Ram's Gate Winery, Sonoma

Afternoon Date Idea

Ram's Gate Winery, 28700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma: view website

Last week so we took the rare opportunity to get some time to ourselves and take a drive over to Sonoma to check out the new Ram's Gate Winery that opened in the fall.

It is less than a 15 minutes drive from Highway 101, at the entrance to the Sonoma Valley on the hill site where the Roche Winery used to be. The original building was demolished and a beautiful winery has been re-built. As you enter the courtyard there is a sense of calm and peacefulness that makes your shoulders drop and you feel like you have been transported to another place. They are right when they say: “Ram's Gate is our way of pressing pause”.

Ram's Gate Winery bar

The décor of Ram's gate Winery is contemporary, tasteful and elegant and the building itself is quite spectacular. The architecture is very in keeping with the natural surroundings of the vineyards, it is very open with high ceilings, a central courtyard with an outdoor fire place and huge glass walls that allows you the enjoy the amazing views outside while inside.

Ram's gate Winery courtyard 

Ram's Gate Winery offers a great selection of wines with fantastic food pairings. I ordered the Pinot Noir with the wild mushroom and goat’s cheese tart. Their benchmark Pinot Noir was an enjoyable blend of spice and red cherry fruit flavors and the delicious tart with shavings of fennel and celery complemented it beautifully. 

My husband wanted to know more and get the whole experience so he ordered the Rams Gate flight which allows you to try the majority of the wines on offer: the Sparkling Brut (my favorite), Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and the Zinfandel “Late Harvest” which has sweet, rich berry and grape characters, similar to Port. It was so good that my husband went back the next day with his brother and wife, and came home with a bottle. Also their Moscato with its sweet food pairings would make a great dessert on your way home from a day out in Sonoma.

There are plenty of wineries in the area which are great to bring children to, and for suggestions read “family friendly wineries” article. But Ram's Gate Winery isn’t one of them. Some people bring their children at weekend but this is definitely a place to enjoy without the kids in tow. 

Ram's Gate Winery is open daily from 10.00 am – 6.00 pm, unfortunately it is not open in the evening which is a shame as it would be a great place for date night. But if you can get a sitter, it makes a wonderful place to escape for an afternoon date with your other half or friends.