We met Amber and her husband, Andrew, just outside of Sonoma at the St. Francis Winery for a wine and food pairing to celebrate their birthdays. As we drove into the Sonoma Valley, I was once again reminded why I live in California. We are truly living the dream.
St. Francis is a beautiful winery, with a tasting room like a mission, surrounded by a sea of grape vines set at the base of the mountains. Their wines range from "Really Good" to "Great" to "Fantastic." I am particular to their reds.
They also have this chef who makes these fantastic foods, and they switch the tastings every few months. He does an amazing job every time, pairing the wines to bring out just the slightest nuance in the wine.
This tasting was no exception. As we waited we were treated to a pre-tasting glass of wine on the patio, and when that ran out they brought us another. The gnocchi was a double pairing, and I thought the Syrah was best. After the wine and food, you can return to the tasting room to sample whatever is open, or further your tastes along a particular type of wine you just sampled. A couple years ago, we ended up with several different bottles of Zinfandel just through this "extended tasting."
You could make a full day of just sitting on the patio, tasting the afternoon away after the pairing menu.
The grounds are beautiful, everything is just perfect: this is the one winery you do not want to miss.
We stopped in Sonoma at the downtown square, and finished the day at two smaller wineries.