The holiday season brings with it a wonderful urge to celebrate — to open a favorite bottle, pour a glass, and share moments that sparkle. It’s the perfect time to showcase spectacular still and sparkling boutique wines at home with friends and family as you gather and toast the season.
Join us on a journey through Northern California’s wine country, experiencing unforgettable tastings and savoring the best flavors the harvest has to offer. Spending time with winery owners and winemakers deepened our appreciation for the passion, precision, and teamwork behind every bottle. During harvest, the hills and valleys come alive with the scent of ripened grapes and the tireless energy of those who work from dawn to dusk to craft these remarkable wines.
Ram's Gate Winery
First stop is Ram’s Gate Winery. Perched atop a sun-kissed hill where the San Francisco Bay meets the edges of Napa and Sonoma, this stunning estate is the perfect introduction to California wine country. Spread across 28 acres, Ram’s Gate invites you to sip and savor in breathtaking surroundings—whether from a sun-drenched patio, the elegantly appointed indoor tasting rooms, or a peaceful stroll along the ponds winding through the vineyards. Every moment here feels like a celebration, and the first tasting sets the bar high for the unforgettable journey ahead.
Trione Vineyards & Winery
Next, we had the pleasure of sitting down with owner Mark Trione to hear the inspiring story of his family’s legacy while tasting exquisite wines sourced from each of their five estate ranches. Every sip is a true taste of place, a journey across Sonoma County captured in a glass. Three generations, decades of dedicated farming, and a commitment to the top estates for their Trione Wine brand make this a must-experience destination. Adding to the charm, the historic 100-year-old stone building has been beautifully preserved and transformed into an elegant event space right on the property—where history and hospitality meet perfectly
Gloria Ferrer
Nestled on top of the valley lies the Gloria Ferrer estate - as you sit and relax on the outdoor patios you view their vineyards, and pollinating gardens - filled with butterflies and hummingbirds. This vineyard, rich in history, began with a dream passed from father to son.
José Ferrer grew up surrounded by his family’s winemaking tradition in Spain. His heart was set on bringing the art of traditional method sparkling wine to the New World. He didn't make the journey alone, he met Gloria, who shared his love of wine and his sense of adventure. Together they crossed oceans and planted roots in Carneros, where the cool breezes and rolling hills reminded them of home. What began as a shared dream became a pioneering legacy, first sparkling wine estate in the region, this lives on in every bottle of Gloria Ferrer sparkling wine.
An amazing afternoon, with a six course culinary experience - dishes curated from their own garden and each course complimented with its own signature sparkling pairing. We also spent time with a young winemaker, Kyle Altomare, who shared with us his passion of blending flavors and putting his skills to work to create and produce 21 different varieties of bubbles while also producing 4 still wines. A beautiful afternoon to say the least.
Sangiacomo Wines
Maria and Vittorio Sangiacomo immigrated from Italy, met and married in San Francisco, and settled in on a ranch in 1927. They planted apples, pears, peaches, prunes and cherries. Focusing on the pears, the family business became one of the largest pear growing operations in California in 1959. But as the pear market softened, they pivoted and planted their first vineyard in 1969. The first vintage of Sangiacomo Family Wines was born in 2018. As one of the oldest properties and a 3rd generation vineyard we enjoyed listening to the history, touring the vineyard and tasting the rich and full bodied wines on a beautiful afternoon. We took our favorite bottle of Pinot Noir to the famous downtown steakhouse Cole's Chophouse, Napa to savor with dinner.
Bricoluer Vineyards
We toured the gorgeous estate of Bricoluer Vineyards. The winery launched their first vintage in 2017 and opened its tasting room in 2020. Tucked away in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, they have been featured on The TODAY Show and honored by USA Today as one of the 10 Best New Wineries in the country. Executive Chef Todd Knoll and his culinary team create seasonal five-course pairings featuring locally sourced ingredients, including produce from their estate gardens, the chefs and winemakers collaborate to create "Perfect Pairings" that express the seasonality of the estate’s sustainably farmed culinary garden. We were treated to a delightful lunch experience that embodied the fresh garden flavors along with perfectly paired wines that were savored long afterward.
Aperture
Our last stop of the day was Aperture Winery. Andy Katz made his name as one of the greatest photographers of his generation, and his work graces coffee-table books, galleries, and album covers around the globe. While he was traveling the world for his art, he made a point of bringing along his son, Jesse, to experience it all with him. Over the years, they both benefited from an international wine education that even master sommeliers would envy. Now Jesse Katz has, in a remarkably short period of time, made himself into one of the most respected wine professionals in California. He was the first winemaker ever to be included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, a Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker, and had been named a Wine Spectator “Rising Star.”
Eleven Eleven
A series of serendipitous events led to the founding of Eleven Eleven. Ellie Anest & Carol Vassilliadis started out as life long friends and Southern California transplants who fell in love with the Napa Valley. Expanding their relationship to focus on real estate investment properties - their first acquisition was a home surrounded by a 3.5 acre vineyard in the heart of the Oak Knoll AVA. The whisper of this magical vineyard called them to take a chance at producing their own wine. The search for an experienced winemaker led them to one of Napa’s finest - Kirk Venge. And so it began…Eleven Eleven Wines is the closest winery to the city limits of Napa. We visited with Ellie who shared her story and learnings about a wine maker's journey and to creating one of the most beautiful wine tasting rooms and patios we visited. We sampled their boutique wines and found our favorite Shiraz to bring back home.
Each stop along the way offered not just extraordinary wines, but unforgettable stories of heritage, artistry, and passion poured into every glass. From the golden hills of Sonoma to the sun-drenched valleys of Napa, every vineyard left us inspired by the people who turn nature’s bounty into something truly extraordinary. As we returned home with bottles in hand and hearts full, we carried with us the spirit of the season—one of celebration, connection, and savoring life’s most beautiful moments.