Next up in my explorations of north of the GGB is the town of Sebastopol, just north of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. It can be overlooked, even though it has just as many unique spots to check out. A couple weeks ago, I took a day trip to eat and drink my way through the town and tour Emeritus Vineyards, which just won the best winery tour in USA Today!
Emeritus is a vineyard full of history, making it such an interesting place to tour. With a focus on Pinot Noir, we got to walk around the fields and learn about the wine-making process, while also witnessing it first-hand (as you can see in the photos above, they have a GIANT press that squeezes the grapes from their skins and seeds!).
One of the most interesting things I learned while touring Emeritus was how much thought goes into the wood for the barrels. There are different kinds of oak (American vs French etc) which impart different qualities to the wine depending on the terroir. Emeritus uses French oak from a specific forest in France, where they basically have an “oak guy” who makes it happen. That is wine goals.
If you can’t make it to the tasting room at Emeritus, quite a few restaurants in SF feature their wines, such as Boulevard, Gary Danko, Hakkasan, Kokkari, and Cliff House. But definitely make the trip to Sebastopol and spend the day there.
To make the most of your day, I recommend leaving early from SF, around 9am. It’s an hour and a half drive, and you want to have plenty of time to explore! Some other spots we went to purely through word of mouth during our day trip:
Crooked Goat Brewing { They’ve got some interesting IPAs and take their hops very seriously, labeling each beer based on the various types. }
K & L Bistro { The food leans French, but we only came for the oysters, which are delicious. They even have oysters from New Zealand, which I’d never tried before. }
Handline Restaurant { Their back patio makes this place the perfect lazy late lunch. We had a spicy ceviche and killer tacos. }
Woodfour Brewing { Another great brewery with a good selection of sour beers. Side note, I know I look like I’m wearing an umbrella hat in the picture above. }
Emeritus Vineyards { I can’t stress enough how unique this place is! Book a tour and grab a bottle of their delicious Pinot Noir. }
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