we stopped in here first on our limo winery tour for our firneds 30th anniversay. when we arrived we were rgeeted and shown to the tasting counter. first we tried all the ones in front of us, which were very good and at an incredibly great price! then when we thought we were all done, he said since your the first folks to come today, ill give you the "reserve" wine tasting for free too! well, once we tried those,the first ones were thrown by the wayside! these reserves were so wonderful, fruit forward reds, that we all were melting with the wonderful taste on our tongues!! the first one were good, but these were great (but at a price, a little more expensive, but worth every penny!) great place with nice people, and good wine!
Do not miss Sobon Estate Winery if you are visiting Gold Country. The tasting room is small and unpretentious, so you might be tempted to give it a miss. That would be a great mistake. If you like Zinfandels, this is the place for you. Their wines consistently win gold and silver medals and are made with organically grown grapes. They have some of the oldest vines in California, if not the oldest. We always buy a case of their "Old Vines Zin" and each year is as good as the past year. And that is one of their moderately priced wines. The Reserves are incredible. I can't list all the superb wines they offer--you will have to go taste them yourself!We have been attending the Amador County "Behind the Cellar Door" every year since 1999, and we never miss stopping at Sobon.
Set in rolling hills with vines covering almost every reasonable acre from valley floor to hilltop, Sobon is a treat for a variety of reasons. Its museum gives visitors a look at winemaking and life dating back to 1856, when the D’Agostini Winery was located on this same property. The winery carries both California Historical Landmark and California Agricultural Landmark status. Sustainable farming practices are used throughout the vineyards, including integrated pest management, composting, and reuse and recycle.Sobon is definitely low-key on a weekday. The picnic area overlooks vineyards and items too large to store in the museum, like an old pump cart for moving juice and other farm equipment. Make sure to allow adequate time to visit the museum – a real plus in helping to understand the depth of history in winemaking in this region. Shopping in the tasting room is available, with some unique humor items like aprons and doormats that convince you there is nothing more fun than being into wine!As found in many wineries locally, Sobon is best known for its Zinfandels, with some of these vines dating back 100 years or more. The taste of any particular Zin selection is often based on the many differentiated microclimates within the family’s acreage. Many of the wines win frequent awards or are noteworthy in major wine and popular press listings. The Tannat, available on the reserve list, is unique in this region, and it’s an experience not to be missed! Wines are very reasonably priced and specials are often available.
This is one of the oldest wineries in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and delivers outstanding dessert wines, which is what I enjoy most. We used to go up about every six months to resupply our favorites. It's a shame there aren't more ways for them to show off the old stone buildings and the wine tasting options, which are still free.
We started our tour here. The server was very knowledgable, the wines were very good and we bought several cases with the group of 8 we had. It was a great start to a great day.
We enjoyed our visit but I found their wines nothing special. Great two room historic relics of wine making. Oldest winery in California back to the 1850s.
Our first stop! Wonderful staff. Beautiful grounds. There is a 100 year old fig tree on the property, just beautiful. We love their wines !
Sobon has some good wines, the Old VIne Zin's are excellent.
It's the oldest continuing running winery in the state. Laid back atmosphere. Plenty of tastings. There's a small museum on the premises.
Sobon had very good wines at reasonable prices. In addition to the delicious wines the staff is friendly and attentive an there is a small museum attached. The museum offers a glimpse at life a 100+ years ago in the area. I found it to be a nice addition to the wine tasting. I think what I loved the most about Sobon is the quaint European setting. The courtyard, farmhouse and winery reminded me so much of the Burgundy region of France that I just wanted to spend the rest of the day sipping their great wine and relaxing in the shade of the ancient fig tree. It transported me back to France and I loved it. What a great winery!