We held our 2nd Annual Bocce Ball tournament on June 23, 2006, at the Larson Family Winery. The Larson Family Winery has a beautiful Bocce Ball court that overlooks their Chardonnay Vineyards.
This winery is not exactly in the Napa Valley but in the Los Carneros wine region that spans both Sonoma and Napa Counties. Many people consider Carneros to be just a portion of the Napa Valley. It is in actuality, an entirely separate wine region where Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wine reign.
The Larson Family Winery is a much different experience from what you are likely to find when visiting other wineries in the Carneros wine region. It is a more homey and relaxed experience. The staff is very friendly and a casual style permeates the tasting room. The winery was once the site of the largest rodeo in the Bay Area. A beautiful mural in the tasting room depicts this event.
The Larson Family produces some very nifty wines. This year they began making two jug wines, a one-liter cute jug of white wine and a red wine. The white wine is a Chardonnay and called Wingo White. The red is called Sonoma Red and is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. Both wines sell for $20. Another new wine, and our favorite of the Larson tasting was the Pinot Grigio. It is a very fruity and crisp wine and was utterly refreshing for our Bocce Ball lunch. This wine sells for $20 and this is generally more than you would pay for most Pinot Grigios. The Pinot Noir has a knockout aroma of raspberry and strawberry and delicious delicate flavors. The Pinot sells for $30.
The Good: No tasting fee except for the Cab; relaxed and pleasant environment, the Pinot Grigio, the Jug wines; Bocce Ball Court available, nice picnic area.
The Bad: We didn’t care for the 2005 Gewürztraminer, last year’s 2004 was much better but it is long gone.
We just spent a morning at Larson Family Winery. What a great experience that was. Friendly people and excellent wines. We particularly enjoyed the 2007 Gewurztraminer.