Best Wineries in Glen Ellen and Kenwood: A Sonoma Valley of the Moon Guide
A quieter corner of Sonoma, home to some seriously good big reds in Kenwood and Glen Ellen, all strung along Highway 12
When we think about Sonoma wine tasting, our minds usually gravitate toward the hits. There is Sonoma proper and the nearby bubbles of Carneros. And there is Healdsburg, with its Pinot-heavy Russian River Valley neighbors. Or, just north of Healdsburg, the Cabernet-driven stretches of Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys. All excellent, all well-deserved.
But Sonoma County has plenty of other pockets that offer a calmer, more old-school perspective on what this region (and Napa) felt like decades ago. Let’s talk about Sonoma Valley AVA.
To orient ourselves: just north of the town of Sonoma, cruising along Highway 12, you will hit the tiny, quaint outposts of Glen Ellen and Kenwood. This area is more colloquially known as the Valley of the Moon, flanked by Sonoma Mountain to the west and Moon Mountain to the east.
With its higher elevations and a “back fence” shared with Napa, Moon Mountain is famous for top-tier Cabernets and other Bordeaux varietals (and some Rhones in the mix). It also happens to be home to some of the oldest Cabernet plantings in California at the legendary Monte Rosso Vineyard. On the other side, Sonoma Mountain shares those high altitudes and adds steep, east-facing slopes to the mix, making it another stronghold for powerful, structured Cabs. Pinot lovers, do not panic. There are a few beautiful examples in here as well.
This is very much Cabernet country, and the range is wide. You’ll find outstanding but more approachable bottles from B. Wise, Amapola, Laurel Glen, and Ty Caton, alongside the ultra-luxe end of the spectrum with Hamel and Repris. Pinot Noir still has its moments here too, with bigger, more structured visit worthy wines coming from Hanzell, Talisman, and Schermeister.
Want more wineries like this? Explore the full Noteworthy Guide.
OK, let’s get into it, starting in Sonoma and heading north along Highway 12.
Hanzell Vineyards
Hanzell Vineyards is a true Sonoma classic, perched on the slopes of the Mayacamas with a legacy that dates back to 1953. It is home to the oldest continuously producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines in North America, which already tells you a lot about the mindset here. The estate operates as an integrated, biodynamic farm, complete with heritage gardens and roaming livestock, giving the property a distinctly Old World feel that is surprisingly rare in California. Hanzell is best known for its age-worthy, structured Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, made in a restrained style that prioritizes elegance, minerality, and longevity over immediate flash.
Tasting Experience
The Hanzell is set on a historic estate overlooking Sonoma Valley. Guests walk through the vineyards, explore the winery’s cave and the mid-century stone heritage building, and settle in for a seated tasting of four estate-grown wines. The atmosphere is serene, surrounded by working vineyards and farm animals that reinforce the sense of place. One important note to plan around: Hanzell is not open on weekends.
Essentials
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $ ($100+) | 📅💲 Tastings: $90+
Repris Wines
A Moon Mountain marvel, Repris is a love letter to Bordeaux and Rhone, bottled. With viticultural roots stretching back to the 1880s, Repris balances reverence for history with a sharp eye on terroir and intentionality. Their right- and left-bank-style blends are a Bordeaux nerd’s dream come true. (Seriously— 4.6 star reviews on Vivino are not common. Also, I’m a closet Merlot lover.)
Tasting Experience
Start with an ATV ride up Moon Mountain, meander through 18,000 square feet of natural rock caves, then settle in with charcuterie and some very serious wine. It’s a splurge, but if you’re here for the ride (pun intended), it’s more than worth it. (Pro tip: Texture and Pangloss are sister wineries under the same umbrella.)
Essentials
🔗 Repris Wines ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $ ($100+) | 📅💲 Tastings: $100+
Hamel Family Wines
A unique blend of luxury and soul. This family-owned estate is renowned for its commitment to organic and biodynamic farming, producing limited, terroir-focused wines that capture the essence of their rugged hillside vineyards. The winery’s dedication to sustainable practices and minimal intervention winemaking results in Cabs (and Rhone-style wines) that truly reflect the volcanic soils and microclimates of the Moon Mountain District.
Tasting Experience
Expect luxury, but not the stuffy kind, set in a sleek modern estate with sweeping vineyard views, with undivided attention. Bonus: an in-house executive chef creates gourmet bite pairings for your wines.
Essentials
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $ ($100+) | 📅💲 Tastings: $95+
…Approaching Glen Ellen
Schermeister Winery
Founded in 2012 by Robert and Laura Schermeister, this nano-boutique Sonoma Valley producer marries strict low-intervention winemaking with a surprisingly plush, hedonistic style. Yes, everything is native-fermented, sustainably farmed, unfined, and unfiltered… but no, these wines are not the cloudy kombucha cousins you might fear. Instead, they’re clean, polished, powerful, and unapologetically expressive.
The wines lean rich and textural: “plush,” “sappy,” and supported by generous new French oak. And thanks to Robert’s biochemistry background, the wines stay remarkably stable and precise, a neat trick in the natural-wine universe. The portfolio spans Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tasting Experience
Set inside Glen Ellen’s historic Jack London Village, the oldest building in the area, Schermeister offers an intimate, personality-driven tasting typically led by Rob or Laura themselves. Beyond the standard flight, you’ll get interactive elements like their Aroma Bar, an 18-vial sensory challenge that’s equal parts educational and humbling.
There’s no food service, but you’re surrounded by great restaurant options in Jack London Village, making it easy to pair your tasting with a pre- or post-flight bite.
Essentials
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $45+
Laurel Glen
Laurel Glen Vineyard stands out for its long history of producing age-worthy, mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon from a single, organically farmed estate on Sonoma Mountain. The wines are known for their structure, freshness, and complexity, thanks to the cool, elevated site and the unique Laurel Glen Cabernet clone. Expect a classic, balanced style, elegant yet powerful, with vibrant acidity and moderate alcohol, crafted with minimal intervention and a focus on expressing the vineyard’s character.
Tasting Experience
Laurel Glen’s tastings take place in a cozy, historic building right on Glen Ellen’s main street, setting the tone for an experience that feels warm, personal, and easygoing. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, making it just as comfortable for longtime fans as for first-time visitors. Guests can sample both current releases and library vintages of Sonoma Mountain Cabernet in an inviting space that encourages conversation and lingering. It is an approachable way to explore age-worthy Cabernet in a setting that feels genuine and grounded.
Essentials
🍾💲 Median Bottle: ($70-$100) | 📅💲 Tastings: $30+
Talisman Wines
Talisman is for Pinot Noir geeks who care deeply about nuance, site, and restraint. The winery focuses on small-batch, single-vineyard Pinots that are elegant, balanced, and unmistakably expressive of where they come from, very much a Burgundian-leaning mindset that favors finesse over muscle. What adds an extra layer of fun are their experimental “Méthode Ancienne” bottlings, made using old-world foot treading to produce wines with a more rustic, structured edge.
Tasting Experience
Talisman’s downtown Glen Ellen tasting room is housed in the valley’s oldest commercial building. The cozy parlor is filled with personal touches from the owners, setting the tone for tastings that are intimate, thoughtful, and unpretentious. Flights focus squarely on Pinot Noir and vineyard expression, and if you’re feeling especially nerdy, the Blind “Mystery” Pinot Tasting or the “Ancient Method” comparative tasting is a must, the chance to taste both side by side is a real treat.
Essentials
🔗 Talisman Wines ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: ($70-$100) | 📅💲 Tastings: $45+
…And, finally in Kenwood
B. Wise & Amapola Creek (Kenwood Tasting Lounge)
Once neighbors on Moon Mountain, B. Wise and Amapola Creek now also share ownership and a tasting lounge in Kenwood. Sharing mountain soil but not a playbook, these two labels complement each other perfectly. You can mix and match tastings to explore both sides of Moon Mountain.
Amapola Creek leans Rhône, with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Petite Sirah at the core, alongside heritage Zinfandel and small-lot Chardonnay. There is also a serious, old-growth style Cabernet in the mix.
B. Wise Vineyards brings the Cabernet muscle, but surprises with elegant, cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast and Oregon.
Tasting Experience
The tasting lounge in Kenwood was designed by B. Wise cofounder Ronda Wise, the space is richly textured with cozy lighting and intimate seating nooks that make lingering feel encouraged rather than frowned upon. It is very much a stay-awhile situation.
B. Wise Essentials
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $30+
⭐ Vivino: 4.3 ↗ | 🔗 B Wise Vineyards ↗
Amapola Essentials
Ty Caton Vineyards
Ty Caton Vineyards is a family-run estate best known for bold, full-bodied reds, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and the flagship Tytanium blend. With a true soil-to-glass philosophy, every wine is 100 percent estate-grown, with lots of family involvement. The wines lean plush and fruit-driven, with plenty of mountain character. Think rich blackberry, velvety tannins, and a generous but confident touch of oak. If you gravitate toward classic, powerful California reds with a strong sense of place and zero pretense, this is a satisfying stop. Bonus points for pricing that lands around $50 a bottle, which feels refreshingly reasonable given the depth and intensity in the glass.
Tasting Experience
You can experience Ty Caton three ways. There is a laid-back tasting room in Kenwood Village with an easy, local feel, and by appointment private tastings either at their urban winery close to Sonoma or at their vineyard on their Moon Mountain estate. Whether you are seated at rustic tables in town or standing among the vines themselves, there is a good chance that Ty himself is pouring, with plenty of family stories and a clear focus on approachable, estate-grown wines.
Essentials
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $25+
I hope this give you a reason to try something new in Sonoma, I’m certain you won’t be disappointed!
Noteworthy is an independent, unsponsored guide to California’s most noteworthy wineries. If you enjoy these recommendations, you can explore the full guide of curated wineries on Noteworthy.wine.
Hanzell is one of my favorites in the area and it doesn't get much more picturesque than Hamel. Plus, soil expert Pedro Parra from Chile is a consultant for them and makes semi-regular appearances. He's a fascinating guy and will talk your ear off about why we should generically refer to "volcanic soils."
Another amazing recap! Thank you!!