Deerfield Ranch Winery
10200 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood, CA 95452
Website: http://www.deerfieldranch.com/
The words that come to mind when I think of Deerfield Ranch are “interesting” and “eclectic”. I had mixed emotions about my visit to this winery. The best way to explain what I mean by this is to describe what I experienced on my visit.
Deerfield Ranch is located in the Kenwood area of Sonoma Valley off of Highway 12. The winery is a bit off the main road hidden behind some vines. The entrance is marked by a sign nailed to a couple of wooden posts with some wine barrels beside it. Along the short drive past the vineyard to the parking area guests are greeted by a couple of tall metal giraffes sitting on a patch of land in the middle of a pool of water. The road leads to a small parking area between some vines and the winery building. When we got out of the car we weren’t sure where to go to get to the tasting room. If there were signs indicating the way we missed them. We walked up to the first door we saw that led to one end of the wine cave and had signs pointing to the restrooms. After walking a little ways into the cave, we felt like we were not in the right place and went back outside. That’s when we saw some people at the other side of the building and ventured in that direction. Then we came upon the actual entrance to the cave and tasting room.
Entrance to wine cave at Deerfield Ranch
The tasting room is located in the center of the cave. I like the unique concept of having a public tasting room inside the cave. Some other wineries offer tastings in their caves but it is often as part of a private tour or reservation. In the middle of the cave there was an area carved out with tables and seats. The tasting area was pretty well lit with soft lighting and had a cozy feel. One of the people working there informed us briefly that we could have a seat and someone would come over to review the tasting menu with us. Service was a bit slow and I wish that the lady pouring for us had provided more education about the wines.
Deerfield Ranch tasting room in the wine cave
Deerfield Ranch is one of only a few certified organic wineries in Sonoma. They have a broad selection of wines including Rosé, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, several red blends, and a Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. With a selection like this, it makes me question what style of wine they are trying to produce. I wasn’t impressed with the white wines and rosé and I think that influenced my opinion for the remainder of the tasting even though the wines did get better as we progressed to the red blends. Although I enjoyed the laid back atmosphere in the wine cave, I was starting to get annoyed that it was taking so long to wrap up our tasting. There were only a few other people in the cave at the time. I do blame some of my annoyance on myself because I think the intent of this winery is to provide a quiet, casual wine tasting experience and I was simply looking to sample the wines and get out.
In summary, this winery has a mix of rustic and modern charm. The welcome sign, winery complex and vineyards look rustic, but the metal giraffes and tasting room seem more modern. There are some good characteristics of the winery, including the fact that they are certified organic. There are some really nice views of the valley from the parking area and the tasting room inside the wine cave provides a unique experience. Additionally, they provide a wide variety of wines. It is an interesting place to visit if someone is looking for something a little outside of the norm.
A view of Sonoma Valley from Deerfield Ranch