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Larson Family Vineyards

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Larson Family Winery

Larson Family Winery

23355 Millerick Rd, Sonoma, CA 95476

Website: http://www.larsonfamilywinery.com/

One of the things that I really love about visiting wine country is that there are so many “unknown” wineries waiting to be discovered.  When I say unknown, I mean that back on the east coast where I’m from you don’t see the brand name in local stores or restaurants. Larson Family Vineyards is one of those wineries that I never would have thought to visit if I weren’t looking at the Sonoma wine map for places I hadn’t been to yet.  If you haven’t heard of Larson Family Vineyards and you are going to be in Carneros, you should look them up.

There is lots of history in the Larson property.  It used to be the Embarcadero in the early 1800s and the gateway to Sonoma Valley.  A steamboat captain named Stoffen built a house on the property in the mid-1800s.  The house still stands and is now called the Captain’s House.  It can be rented with four bedrooms, 2 full baths, and a gourmet kitchen.  Michael Millerick bought the house along with 120 acres in 1899.  Millerick is the name of the road that the winery is on.  Michael was the great grandfather of Tom Larson.  He raised dairy cattle on the property.  Between 1929 to the 1950’s, Millerick Ranch was the site of the Sonoma Rodeo each year with 8,000 people would come to partake in the event.  Tom Larson and his father Bob planted Chardonnay in 1977.  Tom founded the winery in 1988 after completing a degree at U.C. Davis, and the rest is history. 

 

A sign at the entrance to Larson Family Winery

A sign at the entrance to Larson Family Winery

Larson has a real down home feel.  On the way in we drove past some mailboxes onto a gravel driveway leading to the barn style tasting room.  There are fun wood signs along the way.  The sign on the way in said, “Wine just around the corner”, and as we were leaving the sign said “We miss you already”. We parked by a picket fence.  Behind us were some goats.  A friendly family black lab greeted us as we walked into the tasting room.  The interior is spacious. There are high ceilings with a ceiling fan and pendant lights hanging down.  The floors are wood and the tasting bar is made up of two long wood planks held up by wine barrels. 

Larson Family Vineyards Tasting Room

Larson Family Vineyards Tasting Room

Behind the tasting bar is a mural of the Sonoma Rodeo that spans the length of the wall.  The back doors lead to fermentation tanks on the right and a large picnic area on the left.  Straight ahead is the vineyard.  Some of the picnic tables are under a covered roof while others are out in the open.  There is also an area for bocce ball and cornhole. Guests can choose from an indoor or outdoor tasting.  The picnic tables can be reserved for two hours.  Inside the tasting room there are some food items, like mustards and crackers. 

Picnic area at Larson Family Vineyards

Picnic area at Larson Family Vineyards

What surprised me the most was how popular this place was!  The picnic area was full, including a bachelorette party.  Although there were really nice views outside, my husband and I decided to do our tasting inside because it was much quieter.

This is a dog friendly winery.  Not only does the family dog hang around the tasting room, other guests brought in their furry friends as well.  Larson Family has a pretty large selection of wines, including Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and a Meritage blend.  I enjoyed the 2012 Three Lab Cab and 2012 Larson Family Merlot the most and took a couple bottles home with me.  Even though this winery was very popular when I visited, it felt like a friendly family gathering.  I’m glad I found this place. 

Thumbprint Cellars

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Thumbprint Cellars Tasting Room

Thumbprint Cellars Tasting Room

102 Matheson St, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Website: https://thumbprintcellars.com/

Thumbprint Cellars tasting room is right off the square in downtown Healdsburg.  From the outside, it looks like a boutique with a gray and white striped awning and picture of a thumbprint in the window.  This is a quirky tasting room that the owners refer to as a lounge.  Upon entering, there are a few modern black tables and stools.  There are pictures of super heroes in yoga poses are all around and some artwork for purchase.  In the center of the space is a black curved tasting bar.  Behind the bar is a brick wall and light wood wine shelf lined with black bottles and colorful thumbprint labels.  To the right of the bar is a focal wall with a giant thumbprint. Opposite the bar, there are black shelves with some gift items.  At the far end of tasting room there is a black curtain to separate the space where they have comedy shows and other events.  The lounge can be rented for private events.

Tasting bar at Thumbprint Cellars

Tasting bar at Thumbprint Cellars

Owner and winemaker Scott Lindstrom-Dake started making wine as a hobby.  He prides himself on making wines that are unique, and hence chose the name thumbprint as a symbol of individuality.  The tasting room and wines are very casual.  The tasting offerings are reasonably priced.  They offer a selection of ten wines daily.  Some of the wines have provocative names, like Arousal and Three Some. Guests can order a food flight of artisan cheeses and charcuterie to pair with wines if they so choose.  The wines weren’t my style, but this place could be a fun hangout for a group of friends just looking for a casual tasting or to partake in one of the events.

Seghesio Family Vineyards

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Seghesio Family Vineyards

Seghesio Family Vineyards

700 Grove St, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Website: http://www.seghesio.com/

Seghesio Family Vineyards has been making wine in Sonoma for over 120 years and five generations.  Founder Edoardo Seghesio was an immigrant from Piedmonte Italy and he planted the first Zinfandel grapes at the Home Ranch in 1895.  The Seghesio family maintained sole operation of the winery through 2011 until they joined with the Crimson Wine Group.  Several family members are still involved in the winery’s operations today.  The winery primarily produces bold, red wines.  They focus on Zinfandels and Italian varietals.  Almost all of the wines are made exclusively from estate-grown and estate-farmed vineyards, including the original vines that Edoardo planted in the 1800s.

Seghesio’s tasting room is right outside the center of Healdsburg. It felt to me like someone placed a winery in the middle of a residential neighborhood. There is a small area outside of the tasting room where visitors can relax.  A stone walkway leads from the parking lot to a fountain with a couple of park benches out in front of the building.  Wood doors lead into the Tuscan style tasting room.  The focal point of the room is the large, dark wood tasting bar and black counter top.  Behind the tasting bar are windows that provide a view into the barrel room.  I thought it was a nice touch to be able to look into the barrel room while sipping wine at the bar. 

I arrived at the winery at the end of the day right before closing time and the place was packed with people.  I always find it difficult to enjoy my tasting experiences when there is a crowd of people standing around me.  Our server was very amiable despite the number of people crammed in around the bar.  The winery has received many accolades for their red wines and it is worth a stop for red wine lovers who are in the Healdsburg area, especially Zinfandel fans.