For more than four decades, the wines of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards have reflected the finest mountain and valley vineyards in Sonoma County.
Founder, Joe Martin, fell in love with Sonoma Valley and established St. Francis Vineyard in 1971, planting 22 acres of Chardonnay and the first 60 acres of Merlot in Sonoma Valley.
After achieving great success as a grower, Joe opened his own winery in 1979 with his business partner Lloyd Canton.
Today, a new generation of winemakers, Katie Madigan and Chris Louton, continues the long tradition of luscious, elegant, fruit-driven wines from Sonoma County grapes.
Currently, more than 400 acres of Certified Sustainable estate vineyards in Sonoma Valley and Russian River Valley are farmed.
Each with varying compositions of loam, clay and volcanic soils.
Well, the Tin Man, et al, embarked upon a seated, multicourse Wine & Food Pairing, orchestrated by Executive Chef Bryan Jones who created an assortment of small dishes paired with hand-selected artisan wines.
We enjoyed stunning vineyard views and an amazing fine dining presentation at a shared table.
The seating was hosted by a knowledgeable and friendly wine expert, who created a relaxing, fun and unforgettable wine country experience.
If you are planning a trip to the wine country, this is an experience that should not be missed
Click HERE to make your reservations
The Menu was impressive and inspired..
We began with the Smoked Beet Salad
Grilled Spring Onion – Green Garlic Purée – Aleppo Pepper – Goat Cheese Fondant – Almond Nougat
Then the second culinary masterpiece was presented…. Red Wine Braised Duck accompanied by 2013 Pinot Noir
Coriander Spätzle – Endive – Pistachio – Tart Cherry-Apricot Mostarda
Course Number Three…….Arctic Char a la Barigoule accompanied by 2013 Chardonnay
Celery Root-Yukon Gold Potato Puree – Saffron – Preserved Lemon – Parsnip Chips
le Quatrième Cours…..Coffee & Cocoa Crusted NY Strip Loin with 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon
Roasted Cauliflower – Smoke Garlic – Crispy Shallots – Bordelaise
La Finale …… Sucreries….Mexican Chocolate Pot du Crème accompanied by 2012 Ruby Port
Marvelous Culinary Delights and the Creator himself….Executive Chef Bryan Jones…
It was a most fantastic experience…..delightful, educational and most of all delicious!
Tales and Travels of the Tinman 
Oh my paws and whiskers – was there ever such a feast!!! A divine dining experience. This post should be prefixed with a warning – DO NOT EVEN THINK OF READING THIS IF HAVE NOT HAD DINNER.Oh Mr. Tin Man – would that we could have shared this incredible dining and wining experience.
Oh you two would have loved this………it was unrushed…..filled with laughter…….only 18 guests allowed…..half were from Switzerland and were two groups that did not know each other!! We had a delightful time……so relaxing and………so inexpensive!!! Who knew that such things were still available……..excellent quality…….divine service and reasonably priced….hahhaa……love to you!
As you might guess, this kind of outing would be a winner for me! Good to see you here.
Now that is real wine tasting! How delightful! You captured the light from the wine glasses magically. The Ruby Port must have been very special. I am making my list if we ever get back that way. Excellent post with background history and current status!
Oh Jo Nell, thank you for appreciating the photography. I did work with the angles to enhance the lighting effects…..so happy it was noticed. This was such a delight! I love the small group and the easy pace of the event. You would love the experience.
This review gets a 3D rating…Delightful, Delicious, and Delectable!!!
Lovely photos, Tin Man. I am terribly impressed that you can photograph a plate of food and make it look beautiful. That’s a skill I’ve yet to acquire but I think seeing your perspective may have helped me. When I first saw the image of the carved statue of St. Francis, i thought it was a statue of the vinter’s partner!
Oh, MY. Again, from top to bottom, not a dud in the batch. I especially love your shots of the fountain and the statue of Saint Francis. So pretty. And green! I also love your portrait of Executive Chef Bryan Jones. You captured his passion and halo!
~Theadora
Oh my, what a delicious sounding meal. It sounds like a wonderful way to enjoy St. Francis wines.