Bettina Sichel
On a recent trip to Sonoma, we had the opportunity to catch up with Bettina Sichel of Laurel Glen Vineyard. We first wrote about Laurel Glen two years ago, before the devasting fires of 2017. It was great to hear first-hand how Sonoma has recovered from one of the worst wildfires in the region’s history.
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The view at St. Francis Winery.
St. Francis Winery and Vineyards has for a long time been on our list of favourite California wineries. We can still remember the 1996 St. Francis Reserve Merlot, the wine that tuned us on to St. Francis and the wine that turned us on to Merlot! The fruit-forward and beautifully textured style of that wine remains the house style today.
Read MoreIn Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, just outside the town of Healdsburg, sits a 1200-acre winery featuring a yellow Chateau, covered in vines, perched at the top of the estate. If you didn’t know better, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had stumbled upon a winery in Bordeaux, France rather than one in California wine country. Jordan Vineyard and Winery not only conjures up this feeling when gazing upon its stunning property, it also evokes Old World tradition with each sip of their wine.
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The sign to the garden onsite at Walter Hansel Bistro.
Our visit to this top-rated winery in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley actually began the night before. We had scheduled a meeting with proprietor Stephen Hansel at the winery and he suggested we might want to try his newly created Walter Hansel Wine and Bistro, a French-themed Bistro about a mile from his winery. We took him up on his suggestion and went for dinner there. This is a terrific bistro serving authentic French dishes made from locally sourced meats and vegetables. Our dinner was absolutely superb! This restaurant is a must-stop for any foodies that visit Sonoma County.
Read MoreNo one will dispute that Napa Valley is the region that put California wine (and all American wine for that matter) on the world wine map. And while Sonoma Valley sits just on the other side of the Mayacamas mountain range that divides the two wine regions, it has seemingly struggled with its identity. Napa is synonymous with making world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Sonoma, on the other hand, has so much diversity amongst its 17 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) it isn’t as easily defined by one grape varietal. For example, they make terrific Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley, outstanding Zinfandel in the Dry Creek Valley and excellent Chardonnay in the Sonoma Coast AVA. As a result, Cabernet Sauvignon winemakers in Sonoma generally sit in the shadow of Napa Valley. Laurel Glen Vineyard is one winery in Sonoma that is putting the wine world on notice that not only do they have the ability to make Cabernet Sauvignon, they have the ability to make GREAT Cabernet Sauvignon.
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