This is my last on my series on Sonoma and my visit there for a long holiday weekend.
On Thanksgiving day, there were two wineries open- Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards. These two wineries were not originally on our wishlist, but because of the happenstance of them being open, we visited. And, we had a fun time trying these value wines and visiting. Both had some really unique attractions to their grounds. Both handle groups well too and have friendly, efficient pourers.
Both of these wineries are owned by the same family venture and are located basically across the street from each other on Highway 121.
We stopped at Cline Cellars first. Cline offers sustainably farmed wines using a great variety of grapes, which was fun to try. They do not have a tasting fee to try 5 of their non-reserve wines, or it is only $5 to try a flight of three reserve wines.
If you get a chance, pick out the Late Harvest Mouverde to sample, which is a dessert wine so comes with a little bit of chocolate!
They also have several special attractions on the ground so you can walk around to stretch your legs viewing their carp pond (bring quarters to buy a little fish food out of their machine), their various exotic birds, and two adorable miniature burrows named Pudding and Fancy.
We were not in the right time of year for it, but they also have thousands of roses around the property. As you walk to visit the other ponds, you will probably notice some humorous signs warning of ridiculous animals that might be in the waters(such as sharks…) – and there is California Mission Museum on the property (free admission) and a train car (seemingly used for special occasions) to peer in as well. If you stop by, make sure you walk the grounds and not just taste. If you are visiting Sonoma with family, this is one that would please everyone.
Across the street, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards with their stone structure and large spaces and decorative elements seems ready for any special occasion. I also admired their amphora shaped shrubbery. Yes, this Jacuzzi family is the same one that invented the bath and spa that still bears their name.
This is a place I would suggest trying their wide variety of grapes they make into wines (they have almost 2 dozen wines!), and after picking out a favorite get a glass or bottle and enjoy a little time here chatting and relaxing. Like their sibling Cline, there is no tasting fee to try 5 wines. For a few a small fee, you can get the Chocolate Shooters, which is a chocolate cup filled with a bit of wine. Our pourer was very friendly and knowledgable. I wasn’t surprised to learn that I liked several of their reds because they have volcanic rock (I always seem to love volcanic soil wines), particularly their smokey Barbera. My friend and I ended up sending a case home – and we got confirmation that they shipped it the next day. Yeah, that means the day after Thanksgiving, so efficient!
Also like their sibling Cline, they use sustainable practices. For instance, they use a “Compost tea,” consisting of molasses, fish emulsion, rock dust and microbes fertilize the vines. And, they use sheep to control weed growth and pull the rest out by hand. By hand. Wow.
At Jacuzzi’s location is The Olive Press, a whole room almost as large as the tasting room for the wine, where you can try various combinations of olive oil and vinegar infusions and seasonings. They really have some excellent combinations and ideas, such as Lime Olive Oil and Coconut Balsamic Vinegar, or Jalapeno Olive Oil and Peach Balsamic Vinegar, and I love the Fig Balsamic on a cheese plate.
Here’s a good look at some some of the grounds at Jacuzzi: notice the statue wearing shades!
This post is part of my series on my trip to Sonoma where I list various recommendations.
- Arriving in Sonoma – kick off with Gloria Ferrar and Viansa right at the entrance on Route 121
- The gorgeous castle of Ledson Winery and Vineyards
- Continuing south on Highway 12 with visitis at St. Francis, Chateau St Jean, Kunde Family Estate, Arrowood Vineyards and Winery, Imagery Estate Winery
- Thanksgiving dinner at the girl and the fig
- My favorite winery in Sonoma that I visited, the sparkling of Iron Horse Vineyards
- Visiting breweries in the Sonoma area: Lagunitas, Russian River, and Bear Republic.
- Love cheese? Recommendations for visiting local cheesemakers in Sonoma
- The sister wineries of Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
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