14 Amazing California Winery Experiences
Posted August 21, 2019
Excellent wine is just the beginning. California wineries tend to have fascinating stories—from their techniques to their architecture or the winemakers themselves, whether they are upstarts or a family operation several generations in the making, September is California Wine Month, and we can't think of a better way to celebrate—during September, or any month of the year—than to plan a trip to a few destination wineries, spanning from Paso Robles up to Sonoma County and Napa Valley. Check out these 14 worthy options, gathered by the editors of Afar, which offer fascinating tours, thoughtfully crafted bites, and glorious Wine Country views.
1
Launched by Tom and Judy Beckmen—pioneers in the electronic music business—this winery in the Santa Ynez Valley near Los Olivos focuses on Rhône varietals and has two estate vineyards. Swing by to taste or bring your own picnic and nab a gazebo. For a more in-depth experience, reserve a private tour with a customized wine tasting flight paired with cheese and charcuterie.
2
Romantics may be drawn to thi winery for its origin story. Sixth-generation French winemaker Guillaume Fabre promised his love, Solène, their own “clos,” or enclosed vineyard, in the New World if she would come along with him to put down roots. Their Paso Robles winery has even been the subject of a documentary, which was a finalist in the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Today Clos Solène produces 11 different wines (mostly Rhône and Cabernet Sauvignon blends), each with its own identity and vineyard site. A year ago, the boutique winery purchased an estate property in the Willow Creek District that has become the new home to Clos Solène Estate—complete with a winery, vineyard, and tasting room.
3
Only five miles from the Pacific Ocean, Folktale Winery lives up to its name: The Old World French-style château appears like a castle from childhood fables amid the vineyards and oak trees. Like many winemakers in the area, Folktale focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but its wines stand out for their bright acidic style and the minerality of the terroir. Its restaurant serves such seasonally inspired small plates as brie and pear bruschetta, shared plates (the crispy octopus is a local favorite), salads, and cheese or charcuterie boards—but save room for the wine ice cream pops, made of Rosé or Grenache.
4
This is one of the first wineries on the drive from San Francisco into wine country. Visit this gorgeous, open-concept tasting room in a refurbished barn with its panoramic vistas of Carneros and San Pablo Bay and enjoy winemaker Jeff Gaffner’s single-vineyard designate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs matched perfectly with seasonal small bites from executive chef Taylr Benham Cuneo. The most popular tasting is called “Palate Play,” which marries five wines with five dishes from the kitchen.
5
This small-production and boutique winery near downtown Sonoma has achieved cult status in recent years for the exclusivity of the experiences that owners (and brothers) Andrew and Adam Mariani have put together. Standard tastings run about 90 minutes and include four current-release wines paired with four food courses served family-style. Tastings unfold on open-air patios or in one of the many rooms of the circa-1858 hacienda. Insider tip: Reserve ahead of time (perhaps weeks in advance, especially in summer). Most visits don’t include tours, but if you book an early morning tasting midweek, you might get the chance to explore the hacienda before the formal visit begins.
6
This winery’s downtown Napa location is more of a nightclub than a tasting salon, complete with leather couches, a huge vinyl collection, a recording studio in the back, and a small stage for live music near the front window. In short, it’s a great spot to kick back with friends while you sip sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Rosé, and Cabernet. The winery is the brainchild of John and Michele Truchard (their initials form the name), Napa natives who also own the more upscale label John Anthony. Their goal with JaM is simple: to make decent, affordable, and approachable wines that everyone likes to drink. JaM is the leading sponsor of Napa’s BottleRock music festival every year.
7
With mid-century modern architecture and vinyl on the turntable, Ashes & Diamonds is not your typical Napa winery. Yet for Kashy Khaledi, the son of Darioush Khaledi (the man behind Darioush Winery), the new digs make perfect sense. The younger Khaledi cut his teeth for the past decade in the music business, with a job at Capitol Records then in 2016 decided to make the leap back into the family business of wine. Tastings (some of which include food pairings) are held in the lounge, at the tasting bar, or on an expansive outdoor patio overlooking the vineyards. The “A&D Experience” features an elaborate five-course meal.
8
The country-style NOMAD Heritage Library at Stewart Cellars’ downtown Yountville tasting room has the look and feel of a worldly traveler’s living room: It’s full of books. Rumor has it the titles are tomes that owner Michael Stewart loves and cherishes, and the books are available for guests to read during their time on-site. The Library hosts private and exclusive Heritage Tastings, allowing guests to sample an amazing selection of older-vintage Cabernets from consulting winemaker Paul Hobbs.
9
It’s hard to ponder the growth of Napa Valley without thinking of Silver Oak. The cult-favorite Oakville winery has been producing some of the region’s best Cabernet Sauvignon since the 1970s, and after more than 40 years, the majority of what the place makes remains Cabernet. Silver Oak recently opened a second facility in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, near Healdsburg.
10
Yes, this Napa Valley-based agricultural operation sells wine. But what sets Round Pond apart from just about every other Napa Valley winery is its olive mill. Through tours and tastings, visitors get an intriguing behind-the-scenes look into the world of olive oil. Most wine tastings at Round Pond occur on the second-story tasting lounge and covered terrace, a space with panoramic views of the estate and the palm-lined driveway. To combine both sides of the house, try the Il Pranzo tasting, which includes wine and food on the winery side and olive oil and food on the olive mill side. Or book a spot at the weekly garden-to-table brunch, a four-hour experience that includes a tour, a harvesting session in the winery garden, a cooking class, and a farm-to-table meal served in the garden itself.
11
The perspective from Gary Farrell Winery, on the outskirts of Healdsburg, is distinctive. Perched high on a ridge above Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, you get a sense of the fog that makes this growing region so perfect—the clouds trap cool air and moisture down below, enabling Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes to mature slowly. This general understanding of the microclimate only enhances your enjoyment of the wine itself, which winemaker Theresa Heredia has made with a deft touch since 2012. (Gary Farrell himself—a true pioneer of Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley—hasn’t been involved in day-to-day operations since he sold the winery to the Vincraft Group in 2004.) Reservations are suggested.
12
Entering this reservations-only winery may feel like a walking into a wine barrel—and that’s by design. The architects incorporated wood from old redwood wine tanks for a more authentic feel. Wine lovers call the facility the “Palace of Pinot” because it’s where the label’s legendary Pinot Noir is blended. Indeed, it's home to the first Wine Enthusiast 100-point Pinot Noir in North America; the winery also makes Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and a host of late-harvest wines as well. Technically, you have to join the winery’s list to schedule a visit, and in busy years it can take up to nine months to have the option to get on the calendar. But if you love the subtlety of Bordeaux-style wines, the upscale experience is well worth the wait.
13
Visitors to this modern Russian River Valley winery receive a personal greeting and a glass of sparkling wine as they walk up—an appropriate welcome for a relaxed-yet-sophisticated few hours. Most tastings take place in the comfortable and airy Estate House, where all guests enjoy seated tastings under soaring wood ceilings, or outside, on one of three patio terraces overlooking 13 acres of vineyards. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Mount St. Helena, more than 40 miles east. Some tastings feature only wine; others incorporate a tour and food and chocolate pairings. Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen specializes in Bordeaux-style varieties, which means she only makes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
14
A former professional dancer, Rodney Strong opened this pioneering winery in 1959. Today, sample wines in the traditional tasting room or at the outdoor Terrace, overlooking vineyards, where you can choose from wine flights or wine-and-food pairings that include cheese, charcuterie, and poached lobster. Pro tip: Be sure to ask your server for a special pour of single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon or some of the winery’s popular Port. The winery also offers free guided tours daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
