Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [236]
25200 Arnold Dr. (Calif. 121), Sonoma. 800/995-4740 or 707/935-4700. www.viansa.com. Daily 10am–5pm. Daily self-guided tours.
Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves ★ Gloria Ferrer, the grande dame of Sonoma Valley’s sparkling-wine producers, is named after José Ferrer’s wife, whose family has made sparkling wine for 5 centuries. The family business, Freixenet, is the world’s largest producer of sparkling wine. That legacy amounts to big bucks, and certainly a good chunk of change went into building this palatial estate. It glimmers like Oz, high atop a gently sloping hill, overlooking the verdant Carneros District. On a sunny day, enjoying a glass of dry brut while soaking in the magnificent views is a must.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term méthode champenoise, take the $10 tasting and 30-minute tour of the fermenting tanks, bottling line, and caves brimming with racks of yeast-laden bottles. Afterward, retire to the elegant tasting room, order a glass of one of seven sparkling wines ($5–$10 a glass) or tastes of their eight still wines ($2–$3 per taste), find an empty chair on the veranda, and say, “Ahhh. This is the life.” There are picnic tables, but it’s usually too windy for comfort. You must buy a bottle (from around $20–$50) or glass of sparkling wine to reserve a table.
23555 Carneros Hwy. (Calif. 121), Sonoma. 707/996-7256. www.gloriaferrer.com. Daily 10am–5pm. Tours daily 11am, 1pm, and 3pm, $10.
The grand view from Gloria Ferrer’s patio.
SONOMA
At the northern boundary of the Carneros District along Hwy. 12 is the centerpiece of Sonoma Valley. The midsize town of Sonoma owes much of its appeal to Mexican general Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, who fashioned this pleasant, slow-paced community after a typical Mexican village—right down to its central plaza, Sonoma’s geographical and commercial center. The plaza sits at the top of a “T” formed by Broadway (Hwy. 12) and Napa Street. Most of the surrounding streets form a grid pattern around this axis, making Sonoma easy to negotiate. The plaza’s Bear Flag Monument marks the spot where the crude Bear Flag was raised in 1846, signaling the end of Mexican rule; the symbol was later adopted by the state of California and placed on its flag. The 8-acre park at the center of the plaza, complete with two ponds populated by ducks, is perfect for an afternoon siesta in the cool shade.
Gundlach Bundschu Winery ★★ If it looks like the people working here are actually enjoying themselves, that’s because they are. Gundlach Bundschu (pronounced Gun-lock Bun-shoe) is the quintessential Sonoma winery—nonchalant in appearance but obsessed with wine: The GB clan are a nefarious lot, infamous for wild stunts such as holding up Napa’s Wine Train on horseback and—egad!—serving Sonoma wines to their captives; the small tasting room looks not unlike a bomb shelter, the Talking Heads is their version of Muzak, and the “art” consists of a dozen witty black-and-white posters promoting GB wines.
This is the oldest continually family-owned and -operated winery in California, going into its sixth generation since Jacob Gundlach harvested his first crop in 1858. Drop in to sample chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot, cabernet, and more. Prices for the 14 distinct wines range from $24 per bottle for the Mountain Cuvee to $80 for the Vintage reserve cabernet sauvignon. Tastings are $5 and tours, which include a trip into the 430-foot cave, start at $20 and are by appointment only.
Gundlach Bundschu has the best picnic grounds in the valley, though you have to walk to the top of Towles’ Hill to earn the sensational view. They also have great activities (Midsummer Mozart Festival, film fests), so call or