Restaurant and Winery Recs in Sonoma?

[Swicks]

Hey all,

I will be heading up to the Sonoma Area with my family for a few days after Christmas and wanted some sage advice from all of you here.

Looking for a few restaurant and winery recs for the area. We will probably be in the Healdsburg area predominantly and most likely staying in Santa Rosa. We are red wine people mostly (Pinot and Zin) but also some non-Chardonnay white. Would love to hit some smaller, less touristy special winerys as well.

As far as restaurants go, I have read about Cyrus, and would love to hit it if we can get a reservation on this late of notice, but some other recommendations would be very much apprciated.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

[dvs]

here's my recent thread on the topic...

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=96264

also, see :

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=94641

and

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=67418&hl=

[melkor]

Be sure to go to the Generals Daughter while you're in Sonoma.

[Swicks]

Thanks guys, I went through some of the old threads and found some useful info.

If you had to choose one special meal is general's daughter better than say Cyrus or Farmhouse Inn?

Thanks again!

[syrah girl]

I have been to both General's Daughter and Farmhouse Inn, tough decision. I believe Farmhouse Inn was recently Michelin rated as was Cyrus which is on the top of our list of places to try this Spring. I think I would go with the Farmhouse Inn. Aside from the food being outstanding, the service and ambiance are also very, very good. It's kind of unique, being a bit far removed and off the beaten path. We also enjoyed the Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg.

Other places we enjoy in Sonoma include girl and the fig, El Dorado Kitchen, Swiss Hotel, The Harmony Club and Cafe La Haye. The Sonoma Mission Inn has a great bistro/cafe called Big 3 Diner if you wanted some great lemon pancakes, it is actually in Boyes Hot Springs, about a 5 minute drive from downtown Sonoma.

Lots of great places to wine taste in Sonoma, Gundlach-Bundschu is very good, Sebastiani, Ledson, Kenwood, BR Kohn, Kunde, Chateau St. Jean are some of our favorites in the area. Merry Christmas!

[Swicks]

Thanks so much Syrah Girl. Being a "syrah girl" What is your favorite vinter for Syrah in that area?

[samgiovese]

If you're looking for Zins, don't miss the Dry Creek Valley just west of Healdsburg. Small wineries and GREAT wines!!

Edited December 21, 2006 by samgiovese (log)

[syrah girl]

We really prefer the Paso region for Syrah, but Kunde in Sonoma does a nice Syrah and there is Matzanas Creek in the Santa Rosa region that also makes good Syrah. A nice place to taste is the Castle tasting room, right off of the Sonoma Plaza, they also do a pretty nice Syrah there.

Two years ago we made our first batch of Syrah, thus the screen name. We are now aging Alicante Bouschet, we picked the grapes ourselves at a local vineyard in Sanger called Sequoia View Vineyard. These wines are sold in fine restaurants in our area. Merry Christmas!

[weinoo]

I want to throw in my $.02, as we just recently vacationed in Healdsburg...Cyrus was great (with some amazing cocktails as well) as was the Dry Creek Kitchen. We really enjoyed tasting at Everett Ridge (nice Syrah, btw) and Michel-Schlumberger, both off West Dry Creek Road in the Dry Creek Valley - as noted above, 10 minutes or so west of Healdsburg.

[markh]

Just south of Gary Farrell on Westside Road is a winery by the name of Porter Creek. It's off the beaten path and well worth a visit.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Just south of Gary Farrell on Westside Road is a winery by the name of Porter Creek. It's off the beaten path and well worth a visit.

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Couldn't agree more -- they are one of the few wineries who produce a 100% Carignane and the case I bought was drank far too quickly.