Tasting Wine at Two Architectural Gems

Courtyard & gardens at Chateau St. Jean. Photo by Andrew Collins.

I don’t care how pretty a winery is, it can’t mask mediocre wine. But a winery with both exceptional wine and a stunning design excites multiple senses. Aesthetically, two of my favorite Sonoma wineries lie just a short distance from one another, at the northern end of the Sonoma Valley, often dubbed the Valley of the Moon. St. Francis Winery & Vineyards and Chateau St. Jean both occupy Mediterranean-inspired estates, the former built in the style of California’s famed red-tile missions, and the latter resembling a grand French medieval chateau. Both wineries produce highly acclaimed wines with prolific distribution throughout North America – they’re not exactly hidden gems. But despite their immense popularity, both properties cultivate a surprisingly peaceful, welcoming vibe – they’re perfect venues not only for tasting stellar wines but for strolling and picnicking amid the leafy grounds.

A church bell hangs in the tower that rises above the stucco tasting room at St. Francis Winery – the visitor center, with its

Bell tower entrance at St. Francis Winery. Photo by Andrew Collins.

three tasting bars and surrounding gardens, opened in 2001. A sculpture of St. Francis of Assisi anchors the courtyard, and large arched windows in the high-ceilinged tasting room overlook acres of vineyards. At St. Francis, you can dine as well as sip – the winery offers wine-and-food pairings two to three times per day, depending on the day of the week, and in summer, chef David Bush prepares a Charcuterie on the Patio experience from  10 am until 4 pm daily – local cheeses and meats are served along with a flight of red or white wine. The cost is $25, a great price for a wonderful culinary experience.

The beautifully landscaped grounds at Chateau St. Jean, which produces an impressive and extensive variety of whites (the 2008 Viogner is a standout) and reds (the reserve Cabs and Merlots are justly famous, but don’t overlook the bargain-priced Pinot Noir that’s remarkably well-balanced). You reach the tasting room by walking through a formal estate garden, one of the most picturesque of any in Sonoma County.

You might consider ending your day of tasting at these two noted wineries with dinner at one of the better restaurants in the region, the Vineyards Inn Bar & Grill, which is close to both properties and serves superb Spanish-inspired Wine Country cuisine. Favorite dishes include classic paella Valenciana with house-made chorizo, and hearty Basque-style lamb shank braised for hours in a heady stew of tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and mushroom-wine sauce.