Sonoma County Wine Country – Deep Dive: Day 3+1
Posted on January 14,2026 By John Compisi
As reported in previous posts, each Wine Writers Educational Tour unfolds as a 3+1 day (Day four) immersion into the soul of a wine region—three days of structured exploration, plus an optional fourth for those who wish to linger. On average, we meet with up to sixty winemakers and taste as many as 180 wines. Yet the numbers only hint at the depth of the experience. Each glass is a story; each vineyard, a chapter. Together, they form a living book of terroir, tradition, and innovation.
From morning seminars to twilight tastings, the days are choreographed to reveal the region’s essence. Winemakers speak not only of soils and varietals, but of heritage, resilience, and vision. By the end, what remains is not just a memory of wines tasted, but a tapestry of human voices woven into the land itself.
Our previous excursions carried us through the storied vineyards of Napa Valley (2018), wandered amid the earthy elegance of the Willamette (2019), and embraced the bold character of Paso Robles (2022). Sonoma, with its layered geography and diverse microclimates, felt like a culmination — a place where the threads of earlier tours converged into a rich, sensory tapestry. Its landscapes revealed not a single narrative, but a chorus: fog-kissed coastlines whispering of restraint, sunlit valleys singing of abundance, mountain ridges echoing with power and precision.
Our adventure carried us to Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery, perched high on the far edge of the Sonoma Coast. The first thing that struck us was the fog — not a wisp, not a gentle mist, but cinematic, moody, soaking-through-your-jacket fog. Trees and vines dripped as if they had just stepped out of a storm. Here, at one of Sonoma’s closest vineyards to the Pacific, the ocean is not a distant backdrop but a constant presence. You feel it in the air, in the vines, and ultimately in the glass.
At elevations between 1,600 and 1,800 feet, the vineyards seemed to inhale the Pacific, their rows alive with the cool winds drifting inland. Winemaker Jeff Pisoni guided us through the intricacies of high-elevation, cool-climate grape growing and winemaking, revealing how altitude and ocean air conspire to shape flavor. From these heights we made our way, with Jeff, to the secluded Fort Ross Vineyard Tasting Room, where quiet beauty met generous hospitality. Jeff and his team welcomed us with a charcuterie spread as artful as it was abundant — a mosaic of cured meats, cheeses, and fruits that set the stage for a tasting both intimate and expansive.
Eight wines unfolded before us — among them a rare Chenin Blanc, a coastal Chardonnay, and a Pinot Noir layered with forest and sea. Each glass carried its own voice, yet together they spoke of place. We could not resist: eight wines tasted, eight bottles chosen, a tangible reminder that some journeys are meant to linger long after the last sip.
We left Jeff to head to Sebastopol to have lunch with Winemaker Bibiana González Rave (Cattleya Wines), Jeff’s wife and winemaking partner for a joint venture, Shared Notes, a venture that embodies dialogue in wine — a blending of perspectives, a marriage of vision.. Bibiana was joined by 4 other winemakers who guided us through a tasting of 5 unique (varietals) wines. All distinct and delicious. All while we enjoyed a tasty lunch provided by The Redwood restaurant.
Bibiana was joined by four other winemakers, each guiding us through a tasting of five unique varietals. Distinct, delicious, and expressive, the wines mirrored the diversity of voices at the table. Ryan Zepaltas – winemaker – Copain, Leo Hansen – owner; winemaker – Leo Steen Wine; William Allen – owner, winemaker – Two Shepherds and Sam Treakle – winemaker – Captûre wines. Each winemaker took their turn describing the interesting white wines they produced from around Sonoma County’s various growing areas. Each so different but so good!
The Redwood restaurant provided a lunch that was both hearty and refined, its flavors grounding the wines in conviviality. What unfolded was less a meal than a gathering of stories, each glass and plate another thread in Sonoma’s tapestry.
Our optional fourth day unfolded at a gentler pace, a coda to the symphony of Sonoma. At Kosta Browne Winery in Sebastopol, winemaker Julien Howsepian welcomed us with a brief but insightful tour before leading us through a tasting that felt both refined and unhurried. A coastal Chardonnay opened the sequence, followed by two expressive California Pinot Noirs, and finally a French Beaune Premier Cru — shipped and bottled by Kosta Browne, a gesture that bridged continents and traditions.
It was a wonderful, relaxing ending to an extraordinary four days. Seventeen wines on Day Four, yet what lingered was not the number but the cadence: a finale that allowed the journey to exhale, leaving us with a sense of completion and quiet joy.
In Sonoma, the journey felt less like a destination than a convergence. The fog-kissed coastlines whispered restraint, the sunlit valleys sang of generosity, and the mountain ridges echoed with precision. Together they formed not a single melody but a chorus — a reminder that wine is never one voice, but many. Each tour before had been a chapter; Sonoma was the tapestry that bound them, a living testament to terroir, tradition, and the human spirit.
We hope you’ve enjoyed following along on our journey through Sonoma County’s wines and regions. We loved bringing these stories to you, and we’d love to hear about your own favorite Sonoma experiences — whether a vineyard visit, a memorable bottle, or a moment when wine connected you to place.