One of life’s simple pleasures is opening a bottle of wine at the end of a long day or workweek, when surrounded by friends, or right before diving into a good book.
But have you ever thought about the journey that wine takes before it gets to the bottle? For Inspirato members curious about the winemaking process, a one-of-a-kind, immersive experience awaits in Sonoma: a stay at Vintner’s Cottage.
Located in the heart of California wine country, Vintner’s Cottage sits on the property of a family-owned winery: Blue Rock Vineyard. Blue Rock got its start as a winery in the late 1800s run by Italian immigrants. Vintner’s Cottage itself was once the site of Villa Maria winery, but that operation was shuttered during Prohibition. In 1987, Kenny and Cheryl Kahn bought the property, which became the sustainability-focused winery that it is today.
Inspirato members who have stayed at the historic home—a French stone cottage reminiscent of the European countryside, boasting its own private pool and a bocce ball court—have loved the opportunity to be in the midst of the action of a working vineyard.
Member Michelle T. usually travels to Napa Valley for wine-tasting excursions, but she and her group opted for Sonoma on their recent trip for a new experience. They loved getting the chance to sit down with Blue Rock staff to learn about more about the ins and outs of winemaking.
Another Inspirato member, Rebecca M., chose an off-season stay at Vintner’s Cottage for her first visit to wine country—and her first trip with Inspirato.
(Photos courtesy of Rebecca M.)
“The cottage was quaint, beautifully decorated, very comfortable—absolutely amazing,” she said. “The grounds were breathtaking, even though we stayed there (at the) end of January, first of February.”
She was particularly impressed with Alicia, the Inspirato Destination Concierge in Sonoma.
“Our concierge, Alicia, really went above and beyond to ensure our trip was the best. She put together the perfect itinerary of restaurants, wineries, transportation, groceries, etc.,” Rebecca said. “She even made sure we had extra firewood, fresh chocolate chip cookies daily, and a bottle of Baby Blue wine from the winery sitting on the table.”
And a trip to Vintner’s Cottage during the fall provides a special opportunity: getting to see the harvesting of the grapes up close, a treat for Inspirato member Bruce M.
“We had the opportunity to join an early-morning harvest, and we enjoyed a truly exceptional farm-to-table lunch in a dining room built for that purpose, overlooking the vineyard through a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows,” he said. “Carla and the rest of the Blue Rock team were extraordinarily hospitable, and very accommodating.”
Wine aficionado or not, any Inspirato member with an interest in the winemaking process should consider a stay at Vintner’s Cottage for their next trip to wine country.
“My only regret is that our stay ended before we had a chance to try out the bocce lawn,” Bruce said, “but we’ll make a point of that the next time we stay here!”
Interested in an all-inclusive, epicurean weekend in California wine country? Spring Weekend in Wine Country is an exclusive Inspirato Only experience from April 4-7, 2019. Contact your Care team for more details.
What is included in a stay at blue rock. We love the area, wine and the manager
Hi Carol! Thanks for your interest. Click here for more information on what’s included at a Vintner’s Cottage stay. Depending on the time of year, you could have the opportunity to pick grapes with the vineyard owner, and can always make appointments for private wine tastings.