11 Things to Do at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens
Though you may know us for our famous Chardonnay, there are so many more flavors featured and ways to experience the ultimate wine, food and farm-to-table destination in Sonoma County. If you haven’t visited in a while, or if you’ve been looking for an excuse to make your first trip, we have the details on all the ways you can indulge, explore, savor, enjoy, play, taste, learn and linger at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens. We hope to see you soon!
1. Wine Tasting
Obvious, but far from overrated, wine tasting at Kendall-Jackson is the ideal foray into discovering the beautiful, balanced wines sourced from California’s coastal AVAs and crafted largely utilizing small-lot winemaking techniques.
Signature Tasting
Our Signature Tasting is an elegant entry to our Grand Reserve collection wines, superlative expressions of our blending process, sourced from just one or two appellations. This tasting offers a selection of five wines from our Grand Reserve portfolio, which includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
Estate Tasting
Discover our Jackson Estate collection, our ultra-luxury portfolio showcasing some of California’s top appellations, along with our prized, coastal hillside and mountain vineyards. This tasting features a selection of five of our current vintage Jackson Estate wines, a collection that includes some of our favorite expressions of rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Syrah and Merlot.
Chardonnay Flight
On sunny weekends (Saturdays and Sundays), we offer an off-the-menu Chardonnay flight on our shaded patio, overlooking the culinary gardens. Enjoy a serene sunny afternoon tasting your way through our many expressions of the varietal Kendall-Jackson is most well known for—spanning vineyards, growing regions and winemaking styles.
2. Wine & Food Pairing
Our Wine & Food Pairing is one of the most exquisite ways to experience Kendall-Jackson. Savor the aromatic essence of this four-course experience that focuses on a selection of our small-production, limited-release wines. The flavors of seasonal produce picked from our own estate gardens and locally sourced protein marry with the most well-matched wine selections from our cellar in what can only be described as culinary nirvana.
3. Wine & Cheese Pairing
Our Wine & Cheese Pairing features artisanal cheeses from Sonoma, Mendocino, and Marin Counties accompanied by accouterments from our chefs and paired with six food-friendly wines, culminating in a luxurious oenological union.
4. Wine & Chocolate Pairing
Enjoy delicious and unique chocolate creations by one of the best pastry chefs in America. In 2016, Dessert Professional Magazine selected our very own Chef Robert 'Buttercup' Nieto as one of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America. The Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Kendall-Jackson is an indulgence for the tastebuds. Celebrate your decadent side with a flight featuring five exquisite dessert wines, each accompanied by its own seasonally-focused sweet bite.
5. Garden Tour
Set on approximately four acres and comprised of seven distinct garden spaces, the Kendall-Jackson Estate Gardens offer a seasonal abundance of sight, smell and taste. Some are educational in nature; some planted solely for beauty. Still others provide the bounty of fruits, vegetables and herbs that inspires the food & wine pairings created by our culinary team. A veritable cornucopia of beauty and flavor, built to entice your senses throughout the seasons, our gardens are not to be missed. The Garden Tour & Tasting is a one-hour experience offered daily at 10:00am and 2:00pm. Please note that tours are limited to 15 guests and may be canceled in cases of inclement weather.
6. Farm-to-Table Dinner Series
Our Farm-to-Table Dinner Series is one of our favorite family traditions. You’re invited to join us for an open-air feast in our stunning gardens around a shared table hosted by our wine experts, culinary team, and master gardener. The family-style dinner experience will be inspired by the day’s harvest from our culinary gardens and the bounty of local Sonoma County purveyors, paired with Jackson Estate wines. Monthly dinners take place on the second Saturday of each month from May to October — with two dinners scheduled in October to squeeze in one last magical sunset around the harvest table before the lingering summer ends.
7. Bocce
For those who enjoy their wine with a side of competition and sportsmanship, grab a glass of rosé and make your way out to our beautiful, garden-side bocce courts for a friendly game. Spectators can sit back in court-side Adirondacks and cheer on the winning party (whoever is having the most fun, obviously).
8. Blind Wine Tasting
Test your wine knowledge with a blind tasting. Led by our expert wine hosts, you’ll taste seven wines in black glasses, wine bottles concealed. We take a page out of the proverbial book employed by professional wine tasters to fine-tune your palate and see how astute your tastebuds really are. Blind tastings are offered Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only, beginning at 2:00 pm and limited to 8 guests.
9. Private Experiences
Visiting with a large group, celebrating a birthday or a reunion with the ones you love, or just have something extra special in mind? We offer a range of Private Experiences, collaboratively designed with you to achieve your perfect wine experience. Contact the Tasting Room Scheduling Desk at 707.576.3810 to arrange for your ideal day at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens.
10. Pack a Picnic
Bring your own basket of goodies to pair with our wines and vineyard views. We welcome guests to bring their own picnic and pick up a bottle of Kendall-Jackson wine to enjoy on our beautiful estate property.
11. Demonstration Vineyards
You need not go far to get an up-close perspective on how we farm our vineyards. Our Demonstration Vineyards, planted just outside our tasting room, give guests a firsthand view of the many varietals we grow at Kendall-Jackson and a glimpse into what happens on the vines before our grapes become your wine. We encourage guests to taste the grapes right off of the vines to gain a better understanding of flavor profiles and characteristics that each grape carries.
Send us a message on Facebook, call us at 800.769.3649, or shoot us an e-mail to schedule your visit. Then start submitting those vacation requests (or scheduling Friday afternoon "doctor’s appointments”…we won’t tell #selfcare).