Taking myself out to a solo dinner treat in Sonoma, I met a lovely Irish couple at my favorite restaurant, The Girl and the Fig. They’re on a whirlwind tour of Sonoma — and lucky or unlucky them — they sat where I could overhear their tour plans. So I had to jump in and tell them the things to see, if you only have a few days in Sonoma.
Sight One was taken care of. They’d had dinner at The Fig, which is my choice for Sonoma’s best restaurant — in spite of the fact that the restaurant at the Sonoma Mission Inn has the Michelin Star. The Fig has a limited, seasonally changing menu featuring all local Sonoma produce, fish, meat and cheese. And a strict Rhone and Rhone style wine policy. Since Rhone is our bag, Baby, at Two Terrier Vineyards, we heartily approve.
The next do-not-miss attraction is the one winery you must go to if you only go to one winery. That would have to be Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen. It pretty much covers all the bases. If you like wine — they’ve got great wine. If you are more interested in organic/biodynamic farming, they are one of the premier proponents and pioneers in biodynamic winemaking. Their tour covers their practices extensively and you can wander through a self-guided garden tour that gives you an overview of what biodynamic winemaking is all about. The regular vineyard tour tells you even more. If you want history, Benziger is surrounded by Jack London State Park and has another self-guided tour that gives you the history of the area and lots of tidbits about the colorful characters who inhabited this vineyard area — one of the oldest in Sonoma. If you couldn’t give a fig for any of this, there are just plain stunning views and fun rides on the biodiesel trams that take you around the valley on the tour. The regular tour is great. But I highly recommend the Partner’s Tour which gets you a more extensive tour and an exclusive tasting of their reserve wines.
If you visit only one Sonoma winery, make it Benziger Family Winery. Hands down, best tour!
To round out the experience, I’d suggest a day just hanging around the Plaza, visiting the old Mission, General Vallejo’s house and the Sonoma State Park. You’ll get a sense of old Spanish/Mexican Sonoma and the many colorful historical figures who traipsed through here — including Joaquin Murrieta, on whom the Zorro legend was based; Mark Twain; Sir George Simpson; and seven foot tall Suisun Chief Solano. If you can manage your Sonoma day on Tuesday when the Farmer’s Market is in session, all the better. If not, “winery hop” through the various tasting rooms around the Plaza and check out some of the unique shops.
There’s always something going on in the Plaza. Could be an Ox Roast, could be this vintage car parade, could be a historical reinactment.
Got extra time and need more relaxing? We’ve got several world-class spas nearby, including the Renaissance Spa, the Spa at the Sonoma Mission Inn and the Kenwood Inn.
There. That will give you a two or three days to remember. Now come on up or over or down. You’ll never find a place as special as Sonoma.
Ask my nieces: The Kenwood Spa rules! So do Sonoma’s other spas.
Now if you’ve got the extra time and you know people who know people, well there’s always a little known, but soon to be world famous winery on the edges of Sonoma I could recommend to you…
Sonoma sounds beautiful. I have an old friend who works at Hunnicutt Wines in Napa, I recently wrote her to say that my husband and I have finally turned into grownups and started to drink wine. I think it would be fun to visit her (and you, if that’s not tom creepy) and to follow your guide. I am not much of a spa girl but I would love the food, wine tasting, historical exploration and tours.
I told a coworker about our baby steps with wine . . . Then I told her we like Sutter Home and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. What can I say? We never claimed to have a sophisticated palate. 😉
I’m not the one at TTV with the sophisticated palate, so my eyes wouldn’t roll. Although I do find wines from smaller Sonoma and Napa vineyards much nicer than those from the big corporations. And I believe Sutter Home actually uses mostly grapes from the Central Valley. But then I’m someone who can be completely swayed by a pretty picture on the label!
You might try Rhone style varietals. They are often not labeled as such but can be identified as various mixes of Syrah, Grenache or Mourvedre. Some names to look for Quivera, Skylark (Grenache), Le Cigar Volant (blend). Or you can try Mathis Grenache. He’s a neighbor and just got his wines into CostCo, so easily findable. I find Rhones smoother and not as oaky and bold as Cabs.
If you are in the ‘hood, by all means give us a shout.
Oh I love the Kenwood Inn!
I totally thought of you last night. I went to a wine tasting for Teira wines. I do believe Daniel Donahoe is a close-ish neighbor to you.
I wanted to drop your name … but then decided, “Oh she’s my friend from the intenetz” was just a little bit more than I wanted to explain.
So I stuck with, “My cousin lives in the city and … and we have a camp in John Muir Woods.” And then promptly forgot the name of “Sausalito” and the crossroads in the city of my cousins place. ‘Cause you know “Scott and Pacific Heights” are SO DIFFICULT to remember. *sigh*
Your travel itinerary is right on! Eclectic, historical, and LOCAL INSPIRED.
I know you’ll find this as a big surprise ;-), but the main attractant to Sonoma for moi would be the once a year soiree that ended this past weekend at the Infineon Raceway. I lurves a road course for racing action!
Jeffro,
It’s a huge deal here. People throw down their wineglasses and head out to the NASCAR events. But then, this isn’t high-toned Napa. This is farm country. And it’s car-crazy farm country. Auto-lite nationals are the next big event.
Mit,
My name would get you absolutely no currency with anyone! We aren’t even bonded yet, so we can only give our wine away to charity events or drink it ourselves. If I wanted to spin that, I could say we were exclusive.
Gorgeous photos as always and good narrative. I was just watching a film about a woman whose garden grew enough for her to help her community and I thought of you.