Russian River Valley is a region rich in history. Grape growing and winemaking are integral to the story of the land and its past. The valley is named for the first non-natives to settle in Sonoma County. The Russians, who settled along the Sonoma coast at historic Fort Ross from 1812 to 1841, left a significant impact on the area. They found this region optimal to hunt sea otters for their furs and to provide food and staples for Russian colonies in Alaska. Agriculture, including viticulture, was a primary goal in this endeavor and the fertile soils of the Russian River Valley provided a region apt for farming and sustaining their outposts.
DeLoach Vineyards pioneered Pinot Noir wine growing in the Russian River Valley when Cecil DeLoach, a firefighter from San Francisco with a passion for winemaking, first planted the grape in 1973. In 2003, DeLoach Vineyards was purchased by the Boisset Family from Burgundy, France, when Jean-Charles Boisset fell in love with the Russian River Valley on his first visit to the area, immediately recognizing the similarities between Sonoma County and Burgundy: each boast a confluence of river, mountains, and soil that is perfect for growing world-class Pinot Noir.
Rodney Strong Vineyards grows and produces wines from grapes grown exclusively in Sonoma County's finest appellations: Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Chalk Hill and Sonoma Coast. Rod was one of the first to plant pinot noir in the Russian River Valley, the first to produce and release a Chalk Hill chardonnay, and the first to make a single-vineyard cabernet in Sonoma County. The winery's 14 unique estate vineyards represent a perfect combination of varietal selection and place, the unique soil and climate as well as farming and winemaking techniques.
The winery's current offerings include sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, zinfandel, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, Symmetry, a red meritage wine and a couple of single-vineyard cabernet sauvignons from Alexander Valley.
Since 1989, the Klein family, who has been involved in California agriculture for four generations, has privately owned the winery. Their passion for sustainable farming practices, solar power and other green business practices led us to become Sonoma County's first carbon neutral winery.
Since the first vintage of wines produced in 1976, the wines quickly became known for their artistic proprietary blends. Award-winning whites like the picnic-perfect Thousand Flowers or classics like: Rhone-inspired Rushin' River Red and Zinfandel-based, Big Red, have become staples with a generation of loyal followers.
As much as the proprietary blends make up a large part of Hop Kiln's past, the next generation of excellence came to light with the introduction of our ultra premium label, fondly referred to as "HKG". In 2006 we began laying down the groundwork for a 100% estate grown wine with the release of the first bottling of HKG. We began the process of replanting the 248-acre property with mostly Burgundian brood: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Coupled with meticulous care by winemaker Chuck Mansfield and vineyard manager, David Smith, the result will be an all-estate production of our HKG starting in 2009.
A small family owned winery located on Westside Road in the Russian River Valley, Matrix makes Pinot Noirs and Bordeaux varietals. Planting new Pinot Noir and Chardonnay will add to the Wilson vineyards and give Matrix a chance to shine as a Russian River Pinot House.
In 2009, the Sonoma Harvest Fair awarded Matrix "Best of Class" for its 2004 Matrix, a Bordeaux blend. This wine is exactly what distinguishes Matrix wines, it carries a signature robust energy, tempered by elegance. With winemaker's Diane Wilson and Antoine Favero combining their talents on the wines we get the chance to experience the balance.
Ken Wilson started planting grapes in Sonoma in the 80's and his vineyards are unexpected and diverse. The diversity offers the winemakers of Matrix the gift to hand-select grapes from the estate vineyards - block by block and sometimes even row by row.
Arista Winery was founded by the McWilliams family in 2002 with a mission to create the most elegant expression of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. We are committed to sustainable farming practices and sustainable business practices. We work closely with local growers who share our dedication to sustainability in their vineyards. We do not attempt to manipulate our vineyard sites but instead strive to preserve each vineyard's natural qualities.
We believe that wines made in the vineyard are well-behaved in the cellar. We coax them along with minimal intervention and gentle handling. Arista's wines have deep, rich flavors that reflect the unique sites from which they are sourced. Produced in small lots of several barrels, the wines are deliciously balanced with fruit, tannins, acidity and oak in harmonious proportion.
In addition to our wines, we pride ourselves on having created a true destination experience for our visitors. A breathtaking setting of Japanese water gardens, mountain and vineyard vistas, combined with an inviting tasting room, offers guests a welcoming environment that encourages picnic lunches and leisurely days spent on the estate.
Benefits of our private wine tours:
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Russian Rive Wine Tour
(Based on 9 hour tour)
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Terms: $100 deposit due at time of booking. Balance due 5 days before tour is conducted.
Additional fees/charges may apply for pickups outside the Sacramento area