Peter Michael Winery is located in the northeast corner of Sonoma County (California) in Knights Valley AVA.  This is the main winery, and several of the vineyards are at this location. A tasting at this property includes a stunning view of the vineyards from 1000 feet up, on the hillside of Mount Saint Helena.  Upon arrival, you are welcomed into a tasting room that has the comfort of a friend’s living room and truly feels like a home.  This is a warm and open space.  The real journey though is by truck.  You are driven slowly to the top of the hillside to enjoy the view. Here, they have built a guest space that allows for the magnificent view of vineyards and the valley below.  It is a gorgeous expanse of hillsides and vines. The winery is a remarkable commitment to nature.

First and foremost, Kistler Vineyards is a beautiful setting.  It sits high on a hill with a lovely house and gorgeous views of the surroundings.  Vines, hills, and slopes abound and capture the beauty of the winery.  This is a short drive into the Sebastopol, CA area and well worth it for the beauty of the setting alone.

Yet the only reason truly to make the trip is to explore the beauty of the wines.  Kistler produces twelve single-vineyard Chardonnays and two Pinot Noirs.  What is unique here is that the expression of the wine – the Chardonnays in particular – comes from the vineyards.

Newfound Wines is a new winery that has created a new expression of wines that will impress.  This is the endeavor of Matt and Audra Naumann, who began their journey with land in the Sierra Foothills in 2016.  They replanted the vineyard in an effort to strike a balance between nature and the fruit.  Because their own vineyard is young, they produce wines from other vineyards that are family-owned and organically farmed in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and the Sierra Foothills.