Jordan Winery

There are few places classier than the tasting rooms of Jordan Winery. Tom and Sally Jordan were inspired in 1972 by French vineyards to create their Cabernet Sauvignon, and the brick chateau that greets you when you pass the gate certainly suggests old Europe. Still, Jordan Winery is in Healdsburg, California. Three-quarters of this hilly estate is a nature preserve, including 2 lakes.

It is a world unto itself, and that is just the natural splendor. You’ll love how the inner court-yard of the chateau is surrounded by ivy-covered brick walls. The tasting rooms sport bare wooden beams in the ceilings, and the porch is spectacular. You can sample these delights by visiting the retail lobby between 8 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, and between 9 am and 3:30 pm on the weekends.

However, if you really want to absorb the glory of the winery and the estate, you can make an appointment for two types of tours or a library tasting. Their very own chef will pair them with hors d’oevres. The library tasting is$30, and groups bigger than nine are $40. This tasting is available Monday through Sunday, 10 am and 2 pm, though they close on Sundays December through March.

The walking tour includes the scrumptious food and a one and a half hour tour of the vineyard for $40 plus tax, unless your group is between 9 and 12 people. Then it is $50. These tours are available Monday through Sunday at 11 am. Again, they close on Sundays in the winter months.

The Estate tour and tasting is the deluxe treatment. It consists of 3 hours of the breathtaking views of the entire estate, and a private tasting. For $120, this can be yours May through October. The days are Thursdays through Mondays, at 9:45 am.