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.
Krupp Brothers Winery & Estate
Nestled at the foot of the Vaca Mountains just off the iconic Silverado Trail is our Tuscan-inspired estate set on a bucolic vineyard and lake. Your private experience will be one of the most memorable in the Napa Valley with a tour of the vineyard and winery, barrel sampling and tasting.
Kuleto
With sweeping views of Rutherford and Lake Hennessey, this is an Italian villa at its finest. You will be transported to the old world while tasting wines made with new world innovations.
La Rochelle Winery
La Rochelle Winery was founded in 2005 by Steve Mirassou of the Mirassou family which is the oldest winemaking family in North America. It is located in the heart of the Sonoma Valley in Kenwood surrounded by rolling hills, big trees, and beautiful vineyards. A small family owned winery, they are known for their single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals. Become educated on their small lot Pinot Noirs from ground up, including vineyard practices, site and clonal selection, fermentation, barrel aging strategies, blending, and the benefits of bottle aging.
Ladera Vineyards
Guided for more than two decades by the Stotesbery family, Ladera has earned a reputation for making some of Napa Valley’s most extraordinary mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignons, along with acclaimed Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from their Pillow Road Estate Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Along the way, Ladera has helped to champion a beautifully balanced expression of winemaking, with smoothly structured tannins, energetic natural acidity and soaring flavors.
Laird Family Estate
Celebrating nearly 50 years in the wine business and a concentration in Napa and Carneros vineyards, Laird Family Estate has sought to produce wines that are a window to a place. Each one of their vineyards is different in expression: each has a subtle, yet distinctive vineyard voice.
Lamborn Family Vineyards
Lamborn Family Vineyards is located at 2,200 feet above sea level, high atop Howell Mountain, Napa Valley. Howell Mountain’s volcanic soil, combined with its distinct mezzo climate, provides our small, organic ten-acre vineyard with ideal growing conditions. This environment produces Howell Mountain Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons of the highest quality and intensity, with all winemaking by Heidi Barrett of Screaming Eagle fame. The organic grapes which eventually become Lamborn wines are exclusively from our organic estate vineyard. We take that formula one step further by organically farming the vineyard ourselves. Our annual farming decisions are based on quality and nothing else.
Landmark Winery
Located at the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains on the corner of Highway 12 and Adobe Canyon Road in Sonoma Valley, we offer daily tasting featuring Landmark’s signature wines as well as small-production, winery-only Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A romantic cottage & an airy suite with free in-room breakfast, wine at check-in & a tour & tasting.
Larkmead
Originally founded in 1895, the historic Larkmead estate is one of the oldest winery establishments in Napa Valley. Known for a great diversity of soil types, the estate allows the winemaker to create small-lot wines of complexity and nuance based on each soil type.
Lasseter Family Wines
John Lasseter from Pixar and his wife Nancy founded Lasseter Family Winery in 2000. The estate property is located in Glen Ellen just outside the town of Sonoma. Nestled among beautiful trees and set into the hillside, the Lasseter’s have tried to incorporate all the elements of nature into their setting for unique wines. There are colonies of honeybees on the property, an eco-friendly winery building, beautiful revitalized pond, and organic farming practices alive and well in their vineyards. They are known for producing wines with a French accent encompassing a rich array of Bordeaux and Rhone-style grapes. They will provide you with a behind the scenes tour into the tank rooms, the crush pad, and even the winemaker’s laboratory if you want, or simply enjoy the views from their comfortable patio as you sample what they have to offer.
Laura Michael/Zahtila
Known for extraordinary Zinfandels, Cabernets and Chardonnays, Laura Michael Swanton is zealous about vineyard sourcing and production techniques and it is reflected in the wines.
Lewis Cellars
In 1992 Randy and Debbie Lewis established a small family winery in Napa Valley and were later joined by their son Dennis in 1999. They are literally hands-on in every aspect of vineyard management, winemaking, sales and distribution, and thrive on this challenge and the relationships cultivated in the process.
Little Vineyards
Little Vineyards Family Winery produces award winning Sonoma Valley wines. Our team is our family and our core purpose is a shared passion for our wine, music, and a sense of place we call home. We create world class wines with a Little Family feel.
