Lokoya

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 5/5

  • QPR: 4/5

  • Main varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon

  • Tasting fee: $200, waived with purchases/for allocation memberes

Lokoya was such a special tasting experience. Not just because of the quality of their wines but the property, tasting room set up, and thoughtfully curated wine flight with snack pairing were all amazing. Definitely a luxury experience given the price tag but their wines sell for $300+ so tasting through 4 different wines + Chardonnay almost pays itself if you have been curious about their wines!

4 wines in the tasting flight are all 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, each from a distinct mountain appellation in Napa. There are 5 Mountain Appellations in Napa and believe Lokoya is the only winery that produces from all 4 of them: Diamond Mountain, Mt Veeder, Howell Mountain, and Spring Mountain.

Tasting starts with a glass of Chardonnay from Howell Mountain (rare for Chardonnays), that’s not overly buttery or oaky.

More about Lokoya: Website

Three Sticks Wines

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 4/5

  • QPR: 4/5

  • Main varietals: Chardonnay and Pinot

  • Tasting fee: $80, waived for members

Three Sticks Adobe tasting room is located in the heart of Sonoma downtown off the main square. Once you walk through an adorable door from the street, you will be greeted with a tasting space that feels like a hidden garden. Although you don’t get any vineyard views, the vibe here totally makes up for it.

Tasting flight includes a few different Chardonnays and Pinots from all around Sonoma including Gap’s crown, Russian River Valley, and Sonoma Coast. They do a great job with the side by side pouring of the line up so you can compare the difference and really see which one you like!

More about Three Sticks: Website

Domain Jacques Selosse

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 3/5

  • QPR: 5/5 for tasting, 3/5 for bottles

  • Main varietals: Blanc de Blanc Champagne

  • Tasting fee: €50

Jacques Selosse champagnes at this point almost have a cult following (and price to match) and it’s pretty hard to find any bottle outside of France. The best way to taste and find his wines are at their winery and B&B les Avisés. They host tasting sessions (pending Mr. Selosse’s schedule) for hotel guests on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Every tasting session is unique as Mr. Selosse will taste from different barrels and open different bottles. But all includes barrel tasting and lots of delicious Champagnes that range $400-1,000+ per bottle outside of France.

If you love Champagne, this is a must stop. The hotel’s restaurant has awesome food and wine list as well so definitely worth the stay. I’ve already been twice and can’t wait to go back!

More about Jacques Selosse: Website

Small Vines Wines

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 5/5

  • QPR: 4/5

  • Main varietals: Chardonnay and Pinot

  • Tasting fee: $100

There’s nothing I love more than finding a hidden gem winery and Small Vines is one of them! I’ve been hearing about this winery from others in the wine & hospitality industry and was so excited to finally visit. They are a small production family owned winery, but can be found in high-end restaurants like French Laundry!

Tasting room overlooks their estate vineyard and the entire property/ground was beautiful. It almost felt like I was at a winery resort with cute red barn chairs, wine barrels, and a tree swing. I tasted through their 2018 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, 2017 TBH Chardonnay, 2019 TBH Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, 2018 Estate Cuvée Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and 2015 Baranoff Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and they were all great.

What was more impressive and fun was hearing more about their farming practice while looking at their vineyard and drinking the wine from the same vineyard. They plant their vines close to each other, which decreases yield but increase concentration, and strictly maintain high quality fruits by keeping 2 clusters and 15 leaves per shoot. At the end of the visit, we even got to meet the owner/winemaker Paul (perks of visiting a small winery) and got a sneak peak of their sparkling wines yet to be released.

If you like private visits with great wines and vineyard views, highly recommend!

More about Small Vines : Website

Copain Wines

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 5/5

  • QPR: 4/5

  • Main varietals: Chardonnay, Sonoma coast cool climate Pinots

  • Tasting fee: $65(basic flight) - $85 (with food)

Good wines are a must when I choose wineries to visit but it's always nice to find ones that also have great views and snacking options. I recently got to try a bottle of 2002 Copain Pinot and loved it so I looked into visiting the winery during my Sonoma trip. Their cool climate Pinots tend to be light and complex, more of a Burgundian style vs. Russian River Valley (which I find to be a bit sweeter and darker). I got to try the food pairing flight which included a welcome pour of their rosé, Chardonnay, 2 Pinots, Grenache, and Syrah. Each wine paired so well, my favorites were

  • Carmody & Citrus Pistachios with Chardonnay

  • Cherry gelée & Brie with a light berry focused Pinot

  • Duck breast & Dried blueberries with a dusty earthy Pinot

After seeing how much I loved their Pinots, the host gave me additional pours of 4 different Pinots and I loved them even more. I was clearly a very enthusiastic taster 🤣 My favorites were

  • 2018 Magie Hawk: amazingly light berries, super fresh and smooth

  • 2019 Cote Bannie: Dusty & earthy (from the pairing flight)

  • 2015 Kiser: Last vintage of this vineyard from Copain, took me back to Burgundy

These vineyard designates are only available at the winery, or now at my house! I left with 7 different bottles and a club membership. Highly recommend for cool climate Pinot lovers.

More about Copain : Website