23120 Burndale Rd., Sonoma, CA 95476
Website: http://homewoodwinery.com/
Homewood Winery is tucked away off route 121 in the Carneros region of Sonoma. If it weren’t for the fermentation tanks out front, this place could be mistaken for someone’s home. As it states on the winery’s website, “Homewood Winery is as close to a one man winery as David Homewood can keep it”. This place only produces about 3,000 cases a year, but Dave Homewood takes great pride in his wines. While my husband and I were visiting, Dave came into the tasting room to greet guests and educate us on the different wines.
This is a nice place to visit for people who are looking for a low key experience. There is an outdoor lounge located right off of the small parking area with a sign that says “Redda da Better Lounge”. The lounge looks like a wooden tiki bar with high-top tables and chairs. Between the outdoor lounge and indoor tasting room are a couple of picnic tables that are shaded and protected from the weather by a tent. When my husband and I visited there was a group in the lounge so we headed inside. The tasting room is small and very modest. There is only room for about four people to stand comfortably at the bar at one time. The girl who was working behind the bar greeted us immediately and was very friendly. When I visited, the fee was $5 per person and refunded with the purchase of wine. For the small fee, we were able to try any of the wines on the list. The winery produces some whites but focuses primarily on red wines including Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, some lesser known varietals like Mourvèdre and a red blend called Flying Wizzbangers. For fans of sweet wines, I recommend the Zinfandel Port which is not over powering like some traditional style ports can be. I left with a bottle of port and felt glad that I was able to support this small family business.