Culinary Wine Tour
2 Day Sonoma Country Sample Itinerary
(Mix or Match)
Day One:
Spring Hill Cheese - Petaluma. A herd of 400 Jersey cows provides the milk for Spring Hill Jersey Cheese's growing line of farmstead cheeses. Smaller than Holsteins, (the archetypal black- and white- cow), which produce a greater quantity yield, the milk of Jersey cows contains a higher butter fat, resulting in an incomparable rich, creamy flavor. Because of its low quantity yield, the Jersey is no longer common in most commercial dairy operations. Larry Peter began his dairy in 1987, and started producing Spring Hill Jersey Cheese in 1998. The homestead, artisan cheese produced by Spring Hill is made entirely from the milk of pasture-grazed Jersey cows.
Roche Carneros Winery – Sonoma/Carneros. You're invited to enjoy the views of Carneros and enjoy the history of the Carneros region and Roche winery. Horseback riding and wagon rides are available with advance appointments through Wine Country Trailrides.
Viansa Winery – Sonoma/Carneros. Guests are invited into an underground barrel-aging cellar to hear the story of how Viansa Winery blended state-of-the-art California winemaking technology with classic Italian techniques to produce world-class Italian varietals. Visit their international marketplace and then enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking Viansa's 90 acre waterfowl preserve.
Wine Blending at Ravenswood Winery - Sonoma.The classic California "field blend" consists of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane combined in percentages determined by the winemaker for that vintage. You can try your hand at blending these three wines in the proportion your palate prefers — then take home a 375-ml bottle of the results to amaze (and hopefully impress) your friends.
or
Picnic/Box Lunch at Winery of Choice
Jack London Village - Glen Ellen - Visit the historical village of Glen Ellen. While there taste hand made truffles at Wine Country Chocolates and sample artisan cheeses at Raymond Co.-The Cheese Mongers.
Benziger Winery - Glen Ellen – Several times a day the Massey 375 tractor pulls a tram of visitors through our Sonoma estate vineyards, gardens and wildlife sanctuaries for a 45-minute adventure in winegrowing. Along the way, we stop for visitors to take a closer look at the vines, learn more about our site-specific farming practices and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. The Sonoma Mountain winery tour includes a visit to our underground estate caves and a tasting of our wines in the Glen Ellen tasting room.
Lodging in Santa Rosa
Day Two:
Chateau St Jean – Kenwood. Select from several classes offered to groups with reservations.
Come to Your Senses This tasting is designed to enlighten your senses to the many fascinating organic compounds that exist in wines. Our Wine Educator will help you identify, describe and remember the complex aromas and flavors in wine
Dynamics of Food & Wine Experience a cutting edge approach to keeping food and wine in balance, and learn the culinary tools that all the great chefs know. This class is a must for all who are passionate about wine & food.
Winemakers Blending A rare and fantastic opportunity to become a “Winemaker For A Day”. Experience the challenge of evaluating and blending four component wines and creating a blend to compete in the "Best Blend" Taste-off. This is a great team-building exercise and great for small groups (4 person minimum).
Matanzas Creek Winery - Santa Rosa.The Winery Estate property is now home to six lavender gardens with over 4,500 lavender plants that represent unique design themes intended to complement the natural beauty and elements that surround the area allocated to the garden. Strategically designed and planted our gardens do gracefully appear as seemingly random drifts of native grasses, wildflowers and trees. For culinary applications, Matanzas Creek Winery currently produces Provence lavender flowers and seeds, herbs de Provence (a mix of marjoram, savory, basil, rosemary, and thyme), grilling “straw” and lavender tea. 2005 plans include the development of additional lavender-influenced culinary products.
Korbel Champagne Cellars- Guerneville. – Lunch and tour in the heart of the historic Russian River Valley, near the majestic ancient redwood groves of Armstrong Woods State Reserve and the scenic wonder of the Pacific Coastline, the estate is a showcase of the heritage and the history of winemaking in North America. More than 2,000 acres of rolling hills are host to the Korbel vineyards, growing a variety of grapes including Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and the special Pinot Noir that makes Korbel Champagne one of the most sought after in the world. Enjoy an extended tour of the famous Korbel Champagne Cellars, where you can see up close how champagne is made. Included in the tour is complimentary tastes of Korbel’s finest (for age 21 & over). The Korbel Wine Shop and Tasting Room features Korbel champagnes, wines and brandies. The gift shop presents treasures of wine country, including unique glassware, pottery, cookbooks and wine accessories. After your tour, enjoy culinary delights at the Korbel Delicatessen, stroll through the Korbel Rose Garden Tour, and celebrate the spectacular land that is California Wine Country.
Kendall Jackson Winery- Santa Rosa.The magnificent Château at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center sits on 120 acres in the center of Sonoma Country. Experience the charm, romance and flavors of the wine country all right here. Tour our culinary and sensory gardens, explore our viticulture exhibit or picnic in the shade of our 100-year-old walnut grove. Naturally, you won’t want to miss a stop in our tasting room, where our knowledgeable staff and extended family welcome you.
Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve – Guerneville. This 805-acre park features a magnificent grove of ancient redwoods, a large outdoor amphitheater, self-guided nature trails and a variety of picnic facilities. During the 1880's, this area was set aside as a "natural park and botanical garden" by Colonel James Armstrong, an early-day lumber man who recognized the beauty and natural value of the forests he harvested. Today, the ancient redwood forest within the park is the largest remaining old-growth redwood forest in Sonoma County. It is a living reminder of the magnificent primeval redwood forest that covered much of this area before logging operations began during the 19th century.
Catered Lunch or Box Lunch at Winery of Choice
In lieu of Chateau St. Jean try Chalk Hill Winery:
Chalk Hill Winery - Santa Rosa. Chalk Hill is a ruggedly beautiful 1,200 acre estate. Surrounded by heritage oak woodlands and natural riparian streams, a scant 292 vineyard acres meander— a patchwork of 60 different small vineyards, each dedicated to producing distinctive wines of elegance and power. Here artisans of the vineyard and cellar collaborate to handcraft wines that reflect the vibrant and diverse character of the Chalk Hill Estate.
Estate Tour 1 ½ hours Your tour will begin with a discussion of the varied terrain and terroir of our 1,200-acre estate, the Chalk Hill appellation, and our unique history and approach to viticulture. You’ll explore our hillside vineyards and park and participate in a lively exchange on winemaking and wine appreciation. This tour includes tastings of our current wines. Available by appointment Monday through Friday at 10 am and 3 pm, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday at 1pm. $15 per person.
Culinary Tour 2 ½ hours Your afternoon will begin by touring the Furth family’s private culinary garden where organically-farmed produce is the inspiration for Executive Chef Didier Ageorges’ culinary artistry. Following a brief excursion through the vineyards, you will arrive at the Pavilion— a conservatory overlooking the Furth’s equestrian center with panoramic views of the Chalk Hill valley. There, you will enjoy a sit-down tasting of our wines paired with several small plates prepared by Chef Didier. Available by appointment Monday, Thursday, or Friday at 2:30 pm. $40 per person.
Winery Tasting
1 hour. Meet at our winery tasting room to experience our estate wines and learn about the history, terroir and new release wines of Chalk Hill Estate. By appointment Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $10 per person.
Kowalski Farms – Forestville. Kozlowski Farms is one of the oldest family owned and operated farms in Sonoma County, California. Established in 1949, Carmen and Tony Kozlowski began their journey into creating the finest homemade jams, jellies and bakery treats in Carmen's home kitchen.
Instead of dinner on own, try free time and dinner in Sebastopol:
Town of Sebastopol - The group may enjoy an afternoon of shopping in the town of Sebastopol, located just West of Santa Rosa. Specialty shops and restaurants line 3 blocks of Main Street, just 10 minutes South of Kowalski Farms.
Lodging in Santa Rosa or Sebastopol