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Quick Wine Country
Getaway
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These three great Sonoma County wineries are less than an hour away from San Francisco. We suggest three very different wineries for your visit, each with its own unique and distinctive character. Cline Cellars and Gloria Ferrer are located in the famous Los Carneros Region of Sonoma County. The Benziger Family Winery is 15 minutes further in the hills of the Sonoma Valley Wine Region. |
Cline Cellars |
Top Quick Getaway to Sonoma Wine Country
• Cline Cellars – Zinfandels and Rhone Wines• Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves – wine at its best
• Benziger Family Winery – Best tour and wine information
Winery Descriptions, Driving directions, Tasting Room Hours
Directions from the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge
• Take 101 North and exit at Highway 37.
• Travel on Highway 37 for roughly 8 miles
• Turn left to Highway 121 and Sonoma.
• Take Highway 121 for about 4 miles.
• Watch for Cline Cellars on the left side of the highway.
Picnic Lunch
These three wineries have picnic facilities. See our list of Top
Delis for options for buying your lunch.
Cline Cellars
Although the Carneros regions is recognized for its fine Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir wines, the Cline winery was one of the first to grow
Rhone varietals in the cool climate of the Carneros region. Cline
produces a Syrah and Viognier as well as the rarely-produced varietals
of Marsanne and Rousanne. The tasting room is a restored 1850 farmhouse
and is very charming. The extensive grounds are very beautiful,
providing a good choice for a picnic lunch. In addition to its 350
acres of vineyards in the Carneros region, Cline also has vineyards
in Contra Costa County, and near the town of Petaluma in Sonoma
County. Cline is on Highway 121 about 4 miles from Highway 37.
Tasting room open daily 10 am to 6,
Phone (800) 546-2070, E-mail: info@clinecellars.com, Cline
Cellars
Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves
One mile away from Cline is the entrance to Gloria Ferrer, the producer
of fine sparkling wines. Watch for it on the left. Gloria Ferrer
is a very beautiful and elegant winery set back on a hillside. The
tasting room is set up like a wine bar. You pay by the glass for
a very healthy taste of wine. You can sit and relax either inside
or outside on a deck. In addition to their sparking wines, Gloria
Ferrer also produces a Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. You can
bring your lunch, order a glass of fine sparkling wine, and sit
out on the deck enjoying the spectacular vineyards below. Weekends
are popular, so getting a table can be a wait.
Tasting room open daily 10:30 am to 5:30
Phone (707) 996-7256, E-mail: info@gloriaferrer.com, Gloria
Ferrer
Benziger Family Winery
Head north (left turn) as you leave Gloria Ferrer. The Benziger
Family Winery is located just about ten miles ahead. When you get
to the next major intersection, be sure to go straight on to Arnold
Road towards Glen Ellen. When you get into the town of Glen Ellen
watch for the signs pointing toward Jack London Park and the Benziger
Winery. You will turn left onto London Ranch Road and drive for
about a half mile. The Benziger Winery is a very fun winery to visit.
If you have only a limited time to visit one winery, choose this
one. There is a lot to do here as well as being a great spot for
a picnic lunch. We recommend you take the tour for $10. You will
learn a great deal about winemaking, and it includes a tasting of
some fine reserve wines. Spend some time at the Vineyard Discovery
Center. You will learn about the various trellis systems and why
each type is used. Visiting Benziger is an enjoyable and educational
wine experience.
Tasting room open daily 10 am to 5, (707) 935-3000
E-mail: greatwine@benziger.com. Benziger