the med, just down here in FL with a torn up house undergoing complete renovation, limited and sporadic internet connectivity, and lots of dirt and dust.
-ow

Thank you all. I have forwarded all of this to Karn, who leaves tomorrow morning.
And Bob, I've not been in the med, just down here in FL with a torn up house undergoing complete renovation, limited and sporadic internet connectivity, and lots of dirt and dust.
-ow

OW, I would have thought that you had "people" for this sort of thing.

Thank you all. I have forwarded all of this to Karn, who leaves tomorrow morning.
And Bob, I've not been in the med, just down here in FL with a torn up house undergoing complete renovation, limited and sporadic internet connectivity, and lots of dirt and dust.
-ow

OW, I would have thought that you had "people" for this sort of thing.

I don't, but fortunately Beth does. Unfortunately, I am Beth's people.......

I don't, but fortunately Beth does. Unfortunately, I am Beth's people.......

LOL! Hey are you familiar with Left Foot Charley wines. Made in TVC by Bryan Ulbrich. Bryan was the wine maker at Peninsula Cellars until he went out on his own. I Got lucky enough to get hold one bottle of Bryan's blend that he call Murmur, and man it rocked. Of course it is all sold out and he doesn't ship so I can't get on a mailing list. Maybe I can get Geo T to get some and hold it for me when Bryan releases the 2007. Here is a link the Left Foot Charley if you would like to check it out. http://www.leftfootcharley.com/index.php

I don't, but fortunately Beth does. Unfortunately, I am Beth's people.......

LOL! Hey are you familiar with Left Foot Charley wines. Made in TVC by Bryan Ulbrich. Bryan was the wine maker at Peninsula Cellars until he went out on his own. I Got lucky enough to get hold one bottle of Bryan's blend that he call Murmur, and man it rocked. Of course it is all sold out and he doesn't ship so I can't get on a mailing list. Maybe I can get Geo T to get some and hold it for me when Bryan releases the 2007. Here is a link the Left Foot Charley if you would like to check it out. http://www.leftfootcharley.com/index.php

Yesn Bob. I know Brian and his wines well - even took some to NiagaraCoola couple of years ago. He and the Lesters of Wyncroft are, IMHO, Michigan's best.