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

Castello Tricerchi

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 5/5

  • QPR: 5/5

  • Main varietals: Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino (Sangiovese)

  • Tasting fee: starts at €35

Castello Tricerchi is located in the northern part of Montalcino, which is a cooler climate are compared to rest of the region. This translates to their brighter, more delicate wines which I loved! Winery is built on the castle from 1400s and you can still see parts of the original castle. Such a fun historical place with an amazing view from the top. Most of their wines were sold out so we didn’t get to buy any bottles but enjoyed 2019 Brunello di Montalcino (wasn’t available for sale yet as we went at the end of 2023) and the Rosso. Bottles are affordable and you get the small family owned vibe here.

More about Castello Tricerchi: 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

Matanzas Creek Winery

TL;DR

  • Cute for pictures: 5/5

  • QPR: 4/5

  • Main varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Bordeaux Blend

  • Tasting fee: $35

I’ve seen photos from Matanzas Creek on social media as the winery in Sonoma with a lavender field so I was excited to finally visit myself. Peak lavender season is mid June-July so the field wasn’t as full/bright but it was still beautiful and was a nice addition to the tasting experience. Tasting flight included Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, 2 different Merlots, and 2 different Bordeaux blends. All of their wines had amazing nose and were easy drinking, great for those who enjoy Sauvignon Blancs and Bordeaux blends from Napa!

They also have outdoor tables ($50 to reserve or waived with 4+ bottle purchase) and bocce ball picnic so great stop for a group, not to mention the affordable tasting fee compared to $40+ in Napa and Sonoma these days.

More about : Website