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Benziger Family Winery
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
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"My Bf and I went here this past weekend- and it's beautiful! It was the perfect ending to our day. Tasting/Entrance fee was $30 for two (…" read more »
61 reviews for Benziger Family Winery
Benziger was such a fun place to take visitors from out of town. They had a very friendly staff, a large tasting area, and beautiful grounds. They have a guided golf cart tour of the vineyard for $25 that included a wine tasting. We didn't have time to take the tour but next time I definitely will!
After taking two groups of visitors here and tasting their selection, learning about their organic growing methods, and chatting with their staff I decided to join the wine club. Completely worth it. You get free tastings and discounts both here and at their higher end winery Imagery.
Benziger was fantastic. The tour, the tasting, all great! We saved it for last on our Napa/Sonoma trip, and it did not disappoint!
Please note, we did not do the tram tour, rather the partners tour which was $40/person but totally worth it. It started out with a private tour around the grounds, tasting some wine in the organic garden, where we learned all about Biodynamic farming. Then, we toured the caves, tasting the reserve Cab blends in a private cave tasting room (including their signature wine, Tribute, which was delicious). On the way out we tasted the 08 Tribute still in the barrel with ~9 months of aging to go which was really neat, then headed up to the normal tasting room to taste yet another 3-4 wines. The staff was super friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive.
The Tribute Cab Blend at Benziger was one of our favorite wines of the weekend. We bought a bottle ($80) and are saving it for a special occasion. We highly recommend the partners tour, thanks Benziger!
This is one of my favorite wineries in Sonoma county. The wine is good here, but what's really cool about Benziger is that they practice bio-dynamic farming. There is no pesticide or fertilizer. The folks here have an in-depth knowledge of what plants to plant with the grapes to repel pests naturally. In addition, they use organic matters to improve the soil. They also built owl houses around the vineyard to attract owls which keep the rodent population under control. I guess these rodents have developed a taste for grapes too.
The grounds is naturally beautiful and contains many rolling hills. There is a large garden area with plaques to explain bio-dynamic farming concept and the use of specific plants as nature pesticides and fertilizers. It's really cool.
We ended up doing the tasting in the reserve room ($15) as we wanted to taste their wines from the bio-dynamic vineyard / farm. The wines were tasty. We ended up buying a nice bottle of port which ran us $45.
Okay, it makes me sad to write this review. You may not believe me when I tell you that I got married on this property. And, it's been years since we've been back, so we were excited to go. But, damn, it's gotten way too commercial for my taste. You go into the tasting room and sorta feel like cows lining up to the feed bins. Tram tour? I wouldn't be caught dead on that. Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate that the Benzigers are sustainable vineyard innovators. But, this place is nothing like the good old days when they were Glen Ellen Winery.
Benziger was the first winery we visited on our trip through Sonoma Valley. The grounds are beautiful, and the $15 tour is well worth the money. That fee includes wine tasting afterward (of four or five wines).
Our tour guide, Pat, was great...very knowledgeable and friendly, taking time to answer questions and talk to each guest on the tram.
Make this one of your first stops in the area...you won't be disappointed!
This place is way cool! Such an education about Bio dynamic farming, land conservation, and growing grapes. I found it inspiring beyond tasting another wine.
Start with a tram tour if it is your first visit. For $15 you get a great view of the land and learn about each step in the wine making process from a unique, environmental perspective. The tour takes you into their caves and ends with product indulgence. And the products are Good. Especially the Cabernayyys.
You also get a free drink pass to Imagery, their sister winery just 5 minutes away. So, we're talking big-time buzz, people.
Only downside for me were the prices. The good stuff is north of $40 a bottle and once you have the good stuff... well, you know.
It's hard going back to the Trader Joe wine section after this.
We have been members at Benziger for over a year now and it's a great excuse for us to retreat up to their beautiful facilities and spend a day each month relaxing with some of the best wine we've ever tasted. I definitely recommend the tram tour for first-timers to hear all about their biodynamic agriculture process.
Their wines are absolutely fantastic and range from a basic $15 bottle that is a great everyday wine all the way up to their absolutely stellar biodynamic wines ranging from $40 to $80 a bottle. I would set their biodynamic offerings above the best that Napa has to offer.
Make sure to have them point you to their sister winery Imagery and they may even be willing to give you some tasting coupons to try it out.
This place is huge! It can get very crowded, so you might have to nudge your way into the counter. Great selections of wine, $10 for 5 tastings. They also have a reserve tasting, and one that is strictly all pinot noir. This is one of the few places that have muscat canelli.
I went here last summer with my SO and his parents for a weekend getaway, and also to meet them, but anyways.
We took a tour of this winery, and they do it all on a tractor, I believe since it is a family owned business we were actually taking a tour with one of the older family members. This out of all the places we visited, relayed the most information about how the wine is made, and how to taste a good wine as well. They gave us a tour of every step of the wine making process, and at the end, treated us each to two glasses of free wine, and then a wine tasting bar afterwords.
The only thing I didn't like was at the end, the workers (farm workers) were taking their lunch as me and my SO walked by, and I got a few winks...gross. But that has nothing to do with the winery itself. I say go, it is worth the money, fabulous winery, and we now order from them occasionally.
Lovely place to wine taste and learn about wine. Really nice people (friendly, knowledgeble and not snobby) who are providing tastings. Good wine.
ATMOSPHERE: They offer a tour, which we didn't do, but someday I'd like to. The inside was bright, open, and airy.
WINES: I really enjoyed every aspect of Benziger. A sister winery of Imagery, I found that I preferred Benziger's wines more. If I hadn't already spent so much (Benziger was our 5th stop of the day), I would've bought some here. My gf walked away with a case because they were having a special. She even got to mix and match! The wines are reasonably priced and each one was solid. I don't think you can go wrong with Benziger wines!
POURER: Our pourer was wonderful - a fun and outgoing guy. He was charming and generous - waived our tasting fee, and even let my friend and I try a port that wasn't on the tasting list. He made our brief stay pleasant.
GOODIE: Bio-dynamic winery!
This place is holding up to its mission of being a family winery. The staff are nice and friendly, so are the wine! Their Muscat wine is my favorite! We just had to buy a bottle, and had a picnic outside the testing room. It was lots of fun!
This family winery is on a gorgeous piece of land. Sprawling hills, flowers everywhere, and wild turkeys strolling through the vines.
We took advantage of the $15 tram tour and it was worth every penny. The tram takes you on a little tour of the winery and it comes with some pretty amazing views. Our tour guide was super informative and by golly he knows his wine. I loved the feeling of getting a "behind the scenes" tour - I felt special.
I think one of my favorite moments of the tour was THE CAVE. Oh man this cave was magical. The "angel share" as the tour guide called it was the aroma when you first walk into the cave. I can almost smell it now...ahhhh.
The tour includes 4 tastings total. I really enjoyed their wine. Although I can't seem to recall the names, all I remember is that I loved this winery and everything that the Benziger family is about. Their motto: "quality not quantity".
Benziger was the first windery in Sonoma that I ever visited, years ago when the tastings were still free. I remember being impressed by the wines and by the pretty grounds. Based on that first visit, I would easily have given this place five stars.
I've been back several times over the years, usually after hiking in nearby Jack London State Park. But I've never been able to re-create that positive first experience. I was there again last Saturday - we showed up at 4pm (the tasting room is open until 5) for a post-hike tasting. On the way in, we passed a group of young, very drunk people -- must have been a long day in the tasting room. It wasn't very crowded once we got inside, and we went right up to an open space at the bar and were served immediately - six tastings for $10.
After my first sip of Chardonnay, the pourer inquired whether we wanted to sign up for their wine club membership. I explained that I don't drink enough wine to make a membership worthwhile. "Well, do you drink a bottle a month?" she asked, in a snotty tone. When it became apparent that we weren't going to join the wine club, we got the bare minimum of service from her - she would simply pour the wine when I was ready for the next tasting. No chitchat, no flowery explanations of each wine - none of that. My bf offerred to buy me a bottle of whatever I wanted but I declined - with that kind of service, I didn't want to give them any business.
Looking back on my last few visits there, I realized that aside from that first visit, that's usually been my experience here - the pourers are simply not that friendly.
Go for the pretty grounds, for the decent wines, for the convenience of a nearby winery when you hike at Jack London. Just don't go expecting friendly service.
Service: 3.5
Value: 3
Decor: 5
Best wine tour in the Valley. I like the way they explain biodynamics & organic winemaking in the tour. Good wines but a bit on the pricey side. The tasting room is big and commercialized but the beautiful estate and picnic grounds make up for it.
Sonoma Wine Tour Stop #3
This was the last stop of our wine tour... definitely the largest "estate" compared to VJB and Kunde... unlike our first two stops, we were unable to (for reasons unknown to me) to have arranged a private tasting.
I must say, I was a bit disappointed in our tasting, not necessarily because the wines were not good... but because our pourer took the "tasting" concept a little too literally -- meaning: I may have gotten a "sip" of each wine.
Anyway, my other friends ended up getting a different tasting.. a "pinot" only tasting in a different room. Apparently they really liked what they had, and that pourer was quite generous... whichever one comes first I do not know, but a few of them ended up buying 3 cases.
This place is very very pretty, though the tram tour for $15 is a total rip. We did the private estate tasting with Bob who was very nice AND knowledgeable. The grounds are soul-shakingly pretty, but the inside is sort of a madhouse. We tried lots of different wines -- the the puma red was my favorite, and the sauv was refreshing too.
$15 for the tour and includes 4 tasting wines....a steal for something in the Valley. The tour is very informatory too since it touches a lot on biodynamics and the entire process of wine creation from start to finish....too bad my memory card wasn't big enough to take constant videos. Tried the port and the muscat here. Port was a bit too sweet in my opinion and the muscat was pretty good for a slightly sweet dessert wine.
are benziger and imagery really sister wineries? if so, i'd say that the relationship is comparable to the contrasting witches in the wizard of oz.
during my second visit to benziger, i discovered that their quality of service is inconsistent and that the pourers are not as engaging as the ones at imagery. our pourer served friend #1. then friend #2. before he served me, he asked if i'd like to taste that particular wine (for more than a couple of wines, in fact).
did i look plastered?
(anyone who knows me well KNOWWWS that i can drink the equivalent of a kangaroo's weight. or a zebra's. combined.)
why did he ask ME if i wanted a pour?
b/c i look the youngest?
b/c i'm asian, and we all turn red when we drink?
who knows...
yes, the grounds are still charming, but the service turns me off a smidge.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/21/2008
the grounds are attractive and well maintained.
stephen and i headed to the reserve tasting room,… Read more »
Nothing can be better than a tractor tour of a bio-dynamic winery. Our tour guide did a great job showing us what makes them different from other wineries (we toured Mondavi and they both have different approaches to wine making) and what is means to be bio-dynamic.
Its hard when you are excited about a place for what they do but their wines tasted good. Our friend joined their wine club (later switched to Imagery Winery, also owned by Benziger) because they liked the wines.
Go for the tour stay, for the wine.
I should preface this by saying that I am not really a fan of Benziger wines. So why did I go to the winery you ask? Uhh... cuz this is where my friends were going and I wanted to stay with the group. I was definitely interested in going after I learned that they are a biodynamic winery... Huge star for them! I am still interested in going back and actually doing the tram tour and learning about the actual farming aspect of their vineyards.
Their grounds are pretty, and there are definitely a couple places that you can get some decent pictures. I just wish that the actual wine and tasting rooms were better.
The guy behind the counter couldn't have been less interested in my group of friends. It may be because we are all in our mid 20's and he sized us up as kids who were there to get drunk, which is sad, because it's quiet the opposite. I, along with several others in my group are real wine lovers and were hoping for much better service so we could learn about the wines and gain an appreciation for the people who create them. I may not be a sommelier, but I appreciate wine for what it is and don't appreciate being treated like a teenager trying to sneak sips wine at a wedding.
Beautiful facility that caters to both serious tasters and family-totin' vacationers. We were in the second category (this time) so I'll review from that perspective.
The tram tour is pretty interesting and gives a very good overview of biodynamic farming, which is fascinating. The wine cave part is also very cool, both figuratively and literally, and the kids found it fascinating. Do note that if you have an escape artist, they could end up lost among the barrels very quickly!
The main area has a playground and a couple of peacocks, which can keep the kids entertained while the non-supervisory adult companion tastes their fantastic wines. The winery will ship cases anywhere it's legal to do so for reasonable rates.
Best stop of our Sonoma wine tour. Highly recommended! We loved the tram tour and the wines aren't bad either. I'm not a big fan of Benzinger wines but the tour was great and the wine tasting was so much better than I thought it'd be.
$15 Tram tour includes a short tasting (4 wines). The tram tour is about an hour but seems so much shorter. It takes you around the property and you get out along the way for a short explanation. Some of the stops include:
-Biodynamic vineyards
-fermentation facility
-crush pad
-barrel caves
They also explain what being biodynamic means since that word is thrown around so much.
You get two reserve wines on the last stop and two more wines in the tasting room. We also had a picnic here and they have plenty of tables over looking some nice scenery and views.
I just wanted to mention the two reserve wines we got because I liked them so much.
-2006 Reserve Chardonnay - tropical fruit flavors with hints of vanilla and honey on the finish. French oak barrel aging.
-2005 Oonapais Sonoma Mountain - biodynamic, 71% Cab sauv, 14% merlot, 11% petit verdot, 4% cab franc. dark berry, rich earth, coffee, current and toast. intense body and texture.
Everyone was saying that you get a free tasting at Imagery when you purchase the tram tour. Maybe that's with the expensive tour or something because when we went to Imagery told them that, they were totally confused. The lady started asking the other people that worked there and it was like they never heard of that before. They ended up giving it to us anyway but just aware of that if you want to try the same thing.
I LOVE this place. Don't waste your time in the main tasting room. Head straight for the reserve tasting room and find Ken Jacobson. He's the man. He knows his stuff and always has the good stuff open.
Either pack a snack or buy something in their cute market. Either way... enjoy the great weather and patio outside!
PS: Don't forget to taste/buy the Tribute. Oh...did I mention they're also mostly organic?
This wonderful vineyard checked off all the right points.
The grounds are absolutely beautiful, and it's wonderful to stand and look at their expanse and breathe in the fresh air and peace and quiet. It's pretty unique in that it's a biodynamic winery, and there aren't that many of them even in Sonoma (6 in total, I believe). The tram tour, although it may seem a bit cheesy at first, is worth taking since you do get to learn quite a bit about biodynamic wines and it's really interesting. A tour of the grounds, some explanations of their methods, and a trip into the wine cave, all this plus some tastings, and it's quite reasonably priced at $15. You get two tastings in the cave, and two more of your pick from one menu afterwards.
The wines were really excellent. We tried a fantastic array, from the free tastings included with the tour and afterwards, a couple of us on the $15 biodynamic listing and also the $10 pinot noir tasting. The staff were charming and funny, and kindly allowed us to try more from the tasting list than the 5 the price included. From pinot noir to sauvignon blanc, limited edition chardonnays to a heavenly muscat, and some big heavy reds, it was all wonderful. If you'd like to join the wine club though, make sure they can do so for your state since some are not listed.
There's a peacock in the grounds and some fun facts, and it is extremely picturesque. We all thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this place, and it was an excellent recommendation from a friend. Just be warned: as one in our group jokingly said while we were tasting the wines "See, this is how they get you. You try all these great wines at the tasting, get a bit tipsy, and then go and buy lots of bottles you never planned on getting." He should know, considering he bought two as the tasting wound down, exuberantly saying a minute later "wait, make that three!" It was pretty amusing when, dozing off on the drive home, he jumped out of the reverie saying "AH, why did I just buy all those wines!" It wasn't regretted though, since it was delicious and those bottles will be a real joy.
Really pretty grounds.
This was the first time I tasted Muscat (Love at first sip!). We bought a bottle of that and I think the Syrah and Merlots were good.
Our pourer was kind of snotty. One of our friends mispronounced a wine name; and he rather curtly corrected her. I think it was just him though; because the other guys behind the counter were razzing him about being such a snob and making such small pours.
The Tram tour was fun. Absolutely beautiful hillside winery. Would have been nice if we got to actually try their biodynamically produced wines after they spent so much time talking about them.
A great vineyard to visit, way more picturesque then a lot of the over commercialized Napa spots. The wines we tried were good, but not great. Nothing I'd carry back to Hawaii, though I'm sure the reserve tasting would have had something better.
The president of Benziger offered members of our local alumni club (he's an alum) a tour of this family winery that he himself hosted -- I thought that was really nice, and we had a great time with him and Hal, a tour leader who also went with us.
We visited the vines themselves, the caves, and ended with tastings in the tasting room. (After reading several reviews of wineries -- why do people get bent out of shape if a tasting room has wine paraphenalia for sale? It's not a holy shrine, it's a commerical enterprise, for God's sake. I personally LIKE a fun tasting room and feell like wine should be appreciated but also just plain enjoyed.)
I'd definitely recommend the tour as it's informative and you see the beautiful grounds from several angles. Really peaceful and serene setting, and we thoroughly enjoyed our post-tasting picnic on the grounds. (We brought food from home, but as others have mentioned there is a market at the bottom of the hill that has food you can bring on-site.) I really applaud their commitment to ecologically sound farming practices, too.
When I visited Benziger, I got a lesson in biodiversity and the special way Benziger makes wines based on the cycles of the moon or something, and a nice lunch in their cool underground cave.
The tasting was lovely; I had a nice Clearlake muscat, and I bought a bottle for $20. I generally don't like wineries because I'm not a huge fan of countryside, and wineries tend to evoke a pastoral feel. But I liked Benziger. I loved the historic buildings on the property, and the massive underground cave where, if I were forced to live in the wine country, I would probably seek refuge from the sun and heat and dirt among the cool barrels. Their gift shop was a little like Williams Sonoma, but they do carry that lovely line of kitchen handsoap and lotions, Cucina. Whatever. At least Glen Ellen is closer to the city than Napa or Sonoma, so it's easier to get the hell out of wine country.
I went here today, January 27, 2007, and had an excellent experience. Of course, it was really quiet because it's off-season but the woman (Lara) at the wine bar was extremely nice and knowledgeable. She even gave us 4 free wine tasting cards for Imagery, where we had another great time wine tasting.
The friends I went with have taken the tours with family members and recommended them. As for the wines, they were okay. Nothing really stood out for me, so I didn't buy anything. Nonetheless, this is a great place to bring family and friends (and kids since they have a neat tour that's kid-friendly).
Came to the Benziger Family Winery as part of the Heart of Sonoma Valley Barrel Tasting Event. The grounds here are absolutely gorgeous. I would rank the grounds here as one of the top 3 in the area that I've been too. The wine tasting room is very elegant and nice and the fact they offer tours on a tram is an added bonus. The food that they served here with the wine pairing was excellent. We could not get enough.
Unfortunately both the Reds and the Whites just didn't live up to expectations and the prices were on the high side compared to the other Wineries we went to that weekend.
So here is how I would rate the place:
Tasting Room/Grounds: 5 Stars
Food Pairing: 4 Stars
Wine: 2 Stars
To sum it up, I would definitely say this is worth a stop for the grounds and the tour (will do that next time) but probably not worth it just for the wine tasting. Overall 3.5 Stars.
I've been a Red Wine Club member for many years. I became a member because of their Biodynamic standards, quality wine and staff.
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When you visit, register for the tram tour, then visit the 'Reserve' section of the tasting room. You will be amazed!
This was my very first visit to a winery and I was really impressed. The lovely ride around the property and the informational talk about biodiversity was interesting.
The staff in the tasting room were extremely nice even when I embarrassed myself terribly after getting a little tipsy.
I'm not a wine person, but I liked the Syrah and the Port a lot.
In terms of location, Benziger is easily the best winery in Sonoma I have been to. You go up a long windy road into the hills, and the various winery buildings are sprawled throughout a lush forest setting, giving it an almost campus-like feel. Once into the tasting room itself there is a main tasting bar and another room in the back for the premier tasting at a nominally larger fee. It was our last winery of the day so we went with premier.
The pourer was friendly and knowledgable, and the wines were definitely ambitious, including a particular one called Tribute (the story goes that the winemaker once made a wine that just so happened to be the most biodynamic wine in the world, which doesn't actually taste anything like this wine--this is just a tribute). Tribute was shooting for the stars but didn't quite make it. But you gotta admire them for trying. At any rate we walked away with a couple of great whites, including a Sauvignon Blanc that I just drank tonight. There's also a tram tour here, but I skipped it--I'll have plenty of time to do those when I'm 70.
Yes, I am definitely a fan! Great reserve wines, the Pinot is amazing...The only thing that was a bummer, was the person that was pouring our wines....He seemed so bored and uninterested, we tried not to ask to many questions. Even though the wines are incredible, I was so taken back by the service...But found my new favorite Pinot Noir!
We actually intended to go to Imagery Winery but they were closed for an event this raining day so the people at Imagery gave us a free tasting coupon to Benziger Winery which is another winery owned by the same family.
We were lucky enough to get Chris to pour Imagery Wines for us at the bar. My friends just loved him. He had a great knowledge of the wines and even about cheeses. (My friends LOVE cheese) Afterwards we wanted to taste the Benziger Wines and he was kind enough to pour those wines for us too at the request of one of my friends.
After listening to Chris' explanation about Benziger Family Winery and their biodynamic practices I think I'm forever going to just drink biodynamic wine.
Thanks for educating us about biodynamic farming.
Benziger is a fantastic winery to stop at if you are looking for a fun, relaxing day in the wine country. The winery is hidden away in Glen Ellen, right in the Sonoma Mountain Bowl. We went on a sunny day in the middle of the week, and it was wonderful. The grounds were beautiful, very serene and tranquil. The staff was humorous and friendly, even teaching us a bit about the art of tasting.
Definitely don't miss their biodiesel tram tour of the property. They offer a self-guided tour, but I recommend the tram. They take you into the vineyards, tasting room, and caves. We had so much fun getting guided around the premises and being taught about biodynamic farming. The tram tour is kid-friendly, and on cold days, they provide blankets and things to keep you warm. I was worried that the tour would be pretentious and all, since it is about biodynamics, but it wasn't. It wasn't the sort of snooty tourist trap that you see so often in Sonoma County, and especially Napa, which was very refreshing.
OK...I expect to pay for tasting these days although there are still plenty of complimentary wineries out there. But most who do charge at least let the fee go toward the price of a bottle. Not at Benziger. $10 each for 5 very small tastes and a sales pitch for the wine club between each taste. I certainly would have bought a couple of bottles and spent maybe $50, but they wanted the $20 too! Wine club wanted $55+ up front for a "free tasting". Good wine, but not a good deal. If you like Benziger wines, buy them off site.
I can't think of anything bad to say about Benziger Family Winery. ALL ORGANIC WINES, how cool is that? The estate is huge and beautifully kept. It's exactly what I picture a top-notch winery looking like. Ask for Sol when you go in for a tasting! He's so wonderful; you can tell he absolutely loves his job. He has a great energy, he's fun, and he'll let you try whatever you want and won't be stingy about charging you for everything. He just wants his patrons to enjoy themselves, and enjoy I did.
Benziger is beautiful and very into biodynamic farming. $15 includes a tasting at Benziger as well as its sister winery, Imagery Estate, and a nifty tram tour, though the introductions are rather scripted. You do get taken throughout most of the property and into the caves where they guide went into the art of barrels with considerable detail. An educational experience all around!
