Sonoma is just a short distance from Napa, it is separated by a mountain range and there is stiff competition between both regions. Some of the wineries have setup tasting rooms in a quaint town called Healdsburg, which saves driving between the wineries as the distances between them is quite vast, and also because a lot of the wineries are not open to the public.
The atmosphere is not quite the same as you would experience in the wine regions in Australia, but We drove about 15kms to Kendall Jackson where they have built a magnificent facility including tasting rooms and function centre. They hold festivals here (similar to the concerts at Rochford) and also have a magnificent garden, which supplies their kitchen. They offer wine/food pairings for about $20 per person, and you can choose from several different ones.
We chose to do the cheese/wine pairing, which consisted of: 2008 Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Dlice de la Valle, The Epicurean Connection A cow and goat’s milk blend cheese similar to fromage blanc with a soft and creamy texture and sweet essence. • 2008 Jackson Hills Chardonnay, California Crottin, Redwood Hill Farm,A goat’s milk cheese with a sharp, meaty flavor and earthy aroma, while being both dense and fluffy in texture. 2008 Vintner’s Reserve Riesling Carmody, Bellwether Farms Jersey cow’s milk cheese with a buttery intensity and caramel undertones, as well as a strong fresh milk flavor. 2006 Grand Reserve Syrah Estero Gold, Valley Ford Cheese Company A raw, cow’s milk cheese aged for 120 days with a natural rind to create its rich, buttery flavor and smooth, firm texture. 2005 Highland Estates Trace Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Capricious, Achadinha Cheese Company A semi-firm, goat’s milk cheese with a slightly crumbly texture, toasty flavor and mild pungency at the finish. • 2006 Late Harvest Chardonnay Point Reyes Blue, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, A raw cow’s milk cheese with a slightly salty flavor, attributed to the coastal fog. Aged for 6 months to allow the blue veins to deepen, as well as the flavor. • Kendall-Jackson Pinot Noir Verjus Jello, A refreshing palate cleanser We had got to the last course when Mark decided to do the dessert pairing as well. This consisted of: This was so enjoyable. The chef came out and spoke to us at length about the food and we quizzed him on some good wineries to visit in the area. He also brought us some little extra food and a glass of port to wash it down, which was really nice. We had such a great time. We then made our way to J winery (one the chef had recommended). We were able to taste some sparkling and a really nice sticky, but all at a cost. $20 to taste 4 wines here, and only a rebate on purchases over $100! There stuff was nice, but not exceptional. Still we splurged and bought a bottle to enjoy at some stage before we leave. We made our way back to our next hotel for the night, another Holiday Inn Express, in American Canyon. We had a bite of dinner at a little Mexican restaurant and then back to the room for an early night.