Favorite Winery

[melkor]

There are hundreds of winerys in California, yet most people have a favorite - what's yours?

When I have guests in town we always seem to end up at Joeseph Phelps for their patio tasting. Almost every wine they make is good, several are excellent and the view from the patio is outstanding. There are other wineries I love to visit, but Phelps would be the one I'd go to if I only had time to visit one.

[Jim]

Since I lived in Marin County until this last Dec., I've had numerous opportunities to visit Napa and Sonoma wineries. My favorite is Artesa. [ http://www.artesawinery.com/ ] in the Carneros region. It is set off among the vinyards in a berm facility at the top of a hill with wonderful views of the vineyards and of the north end of San Francisco bay. The tasting room is staffed by exceptionally friendly folks and, if you join the wine club, you taste for free! Oh, yes, the wine is great as well.

[winesonoma]

Frank family winery in the old Hans Kornell building on Larkmead lane St Helena. Great wine and people. also Gundlach-Bundschu in Sonoma (take the hike to the top of the hill).

[Malik]

I like Phelps a lot, I think that they do have one of the best tasting programs. I usually try to start off the day with either Domaine Carneros or Domaine Chandon when I have out of town visitors, as they have beautiful domaines and the methode champenoise vinification makes for an interesting tour. I've heard good things about Artesa and Pride, especially for the views, but haven't had a chance to make it out to either yet.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Just returned from Santa Cruz, California, in late January and was very enthusiastic about my visit to Bonny Doon Wineries tasting rooms!

The selections offered and the explanations about their production made for a most memorable afternoon:

http://www.smallwinemakers.ca/BonnyDoon.html

Their eisweins were marvelous.... bought a bottle of Poire Eau de Vie that would double as a second furnace in my basement ...and I loved their Framboise! Did buy the t-shirt, as the saying goes, because their labels on the shirts (and bottles!) are hysterically clever!

http://www.theprintgallery.net/Bonny%20Doon.html

Edited February 17, 2004 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[ludja]

I already see a few of my favorites--Joseph Phelps, Gundlach Bundschu and Bonny Doon.

Another favorite is Ridge Winery; especially their tasting room in Cupertino, on top of the Santa Cruz Mountains. They always have great wines to taste and on a nice day you have spectacular views of the bay, the valley and can even see SF. Nice picnic area up there to enjoy a picnic and some wine also. (But not too much wine, the drive down is steep and curvy. )

ridge winery

[Gifted Gourmet]

I already see a few of my favorites--Joseph Phelps, Gundlach Bundschu and Bonny Doon.

Another favorite is Ridge Winery; especially their tasting room in Cupertino, on top of the Santa Cruz Mountains. They always have great wines to taste and on a nice day you have spectacular views of the bay, the valley and can even see SF. Nice picnic area up there to enjoy a picnic and some wine also. (But not too much wine, the drive down is steep and curvy. )

ridge winery

Re: the steep curvy drive down from the mountains in that area .. we took a "designated driver" with us for that very reason!!

Will try the one in Cupertino the next time I visit the area! Thanks for the tip!

[ludja]

I already see a few of my favorites--Joseph Phelps, Gundlach Bundschu and Bonny Doon. 

Another favorite is Ridge Winery; especially their tasting room in Cupertino, on top of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  They always have great wines to taste and on a nice day you have spectacular views of the bay, the valley and can even see SF.  Nice picnic area up there to enjoy a picnic and some wine also.  (But not too much wine, the drive down is steep and curvy.  )

ridge winery

Re: the steep curvy drive down from the mountains in that area .. we took a "designated driver" with us for that very reason!!

Will try the one in Cupertino the next time I visit the area! Thanks for the tip!

True---a lot of great Santa Cruz Mountain Wineries (David Bruce, Storrs, in addition to Bonny Doon and Ridge) but a designated driver is definately necessary!

[KatieLoeb]

I've heard good things about Artesa and Pride, especially for the views, but haven't had a chance to make it out to either yet.

The architechture at Artesa is worth the trip alone. And yes the views are spectacular

Take the whole tour of the facility HERE The wines aren't too shabby either. A glass of their sparkling wine out on that terrace is a truly civilizing experience.

Do I really only have to pick ONE favorite?? I had such great experiences at so many different wineries! Here's just my few faves in Napa:

I love Robert Sinskey for the Koi pond out in front and the unbelievable Pinot Noirs.

I enjoyed Merryvale because the tour was incredibly informative, the tasting class was fabulous, and the cask room is just exquisite:

Getting a taste of the Merryvale Profile isn't a bad thing either.

I had a great time at Havens winery because I got a personal tour of the vineyards and got to meet Michael Havens (and his cool dog) playing mad scientist that afternoon. What a great opportunity to pick his brain a bit. The Havens Bourriquot is one of the most delicious red wines I've ever tasted.

Chateau Montelena has a breathtakingly beautiful Japanese garden and pond behind it. You can stroll along and watch the turtles sunning themselves on logs sticking up out of the water. Lots of ducks. Big assed Koi in their pond too.

Niebaum-Coppola has a beautiful building and grounds and how did they get that car up on the second floor anyway? A very nice tasting room and really interesting movie memorabilia.

Grgich Hills has an excellent selection of wines in their tasting room. The Violetta dessert wine is scrumptious, as are their Chardonnays.

OK - I can't pick one. And this doesn't even count the places I visited in Sonoma!

[rshorens]

I like Healdsburg/Russian River/Dry Creek areas a lot, especially Preston and Pezzi-King because they have the most wonderful picnic areas. Navarro in Mendocino area/Anderson Valley has wonderful wines and is in a beautiful area too.

Roz

[Dwane Hahn]

My wife and I are taking a tour in May of Sonoma/Napa with George Stone of Napa Valley Chauffeurs. He has recommended Regusci, Schramsberg, Rombauer, Plumpjack, & Del Dotto. What are the thoughts out there on these wineries and Napa Valley Chauffeurs???

Edited February 17, 2004 by Dwane Hahn (log)

[KatieLoeb]

My wife and I are taking a tour in May of Sonoma/Napa with George Stone of Napa Valley Chauffeurs.  He has recommended Regusci, Schramsberg, Rombauer, Plumpjack, & Del Dotto.  What are the thoughts out there on these wineries and Napa Valley Chauffeurs???

Plumpjack is one I inadvertantly left off my list. They're VERY nice there. The tasting is a grouping of four or five wines and you're encouraged to go walking about or go sit outside in the sunshine with your glass if you like. "Don't worry - we'll remember where you were in the series..." Quite a laid back place and very helpful and well spoken staff in the tasting room. I recall their riesling as being particularly noteworthy.

Schramsberg has lovely sparkilng wines. The demi-sec is a personal favorite.

Del Dotto is owned by a former dot.com real estate tycoon that made boatloads of cash selling real estate in Hawaii to the invading Japanese investors. He liked wine so he bought himself a winery. I've never tried the products but the story is certainly interesting.

[Annie Girl]

Well, if you go to Rabbit Ridge near Healdsburg (sp?) and ask "How much is the tasting?", they will say something swell like "This ain't Napa lady!" and will give you a swell time.

Also, you can hope to get "Chris" on the tram tour at Benzinger (which is, unfortunately, in Napa, but wonderful nevertheless).

Also, don't miss Artessa right on the line, a gorgeous destination/art museum type of place with wine that are incredible.

And just to make it perfect, be sure you stay a long weekend at Madrona Manor in Healdsberg and enjoy the jazz on the porch!

Okay - so this was on my honeymoon, but I'd do it all over again!!!!

[Carolyn Tillie]

also Gundlach-Bundschu in Sonoma (take the hike to the top of the hill).

Thank you!

Before moving here, GB was a favorite of ours and is one of the reasons I wanted to be in the industry. No matter how bit my "career" gets, I will still moonlight a day or two a month at GunBun!

[ludja]

I like Healdsburg/Russian River/Dry Creek areas a lot, especially Preston and Pezzi-King because they have the most wonderful picnic areas. Navarro in Mendocino area/Anderson Valley has wonderful wines and is in a beautiful area too.

Roz

Preston is one of my favorite places for a picnic lunch; so beautful with the old walnut trees, white clapboard buildings, flowers and plenty of kitties to keep you company. I've always liked their wines too--including interesting rhone varietals. The last time I was there (~ 6 months ago we were a little disappointed in some of the wines we tasted--maybe my tastebuds were off).

I'll need to check out Pezzi-King; have never been there or tasted their wines. I don't know what wines they are known for.

I did make it up to the Mendocino area for the first time this past summer and I also loved Navarro--all their wines including their Gewurtztraminer, an incredible dry Rose and dessert wines. Had a picnic lunch there also and it is lovely. This was my favorite winery up in Mendocino; laid back, friendly and great wines.

[melkor]

It's great to see how varied our favorites are. I'm surprised no-one has mentioned and of the less traveled wineries in Santa Barbara or Paso Robles.

[ludja]

I've only been down to Central Coast wineries about three times, but one of my favorites is Sanford Winery. Nice Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. friendly and knowledgable pourers and a lovely tasting room in a charming wooden structure built by the owners. A beautiful drive to the tasting room also; you wind through meadows on a small road. It is a very picturesque setting and the wines are good.

To add another region... haven't been to Livermore for awhile, but always had fun at Fenestra. The tasting room is (or at least used to be?) in a an old farm-type building and often the owner and winemaker or his wife would be manning the tasting room. They usually had a large number of wines; most seemed to be best for drinking sooner rather than later. The winemaker is a retired chemistry professor from SJ State, so we always had a good time discussing some of the scientific aspects of winemaking.

[melkor]

There's also Amador county and the rest of the Sierra Foothills... Renwood is excellent out that way.

[Carolyn Tillie]

It's great to see how varied our favorites are.  I'm surprised  no-one has mentioned and of the less traveled wineries in Santa Barbara or Paso Robles.

While living Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Paso Robles were the close, weekend-getaways for wine lovers but nothing ever really stood out.

Shawn and I liked Beckmen wineries, but I think it was due more to knowing the Beckmens personally and having been wined and dined by them at one point...

I think all you folks ought to come up to Angwin and visit the winery where I work now! I give private tours and barrel tastings.

I think melkor should attest to what Ladera is, hmmm?????

Edited February 18, 2004 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[melkor]

I think melkor should attest to what Ladera is, hmmm?????

Apparently I should be attesting to what Ladera is....

I was there last week sometime, once the construction is done, the place will be spectacular - The wine they have in barrel is really really good. It's worth a trip up the hill if your up that way, the winery at least at the moment has the feel of the older Napa wineries - it's very laid back, great wine, and not packed full of tourists.

I'm not clear what this has to do with peoples favorite winery, since I already picked Phelps - lets at least pretend to keep this on topic by saying it's Carolyn's favorite winery if for no other reason than she spends 40+ hours a week there.