Landmark Winery

Landmark Winery

Landmark Vineyards practices the centuries-old tradition of handcrafted wines. Garnering praise from some of the harshest critics, Landmark produces rich, balanced wines perfect for pairing with many cuisines. Join us for a seated tasting experience in our beautiful courtyard. A host will take you through a side-by-side comparison of our historic Chardonnays and Pinots while enjoying a paired cheese plate and taking in the views of Sugarloaf Mountain. 

JB’s Guide has partnered with Priority Wine Pass to offer a complementary cheese plate with a paid tasting at a savings of $25. In addition, when using this link to buy the pass, you’ll receive $20 off and a 15% better price than the Priority Wine Pass Groupon.

Is Landmark Chardonnay Oaky?

This wine is perfect for those who love a hint of oak flavor. It features delightful oaky, tropical fruits and citrusy notes on the nose. The palate indicates a creamy texture with moderate green apple-like acidity and soft oaky flavor. The wine finishes with a little mineral, making it absolutely delightful. It has a full mouthfeel, crisp lemon and pear fruit, and firm acidity. This is the perfect wine for those who want to enjoy oak flavor without it being too overpowering.

Kenwood Estate

Landmark Vineyards was founded in 1974 by a group including Damaris Deere Ford, the great-great-granddaughter of John Deere. (Inventor of the first steel plow in Grand Detour, IL) The original Landmark Winery location was in Windsor and moved to Kenwood in Sonoma Valley (home to world-class wineries, breweries, and distilleries) in 1989. With the acquisition of Hop Kiln Estate in 2016, this now includes estate vineyards.

In 1991, Damaris focused exclusively on producing Landmark’s Chardonnay and created the first vintage of the flagship Overlook Chardonnay. Overlook is a neighborhood in Moline, Illinois, the headquarters of John Deere. Overlook was named after the home of Charles Deere, which sits on a bluff above Moline Centre overlooking the Mississippi River in the Overlook neighborhood. The house was declared a Moline historic landmark in 2002, and two places are now museums you can visit.

Landmark Vineyards locations have a storied history:

• In 1905, Sol Walters hired the Italian stonemason Angelo “Skinny” Sodini to construct the massive stone and redwood kilns, now the Landmark Winery at Hop Kiln tasting room. Sodini’s crew finished the building within 35 days. The building consists of three stone kilns for drying hops and an attached wooden cooling barn with a two-story press for baling hops.
• After Sol died in October 1919, his son and daughter took over the property. Adelma took over the 125 acres of present-day Rochioli, and William took over the other 200 acres of the 6050 westside area. William lived in his late parent’s 1905 home, and Adelma lived in the house near Rochioli. Her house burned down in 1930 and then again in 1933 after rebuilding. William had 1,440 sheep and built a sheep barn. In 1960 Sol’s house that Will was using was also destroyed by fire. A year later, Marty Griffin bought the property.
• In 1961, Dr. Martin Griffin was a conservationist and well-known for his book Saving the Marin-Sonoma Coast. He purchased the 240-acre-ranch from the retired Billy Walters. The 1880 vineyards were still producing grapes sold to local wineries. Griffin immediately began to restore the hop kiln, barn, and the Victorian house he had moved to the estate. He fixed the original 1880 vineyards, planted a few grape varieties, and sold the fruit to wineries like Korbel and Gallo.
• In 1975, Griffin had brought the building up to county code and obtained the permits needed to turn the hop kiln into a bonded winery, now Landmark Winery. He made Marty Griffin’s Big Red (from the 1880 vineyard), Thousand Flowers white (blend), Primitivo Zinfandel, and Rosa Bellissima (Rosé of Zinfandel). Over the years, he replanted all the 1880 vines to Zinfandel, Cabernet, and Chardonnay. Mr. Griffin sold the winery in 2004 upon retirement.

Hop Kiln Estate

You may also visit Landmark Vineyards Hop Kiln Estate in the Russian River Valley, which is thought by many to be the best place in the world to grow Pinot Noir. The cool climate and fertile soils create wines with intense fruit flavors, silky tannins, and complex aromas. In addition, the Russian River Valley is home to many of California’s most acclaimed wineries, making it an excellent destination for wine lovers. Rich cherry cola, anyone?

Is Landmark Winery Dog Friendly?

Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome outdoors at management’s discretion.

Sonoma County Wine Tasting Deal

Enjoy a complimentary cheese plate with a paid tasting. Landmark Winery is a proud partner of Priority Wine Pass, where you net to discover the best wineries and save on tasting fees (so you can buy more wine, of course!). They have been around since 2012 and are the most extensive wine passport program of its kind and offer a full-time concierge that will help once your pass is in hand.