101 Adobe Canyon Rd., Kenwood, CA 95452

Website: http://landmarkwine.com/

Landmark Vineyards is one of the many wineries in the Kenwood area of Sonoma Valley right off of highway 12. It is surrounded by some other well-known wineries like Chateau St. Jean, Kenwood, St. Francis, and Ledson. From the front of the winery visible from the road this place looks like another Spanish-style mission complex not all that different from St. Francis Winery up the road.  However, the real appeal of this winery is the gorgeous landscaping out back.

When my husband and I visited for the first time, we ventured over to small pebbled walkway leading to the back of the winery and were pleasantly surprised by what we found. To our left was a small patio area with a table and couple of chairs, a tiled floor, and greenery all around. To the right was a bocce ball court beside a vineyard and a view of Sugarloaf Mountain in the background.

As we walked through the patio area around the side of the building, there was even more of the beautiful landscaping to see. In the center of the property is a stunning courtyard with a fountain surrounded by more plants and Cypress trees. Off to the side of the courtyard is a guest suite that Landmark rents out. Landmark also hosts private events and weddings. Details for the cottage, guest suites, or private events are available through their website.

Landmark Vineyards originated in Windsor, CA in 1974. One of the founders was Damaris Deere Ethridge, great-great granddaughter of John Deere. Damaris became the sole owner in 1989 and decided to move the winery to Sonoma as urban development was growing in Windsor. The family took pride in their John Deere heritage and named the Grand Detour Pinot Noir after the location of John Deere’s blacksmithing shop in Illinois and named their Syrah “Steel Plow” after the farm equipment that John Deere is famous for. The winery specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In fact, they boast on their website that their signature wine, the Overlook Chardonnay, has appeared on the top 100 list of Wine Spectator seven times between 1997 and 2012. Inside the winery there are a number of framed letters on the walls from United States Presidents who have served Landmark wines at the White House. The winery was sold to Roll Global, owners of Fiji Water, in 2011 who have thus far maintained the same winemaking style as the previous owners.

The tasting room pales in comparison to the paradise-like views outside. That’s not to say that the tasting room is boring. The room is very spacious with high wood paneled ceilings. Hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room is a large chandelier. There are various shelves and tables with wine accessories and gifts spread throughout the room. The granite top tasting bar is located on the side wall closest to the entrance with a gigantic mural of a vineyard behind it. The mural itself is worth going to see. That tasting bar appears small in comparison to the overall size of the room, but it actually fits about 10 people around the bar comfortably. My husband and I have been several times and each of the servers have been very nice and down-to-earth.   We enjoy the wines and the service so much that we joined the wine club. A couple of the benefits of joining the club is that there is a private tasting salon upstairs from the tasting room that can be reserved by club members. Additionally, club members receive discounts on the wines, accessories, and stays in the guest suites or cottage. If that isn’t enough to convince someone to visit Landmark, there are also horse drawn wagon tours and complimentary concert series on weekends in the summer. Check their website for the events calendar before visiting.

As of January 22, 2016, owners Stewart and Lynda Resnick purchased Hop Kiln Winery and estate in the Russian River Valley.  They have a second tasting room on that property.  The winery is literally housed inside an old hop kiln that was built by Italian stonemasons in 1905. The three stone kilns used for drying hops in the early 1900s are now a historical landmark.