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.
Judd’s Hill Winery & Microcrush
Judd’s Hill is owned and operated by two generations of the Finkelstein family. Bunnie, Judd and Holly Finkelstein are vintners dedicated to producing ultra-premium, handcrafted wines.
Karmen Estate Wines
Initially the fruit grown at Kamen Estate was sold to premium Sonoma wineries. In 1996, a devastating fire tore through the property destroying half of the vines along with Robert’s home. Where others would see this as a tremendous setback, Robert’s credo, “Everything happens for a reason”, held sway. The fire forced him to focus not on what had been lost, but on what could be gained. Out of the experience he decided to stop selling grapes and began to make his own wines. A major replanting began as soon as the ground cooled. Cutting edge viticultural techniques were employed, new selections of Cabernet clones were chosen and different rootstocks were used. The first release of Kamen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was in 1999.
Keenan Winery
The family behind Keenan proudly creates top-quality Bordeaux-style wines on their multi-generational estate in Napa Valley, Spring Mountain. Keenan wines capture the unique mountain terroir, showcasing pure varietal flavors and excellent potential for aging.
Keever Vineyards
Visitors will get a first-hand look at how we make wine at Keever Vineyards. Guests will tour the winery, the cave and a bit of the vineyards while enjoying a fantastic line up of wines.
Kelham Vineyards
Susanna Kelham established Kelham Vineyards along with her two sons, Ron Nicholsen and Hamilton Nicholsen in October of 1997. The entire family have been an integral part of the Oakville heritage for well over twenty years. Together they are proud to showcase an impressive array of celebrated library wines, each bottle speaking directly to a passion that has long defined them as stewards of their craft.
Kelleher Family Vineyard
The Kelleher Family Vineyard is situated along Highway 29 in the famous Oakville Appellation in the heart of the Napa Valley. 10 acres are planted exclusively with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and this beautiful piece of land has been named “Brix Vineyard”, after the namesake restaurant “Brix”.
Kelly Fleming Wines
The winery is located in the secluded canyons of Calistoga where they have feral cats, winery dogs, hawks, rabbits and wild turkeys. They are delighted to be able to offer tastings of their current release wines and tours of the caves and winemaking facility.
Kenwood Vineyards
A rich history paved the way for their philosophy and craft today. Established in the 1970s in the heart of Sonoma, they began winemaking long before the region’s AVAs were created. Their philosophy and craftsmanship are extensions of our rich history.
Kenzo Estate
Nestled in the hills above the Napa Valley at 1,550 feet, Kenzo Estate encompasses 3,800 acres, five times the size of New York’s Central Park. Only 150 acres of the unspoiled, wild woodlands have been planted to vines. Protected within this preserve are spring-fed reservoirs, vernal pools, streams and diverse forests of conifer, oak and manzanita. Wild boar, coyote, mountain lion, deer, turkey, and bobcat linger in the wilderness and are occasionally observed by guests and those attending to the estate. The land is truly a welcome escape from the outside world.
Kieu Hoang Winery
His findings and passion for wellness led him to travel to the world famous Napa Valley, California and work with experts, including renowned winemaker Charles Hendricks to establish the Kieu Hoang Winery. With 38 years of experience in sophisticated fermentation, PH adjustments and cold stabilization, Mr. Hoang presents the world with his exclusive line of wines.
Knights Bridge Winery
In 2006, several close-knit family members discovered 50 acres of hillside vineyards in Knights Valley, the perfect spot to produce exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Knights Bridge vineyard is nestled on the pristine west side of Knights Valley, the warmest appellation in Sonoma County. It was here that the family decided to create Knights Bridge Winery with the singular goal of producing world-class wines. Joining on their quest is a group of talented professionals, all striving together in the pursuit of excellence from sustainable farming methods and small lot wine production to unique tasting experiences. Knights Bridge Winery is guided by a deep respect for nature, a passion for fine wines, and a dedication to family and friends.
Korbel
Korbel Champagne Cellars is a winery based in Guerneville, California. Since 1882, Korbel has primarily manufactured California champagne using the méthode champenoise process. In this process, champagne is fermented inside the same bottle from which it is served.
