Ram’s Gate tasting bar inside the barn

28700 Arnold Dr., Sonoma, CA95476

Website: http://www.ramsgatewinery.com/

Ram’s Gate is one of the newest wineries in the Carneros region of Sonoma. It is the first winery on Highway 121 when entering Sonoma from San Francisco, up the road from the Sonoma racetrack. The winery opened in September 2011 and was designed by award-winning architect Howard Backen. The design of the winery combines a modern feel with the natural landscape. The winery also focuses on wine and food pairings, offering daily wine and food flights and classes.

Entrance to Ram’s Gate tasting room

A very large gate with a depiction of a ram marks the entrance to the winery. The exterior of the winery looks like a large barn but the interior is very contemporary. The tiled walkway at the entrance leads to an expansive area between the public tasting room off to the left and private seating tasting rooms to the right. As I entered the space, the first thing that I was drawn to was the large fireplace in the center of the room surrounded by chairs and tables. I loved the wide open design and felt very at ease. I could imagine lounging in the big, comfortable chairs while drinking wine with some friends in front of a crackling fire on a cool day.

Ram’s Gate outdoor lounge area

Although the tasting bar is located inside of the barn, it still felt like we were outdoors. The rectangular bar is located in the center. Off to one side were some white cushioned chairs surrounding another fireplace. A large wine rack filled the opposite wall. The room looked very contemporary even though it was situated inside a barn. From the side of the tasting bar I was standing on I could look out the windows at the surrounding vineyard while sampling the wine. Since this winery hasn’t been around very long, I was curious about the quality of the wine. I was very pleased with the wines I sampled, so much so that I returned on my next trip to the county and would go back again. I brought a few bottles of the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley and Late Harvest Zinfandel home with me. For anyone who likes to have a sweet wine now and then, I would definitely recommend the Late Harvest Zinfandel if it is available. It has lots of yummy berry flavor with a touch of white pepper spice at the end that keeps the wine from being overwhelming sweet. Their Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnays are also great!  Besides the gorgeous views, another benefit of this winery is that it is open later than many of the other tasting rooms in the area and it is easy to get to coming from or heading back to San Francisco.