13250 River Rd, Guerneville, CA 95446
Website: http://www.korbel.com/
Anyone who has been paying attention to TV or magazine ads for sparkling wine has most likely heard of Korbel. The advertisements portray Korbel as an easy drinking, fun, party wine. Their motto is “Toast Life”. There are toasting ideas, toasting tips, and ideas for champagne cocktails on their website. That easy-going atmosphere was apparent when I visited the winery.
Korbel is located in Guerneville a short distance from the many wineries in the Russian River Valley. Before I visited I didn’t realize how much history is in this winery. Learning about the more than 130 years of history gave me a bigger appreciation for their wines. The three Korbel brothers who were the original founders of the winery came over to the U.S. from Bohemia (currently the Czech Republic) in mid-1800s. After running a manufacturing business in San Francisco and then a lumber operation near Guerneville, they turned to farming on their ranch in the Russian River Valley. That’s when they planted their first vineyards and began experimenting with different grape varieties. In 1882, the brothers officially began their small winemaking operation on their ranch. In just a couple of years the Korbel wines received so many accolades that they decided to dedicate their attention to winemaking. The Korbel’s brought in a winemaker from Prague to produce champagnes using the French méthode champenoise. Through the Prohibition years the winery survived due to the resources acquired by some of the family’s other ventures. Unfortunately all three brothers passed away before Repeal in 1933, but the second generation carried on the winery into the 1950s. They then decided to sell the winery to a gentleman named Adolph Heck with a promise that Heck would continue to make French style champagnes. Adolph and his son Gary Heck who succeeded him have been carrying on the Korbel tradition ever since.
Korbel’s tasting room
When visiting this winery, one of the first sites to see is the historic brick winery with ivy growing on it. The building that houses the tasting room to the left is also made of brick and there are brick archways along the paths between the different buildings. There are several seating areas and fountains throughout the property. This winery attracts lots of visitors. Be prepared for crowds if you are planning a visit. It’s the type of winery you might want to bring your family or a small group of friends to hang out and have a picnic. There is a lot to see and do here. Korbel offers complimentary public tours of the historic champagne caves and museum at various times daily. They also have a garden tour. Check their website for specific times. Their tasting room is very spacious with two tasting bars and some gifts. Korbel classifies its wines as California champagnes and they have a wide selection ranging from Naturel or Brut which are very dry to a Sweet Cuvée and a Sweet Rosé. They also have some still Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These truly are every day drinking wines. The staff in the tasting room was generous with letting us sample the various wines and they are very reasonably priced.
My favorite part of this winery is the deli and picnic area. Just like the rest of the winery, the deli gets very busy. The deli has a great selection of sandwiches, salads, and other snacks. They also sell wine by the class or espresso beverages to go with the food. There are a few tables inside, but I would totally recommend going outdoors if it’s a nice day and sitting beneath the tall Redwood trees.
Korbel’s picnic area