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Vintage Wine Tours of Sonoma

In planning our trip to experience the Napa Valey Wine Train, we heard about Eric Stevens' Vintage Wine Tours of Sonoma.  His website describes it this way:

With nostalgic flair, Vintage Wine Tours of Sonoma offers personalized wine tours, wine country wedding and special event transportation in chauffeur driven vintage Cadillac and Rolls-Royce convertibles, sedans and limousines.

Based in Sonoma, California, Vintage Wine Tours of Sonoma can transport your intimate group of 2-6 to scenic destinations in the Sonoma & Napa Valleys where you can experience the Valleys’ finest wineries, natural beauty destinations and partake in special adventures that have been created for you.

Remember, the whole point is just to relax and enjoy!

We made plans to have Eric pick us up at the Hidden Oak Inn in Sonoma, where we stayed the previous evening.  When he first arrived, in his 1937 Cadillac, he helped us aboard and asked us what type of wines we liked.  He processed our answers and selected the wineries we would visit.  During the tour, Eric answered any questions we had about the area, how it compares to Napa, who owns each winery in Sonoma, the history of the town of Sonoma, and, most importantly, educated us about wines.  At the VJB Vineyards & Cellars and Loxton Cellars, he introduced us to the owners and helped us learn more about wines as we tasted.  His kowledge of the personnel at the wineries is remarkable.  Each time we walked into a tasting room, they welcomed him by name and we proceeded to taste.

Riding through town and along the highway, we turned heads of other drivers as we rolled along in our escorted '37 Cadillac, which was a big part of the tour for me, being an owner of a classic car myself.  Eric said that in 1937, Cadillac made a V-16, V-12, and V-8 engines, which our '37 Series 65 Touring Sedan had. 

Eric said that Sonoma was a kind of Adult Disneyland!  There is a Train Town here that has rides for kids and a petting zoo.

	The 1937 Cadillac in which Eric took us wine tasing in Sonoma County.
We headed out of Sonoma, north, following Sonoma Hwy. 12, first stopping at VJB Vineyards & Cellars in Kenwood.	VJB (Victor Joseph Belmonte) in Kenwood.

With the May 2003 opening of the VJB Vineyards & Cellars Tasting Room in Kenwood locals and tourists alike can enjoy the limited production boutique style varietals that are sold exclusively at their facility and, now, through thier wine club; Club Enoteca. Thier Estate vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Aglianico.

	VJB owner,  (Center), Eric Stevens (Right).
	The Syrah grapes are so dark, they almost look black.

Next, Eric took us to Loxton Cellars, in Glen Ellen.  It is the intent of Loxton Cellars to be a "reference point" producer of Syrah and Zinfandel. This focus reflects the interests and passion of the owner/winemaker, Chris Loxton, an Australian brought up on a Shiraz vineyard in South Australia, but now living in California where Zinfandel is the adopted grape.

The aim is to produce balanced and complex wines with a sense of origin, reflecting unique vineyard sites capable of producing the exceptional fruit necessary for outstanding wines.

Chris Loxton

The Tasting Room staff makes you feel at ease and enjoy their wines.  Loxton wines are sold in their Tasting Rooms and in a couple of restaurants in Orange County, including Fleming Steakhouse.

As Eric escorted us back to Sonoma, I asked what made Sonoma Valley wines special.  He said it was the sun, volcanic soil, temperature, and wind that makes Sonoma good for grapes.  We agree and brought home Sonoma wines to prove it.

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