Sonoma Winery Hits and Misses

This was our first time enjoying Sonoma and I will for sure be visiting again! I can not thank Brooke from Bud Belief for these amazing recommendations. In this blog I have also included our sample itinerary schedule at the end for you to copy! I always include drive times so this is a perfect plan to follow so you don’t waste time driving between tastings. We booked a room at the Four Sisters Inn Sonoma, which had a great rooftop hot tub to enjoy after a day of tasting. We visited in January of 2022 for my birthday, so it was a bit chilly and the scenery wasn’t lush or green but this is a great time to visit as hotels are cheaper and its much less crowded.

RICCI

I was beyond impressed with this location. Tyler was a joy to have as our host. Ricci doesn’t have a tasting room. The are growers for other wineries and sell their grapes but they just started making wines and they are delightful. We were greeted by the winery dogs and lead to a patio outside.

We were lucky enough to sit back a relax with Dale, the owner and the dogs while we sat, sipped on wine and had fabulous conversation. We were here until the sunset. I live for these small intimate experiences. We all joined the club and I will recommend this spot to everyone.

APERTURE

The vibe at Aperture was on point, so much so that I saved their Spotify playlist. The building was shaped like a camera lens, which Bianca, your host, will explain the wineries history! We visited during the C- era so Bianca had a mask on the entire time. She took us out for a group photo and posed with a selfie and surprised us with her mustache. Memory created! We tried so many wines while enjoying the perfect view from our tasting room.

My favorites were their Chenin Blanc and basically every Cab they make. Even though this winery is a little hike from Sonoma proper, but it is worth it. Healdsburg has so many other places to visit and we hope to do that in the future.

BRICOLUER

WOW! I want to come back in the spring or summer when everything is green. The property at Bricoluer is stunning. You are greeted with a glass of rose and seated for your tasting.

We selected the ROOTED tasting experience that included a six course food and wine pairing for $125. The flavors are delicious and the plating is beyond beautiful. For sure come hungry to this experience and use it as a lunch or early dinner. We were full and tipsy.

DUNSTAN

Brooke introduced us to this small production winery. Again visiting in January didn’t do this property justice but we still enjoyed the experience and wine. We sat outside on the patio with heat lamps and enjoyed 3 of their wines. It’s these private intimate experiences that make memories last.

SOJOURN

Another very intimate tasting in the heart of Sonoma in an old home that has been renovated to a tasting room. Sojourn had delicious Pinot Noirs which we are lacking in our collection. The tasting was a comparative tasting that started with a Chardonnay and then 3 pinots. Although we were offered to re-visit any of the wines, the pours were very small. If you visit when its warmer, request a spot on the patio!

Sonoma Misses:

SCRIBE: Now this winery was very much an influencer spot. They had amazing views, but the wines lacked and the food was very different. It is very dog friendly too! Now I did enjoy the fresh bites but the wine was not that good. I will not recommend it but will leave you with my honest review and some photos and let you decide.

MACROSTIE: Known for their amazing views, I was excited to check this place out. We had a cozy corner spot to taste. We enjoyed the Signature experience ($35/pp) and added on 2 farmers baskets for munchies. Our host wasn’t very attentive and we felt very rushed.

For dinner we went to The Girl and The Fig and Wit and Wisdom. Both had great food, amazing service and delicious cocktails. Don’t forget to stop at SIGH for a froze topped with nerds or a champagne flight!