On the second day, we went around a lot of the wineries up on Dry Creek Road – which is still most likely my favorite area in all of wine country.
Day 2… Five Wineries in Kenwood/Dry Creek Rd/Sonoma:
- Deerfield Ranch (Kenwood):
- Pros: Convenient stop if you are planning to “head North” and get up into RRV or Dry Creek Rd, best “old vine” Zinfandel I’ve ever tasted, a real hidden gem with great staff
- Cons: More of a “cellar”/cave feel – so you lose a bit in terms of views
- Fun Fact: The Old Vine Zin is sourced from the grapes right out in front of the property
- Overall Score: 8/10 – definitely worth a stop
- Ferrari Carano (Dry Creek Rd):
- Pros: Still one of my favorite wineries due to the notoriety and ability to source locally, absolutely stunning grounds, very nice cellar/barrel area as well as a great “VIP” tasting room
- Cons: Most of the wines are already distributed nationally, tours require advance reservation, the winery as a whole is a bit more commercial with lots of non-wine products in their gift shop (which takes away a bit from the ambience)
- Overall Score: 8/10 – definitely worth a stop
- Cast (Dry Creek Rd):
- Pros: Definitely the “biggest surprise” as it totally exceeded expectations based on a local’s otherwise typical recommendation, fantastic wines, unique blends you don’t find everywhere, a magical patio atmosphere that has a tremendous view, good snacks accompany the tasting
- Cons: Unless someone else tells you about it, you’d never have heard of it or even know it was there
- Fun Fact: The Petite Syrah comes from the grapes right out in front of the patio
- Overall Score: 9/10 – this place is awesome and I can’t wait to go back
- Dutcher Crossing (Dry Creek Rd):
- Pros: Very nice grounds, awesome design aesthetics/logo and integration of the big bicycle
- Cons: Gift shop/tasting area is a bit commercial, similar to Ferrari-Carano
- Overall Score: 8/10 – definitely worth a stop
- Sbragia (Dry Creek Rd):
- Pros: Elevated property yields nice views of Dry Creek Valley, good crackers available during tasting
- Cons: Nothing terribly memorable about the wines, the shop, the staff
- Overall Score: 6/10 – not overly memorable; I’d say “skip it”
Til Next Time,
Michael