St. Francis Winery & Vineyards: Sonoma County Wine that is Made with Passion
St. Francis Winery & Vineyards is a Readers' Choice Nominee for Best Domestic Red Wine.
St. Francis Winery was established and christened after St. Francis of Assisi, in recognition of the Saint's role as protector of the natural world and as acknowledgment of the Franciscan order, believed to have been the first first to bring European grape cultivation to the New World.
The winery's roots date back to 1971 when Joe Martin, a San Francisco businessman and his wife, Emma, purchased the 100 acre Behler Ranch Vineyard in Sonoma Valley, Ca., located in the historic town of Kenwood. In 1979, after several years of growing and selling grapes to local wineries, Martin and partner, Lloyd Canton, decided to build their own winery. A few years later, Martin hired Tom Mackey to be his winemaker, and the rest is award-winning history.
Thirty years later, Tom Mackey is still the winemaker. "When people ask me, 'What is the best wine you have ever made? I always reply, 'I haven't made it yet.' But today I think we are getting closer," he says.
The winery's commitment to intensely flavored and complex wines begins in its vineyards. Being located in Sonoma County, offers a rich variety of interwoven soils, elevations and micro climates. There, the winery enjoys a "terroir tapestry" of rich soils and amazing wine growing capabilities. Each of the estate vineyards has a different micro climate, all part of the Sonoma County macro climate that is so superbly suited to the growing of wine grapes. St. Francis believes in the power of terroir and is committed to nurturing superlative grapes in the right place to let their natural qualities shine. St. Francis grows 100% of its grapes in Sonoma County and was among the first to plant Merlot in the Sonoma Valley, enduring many a raised eyebrow for daring to plant a blending grape on prime soil.
In addition to being known for its exceptional wines, St. Francis is also well-regarded for its engagement in green practices and boasts several initiatives including a solar energy program. St. Francis Winery installed a 457 kilowatt solar electrical system on the roof of its winery and barrels building six years ago. The system continues to conserve natural resources equivalent to 32,000 barrels of oil, 14.5 million pounds of coal or 190 million cubic feet of natural gas. The winery's waste water is naturally cleaned to irrigate 120 acres of vineyards on the Wild Oak site.
The winery is open to visitors with three different wine tastings available daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The classic Wine Tasting ($10 per person) enables visitors to choose four wines from a selection of St. Francis' popular nationally known brands while the Artisan Tasting ($15 per person) includes four of its small production wines that are available only at the winery. The Zin Fanatic Tasting ($15 per person) features four wines from St. Francis' extensive collection of Sonoma County Zinfandels, including several only available in its tasting room.
There are wine and food pairings available for $35 per person with delicious meals prepared by the St. Francis Executive Chef, David Bush. Two seatings are offered on Monday through Thursday (11:00 am and 2:00 pm) and three seatings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm).
Vote for the winemaker that you think is the best of breed. The voting period ends on June 30th, with winners announced on July 1, 2010.
In addition to being known for its exceptional wines, St. Francis is also well-regarded for its engagement in green practices and boasts several initiatives including a solar energy program. St. Francis Winery installed a 457 kilowatt solar electrical system on the roof of its winery and barrels building six years ago. The system continues to conserve natural resources equivalent to 32,000 barrels of oil, 14.5 million pounds of coal or 190 million cubic feet of natural gas. The winery's waste water is naturally cleaned to irrigate 120 acres of vineyards on the Wild Oak site.
The winery is open to visitors with three different wine tastings available daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The classic Wine Tasting ($10 per person) enables visitors to choose four wines from a selection of St. Francis' popular nationally known brands while the Artisan Tasting ($15 per person) includes four of its small production wines that are available only at the winery. The Zin Fanatic Tasting ($15 per person) features four wines from St. Francis' extensive collection of Sonoma County Zinfandels, including several only available in its tasting room.
There are wine and food pairings available for $35 per person with delicious meals prepared by the St. Francis Executive Chef, David Bush. Two seatings are offered on Monday through Thursday (11:00 am and 2:00 pm) and three seatings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm).
Vote for the winemaker that you think is the best of breed. The voting period ends on June 30th, with winners announced on July 1, 2010.
