A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to participate in an incredible kick off to Sonoma Country Wine month. Sonoma County Vitntners hosted myself and a small group of the sweetest influencers to a few days in Sonoma. We learned a lot about the process of wine making and how much passion and work goes into every bottle of wine they produce throughout the valley. Growing up in Novato I spent a ton of time in Sonoma County, but as I have gotten older I have developed such an appreciation for the region and a bit of a fascination with viticulture.

Our day started with a jeep ride around the sprawling Frei Brothers vineyard. Although I am not a big white wine drinker I have always liked their Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. When we toured the property I got a much better understanding of how much effort goes into maintaining a vineyard. It is no easy fete to grow grapes and make sure they aren’t affected by unavoidable forces like animals, weather, etc. We also got to crush grapes with our bare feet which was a truly unforgettable experience.

{I really wanted to take this baby cow home with me}

I was so excited to go to our next stop, the Macmurray Ranch. Macmurray makes one of my favorite Pinot Noir’s of all time and I could not have been more blown away by the property. We were greeted by Kate Macmurray (daughter of founder Fred Macmurray) who made us all feel right at home. She explained the history behind the ranch and how her father built a wine business that has lasted decades. We got to blend our own pinot noir and learn about the different elements that go into making a wine taste the way it does.

We then moved on to our outdoor dinner hosted by Bear Flag which was a great introduction to a wine brand I hadn’t tried before. I loved their Zinfandel and was surprised at the complexity of the taste. I don’t always notice things like that, but it had such a unique flavor with subtle spice.  It was so cool to see all of these “competitors” come together and host us. Sonoma County is such a community and even the wine industry doesn’t stray from that. Wine can seem fancy or glamorous, but it is agriculture at its finest and is far from glamour. It is extremely hard work and takes an abundance of knowledge. I learned so much just talking to winemakers and vineyard managers. 

I really don’t participate in a lot of events, but this spoke to me. I felt so at home throughout the trip and was blown away by the devotion the people I met have to their craft. Their knowledge of wine and the process of making it is beyond interesting. I highly encourage all of you to visit this stunning area at some point. Throughout all the places I have traveled, there really is no place else like it in the world. If you can’t visit, you can always buy all the of the fabulous wines Sonoma has to offer online. Sonoma County wine month is running throughout the month of October and so many wineries are hosting special events and tastings. You can read more about which each one is offering here. If you have any questions about the places we visited or having the wines shipped to you please send me an email or drop a comment below!

 

I couldn’t have asked for a better group to celebrate wine month with!

{Thank you so much to the Sonoma County Vintners for hosting us!}