Under the radar winery suggestions in Sonoma

[Chateau Vin]

All,

Visiting Napa, and Sonoma in particular...Any suggestions for under the radar or off beaten wineries that any of you have discovered lately in Sonoma and Russian River Valley areas?

Thanks...

[AKR]

It's not 'under the radar' but I felt like Ch. St. Jean in Sonoma is a very nice visit - beautiful grounds, tasting room, etc.

The wines are commercial, and its a corporate entity of Treasury Wine, but I happen to like their taste (Dick Arrowood got started here a long time ago)

(I think jal introduced me to their Cinq Cepages bottling decade+ ago!)

Kunde is also a very nice visit, and less known, although still sort of a 'supermarket' kind of wine out here.

RRV PN is pretty much the only ones I'll drink, but I don't have any clever insights into that beyond Siduri.

They moved their tasting room into town and its a nice experience, but its not surrounded by vines or anything.

(They also use a lot of bought in single vineyard stuff from all over anyways)

[DavidG]

Huge thread on Sonoma here:
https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/vi ... =1&t=97754

[jal]

We were there in July 2015
Porter Creek; I love the wines, tasting room is a bit boring but the vineyard is gorgeous. Probably my favorite.
Radio Coteau; a garage operation, make an appointment. I like their Pinots a lot.
Red Car; not bad, good operation
Pax Mahle: Google Timeline says we visited. I'm having a senior moment but the photos show us smiling, so it must have been fine.
Merry Edwards; great Pinots
Chateau St Jean a bit commercialized, but get a picnic basket at a deli on the way, splurge on a a bottle of Cinq Cepages and enjoy in their garden where they sometimes have live music
Also, if you like oysters, don't miss the Hog Island Oyster Co. Buy a bottle of white from them along with some cheeses for a complete lunch.
Have fun.

[William P]

Many here like Loxton in the Valley of the Moon side of Sonoma. I like Joseph Swan on the 101 side. Then there's that relatively unknown winery Ridge in Healdsburg.

[Claret]

For Rhones and Zins it is Dry Creek. Try Preston( don't miss Lou's bread!) and Quivera.

[SF Ed]

2nd Glenn's suggestion of Dry Creek. West Dry Creek road is the nicest drive (and an even better bicycle ride) in the wine country. I think Rochioli is the nicest place to stop, and Rafanelli is good if they are open/available.

SF Ed

[spikegrhm]

Agree with the drive through Dry Creek. For a real treat, take the road from the west end of Dry Creek over to the coast. Stunning country with very few humans in sight. Also, when traveling from Sonoma to Napa I strongly suggest taking one pf the pig trails over the Mayacamas Mtns. Seldom traveled by tourist, magnificient views!

[Chateau Vin]

Thank you all for the invaluable suggestions and tips...Really a great feedback about the places to visit in Sonoma area...Primarily, concentrating on Dry creek and Russian River AVAs...

Arv, does RRV stand for Russian River Vineyards?

Thanks all...

[AKR]

RRV - Russian River Valley - I was just referring to the generic AVA.

I forgot to mention one other place with a beautiful / distinctive winery/site -- Rodney Strong.

The wines may not be anything amazing, but the barrels/vats and everything are great.

They also bought up Davis/Bynum, a smaller RRV PN producer, and sell that on site too.

btw Siduri will typically waive tasting fees and all that if you reach out to Adam Lee or his team on WB.

Unf, that doesn't really save any money, when you end up coming home with a case....

For those who are flying into the region, Alaska Airlines will generally let people fly out of wine country airports with a case of wine per person for free.

Their definition of wine country airports is also fairly generous, including locations like SMF, PDX, SFO etc.

I find the hotel / B&B prices in wine country to be staggeringly expensive, a function of highly controlled development / licensing.

It's just nuts, esp for wknds.

We don't go often, but stay at that gigantic DoubleTree resort that pitches itself as Sonoma Wine Country, but is really in Roehnert Park, a bedroom community in the North Bay.

Traffic is simply awful in the region too.