Ready to experience the most magical part of wine country? Look no further than the gem that is Sonoma County. Craving wine? You can get that here with options spanning more than 425 wineries ranging from rustic to regal. Hike among towering redwoods, cruise along rugged Pacific coastline and get to know inviting towns. Just 45 minutes away from San Francisco, this region of California is welcoming to all.
I’m sharing my must-visits and must-do’s for a long weekend in this amazing place. Lucky for Dallas, we now have a direct flight from DFW to Santa Rosa as of this summer. How amazing is that? If you’re not able to do just that, you can make the short jaunt from SFO but direct really is the way to go. On our first day in Healdsburg, we venture to many wineries that make the region great. Starting with an amazing tasting with James and Kerry MacPhail at Tongue Dancer Wines. I highly recommend starting your visit with Tongue Dancer as we learned so much during our time. The tasting room was beautiful and we sampled delicious Pinot Noir, Rosé and Chardonnay. Don’t miss it!
Next, we found our way to Moshin Vineyards. The Moshin Estate is comprised of four vineyards, all planted along Westside Road at the southwestern border of the Middle Reach neighborhood of the Russian River Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area). This classic neighborhood is known for producing textured wines with ripe flavors and gentle aromatics of florals, earth, and baking spices — elements you’ll find in the various styles of Moshin Vineyards Pinot Noir. We visited with Rick Moshin and even had a chance to picnic with the Moshin team among the vineyards. What a treat! After lunch, our final tasting of the day was Fogline Vineyards. Launched in 2009, Fogline makes small lots of Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah and Chardonnay. Evan Pontoriero and Brent Bessire believe that mountain fruit grown above the fog line creates more balanced, focused wines. I couldn’t agree more after the superb tasting Evan lead us through.
If you must make it to one winery while you are in Sonoma, my favorite hands down was Jordan Winery. From the opulent and pristine surroundings and accommodations to the people and wine itself, this place is paradise. Jordan is proud to be family-owned and operated since 1972 and it shows. We were lucky enough to join head winemaker Maggie Kruse for the Bounty of Sonoma Dinner. This al fresco wine dinner party began with a reception featuring Jordan Cuvée by Champagne AR Lenoble and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a multicourse dinner by their head chef, featuring deliciously fresh ingredients sourced either from the garden, local farms and a few surprises from outside the area. Each course was prepared with a combination of traditional French and modernist cooking techniques and paired with a specific vintage of Jordan, beginning with Chardonnay before moving into vintages of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon. The evening concluded with a dessert reception and coffee in the Jordan dining room. Heaven!
Day two meant more tasting and we began at the famous Dry Creek Vineyard. After a tour by our awesome guide Darren, we tasted our way through their spectacular portfolio and even decided upon a few great finds to take home with us. Why not! A quick pit stop at bustling Dry Creek General Store, another killer tasting at Ridge Vineyards and we ended with my favorite on day two, Seghesio. Seghesio Family Vineyards, a leader in crafting Zinfandel and Italian heritage wines that embody Sonoma County, has been around through 5 generations and 120 years. It quickly became apparent that whenever this wine was on the menu, we had to order it! It’s that good.
A trip to Healdsburg isn’t complete without a visit to the exquisite Valette in downtown. Valette was born from two brothers’ lifelong dream of creating a unique dining experience in their hometown of Healdsburg. The goal is to provide a canvas for local farmers, winemakers and artisans to showcase their crafts. What we discovered is so much more than that with their must-order 5-course ‘Trust me’ Tasting menu. I am still dreaming about that meal and you will too after it’s (sadly) over.
Just a three hour plane ride from Dallas lies a garden of good eats, unbelievable vineyards and places that you’ve never experienced the likes of before. So when you need an escape or just a reason to celebrate life, visit Sonoma County.
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