Recently we had the pleasure to experience California’s first premium winery, Buena Vista. It is located in Sonoma, an easy 1-hour drive from our home in Danville.
The Buena Vista Wine founder was Agoston Haraszthy. He proclaimed himself as the “Count of Buena Vista.” He was described as having a colorful personality, loved life and especially great wine. Immigrating from Europe in 1840, he sought “purple gold” and founded Buena Vista Winery in 1857
Today the winery is owned by Jean-Charles Boisset, another brilliant businessman and flamboyant personality. The Boisset Family owns a number of wineries including Raymond Vineyards in Napa, which we are members of. The original Buena Vista winery is now a California Landmark.
Our host for our tasting was Ariel. She was very knowledgeable and proudly informed us about their extensive selection of wonderful wines. The ambiance for the tasting was very fun. We visited on President’s Day, and the outdoor covered tasting tables were full of people enjoying the wine and a soft rain that made it feel and look mystical. We tasted their 2018 Reserve Chardonnay, Reserve Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Charbono and 2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. All of them were excellent and very enjoyable.
Our final tasting was the 2018 Sheriff of Buena Vista. It honors the ‘Counts’ role as San Diego’s first sheriff. It is a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Syrah, Syrah, Grenache, Petite Verdot, Mourvèdre, Merlot and Mission varietals. We took 2 bottles of this great wine home with us along with a bottle of smooth and sensational Buena Vista Port.
After our tasting, we enjoyed a great lunch at El Dorado Kitchen overlooking the charming Sonoma square. Fresh oysters, Seared Ahi Tuna sandwich, crispy French Fries, and warm churros with caramel sauce made for a great ending to a special day.
For more information and to make an appointment go to:
By Mike L. McColgan, Resident since 1990