1. The Kenwood Inn & Spa
City: Kenwood, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (707) 833-1293, (800) 353-6966
Address: 10400 Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway)
Description: This place just feels right to me. Intimate in scale with a peaceful, old-world charm, the Kenwood Inn offers the ambience of an Italian country villa nestled in the heart of Sonoma Valley. The inn is situated on a secluded hillside facing more than 1,000 acres of sloping estate vineyards. A recent expansion brought the number of rooms to 30, with two additional courtyards. The suites contain feather beds, down comforters, European antiques and lush fabrics, private baths, and fireplaces. Breakfast is served either in the dining room or at outdoor tables in good weather. In the evening, light appetizers, salads, and entrees are offered a la carte at the private wine bar. A full-service spa pampers guests and day visitors alike. This inn is the first in the United States to offer Caudalie Vinotherapie treatments that use grapevine-derived extracts. The many spa offerings—baths, scrubs, massages, wraps, and facials—are given using Vinotherapie products created in Bordeaux. Give yourself over to a wine barrel bath ($65), a crushed Cabernet scrub ($115), or the Tia Amo Togetherness massage for two ($390 per couple).
2. Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards
City: Kenwood, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 833-5501
Address: 9825 Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway)
Description: Louis Kunde arrived in California from Germany in 1884 and founded his ranch in 1904. Four generations of Kundes have worked the ranch, which stretches for 1.5 miles along Sonoma Highway and extends from the valley up into the mountains above. Today’s tasting room is a replica of Louis Kunde’s old barn, built on the site of the original. The Kunde family ages its wine in 32,000 square feet of caves dug into the hillside, providing an ideal environment for natural aging. Timbers from the old barn were used to handcraft tables and benches. Free tours of the caves are available Friday through Sunday. Vineyards surround the tasting room, where samples are $10 to $20. Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Syrah, Viognier, Primitivo, and Barbera are among the many varietals made by Kunde.
3. Kenwood Vineyards
City: Kenwood, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 833-5891
Address: 9592 Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway)
Description: When the Pagani brothers founded this winery in 1906, Jack London lived on the estate next door. Both estate owners are gone now, and the winery was bought by three college chums, all wine lovers, in 1970. The grapes they use are still grown on the London ranch, and the label on a special bottling shows a picture of Jack London’s signature and a wolf, Jack’s nickname. The tasting room is rustic, the sips are complimentary, and the atmosphere is charmingly informal. Kenwood is known for its Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandels, and Cabernets.
4. Chateau St. Jean
City: Kenwood, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 833-4134, (800) 543-7572
Address: 8555 Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway)
Description: Nestled against the tranquil slopes of Sugarloaf Ridge, Chateau St. Jean (named for former owner Ken Sheffield’s sister and pronounced like my name and the popular dungarees) was founded in 1973. An elegant château on the grounds of this 250-acre estate was built in 1920 and is now a showplace surrounded by beautiful gardens. It’s a lovely spot for picnicking. Chateau St. Jean’s Cabernet Sauvignon has been served at the White House, and Queen Elizabeth has sipped its Chardonnay.
5. Landmark Vineyards
City: Kenwood, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 833-0053, (707) 833-0218
Address: 101 Adobe Canyon Road
Description: Perhaps the most spectacular aspect of this Spanish mission–style winery is its expansive interior courtyard, facing onto dramatic, hulking Sugarloaf Mountain. The hospitality center at Landmark is a magnificent facility, featuring a granite tasting bar, a warm fireplace for chilly days, and a full-wall mural by noted Sonoma County artist Claudia Wagar. The pondside picnic area is a picturesque location for lunch or for just lounging and watching the clouds drift by. This winery began in Windsor, north of Santa Rosa. The owner, Damaris Deere Ford, the great-great-granddaughter of John Deere—whose name is on a million bright green farm implements worldwide—moved Landmark to this scenic spot. Production focuses on Chardonnay, and it’s known for the Overlook and Damaris Reserve labels. It also produces Pinot Noir and Syrah.
6. Kaz Vineyards & Winery
City: Kenwood, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (877) 833-2536
Address: 233 Adobe Canyon Road
Description: Ostentatious wineries have nothing on this place. When you’re ready for a fun, down-home experience, seek out Kaz, which pours its wine in a barn just off Adobe Canyon Road. Bring your sense of humor, and check your attitude at the door. You’ll be tasting reds and whites with whimsical labels and names such as “Dudes” and “Hooligans.” Owner Richard “Kaz” Kasmier used to be a wine hobbyist, but now it’s a full-time obsession, and his immediate family helps him out in the tasting room. Even so, production is still small—approximately 1,500 cases a year. The turnoff to Kaz is just beyond Landmark Vineyards (see previous listing); watch for the sign.
7. Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
City: Kenwood, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (707) 833-5712, (800) 444-PARK
Address: 2605 Adobe Canyon Road
Description: This locale in the Mayacmas Mountains has 50 campsites for tents or motor homes up to 24 feet long. Piped-in water and restrooms are available. In 1996 Sugarloaf Ridge State Park became the home of the largest observatory in the western United States that is completely dedicated to public viewing and education. Hiking is the main recreation at this popular state park (see the Parks and Recreation chapter). Pets are OK.
8. Kenwood Restaurant
City: Kenwood, CA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (707) 833-6326
Address: 9900 Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway)
Description: The parking lot is always full—which is a sure sign of the restaurant’s well-deserved popularity. The chef concocts interesting fare such as crispy veal sweetbreads on mushroom ravioli, and duck spring roll with mango salad and ponzu sauce. Gourmet magazine once voted this one of the top 20 restaurants in the entire Bay Area. One of the real pleasures of dining here is the opportunity to drink in the exquisite view as the late-afternoon sun hits the peaks of Sugarloaf Ridge. The scene is particularly rewarding from the deck. The wine list is acclaimed for featuring the best wines produced in Kenwood (bar drinks are also available). Lunch and dinner are served Wednesday through Sunday.