These are among the most beautiful properties in Wine Country, perfect for sipping wine and taking in the scenery.
Lavender Love — Matanzas Creek Winery: Matanzas Creek Winery has been a haven for lavender lovers since 1991. Visitors come to sip sauvignon blanc on a terrace overlooking lilac and amethyst fields dotted with sunflowers. The lavender, which reaches full bloom around mid-June, is organically farmed and the blossoms are used in culinary, bath, body and home products sold at the winery’s lavender market. Reserve in advance. Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 707-528-6464, matanzascreek.com. (Courtesy of Matanzas Creek Winery)
Quintessential California — Scribe Winery: A line of towering palms marks the drive up to Sonoma’s Scribe Winery. This is classic vintage California, from the adobe hacienda (built in the 1850s, once a speakeasy) surrounded by a tapestry of wavy grasses and stately succulents to the bountiful edible garden, run by Stephen Carter, one of the world’s premier chicory farmers. Call for updated tasting information. 2100 Denmark St., Sonoma, 707-939-1858, scribewinery.com. (Leo Patrone)
Protecting Pollinators — Jordan Vineyard & Winery: The team at Jordan Vineyard & Winery never does anything halfway, with the majestic vine-covered stone buildings and the 1-acre vegetable patch that yields 100 varieties of produce, including exquisite fraises des bois strawberries. There’s also a pollinator garden for bees and migrating monarch butterflies. Reserve ahead for a garden tour. 1474 Alexander Valley Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com. (Leo Patrone)
A Vineyard Education — Quivira Vineyards: Learn as you taste at Dry Creek Valley’s Quivira Vineyards, where a sample block highlights all the varietals grown on the estate and raised beds showcase organic gardening practices. Sing in the herb garden, complete with — yep — parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Then visit the chickens: Japanese black Cochins, cuckoo Marans and silver-laced Wyandottes. Reserve in advance. 4900 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-8333, quivirawine.com. (Courtesy of Quivira Vineyards)
Unusual Finds — McEvoy Ranch: Tucked into the Petaluma Gap just high enough to skirt the fog, McEvoy Ranch is an idyll with acres of olive groves and rolling vineyards. The property is also home to many unusual plants, including striking purple cerinthe and wacky Buddha’s hand citrus. For a splurge, book a tasting in one of the new private hideaways by the pond. Reserve walking tours and hideaways in advance. 5935 Red Hill Road, Petaluma, 866-617-6779, mcevoyranch.com. (Courtesy of MvEvoy Ranch)
House of Flowers — Flowers Vineyards & Winery: Before they grew grapes for their Flowers Vineyards & Winery, Joan and Walt Flowers owned a nursery. So the couple knew just how to create a stunning garden at their winery’s House of Flowers. The landscaping was inspired by the many microclimates between Healdsburg and the rugged Sonoma Coast, where the winery grows pinot noir and chardonnay. 4035 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-723-4800, flowerswinery.com. (Courtesy of Flowers Vineyards & Winery)
Hike the Sonoma Hills — Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery: History is the watchword at Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma Valley, founded on the very land where California viticulture was born. The winery anchors 375-acre Bartholomew Park; save time to wander the trails that lace the oak- and madrone-studded hills. Or saddle up because the estate offers 45-minute horseback rides on relatively flat trails. Picnic grounds and hiking trails open to the public; reserve ahead for tasting. 1000 Vineyard Lane, Sonoma. 707-509-0540, bartholomewestate.com. (Courtesy of Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery)
Picture Perfect — Lynmar Estate: The colorful flowers in the winery gardens of Lynmar Estate make for a pretty backdrop for a selfie. The culinary and estate garden teams work closely together to create the winery’s food and wine pairings. Enjoy estate-grown pinot noirs and chardonnays on the gorgeous patio surrounded by flowers. 3909 Frei Road, Sebastopol, 707-829-3374, lynmarestate.com. (Lynmar Estate)
From Garden to Table — Kendall-Jackson: Executive Chef Tracey Shepos and her team use ingredients from Kendall-Jackson’s 4-acre culinary garden to prepare small dishes paired with small-production, limited-release wines. Tucker Taylor is director of culinary gardens and shares pretty photos of produce from the gardens on Instagram, @farmert. Don’t miss their farm-to-table summer dinner series. 5007 Fulton Road, Fulton, 866-287-9818, kj.com. (Courtesy of Kendall-Jackson)
A Taste of Europe — Chateau St. Jean: Though located in Sonoma Valley, Chateau St. Jean’s gardens may transport you to Italy or the south of France. The French-style chateau was built as a summer home in the early 1920s. There are spots throughout the estate to sit down and take in the garden views. Advanced reservations are highly recommended. 8555 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-257-5784, chateaustjean.com
Rustic Rural Gem — Medlock Ames: When they’re not busy making wine, the people at Medlock Ames love nothing more than to pore over seed catalogs and tinker with new varieties. At the winery’s stunning rural vineyards at Bell Mountain Ranch, beds explode with zinnias, sunflowers and Queen Anne’s lace (a second tasting room on Alexander Valley Road has a small but lovely olive grove). Open by appointment. 13414 Chalk Hill Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-8845, medlockames.com. (Dawn Stranne)
Picnic Among Roses — Cline Cellars: More than 70 species of roses grow on the Cline Cellars estate, which also has light-filled and airy cabanas near its Great Lawn, each accommodating four to six people for two-hour stays. A chilled bottle of Nancy’s Sparkling Cuvee awaits, as well as a basket of picnic provisions, including salami, cheeses, nuts and crackers. Reservations recommended. 24737 Arnold Drive, Highway 121, Sonoma, 707-940-4044, clinecellars.com. (Courtesy of Cline Cellars)
Biodynamic Bliss — Benziger Family Winery: In 2000, Benziger Family Winery became the first vineyard in Sonoma County (and one of the first in North America) to receive biodynamic certification. The winery’s holistic approach to farming and maintaining a healthy ecosystem involves many elements, which can be explored along the Biodynamic Discovery Trail and during the Private Tribute Estate Tour & Tasting. Open Thursday through Monday, by appointment only. 1883 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, 707-935-3000, benziger.com. (Courtesy of Benziger Family Winery)
Tulip Hotline — Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery: More than 10,000 tulips and daffodils bloom each spring at Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery. The gardens boast some 2,000 species of trees and shrubs, including a few of the only Portuguese cork trees in Wine Country. In late winter/early spring, a dedicated Tulip Hotline (707-433-5349) provides updates on tulip-blooming time. Reserve in advance. 8761 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 800-831-0381, ferrari-carano.com. (Courtesy of Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery)
Proteas on the Coast — Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery: In a nod to the owners’ native South Africa, a vast collection of rare proteas takes pride of place at coastal Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery. Look for the ‘pink mink’ — pink flowers with black feathery tips — and the ‘scarlet ribbon’ pincushion, a bright-red bloom with orange spikes. Reserve in advance. 15725 Meyers Grade Road, Jenner, 707-847-3460, fortrossvineyard.com. (Shutterstock)
