Pouring ourselves glasses of champagne, we said goodbye to the city of San Francisco, boarded our limousine and continued our journey towards California’s wine country. Not long after we had crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, the landscape opened up and we were greeted with vineyards as far as the eye could see.
Viansa Winery (Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace), a small boutique winery in Sonoma, was the first stop on our wine tour. Reminiscent of an Italian village, we were looking forward to sampling their wines and shopping at their marketplace. We arrived to the charm of the winery’s architecture and beautiful gardens.
Viansa Winery and Italian Marketplace was founded in 1989 by Sam and Vicki Sebastiani. The name is short for Vicki and Sam who are descendants of the Sebastiani family making wines in California since 1904.
We began our tour of the winery from the central courtyard, beautifully designed. Passing a statue surrounded by potted plants in the center of the plaza, we entered the stately wooden doors reinforced with iron. Inside, we had entered the wine cellar lined with large oak barrels.
We found the tasting bar, reviewed the list of sixteen wines (red, white and sweet) produced by Viansa and selected our samples for the complimentary tasting. Our pourer was extremely helpful in assisting us with our wine selections. Since I prefer the red wines, I began with the light “Piccolo” Sangiovese, a blend of Sangiovese grapes grown in nearby Sonoma Valley and Carneros.
The 2000 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is 99.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in a American and French Oak barrels for a period of 20 months. It was a “complex and full-bodied wine with well extracted fruit and tannins; aromas and flavors of raspberry, blackberry, plums, anise and spice. Barrel aging adds nuances of sweet vanilla and toasted coconut. This wine has balanced acidity and an appealing cranberry, wild strawberry and red currant finish that lasts.”
Chosen as Best in Class at the 16th Annual 2006 Jerry D. Mead’s New World International Wine Competition, the 2002 Samuele Cabernet Franc was awarded the Gold Medal. It is described as a “rich elegant wine with aromas of violets and beautifully balanced tannins and acids.” A red blend consisting of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this wine is aged a total of twenty-six months in oak barrels. Its flavors are comprised of blueberry and juniper making it a unique blend.
Another spectacular wine offered at Viansa is the Red Blend Riserva Anatra Rosso made with a combination of Merlot, Sangiovese and Teroldego grapes. The 2000 Santerra Rosso is described as “a California grown Super Tuscan wine. Super Tuscan wines originated in the 1980s by a small group of producers in Italy’s Tuscany region who felt restricted by their country’s tough laws on blending and labeling. Super Tuscans are comprised mostly of Sangiovese and typically blended with varying amounts of Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Experts have rated the best of them as truly superior to traditional reds of the region, characterized by deeper color, fuller body, more depth and complexity of flavors, better balance and greater capacity for aging. The Santerra Rosso super Tuscan has a very smooth mouthfeel with appealing flavors of dried cherries, cranberry and sage. The fruit and tannins create a nice balance in pairing with a wide variety of foods. 42% Sangiovese, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Serve at 65 degrees.”
The following is a list of Viansa wines and descriptions that we did not sample. The information was either provided by the winery or wine apps:
Ossidiana Red Bordeaux Blend, Sonoma County (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc) “crafted mostly from Cabernet Franc, is Viansa’s flagship wine…a rich, intense red that can be enjoyed now or cellared for up to 15 years.”
The Frescolina White Blend is described as a “delightfully refreshing blend of Muscat Canelli, Symphony, Viognier & Pinot Blanc, originally created as a dessert wine. The updated version is only slightly sweet and is a wonderful aperitif.”
The Viansa Nebbiolo Sonoma County (La Nebbia) comes from a “grape native to foggy Piemonte in Northern Italy. It is right at home in our Sonoma Mountain vineyard where it receives ample morning sun and afternoon shade. We blended in Primitivo (12.5%), Teroldego (2.3%) and Sangiovese (.2%) to round out this distinctive wine. A dry red with good acidity, our 2001 “La Nebbia” offers earthy flavors of tobacco and leather along with subtle notes of dried cherry and smoky oak.”
The Viansa Red Bordeaux Blend Sonoma County 2003 Lorenzo “has a nice entry with flavors of ripe boysenberry & blackberries. It boasts wonderfully balanced tannins and flows across the palate, with beautiful colors of blackberry with magenta hues. We suggest you decant for at least 1 hour before serving and can be cellared up to 5 years and would be at it’s best cellared for 1-2 years before enjoying.”
The 2004 Viansa Pinot Grigio Carneros Vittoria was an “Award winning Bronze Medalist for Chardonnay in the 2005 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, Viansa’s Pinot Grigio has light flavors of apricots, pears and green apples with hints of orange and lingering nutty flavors reminiscent of hazelnuts and macadamia nuts.”
The Viansa Dolcetto Sonoma County Athena is “Crafted entirely from Dolcetto grapes, a varietal native to northern Italy. Viansa’s “Athena” Dolcetto is a fruity delight, an off-dry red bursting with notes of raspberry and cranberry and is a winery favorite, even of white wine aficionados. It pairs nicely with a variety of foods, varying from picnic fare to elegant entrees.” This wine was awarded “a Silver Medal for its NV “Athena” Dolcetto, a delicious blend of three Italian varietals — Dolcetto, Muscat and Sangiovese.
After we completed our wine tasting and placed orders for bottles to be shipped home, we stepped outside to the most amazing views of the Sonoma Valley. Vineyards stretched for miles and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. If the Sebastiani’s vision was to recreate an Italianate destination winery producing exceptional wines, they have certainly succeeded. If there was a hotel on the property, I would probably never leave.
Have you visited Viansa Winery? Did you love the wines and fabulous views? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reminiscing with me on my trip to Viansa and wishing you many Happy Travels! Cheers!
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What to See and What to Do:
Viansa Winery
25200 Arnold Drive
Sonoma, CA 95476
Telephone: 707 946 4735 (extension 5 for reservations)
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- Admission Fee: No admission fee to visit
- Hours: Open daily from 10AM to 5PM;
- Amenities: Restaurant, terrace, picnic tables, marketplace, wine store, stunning views of Sonoma Valley, private tastings & tours (reservations required 48 hours in advance) 707 946 4735 x5; for same day experience or groups larger than six, please also call in advance, visitor’s center; Entertainment is provided during the summer from 12PM to 3PM on Saturdays.
- Private Outlook Tasting ($75 per person): accommodates 2 – 6, 90 minutes in the custom outlook with a flight of reserve wines and locally sourced cheeses. Discount for club members.
- Viansa Summit Tour and Tasting ($35 per person): accommodates 12, 45 minutes to tour the estate and enjoy a flight of wines
- Savor Sonoma ($50 per person): accommodates 2 – 10, 90 minutes to relax in the rustic Logia with award winning Reserve Wines and a selection of cheeses;
- Signature Experience ($70 per person): accommodates 2 – 10, 90 minutes to sample flights from their Signature Series wines, seated in the wine library.
- Guided Tours: Guided Tours are available at 11AM and 2:15PM
- Length of the Tour: 2 – 3 hours and an additional 1 hour if you intend to enjoy lunch
- Tips for Your Visit: Check the conservatory’s website for special events such as the Butterfly Exhibit and Orchids. During the summer, the conservatory hosts a Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays.
Where to Stay:
The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa
1325 Broadway at Leveroni & Napa Roads
Sonoma, CA 94576
Telephone: 707 935 6600
Where to Eat:
The Girl & The Fig
110 West Spain Street
Sonoma, CA 95476
Telephone: 707 938 3634 x10
I love the concept of food and wine pairings in this charming brasserie. I would definitely order the fromage tower.
What to Eat in Sonoma:
- Dungeness Crab from nearby Bodega Bay, usually starting in November. Call ahead to confirm as “crab catches can be unpredictable”.
- Free-range chicken from Petaluma Poultry has been serving up juicy birds since 1969.
- Goat cheese
- Lamb at Marin Sun Farms
- The Olive Press produces Sonoma’s second-largest harvest of olives.
- Peaches in Healdsburg from Dry Creek Peach & Produce
- Pekin Duck from Liberty Ducks/Sonoma County Poultry in Penngrove has been around for four generations
- Pork from Front Porch Farm which offers a wide range of breeds to include European Mangalitsa, Mulefoot, Red Waffle and Tuscan Cinta Senses pigs.
What to Read:
- Divisadero, by Michael Ondaatje
- A Fire Story, by Brian Fies
- Into the Forest, by Jean Hegland
- The Life She Wants, by Robyn Carr
- The Road to Hope, Crissi Langwell
- The Underside of Joy, by Sere Prince Halverson
Photo Guide for Sonoma:
- Armstrong Redwoods State Nature Reserve, Guerneville
- The Barlow, Sebastopol
- Domaine Carneros Villas and Vineyards for incredible views of the chateau and gardens.
- Duncans Landing at Bodega Bay for coastal views and beach scenes
- The Fremont Diner, Sonoma: Check out the “Greetings from Sonoma” sign
- Paradise Ridge Winery Sculptures, Santa Rosa for works of art throughout the estate
- Petaluma Historical Library & Museum for its amazing interior
- Petaluma Pumpkin Patch for the sunflower field and animals from the petting zoo
- River’s End Restaurant in Jenner is perfect for photographing the sunset
- The Russian River
- Salt Point State Park’s Sandstone Hills showcases spectacular sandstone rocks and panoramas of the Pacific Ocean
- Screamin’ Mini’s to photograph all of the ice cream flavors of the rainbow and interior
- Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Santa Rose for beautiful waterfalls and spectacular nature
- Tea Room Cafe in Petaluma for foodie photos
