by Charles Neave
If the foundation is sound and care has been taken some things, like wine, get even better with age. That is also the case with some wineries – the venerable and historic Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery in particular. Located just a few blocks (an easy walk) from the historic plaza of Sonoma it is now well into its second century and it is just as vibrant as ever.
To understand the history of Sebastiani Vineyards is to uncover at least a part of the history of winemaking of this verdant and now world famous part of Northern California. In this case it all dates back to the year 1825. That is the year that the Franciscan fathers of a nearby mission called San Francisco de Solano, cleared land and planted vineyards with the help of local Native Americans. Less than a century later, in 1904 to be exact, Samuele Sebastiani purchased the land from from his Uncle Milani. A Tuscan immigrant who made the voyage to this country in 1895, Samuele is the true founder of Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery, a winery that has become a cornerstone of the California wine business.
Samuele Sebastiani passed away as the Second World War drew to a close. It was then that Samuele’s son August (and August’s energetic and talented wife, Sylvia) bought the estate. Production was increased a hundredfold and innovative new practices were put into place.
Using such innovative practices as putting premium varietal wines in larger, popularly priced magnums was a sales and marketing breakthrough. He put a blush wine (a Pinot Noir Blanc) on the shelves and gave it the catchy name “Eye of the Swan” which caught the imagination, and pocketbooks, of consumers across the nation. The winery also came out with a “Nouveau” Gamay Beaujolais, which tapped into the market created by millions of American troops returning from the battlefields (and cafes) of Western Europe.
Not surprisingly, his innovations, and rocketing sales, earned August a reputation of one of the wine industry’s preeminent innovators and marketers of “the grape.” A tradition carried on at the winery by what are now members of the third and fourth generation of the descendants of Samuele Sebastiani.
Over the years the family has shown that they are not satisfied with the status quo, they continue as innovators, educators, modern winemakers and savvy marketers who also remain closely attuned to the consumer who, after all, is the ultimate judge of their efforts. And nowhere is this more obvious than in the spacious and beautifully appointed tasting room.
As they say, “We try to give the people that visit Sebastiani an opportunity to test their own palates. It’s a great tasting room to explore what is produced in Sonoma County, since all of are wines are from here. For instance, you have the chance to try wines from warm and cool climates, depending on the sub-appellation. It gives you an idea of how truly varied Sonoma County is when it comes to the wines that are produced in this one area.”
To that end the winery has available a variety of seminars and tours designed to heighten the sense of pleasure that comes from having a nice bottle of wine. And for food and wine pairings? Stop by the well-stocked Marketplace at the winery and if the weather is nice organize an al fresco lunch in their spacious picnic area, where you will be serenaded by the fountain in a large, circular pool at the front of the winery.
Inside, the tasting room is seamless blend of the new and the historic. This came about in a surprisingly fortuitous way: When they discovered that they had no choice but to do a seismic retrofit on their turn-of-the- (twentieth) century buildings, they decided to make sure that every priceless artifact, from the smallest bit of memorabilia up to the famous carved wooden wine casks was preserved. As work continued they discovered some memorabilia and treasures they had forgotten about, as century-old stone walls were uncovered and then carefully, methodically, painstakingly cleaned to restore them to their former condition.
The tasting room has a knowledgeable, easy going but thoroughly professional crew manning an 80-foot tasting bar where they offer a staggering selection of more than a dozen wines. You begin with a complimentary pour of either their Merlot or their Chardonnay, or perhaps one of their famous Cabernets. Some of the labels you may already be familiar with, others are only available at the winery (which always makes them a perfect gift to take home), and some are classified proprietary wines, such as
the outstanding Cherryblock Cabernet Sauvignon (named after the cherry orchard Samuele planted at the winery in 1919) or the award-winning Secolo.
No matter which wines you have, remember that in each glass is not only an enjoyable sample of fine wine, but a taste of history as well.
The tasting room and Marketplace at Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery is open daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is located just two blocks from the historic plaza at 389 Fourth Street East in Sonoma. For more information give them a call at (707) 933-3230 or 1-800-888-5532, or look them up on the Internet at www.sebastiani.com.