Benziger Family Winery has been voted Best Wine Tasting Room in the 2011 NorthBay biz readers poll.
I’m not a wine expert—far from it—but, because I live in Wine Country, I’m often called upon to act the expert when entertaining friends or family who live elsewhere. That’s why I’m always excited when I find wineries that successfully blend an educational factor into their tasting room offerings. That’s exactly what I found when I recently visited Benziger Family Winery, voted Best Wine Tasting Room by NorthBay biz readers.
Located in the hills above Glen Ellen, Benziger is one of only a handful of certified biodynamic wineries in the United States. Director of Marketing Jessica LaBounty explains: “‘Biodynamic’ incorporates ‘organic,’ but adds in biodiversity—ecosystem development, habitat restoration, all natural composting, water recycling. It’s a self-contained, holistic system.”
The Benziger estate is 85 acres, but only 45 of that is planted to vineyard (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel are planted on-property). The rest is either gardens, olive orchards or dedicated to other forms of agriculture to retain balance on the land. “Farming, by nature, is a mono culture,” LaBounty says, “meaning you’re pushing things out of the way so you can focus on raising a single crop. Biodynamics turns that on its head.”
You can learn more about biodynamic philosophies and farming practices by visiting the winery and taking the Tram Tour ($15), which winds through the vineyard and wine caves, offering scenic views and interesting information. It’s a “grape-to-glass, all encompassing lesson on how viticulture transitions into winemaking,” and it ends in the tasting room. LaBounty says it’s “great for people from out of town or who are entertaining guests.”
One of our tour mates, who was visiting Wine Country with her husband for the third time from Houston, Texas, said, “I’ve taken a lot of winery tours, and this is one of the best. I actually learned something new.”
For those who want to delve a little deeper, Benziger offers its Partners Tour ($40), which “assumes a deeper level of wine knowledge. We talk more in-depth about biodynamics, this estate, cellaring and tasting,” says LaBounty. It’s for smaller groups and ends with a seated tasting of all estate wines in the caves.
If you don’t have time for the full experience, Benziger also has a short, self-guided walking tour called the Biodynamic Discovery Trail. “We’re trying to offer a vineyard experience for every kind of wine taster,” says LaBounty.
Of course, none of it would be very interesting if the wines weren’t good. I’m happy to report that’s definitely not the case. Our group was guided through tastings by senior wine educator Paul Morand, who worked the room with enthusiasm, knowledge and a quick wit. He shared family history and vineyard specifics (in addition to estate fruit, Benziger sources from 40 “grower partners,” all of which are certified sustainable, organic or biodynamic) while offering delicious and sometimes surprising samples of Pinot Noirs, Bordeaux blends, white varietals and special releases like Rosé and Port.
“The staff in our tasting room just loves what they do, and that’s contagious,” says LaBounty. “It makes you want to stay, talk and learn. It’s a very fun, warm place…and the wines are spectacular.” Yes, it is…and yes, they are.
“We’re honored,” says LaBounty of the readers poll win. “Being one of the last family wineries around, it’s crucial for us to be a destination for locals in Sonoma County. We’re thrilled [NorthBay biz readers] think we’re the best place to go, and we hope they keep bringing visitors up to see us.”
