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A FTER ATTENDING A WEDDING IN Santa Rosa this summer, my husband and I had time to sip and savor in Sonoma County, exploring a few of the hotels, resorts, and restaurants in this bountiful region. Our adventure began with a tour of the vast, 1,300-acre Chalk Hill Estate Winery in Healdsburg in a vintage 1993 Humvee, which easily navigated the hilly terrain. I rode shotgun with Alex Houlihan, an informative wine educator, at the wheel as we toured the organic culinary garden where vegetables, fruit, and herbs are grown for the winery's charcuterie boards as well as local restaurants. In the vineyards, we stopped to sample sweet grapes that would later be picked at their peak. Chalk Hill's diverse topography produces both red and white varietals spread over 300 acres of vineyards including chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, malbec, syrah, and zinfandel. We also toured a pavilion, once used for dressage, which now hosts wine tastings and harvest and holiday parties. On a terrace overlooking the rolling hills, vineyards, and oak groves of the Russian River Valley, we sampled Founders Chardonnay, a nod to Bill Foley, who established Foley Wines in 1996, and Carol Ann's Oak Hill Chardonnay, named after Mrs. Foley. e company now owns more than 25 wineries and distilleries including Chalk Hill, Banshee, Chateau St. Jean, Ferrari-Carano, Lancaster, Roth, and Sebastiani in Sonoma County as well as Foley Johnson, Merus, and Silverado in Napa Valley. Its portfolio includes wineries in Southern California, Oregon, and Washington, and the company imports wine and spirits from Irish whiskey to tequila. Guests can sip wine on Chalk Hill's vineyard-view terrace or inside at one of the many tasting rooms. A four-wine flight can be paired with cheese and charcuterie platters that include veggies, CHALK HILL WINERY, CAVIAR, RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX HOTEL LES MARS: PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FOLEY FAMILY WINE & SPIRITS HAZEL HILL TERRACE: PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTAGE HEALDSBURG Wining and Dining in Sonoma County Head to Healdsburg for tasting and touring BY ANDREA NAVERSEN detour destinations ranchandcoast.com 106 OCTOBER 2024 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE