Last Updated on April 13, 2024
It was thirty years ago that five freshly-minted veterinarian friends left Central Illinois and headed to the far reaches of the country. Over the years, we became caught up in the daily lives of growing our careers and raising children.
Every few years, however, one of us would declare, “we need to get together,” and we’d begin planning a trip.
Foley Family Farms for the Win
I had recently met Alexandra O-Gorman of Foley Family Farms in Sonoma and suggested it might be fun if our group followed the movie script of old friends meeting in this magnificent California wine country in mid-life. Though nothing movie-worthy exciting happened on our girl’s trip, we thoroughly enjoyed the scenic landscape, shared many stories, and drank our fair share of really good wine.
Foley Family Farms wineries generously welcomed us to their diverse portfolio of nine wineries within the Sonoma area. Bill and Carol Foley bought their first vineyard in 1996 in Santa Barbara County and now grow grapes around the globe with wineries in New Zealand, Argentina, and France as well as in California and around the Pacific Northwest.
Sonoma County wine country provided the perfect setting for our escape. The five of us met in San Francisco and drove 70 miles northwest to Bodega Bay. We rented a stylish house on the coast overlooking the ocean – a great base for exploring the area.
Though we didn’t have time to visit all of the Foley Family Farms’ wineries, we did manage to fit in three.
Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery
We set out early for a 10:00 reservation at Ferrari-Carano. A long, winding sidewalk led us to an Italianate villa with broad, shallow stone steps leading to a columned entrance with a circular fountain out front.
Don and Rhonda Carano, second-generation Italian Americans started the vineyard and winery in 1981 with the planting of Chardonnay and Fume Blanc grapes. The Foley Family has continued to produce these wines along with more than 20 other white and red varieties since 2020, earning a prestigious California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance certification.
Upon arrival, the tasting room hostess handed each of us a glass of Fume Blanc and showed us to a table overlooking the vineyards with a lovely terrace surrounded by fountains and olive trees. The sommelier then poured a 2022 Viognier aged in neutral French oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks. We joked that this crisp white wine with a hint of fruit flavors would be perfect at the end of a long day in the veterinary clinic as we completed our records.
A charcuterie board of Barely Buzzed, a unique, artisanal, and newly popular cheese type, and goat cheese wrapped in herbs also included three types of meat and a variety of nuts and dried fruit. The cheese enhanced the flavors of the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Reserve Cabernet that rounded out our wine tasting.
Our sommelier then led us on a tour of the wine club room and entertained us with stories about Mr. Carano and how he chose the small grapes for the winery’s Prevail Back Forty Cabernet to ensure its intense taste. We exited strolling through a tranquil, secluded garden with small wooden bridges leading over a picturesque stream.
Lancaster Estate
At Lancaster Estate, we met a sommelier whose family has been in Sonoma County since 1861. Lancaster’s club room evokes a hip mid-century modern vibe and the adjoining patio offers a gorgeous view of the vineyards. Next, we explored the “cave” where the constant temperature and humidity provide an ideal environment for producing and aging wine.
Lancaster produces Bordeaux varietals by taking advantage of 53 acres of rolling hills, volcanic soils, sunny days, and cool nights. It’s the combination of French Oak, concrete eggs, and stainless-steel tanks that impart various flavors to their wine. The boutique winery mainly sells directly to customers, and therefore only creates around 4,000 cases of high-quality wine per year.
Plush blankets guarded us against the cool cave air as we sat around a private table sampling Samantha’s Sauvignon Blanc and Sophia’s Hillside Cuvée. The champion of the wine tasting, however, was the estate’s amazing Cabernet Sauvignons from 2019, 2018, and 2017. All three were rich, heavy reds and my favorite was the 2018 varietal due to its earthy flavor.
Banshee Wines
Banshee, our last tasting of the afternoon, had the disadvantage of following our Lancaster experience. While the setting and décor far surpassed most tasting rooms I have visited, the wines didn’t quite live up to the Estate Cabs at its sister property. The spacious indoor space has a cool, modern-cabin feel with warm-toned wood and black steel.
Two outdoor patios offer comfortable seating with vast views of vineyards spreading to the hills in the distance. Although true wine connoisseurs may not enjoy Banshee as much as other wineries here, it did seem to be the perfect place to hang out with friends, especially on a warm, sunny day.
Sonoma Activities Beyond Wine Tasting
While my friends greatly enjoyed our wine-tasting adventures, we were also drawn to the natural beauty of the Sonoma Coast area. The weather was cool and rainy in mid-February, but we took advantage of the bouts of sunshine to visit the beach and savor a meditative stroll through the redwoods, albeit in a drizzle.
Plenty of small towns offered great spots for having lunch and doing a little shopping.
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
The Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve was about a 30-minute drive from our vacation rental and offered an easy one-and-a-half-mile Pioneer Nature Trail.
We craned our necks to glimpse the top of the 1,300-year-old tree named “Parson Jones” after a neighbor of Colonel James Armstrong. Its 310-foot height just barely outpaced the 308 feet of “Colonel Armstrong,” estimated to be 100 years older.
We took memorable photos by the waterfall and in front of the massive roots of a downed redwood.
Strolling by the Ocean
Although one of our group lives in San Francisco, the rest of us are inlanders and needed to see the ocean up close.
However, due to the cool temperatures and strong surf during our visit, we didn’t attempt to swim or do any water sports though we did check out a beach closest to the house. After climbing down the steps from the road, we walked along the fine, slightly gravelly sand of Portuguese Beach. The roar and sight of the waves crashing over the rock formations touched a piece of my soul.
After, we drove to Doran Regional Park where a peninsula stretches out to create Bodega Bay. Off the 2-mile-long beach, we watched surfers and kiteboarders take advantage of the gorgeous day. This area is part of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, home to whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions as well as many types of seabirds and fish.
Sonoma Dining Experiences
Corner Project Ales & Eats in Geyserville partners with local farms and breweries in Sonoma County and the Bay Area to feature organic food and drinks. The menu isn’t extensive, but features hearty, fresh meals that all sound appealing.
At Baked on the River in Guerneville, we escaped the rain to gather around the end of a long wood-slab table. We felt welcomed like family as we perused the unique brunch items on the menu. I enjoyed the peach-pulled pork salad and hot apple cider. We couldn’t resist choosing various cookies from the bakery shelf for dessert.
On our last day, we browsed the boutiques in Occidental and ran into Howard Station Café just before the rain returned. After ordering at the counter, we found a niche in the corner of the room since the conversation of veterinarians is not usually what customers want to overhear during a meal. The Café’s extensive menu included many breakfast items that could be ordered throughout the day.
Sonoma Wine Country proved to be a wonderful spot for old friends to gather and experience great wine, food and connection. This scenic wine country is easy to reach from San Francisco and offers over 400 wineries as well as tranquil natural areas and many small towns to explore in the area.
