St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

I found St. Francis Winery and Vineyards while research Sonoma Valley Cabernets. (The Napa ones have become EXTREMELY overpriced.) St. Francis got a good review for a reasonable Moon Mountain Cab from both James Suckling and Tom capo for Wine Enthusiast. So when the opportunity arose to do a tasting at a Glen Ellen winery, I made a reservation.

Tastings are $45 for five wines and can be booked online. There are also various other food and wine experiences we might explore at a further date. As you might gather from the name, dogs are welcome.

I was initially worried about the massive size of the estate. We were not greeted when we entered and our host, while very friendly, was sadly clueless. Our table on the patio was shaded and had a fantastic view of Mount Hood.

We were very impressed by the first wine on the list, a Sauvignon Blanc that is partially finished in acacia barrels. The wood gave the wine a bit of that roasted marshmallow taste alongside your usual citrus and tropical fruit flavors. Husband thinks it is a perfect dessert wine and wants to pair it with fresh fruit and pain cheesecake.

We were sadly unimpressed by the Pinot Noir, Zinfandels, or Sangiovese (a bonus pour). Each one left us underwhelmed.

Thankfully, we were not disappointed in the Moon Mountain Cab. You could smell it before you put your nose in the glass and it had a beautiful color. Red fruit, plum, black fig, chocolate, leather, spice, and a little green bell pepper; we plan to lay down the bottles we purchased for about five years.