Platypus Wine Tours
Historic winery directory
Historic wineries of the sonoma valley
The beautiful and historic Sonoma Valley is the birthplace of California’s wine industry. In this unique tour, an expert local historian will accompany your group as we taste delicious wine at two or three Historic Wineries. We will also tour the Historic Sonoma Plaza, the San Francisco Solano Mission and the Sonoma Barracks. Your local historian guide will provide a comprehensive overview of local history, and tell amazing stories of wine families and viticulture, along with tales of General Vallejo and the Mission era.
Lunch included; tasting/touring fees and gratuitites extra.
Buena Vista Winery
Founded by Count Agosthon Haraszthy in 1857, Buena Vista is the oldest premium winery in California. The original stone winery is now a California Historic Landmark, and home to the Tasting Room and Visitor’s Center. You will hear the amazing story of Count Haraszthy, the first Hungarian to emigrate to the United States. In 1861 the Count journeyed to Europe and returned to California with over 100,000 cuttings of fine European varietals. Buena Vista now uses exclusively Carneros district fruit, and is the largest vineyard owner in this chosen “cool-climate” region; perfect for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Extraordinary wine.
Gundlach-Bundschu Winery
2008 marks the Gundlach Bundschu Sesquicentennial – the 150th Anniversary of the oldest family-owned winery in California. The founder: Jacob Gundlach, was a well-known author and poet, whose letters about the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire are regarded as the finest original accounts of this disaster. You will hear his story, and taste delicious estate grown wine in a glorious winery setting, nestled up against the Mayacamas Mountains.
Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery
The history of Sebastiani Vineyards extends all the way back to 1825, when its Mission Vineyard was founded by Franciscan fathers of the nearby San Francisco Solano Mission. It is the oldest vineyard north of San Francisco. Still family owned and operated today, Sebastiani Winery was founded by Samuele Sebastiani in 1904. We will visit the original stone winery building, taste wonderful wine, and view the largest redwood barrel in the world!
Bartholemew Park Winery
Currently owned by Gundlach-Bundschu, Bartholemew Park was part of Count Haraszthy’s wine empire. We will tour the comprehensive history museum, taste delicious vineyard-specific wine, and enjoy the extensive gardens surrounding the tasting room.
Sonoma Plaza and San Francisco Solano Mission
No history tour would be complete without a stop at the beautiful and historic Sonoma Plaza, and a tour of the 21st Mission. Many original adobe buildings still line the Plaza, the largest in California. Renowned as the “Bear Flag City,” you will hear the true story of the Bear Flag Revolt. We will also tour Sonoma State Historic Park, which includes the San Francisco Solano Mission and Sonoma Barracks.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
More information about our custom tours can be found on our Private Wine Tours FAQ page.
Platypus Tours also offers Hispanic Winery Tours.
J. Rickards Winery
J. Rickards Vineyards and Winery, run by the Rickards family, handles both grape farming and wine production. Situated in the northern part of Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, the vineyards have been expanding for over 40 years, alongside the original 1908 Zinfandel vines. The winery emerged in 2005, spurred by friends who appreciated their small batches of handcrafted wine dating back to 1991.
Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
The Jacuzzi trek to America started in 1907, when Valeriano and Francesco Jacuzzi, the second- and third-born sons of Giovanni and Teresa Jacuzzi, immigrated to Washington to work on the railroad. A warmer climate beckoned and the pair eventually made their way to southern California. Years later, they were joined by four other brothers and eventually all went to work in the aviation industry. Soon they would make American history
James Cole Winery
“We are passionate people. We have extended ourselves at times—physically, emotionally, financially. But the hard work and dedication has been worth it. We are raising our daughter and son on the land that we’ve so carefully, diligently—and yes, passionately—nurtured over the years. And we are humbled by the opportunity to share a little of that with you through the wines we offer.”
Jarvis Estate
A visit to Jarvis Estate is an extraordinary journey, like no other, into the world of exceptional winemaking. Visitors to the country’s first winery built entirely underground are offered an intimate glimpse into the meticulous steps that go into producing our lush Chardonnays, rich Cabernet Sauvignons and velvety Merlots, among others. The tour concludes with an intimate, seated experience.
Jayson by Pahlmeyer
Every vintage of Jayson by Pahlmeyer is meticulously made with the attention to detail for which Pahlmeyer is known and trusted, while capturing the spirit of its founder whose huge personality, humor and joy for living are an integral part of the Pahlmeyer legacy.
Jericho Canyon Vineyard
The wine is made in the Bordeaux style. Hand-crafted in small lots, the juice is blended to create a full-bodied, complex wine with well balanced tannins.
Jessup Cellars
The Jessup Cellars story is one of passion, family, hard work, resilience and, of course, fantastic wine. Over the past two decades, Jessup Cellars has earned a loyal following for its ultra-premium wines of distinction and a word-of-mouth reputation for hosting one of the friendliest tasting rooms in all of wine country.
John Anthony Church Vineyard
From an early age, John remembers looking out at the empty church property next to his parents’ vineyards and dreaming that one day he would plant it with vines. In 2003, he founded Church Vineyard at last. The Los Carneros AVA has a distinctly maritime climate, with winds from the San Pablo Bay and shallow clay and loam soils well-suited to Bordeaux varietals. This idyllic vineyard has proven its quality with every vintage. Two acres planted to the high-toned and aromatic Western clone and two acres planted to the deep, rich Musqué clone enable John to create two different styles of Sauvignon Blanc from the site, which John purchased in 2018.
John Anthony Vineyards
Elegant tasting lounge is located in downtown Napa. Enjoy a glass of wine, a flight, or share a bottle of our current releases. Choose the Reserve Room for a private tasting, perfect for the wine enthusiast interested in adding our wine to their cellar. Each exclusive tasting will pair you with a John Anthony team member who will tell you the story and show you their portfolio of wines.
Jordan Winery
Established in 1972, Jordan Vineyard & Winery was inspired by the great wine estates of France and created as an homage to the timeless connection between food, wine and hospitality. A relentless commitment to this tenet helped make Jordan one of the top Cabernet Sauvignon brands in California.
Joseph Cellars
As a family-owned Winery and Vineyards; they grow their own grapes and craft some fantastic wines. The focus is hand crafting wines from their 32 acre property located in the Northern part of Napa Valley. The Estate Cabernet is grown 100% on property. The Bartholomew Family Vineyards are hand farmed using sustainable farming practices. Their property encompasses two AVA’s, the newly formed Calistoga Appellation & Diamond Mountain Appellation.
Joseph Phelps
In the spectaularly remodeled tasting room, several tasting options are available. Home of the legendary Insignia, California’s first proprietary red Bordeaux-style blend.
