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Sonoma Plaza
5m
We’ll be passing by lots of wineries on this tour, most of which are open for tastings. This tour isn’t affiliated with any of the wineries, but I’ll let you know their opening hours in case you’d like to stop by. If you do indulge in some tastings, just remember you should never drink and drive!
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The tour is over 76 miles long, with more than 82 audio stories, and takes about 2-4 hours to complete.
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10m
Maybe we’ll trust Mariano Vallejo, a statesman who founded the city of Sonoma. Vallejo claimed that the word ‘Sonoma’ meant ‘Valley of the Moon.’ Supposedly, indigenous peoples observed the moon bobbing strangely between the tall, sharp peaks on the east side of the valley. Some nights, the moon seemed to rise seven times as it disappeared and reappeared between the mountains!
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10m
London Ranch Road to visit Jack London’s Ranch or the Benziger Winery.
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Benziger Family Winery
Pass by
The Benzigers moved to Sonoma in the ‘70s and started to gain attention in the 90s as they transitioned to biodynamic farming.
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Glen Ellen Village Market
10m
We’re passing through the small village of Glen Ellen. If you think Glen Ellen looks a little sleepy today, imagine this spot in the 1800s!
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Kunde Family Winery
Pass by
One of the winery’s biggest draws is its volcanic wine caves. Volcanic eruptions sent lava tumbling through this area five million years ago. Some of that lava burrowed underground and hollowed out huge caves perfect for storing wine! And that’s not all. The minerals left behind by this eruption worked their way into the soil. Now, that volcanically-charged soil gives the Kunde wines a totally unique flavor!
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Kenwood Vineyards
Pass by
Ahead is Kenwood Vineyards, which actually owns land that once belonged to Jack London’s ranch! This vineyard now grows grapes on that soil that London looked after so well.
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Pass by
The gorgeous chateau dates back to 1920, when a pair of mining and lumber magnates moved here from Michigan. They wanted to grow grapes for wine, but Prohibition dashed those hopes pretty fast. What did they do instead? They grew prunes and walnuts!
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Pass by
Barker Ledson was born to English nobility, but he yearned for the wildness of the West. He came out here and worked long, sweaty days in the Mojave as a surveyor for the railroad. A far cry from his cushy origins! Ledson used the money to buy a ranch, and eventually turned that ranch into this vineyard!
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Santa Rosa
10m
This peaceful community was once the site of a very strange cult. Thomas Lake Harris led a religious movement called the Brotherhood of the New Life in the late 1800s. Harris held all sorts of unusual beliefs. Although he was a Christian, he also claimed to communicate with fairies.
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Petrified Forest
10m
A real California treasure lies about a mile ahead: The Petrified Forest! Here, you can walk between ancient, perfectly preserved redwood trees. But how did these enormous, rock-hard monuments come to be?
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Mount Saint Helena
10m
We can trace the story of this mountain back to the same eruption that created the Petrified Forest! After the eruption, much of the volcanic ash hardened into a rock known as welded tuff. Over time, tectonic forces squeezed the earth together and drove this rock upwards… creating Mount Saint Helena!
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Old Faithful Geyser of California
10m
Old Faithful of California is also a bit of a fortune teller. The geyser’s eruptions often slow down in the weeks prior to an earthquake. So if you see Old Faithful sputtering… Get ready for a rumble!
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Chateau Montelena
Pass by
Just ahead is the Chateau Montelena winery. These winemakers had a starring role in the 1976 Judgment of Paris, the wine competition I talked about earlier. It was their Chardonnay that won the blind taste test!
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Calistoga
10m
Among the early settlers here was a young Mormon leader named Samuel Brannan. Brannan would become California’s very first millionaire. Where did he get his money? The Gold Rush, of course!
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Sterling Vineyards
Pass by
If you’re interested in a winery with a view, look out for Sterling Vineyards just ahead. At Sterling, you’ll reach the Hilltop Tasting Room via gondola!
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Pass by
If you decide to visit Clos Pegase, you might think you’ve stepped back into Ancient Rome! The founders hosted an architectural competition to decide the design of their winery. The winning plan called for high walls, grand columns, and elegant porticos. Basically, Clos Pegase gives you a mini Mediterranean vacation in the middle of Napa Valley!
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Castello di Amorosa
Pass by
The winery’s founder, Dario Sattui, spent years traveling around Europe, sketching complicated blueprints of castles, monasteries, and palaces. When he moved back to California to start his own winery, he pulled out his old sketches and thought: Hm. This could be interesting…
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Charles Krug Winery
Pass by
If you’d like to visit the site of Peter’s legendary punch, plus one of Napa Valley’s most acclaimed wineries, look for the sign for the Charles Krug Winery ahead on our left. Turn when you see it and follow the path to the estate.
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Merryvale Vineyards
Pass by
Just ahead, in the heart of St. Helena, sits Merryvale Vineyards. One of the founding partners of this winery was Peter and Robert Mondavi’s father, Cesare. His sons first learned to make wine right here in St. Helena!
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Louis M. Martini Winery
Pass by
Louis Martini didn’t just survive Prohibition… he actually got his start during Prohibition. Martini found a clever way to thrive in the wine world, despite the fact that most wine was, well, illegal! How did he do it? Well, he realized that sacramental wine was one of the few kinds still legal under Prohibition.
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V. Sattui Winery
Pass by
The V. Sattui Winery is just ahead on our left. The crown jewel here is the marketplace, where you can shop for food and wine before heading out for a picnic on the 3-acre property.
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Grgich Hills Estate
Pass by
If you’re itching for a glass of wine after all that Mondavi drama, look no further than Grgich Hills Estate ahead.
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Round Pond Estate
Pass by
Pairing wine and food is an art, one that winemakers and sommeliers work on for years. A good pairing can unlock unexpected levels of flavor and complexity, while a bad match can leave you spitting out some fine wine!
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Frog's Leap Winery
Pass by
That’s just Frog’s Leap Winery coming up on our left! If you’re looking to sample a Sauvignon Blanc on our tour, this is the place to go! When Frog’s Leap released their first bottle in 1982, the New York Times trumpeted it as “A Prince of a Wine.”
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Silverado Trail
10m
Today’s paved Silverado Trail traces the path of an important wagon route dating back to the mid-1800s. Travelers used this trail to travel from Calistoga all the way to the big city of San Francisco!
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Mumm Napa
10m
Time to get bubbly! In about a half mile, we’ll see Mumm Napa Winery on our right. They specialize in sparkling wine. What makes a wine sparkle? Winemakers add carbon dioxide to red or white wines, giving them a pleasant fizz!
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Stags' Leap Winery
10m
The winery sits on a large estate that was once home to a resort, a stopover for Navy sailors, and a rooming home. According to winemaker Robert Brittan, some of these guests seemed to have overstayed their welcome…
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10m
For decades, local authorities mismanaged the Napa River. Pollution built up, and the river lost many of its native species. The loss of the river’s beavers proved especially disastrous. Scientists refer to beavers as a ‘keystone species.’ This means that beavers have an essential role in the surrounding ecosystem. Napa needs beavers!
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Trefethen Family Vineyards
Pass by
Back in 1886, the Goodman brothers built this winery with a keen attention to gravity. On the top floor of the structure, the brothers crushed grapes. They then sent the grapes toppling through a chute to the second floor, where the fermentation process occurred.
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Cuvaison
Pass by
You just might feel things start to cool down as we approach Cuvaison Winery. These winemakers operate one of the most acclaimed vineyards in the Los Carneros region of Napa… and compared to other areas in the valley, Los Carneros can get downright chilly!
