Sonoma Wine Tours
Your Travel Guide to Sonoma
County Wineries
County Wineries
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Glen Ellen Evening
GLEN ELLEN
This self-guided wine tour of Glen Ellen includes the wineries, wine tasting, winery tours, dining, hiking, shopping, and activities.
California White Varietals
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Viognier
Gewürztraminer
California Red Varietals
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Zinfandel
Syrah
How much wine??
One of the most common questions is how much wine does a plant or acre produce. This of course varies based on how much fruit each vine produces, but on the average:
One Pound of grapes =± 4.5 Clusters
(9000 clusters / ton)
One Cluster =± 40-60 grapes
One Ton of grapes =± 60 Cases
(720 bottles @ 2.75# / bottle)
9000 clusters: 720 bottles = 11 clusters / bottle
11 x 40-60 grapes / cluster = 440-660 grapes / bottle
One Acre of vineyard = from 2 to 12 Tons
(3,000 to 18,000 bottles / acre)
This self-guided wine tour of Glen Ellen includes the wineries, wine tasting, winery tours, dining, hiking, shopping, and activities.
California White Varietals
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Viognier
Gewürztraminer
California Red Varietals
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Zinfandel
Syrah
How much wine??
One of the most common questions is how much wine does a plant or acre produce. This of course varies based on how much fruit each vine produces, but on the average:
One Pound of grapes =± 4.5 Clusters
(9000 clusters / ton)
One Cluster =± 40-60 grapes
One Ton of grapes =± 60 Cases
(720 bottles @ 2.75# / bottle)
9000 clusters: 720 bottles = 11 clusters / bottle
11 x 40-60 grapes / cluster = 440-660 grapes / bottle
One Acre of vineyard = from 2 to 12 Tons
(3,000 to 18,000 bottles / acre)
GLEN ELLEN WINE TOUR EVENING
Dinner:
The Fig Café
13690 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen 707-938-2130.
Hours 5:30 Thursday - Monday
Note: Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday
Dinner at the Fig Café is our pick. It’s a more intimates version of The Girl and the Fig, a Sonoma treasure on the Plaza in Sonoma. Sondra Bernstein is the proprietor of both restaurants. The food is California Country French. Our favorites are the pot roast and top sirloin burger. If they are offering sole, order it! It’s served on mashed potatoes and it’s the best we’ve ever had. Also don’t miss the chopped salad; it’s got some unusual elements like the crispy pancetta and rich Roquefort dressing.
You may want to start with a cheese flight. Sondra really knows the local artisan cheeses and this is a great way to try them. The wine list leans toward Rhone wines, both local and French. The flights of wine are a good way to go to try these interesting varietals. How can you resist four glasses in front of you, Lilet, Sensaut, Marisaune, and Port?
For full menu and more info visit web site at http://figs.leftcoastart.net/
Whether you made it through the whole day or just picked the things you found interesting we hope you had a perfect day exploring Glen Ellen.
A Word About Lodging (We said this at the beginning but it bears repeating)
Of course the first thing you do before planning a trip is figure out where you want to stay. While we do tell you about a few hidden winery cottages (see below), we feel lodging is so dependent on specific needs (pool, hot tub, free wine) and budgets we wanted you to have a personal experience in choosing a place to stay. Call Wendy founder of Stay Sonoma at 1-866-647-8888 or she’s got a great web site if you askew personal contact at www.staysonoma.com. The website will show you almost all the available places in the valley and you can book it on the site. Wendy can get you the best rate and really knows her stuff.
GLEN ELLEN DISTILLED:
Garden Court Restaurant, Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen. 707-935-1565.
Breakfasts and lunches, dog friendly
Glen Ellen Village Market, 13751 Arnold, Glen Ellen.
707-996-6728.
Benziger Family Winery, 1883 London Ranch, Glen Ellen. Hours: Open daily 10:00-5:00. 707-935-3000. Winery, tasting room, tram tours, cave, picnic area.
Jack London Historic Park, 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen. Hours: Open daily 8am to dusk. 707-938-5216. Wolf House remains, House of Happy Walls, Pig Palace, the cottage. $3 parking fee per vehicle.
Arrowood Vineyard and Winery, 14347 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 707-938-5170
Hours: 10 – 4:30 daily
Imagery Estate Winery 14335 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 707-550-4278
Hours: 10 – 4:30 daily
The Fig Café, 13690 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen 707-938-2130, Hours 5:30 Thursday – Monday
Note: Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesday
SPECIAL WINERY VISIT:
This is a REALLY special new winery that’s a kick to visit. When you go depends on when Chris can met you there for a private tour and tasting. Wear walking shoes.
Loxton Cellars Winery
114466 Dunbar Road, Glen Ellen
707-935-7221
Tours and tastings by appointment: call before you visit Glen Ellen
Ps-s-s-s-t….Want to meet a charming, good looking Aussie with a passion for grapes and wine? To visit the newest winery around and set up a special tasting and tour with Chris Loxton, here’s what you do:
First call 707-935-7221 (that’s his cell number most days) and he’ll meet you at the winery (if he’s not already there) and give you a special tour, tasting, and walk through the vineyard. There is a tasting fee and it may be a big mistake to leave without some of his award winning wines.
The Loxton Cellars Winery is a big barn set amidst the England Crest vineyard which is located just off Highway 12 on Dunbar Road. Surrounded by the historic Pagani Ranch and the Wellington vineyard, both planted in the late 1880’s and 1890’s, this region has grown outstanding Zinfandel for more than a century. Syrah has been used in the 2002 Loxton Reserve Syrah (still in barrel) and grapes grown along the driveway (French clone ) were used to produce the Gold medal and best of class Loxton Port in the 2003 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. To read more about the wines Chris makes, go to www.loxtonwines.com.
Be sure to taste: The Syrah from this vineyard has tended to be extremely dark in color, has great Syrah blackberry and gamey notes and a great tannic backbone. This one is age-worthy.
What’s so Special: Meeting this third generation grape grower and winemaker from Australia.. You can talk to the winemaker and grower at the same time. . . .enjoying the taste of these handcrafted special wines and at the same time walk through the vineyard with the grower.
Looking for the perfect gift? Click here for information about Wine Gift Baskets.
BEFORE YOU GO
Here’s a few things you should do before you visit Glen Ellen:
• Call Arrowood 707-938-5170 and get info on their winery tour and special tastings.
• Call The Fig Café 707-938-2130 and make dinner reservations,
• Check out web sites for Imagery Estate Winery and Benziger for special events.
• Think about renting a bike to take up with you to ride in Sonoma State Park.
• Call Chris Loxton at 707-935-7221 and see when you can come by his new winery.
Dinner:
The Fig Café
13690 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen 707-938-2130.
Hours 5:30 Thursday - Monday
Note: Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday
Dinner at the Fig Café is our pick. It’s a more intimates version of The Girl and the Fig, a Sonoma treasure on the Plaza in Sonoma. Sondra Bernstein is the proprietor of both restaurants. The food is California Country French. Our favorites are the pot roast and top sirloin burger. If they are offering sole, order it! It’s served on mashed potatoes and it’s the best we’ve ever had. Also don’t miss the chopped salad; it’s got some unusual elements like the crispy pancetta and rich Roquefort dressing.
You may want to start with a cheese flight. Sondra really knows the local artisan cheeses and this is a great way to try them. The wine list leans toward Rhone wines, both local and French. The flights of wine are a good way to go to try these interesting varietals. How can you resist four glasses in front of you, Lilet, Sensaut, Marisaune, and Port?
For full menu and more info visit web site at http://figs.leftcoastart.net/
Whether you made it through the whole day or just picked the things you found interesting we hope you had a perfect day exploring Glen Ellen.
A Word About Lodging (We said this at the beginning but it bears repeating)
Of course the first thing you do before planning a trip is figure out where you want to stay. While we do tell you about a few hidden winery cottages (see below), we feel lodging is so dependent on specific needs (pool, hot tub, free wine) and budgets we wanted you to have a personal experience in choosing a place to stay. Call Wendy founder of Stay Sonoma at 1-866-647-8888 or she’s got a great web site if you askew personal contact at www.staysonoma.com. The website will show you almost all the available places in the valley and you can book it on the site. Wendy can get you the best rate and really knows her stuff.
GLEN ELLEN DISTILLED:
Garden Court Restaurant, Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen. 707-935-1565.
Breakfasts and lunches, dog friendly
Glen Ellen Village Market, 13751 Arnold, Glen Ellen.
707-996-6728.
Benziger Family Winery, 1883 London Ranch, Glen Ellen. Hours: Open daily 10:00-5:00. 707-935-3000. Winery, tasting room, tram tours, cave, picnic area.
Jack London Historic Park, 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen. Hours: Open daily 8am to dusk. 707-938-5216. Wolf House remains, House of Happy Walls, Pig Palace, the cottage. $3 parking fee per vehicle.
Arrowood Vineyard and Winery, 14347 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 707-938-5170
Hours: 10 – 4:30 daily
Imagery Estate Winery 14335 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 707-550-4278
Hours: 10 – 4:30 daily
The Fig Café, 13690 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen 707-938-2130, Hours 5:30 Thursday – Monday
Note: Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesday
SPECIAL WINERY VISIT:
This is a REALLY special new winery that’s a kick to visit. When you go depends on when Chris can met you there for a private tour and tasting. Wear walking shoes.
Loxton Cellars Winery
114466 Dunbar Road, Glen Ellen
707-935-7221
Tours and tastings by appointment: call before you visit Glen Ellen
Ps-s-s-s-t….Want to meet a charming, good looking Aussie with a passion for grapes and wine? To visit the newest winery around and set up a special tasting and tour with Chris Loxton, here’s what you do:
First call 707-935-7221 (that’s his cell number most days) and he’ll meet you at the winery (if he’s not already there) and give you a special tour, tasting, and walk through the vineyard. There is a tasting fee and it may be a big mistake to leave without some of his award winning wines.
The Loxton Cellars Winery is a big barn set amidst the England Crest vineyard which is located just off Highway 12 on Dunbar Road. Surrounded by the historic Pagani Ranch and the Wellington vineyard, both planted in the late 1880’s and 1890’s, this region has grown outstanding Zinfandel for more than a century. Syrah has been used in the 2002 Loxton Reserve Syrah (still in barrel) and grapes grown along the driveway (French clone ) were used to produce the Gold medal and best of class Loxton Port in the 2003 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. To read more about the wines Chris makes, go to www.loxtonwines.com.
Be sure to taste: The Syrah from this vineyard has tended to be extremely dark in color, has great Syrah blackberry and gamey notes and a great tannic backbone. This one is age-worthy.
What’s so Special: Meeting this third generation grape grower and winemaker from Australia.. You can talk to the winemaker and grower at the same time. . . .enjoying the taste of these handcrafted special wines and at the same time walk through the vineyard with the grower.
Looking for the perfect gift? Click here for information about Wine Gift Baskets.
BEFORE YOU GO
Here’s a few things you should do before you visit Glen Ellen:
• Call Arrowood 707-938-5170 and get info on their winery tour and special tastings.
• Call The Fig Café 707-938-2130 and make dinner reservations,
• Check out web sites for Imagery Estate Winery and Benziger for special events.
• Think about renting a bike to take up with you to ride in Sonoma State Park.
• Call Chris Loxton at 707-935-7221 and see when you can come by his new winery.