My husband and I left San Francisco just after lunch driving north and forty fun minutes later, we pulled in to Comstock Wines in Dry Creek Valley. We weren’t just out for a wine tasting excursion, we took the ultimate step and decided on a romantic overnight getaway at the winery.
Comstock Wines has its own luxury residence situated on a seventeen acre estate vineyard. Its one of a number of laid-back wineries in Sonoma Country pouring impressive Pinots and sparkling wines situated around Healdsburg. Without the Napa crowds or San Francisco fog, it’s a prime place for a long weekend of wine tasting and relaxation.
We arrived in the afternoon and were stunned by the calm and beauty. The 360 view included grape vines and mountain pines, the landscape surrounding this stunning vacation rental reflects the quintessential spirit of California’s wine country.
Comstock Wines was inspired by the fundamental passion to grow and source only the best Sonoma County grapes, and transform them into wines that are as delicious as they are memorable. Bob and Sandy Comstock began growing grapes in Dry Creek Valley in 2002. Throughout the years, as they talked with family and friends, the idea of creating a small winery was born. With their daughter, Kelly Comstock Ferris, stepping in to the role of General Manager, Comstock Wines opened its doors in 2015. Featuring Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay, Comstock Wines strives to highlight the unique characteristics of each varietal. Veteran Winemaker Chris Russi uses his diverse understanding of the varying appellations of Sonoma County and their ideal varietals to create wines that speak to regional uniqueness. Their goal is to collectively share their enchantment of this stunning place they call home. Their motto is simple: “We are All Comstock Wines.”
It’s a short drive from The Winery to The Residence house. From the outside, the rustic exteriors from a distance combined with a wrap-around porch belie the contemporary and fully decked out interiors.
The first thing that captured our attention as you walk in from the front door was the wall stocked with complimentary bottles of wines.
Behind the wall of bottles was the massive great room that features two-story high cathedral ceilings and overhead fans. The living area space was enormous with a modern and chic lodge look, lovely artworks being displayed throughout from local artists and a fireplace. From there, a long wooden formal dining table that seats ten.
The gourmet kitchen featured a long center island with gas hobs and a breakfast bar that could accommodate six people, as well as top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances. It was certainly a dream kitchen and ideal for entertaining. If we had the family with us we would of arrange for a private chef to cook for us a Farm-to-Table meal. While we toured the house, we noticed Comstock Wines left us a bottle of wine to enjoy…and enjoy we did!
This non-smoking villa comes with four exquisite master suite bedrooms that can accommodate up to eight guests comfortably. Each master suite bedroom has a private entrance, television, ceilings fan, fireplace, desk and direct access to the terrace. One of the four master suites comes with two double beds.
Our room had everything one could possibly desire to make your stay feel like a home away from home.
Our en-suite bathroom had dual vanities, a spa bath, and a shower that took up the entire back wall of the bathroom. One of my husband’s favorite features was the window in the shower looking onto the vineyard.
Just outside our master suite room where a pair of Adirondack chairs, where we sat and relaxed sipping our glass of wine. While enjoying the tranquility of the property.
The Residence even had a media room upstairs, perfect for a family movie night. Directly outside the balcony in the media room, we had a perfect view of the estate and the winery. I appreciated the fact that you could view the beautiful property from so many different areas inside The Residence.
After settling in at The Residence, we drove back to the winery building and went to the tasting bar where we not only tasted some of the wines, but heard all about the unique story behind the winery as well. The winery is particularly noted for its Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The tasting bar is open daily from 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Each Tasting Flight includes a selection of five current release wines for $15 per guest. The Zinfandel Flight is $24 per guest but complimentary with wine purchase.
It might go without saying, but wine tasting is complimentary for guests of The Residence at Comstock Wines. We took our wine glasses and sat outside on the terrace overlooking The Residence house in the distance and the Merlot Vineyards. We were both a little hungry, so we paired our wines with a Charcuterie Plate. The plate had an assortment of cheeses, meats, nuts, fruit, jam, and honey. We really enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc, and the Pinot Noir, so much so that we purchased a few bottles to bring home. They charge a flat fee of only $25 to ship the bottles for you.
Comstock’s property is absolutely stunning and there are tons of tables on the patio outside facing the vineyard. It’s the perfect place for a leisurely picnic or a Sunday brunch which they offer as well. There’s also have a bocce ball court and corn hole to entertain yourself while you enjoy your food and wine.
For dinner, we decided to venture into Healdsburg. The Residence at Comstock Wines is located about five minutes from downtown Healdsburg where you’ll find some of the best restaurants in Sonoma County. It’s a small town that offers boutiques stores, art galleries and varieties of local organic produce. While walking around the town, we stumbled upon a restaurant called Cafe Lucia which was well worth the detour from the square. It’s definitely Portuguese cuisine at its finest.
The next morning, we enjoyed our complimentary breakfast items that were left for us in our room’s mini refrigerator. It was stocked with yogurts, milk, half and half, breakfast bread, granola, orange juice and fruit.
After breakfast, we had a chance to tour the winery with veteran winemaker Chris Russi. Chris gave us a tour of the winery, shared its history, and spoke about winemaking techniques as we made our way to the crush pad, and the winemaking cellars. We were able to take a peek inside two containers of fermenting Cabernet and Merlot grapes. This was a very cool experience, as we had never seen grapes in this stage of winemaking before. Chris is very passionate about the wines at Comstock, and we appreciated that he took the time to show us around.
If we had more time we would have liked the opportunity to try the one-of-a-kind tasting experience in the Blending Room. Where you join veteran winemaker, Chris Russi, or one of their Wine Educators and take your shot at becoming a winemaker for a day. Assembling your own blend of wine which would have been a unique experience.
The Residence at Comstock Wines is centrally located and is the ideal getaway for a family vacation, girls weekend getaway or romantic escape. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy on and off the property from hiking, biking and canoeing. You can even go on a hot air balloon ride. Golf aficionados will also be happy to check out the course at nearby Tayman Park, the oldest in the area.
Disclosure and Facts: We were guest of Comstock Wine during this stay, and enjoyed every minute of it. All opinions here are my own. The Residence villa where we stayed can be rented for $2,400 – $2,800 /night. For more information visit The Residence at Comstock Wines for the ultimate luxury Wine Country vacation.
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