Wine Country visitors are always on the lookout for ways to enhance their stay. They want to dive in and experience all aspects of the industry, which is why harvest camps, winemaking classes and winemaker dinners are so popular.Alex Leader, owner of Leaderglass in Sonoma, has added glassblowing to the list of available experiences. Leader has been working as a glass artist since the 1990s and recently expanded his studio to accommodate corporate and private parties. Guests receive a demonstration and then make a piece of glass art (ornament, paperweight, cup, vase or bowl) to take with them as a keepsake. Talk about a cool souvenir!
He’s created wine glasses (“as a glassblower, that’s one of the techniques we’re always trying to master,” he says), lighting fixtures and art pieces, including some made from up-cycled wine bottles. Pieces are available at his studio.
Leader has also worked with local companies on a number of projects, including designing custom trophies for Sonoma Raceway and Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, and producing “smell jars” for Cairdean Estate. “They’re bell jars that are 16 inches in diameter, with a spout on the side that fits a wine barrel bung,” he says. “They’re used in a sensory experience: Aromatic elements [like lavender or tea leaves, for example] are placed under the jars, then wine tasters can take a deep whiff through the spout and try to match the smell to a wine’s aroma.”
