B.R. Cohn Winery

15000 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, CA 95442

Website: https://brcohn.com/

B.R. Cohn is located at the southern end of Sonoma Valley. This is one of my favorite stops in this area of Sonoma because of its estate olive oils. The winery was owned by Bruce Cohn, former manager of The Doobie Brothers, for 41 years until he sold it to Vintage Wine Estates in 2015. In 1974, Cohn purchased the property which was a 46 acre dairy farm at the time, and he named it Olive Hill Estate after all of the olive trees on the property. He later purchased an additional 46 acres and opened the winery in 1984.

The tasting room is not too fancy. It is located in the original white house that has been on the property since the 1920’s and was Bruce Cohn’s former home. The house has been expanded and today includes the tasting room and office suites. Inside the tasting room is an L-shaped, mahogany tasting bar that has room for plenty of guests. B.R. Cohn produces mostly Cabernet Sauvignon from its own estate, but it also produces Malbec, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Semillon from grapes that it sources from other parts of Napa and Sonoma Valley.

B.R. Cohn’s food and wine shop

The Gourmet Shop is located in a smaller building just outside of the tasting room. The shop has a nice selection or gourmet foods and an olive oil and vinegar sampling station. Bruce Cohn started producing estate grown olive oil in 1990 from the 140 year old French olive trees on the property. Today, B.R. Cohn is one of the top producers of ultra-premium extra virgin olive in California. The small glass bottles of olive oil make great gifts and can easily be packed in a suitcase. I took home a bottle of the 25 year old balsamic vinegar that is delicious! My husband and I enjoy stopping in at the winery towards the end of the day to purchase some gourmet snacks and sit on the small patio out in front of the Gourmet Shop. There’s nothing better than enjoying a nice snack while looking out over a vineyard. Although B. R. Cohn has some good quality wines, I enjoy the Gourmet Shop the most.

Before planning a stop at B. R. Cohn winery, I recommend checking their event schedule online. There is a good chance that there may be a special event going on at the winery. They host many events throughout the year, from car shows to music festivals and gourmet dinners. Their biggest event is the annual charity Fall Music Festival with famous music artists, including The Doobie Brothers of course!

If you do stop at the winery, take some time to take a walk behind the Gourmet Shop and tasting room. There is a crush pad in the back left corner of the property. To the right of the crush pad is a gorgeous view of the vineyards that you won’t forget and a great photo opportunity.

Breathtaking view behind B.R. Cohn Winery