We’ve spent quite a few weekends up in Sonoma and Napa area visiting wineries and harvesting grapes as well! I’m not sure how many of you know that I grew up in the town of Sonoma so Wine Country holds a special place in my heart. If I could go up to Wine Country every weekend I would!
A few weekends ago we picked up our wine shipments at Walt Wines and Roger Roessler then headed to BR Cohn. BR Cohn is a beautiful winery nestled in the hills of Sonoma. They have incredible juice and a really gorgeous property. They hosted us for lunch, music and flower crown making which made for such a fun Saturday!
OUTFIT DETAILS: SET BY COTTON CANDY LA VIA BOLLARE / PURSE / HEELS
Photography by Andrew Ross-Perry (and others via Jeff!)
If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw that Jeff and I had the opportunity to help my Dad harvest his Chardonnay vines! He has a few vines on a friend’s property and has recently picked up the hobby of winemaking. This past weekend we went to the vineyard to help him pick and prepare the grapes for this year’s vintage. We picked almost 2,000 pounds of Chardonnay, de-stemmed and then my Dad will go back to crush. Next weekend we are planning to do the same for his Merlot vines. Winemaking is such a complex process, I have a whole new appreciation for sipping wine!
I get quite a few questions on which wineries I would recommend so today I’m sharing my TOP TEN WINERIES IN NAPA & SONOMA. I’ve broken them down and listed my top 5 in Sonoma and top 5 in Napa. It was a hard choice as there are SO many wineries out there today! Also, it totally comes down to preference so what I like may not be the same for others. I’m a huge fan of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir although I have a deep appreciation for all varietals! Below is my top ten at the moment.
SONOMA
- Walt Wines – We have been members of both Hall and Walt Wines for a few years now and can’t seem to give it up! They are sister wineries so with a membership you get access to both wineries. Walt is right off the plaza in Sonoma while Hall is a much bigger facility located in Napa. With this membership we get the best of both worlds. Walt has some of the best full bodies Pinot Noir’s in town! I love their wines, and the staff treats us like family. We always look forward to visiting.
- Three Sticks – Another tasting room off the plaza in Sonoma, but this is not an ordinary tasting room. It is a beautiful experience in a historic adobe building. Another magical experience trying all of their Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs- my favorite! Make sure to head across the street to the Girl and the Fig for a bite to eat!
- Hamel Family Wines – We’ve visited Hamel a few times now and the property is insanely gorgeous! If you have time I highly suggest doing the full tour. They really treat you to a special experience. They have quite a few variatels including Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfindel and a few blends. They are all phenomenal!
- Sojourn Cellars – Another tasting room right off the plaza in Sonoma, Sojourn is known for their highly rated Pinots and Cabs. The high ratings are no joke, they have some good juice! They have a smaller tasting room, reservations required (but worth the wait!)
- BR Cohn – A larger venue, nestled up in Sonoma Mountain BR Cohn is a beautiful estate specializing in wines across the board. They have Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernets and Malbec wines to name a few. The owner managed the Doobie Brother’s for 45 years, so needless to say they have lots of fun events happening at the winery including many concerts, oyster tastings and endless opportunities to picnic and enjoy the beautiful views.
NAPA
- Hall Wines – A sister winery to Walt, Hall is the home of big bold Cabs. We always make a point to stop at Hall when up in Wine Country and have been members for years. They also just started a new label named BACA. I was pleasantly surprised with these Zins. I’m never a fan of zins and these are to die for! Beautiful grounds, amazing people and wine to perfection. Kathryn Hall Cabs are another fave!
- Alpha Omega – When driving down St Helena Hwy in Napa you can’t help but stop at Alpha Omega. The water fountains and beautiful grounds draw you in but the wines make you want to stay all day. We recently joined the membership and look forward to bringing friends to visit each time. We look forward to going to the many member events and sipping on the Proprietary Red and Pinot Noir.
- Stags Leap Wine Cellars – If you’re a cab drinker this is the winery for you. The property has wonderful views of the Napa hills, with a great outdoor seating area overlooking their vineyards. Stags Leap really shines in its reds and its service. We became wine club members awhile back because we’re such big fans of their Cask23. They really make celebratory dinners memorable.
- Brasswood – We made a reservation on a tasting of Napa pass and were pleasantly surprised enough to call this one a favorite! They make elegant wines, cook delicious food and create a warm space for guests to sit back and relax. We really enjoyed our time and will be back many more.
- Chandon – If you love sparkling wine, you must check out Chandon. They have some tasty bubbly and another beautiful property. For me, ambiance is everything (I’m sure you can see from the above choices)! Chandon is a refreshing stop among the sea of big bold cabs in Napa Valley.
Jeff is a huge wine guy, and not only looks for new wineries to explore but also wines to invest in. A few others that we love are Dana Estates, Nickel and Nickel, Scarecrow and Bond. Those being on the higher end, we also love to find the best bang for our buck. Roger Roessler Black Pine Pinot Noir is that bang. We joined the Black Pine membership (3 bottles every 2 months) for a steal! Black Pine is one of my favorite Pinot Noir and with the membership the wine is less than $20 a bottle! We will never give this one up!
BR Cohn is offering you all 2 for 1 tastings! Follow this link to claim.
I hope this post was helpful! Let me know in the comments if you’ve been to any of these or would recommend any other wineries! I’d love to hear from you!
xx Jenna
