Anaba Vineyards & Winery

60 Bonneau Rd, Sonoma, CA 95476

Website: https://www.anabawines.com/

Anaba Vineyards & Winery is nestled in the Carneros area of Sonoma. Across the street from the tasting room are the Carneros Deli and Schug Winery. The winery was started by John Sweazey in 2003. I have passed by this winery almost every time I have been to Sonoma on my way to other sections of the valley. I can’t explain why I waited to visit, but I had such a nice time here that I wish I hadn’t waited so long. I will definitely recommend this place to all of my friends.

A view behind Anaba Winery from the deck

The winery was named after the cool anabatic wind patterns that flow through the Sonoma mountains and provide a cool breeze giving the grapes more time to ripen. This is a small, modest winery that makes small batches of Rhone and Burgundian style wines. Their grapes come from the estate vineyard in Carneros and from select locations in the Petaluma Gap and Sonoma Coast. When John Sweazey started this winery he was really living a dream that started in the 1970s. At that time he didn’t have a lot of money to start a winery. Instead, he became a home winemaker, taking classes to learn about wine and visiting wineries all over France. After all of his travels and learning the French style of winemaking, John started his own winery.

One of the things I really like about this winery is that it has a little something for everyone when it comes to the wine selection. They focus primarily on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other Rhone varieties. Some of the varieties include Viognier, Riesling, Grenache, Muscat, and some dessert wines. These high quality wines are reasonably priced. I’ll admit I tried quite a few and there wasn’t one that I disliked.

Anaba’s tasting room

The other reason I really like this winery is for the beautiful setting. The tasting room is located in a 100 year old refurbished farm house. There are some palm trees surrounding the tasting room. At the entrance is a farmer’s porch and inside a small tasting bar, hardwood floors, a brick fireplace, and a table with a few chairs. It feels almost like walking into someone’s home.

The true appeal is the large deck outside looking out over the vineyards and mountains. The staff was extremely welcoming. When I walked in with my husband, sister, and friend, we were greeted right away and offered to do a tasting inside or on the deck. We opted to go outside because it was a lovely day.

The deck at Anaba Winery

I felt completely at ease, having a nice casual tasting on the back deck. Our server moved at our pace and educated us on each wine that was poured. Tastings here are by reservation only, but it’s really easy to make a reservation online. In addition to the tastings at the bar or on the deck, Anaba offers an in depth Wine Education Experience where guests can learn about all aspects of wine. There is also a more private Salon Tasting experience available. Check their website for days and times. Although the other tasting experiences sound interesting, I was perfectly happy with my tasting on the deck. My husband and I couldn’t resist joining the wine club and we’ll be back to visit on our next wine trip.