La Crema Winery: An Elevated Experience in the Russian River Valley
In California, Sundays are for scenic cruises along the beach or peaceful rides through the rolling countryside. Stopping along the way to bask in the sun while enjoying your favorite food and drink is the best part!
If you ride along the fabled coastal Highway 1, you might grab a beach towel and enjoy a picnic with the soft sand between your toes. If you’re cruising inland, you might choose a route that takes you through California’s world-renowned wine country, stopping to enjoy a glass of elegant chardonnay or a plush and silky pinot noir.
Which do you choose?
Why not try both and cruise to La Crema Winery Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard for a wine tasting and tour?
The Story
When Richard Kunde proposed to Saralee McClelland, he chose the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, for the special moment. The breathtaking sprawling property, with its millions of plants in more than 900 varieties, is considered a modern masterpiece and a bucket list must-see for many.
Several years after they married, the couple purchased land in Windsor, California, and converted the silage fields into premium vineyards. To recreate the magic of their engagement, Richard transformed a poison oak-infested section of their land into a replica of Butchart Gardens, which would serve as a place of love, laughter, and beauty for those who visited with the Kundes. They named the garden Richard’s Grove, to accompany what came to be known as Saralee’s Vineyard.
Saralee and Richard, a member of the family behind the legendary Kunde Family Winery, gravitated toward mastering the delicate art of cultivating grapes rather than the winemaking pursuits of their family. Their hard work was fruitful—the vineyard became a beloved purveyor for wineries across the U.S., reaching as far as the Biltmore Winery in Asheville, North Carolina.
The Kundes were instrumental in introducing the European concept of appellations (e.g. American Viticulture Area – AVA) to the United States. Thanks in large part to them, there are now 18 AVAs in Sonoma County. They spearheaded the growth and sale of cloned vines to area growers and became the largest grapevine rootstock seller in the country. Most importantly, they tirelessly supported local agricultural programs empowering youth to pursue careers in the viticulture field. Richard and Saralee provided La Crema with prized pinot noir and chardonnay grapes for many years—a relationship that turned into a close friendship. In 2013, the Kundes sold the property to hands they could trust to continue their legacy, and thus, La Crema Winery Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard was born.
The Tour
As we cruised along Slusser Road, we met the lush green landscaping of Richard’s Grove on our right, soon followed by the autumn colors of post-harvest grapevines. A dirt road led us from the entrance to the tasting room—a renovated barn over 100 years old that was once Richard and Saralee Kunde’s home.
Our tour began with a walk through Richard’s Grove and Saralee’s Vineyard with a glass of La Crema’s 2019 pinot noir rosé in hand. Delicately pale pink, due to the juice only being in contact with the skins of the grapes for a total of two hours during the fermentation process, this rosé is as refreshing as it is elegant. Aromas of tangerine peel and fresh strawberries precede watermelon and lime zest on the palate. It’s an any-time-of-day wine—we’d pair it with brunch or an afternoon snack of prosciutto and brie.
The pinot noir grapes featured in La Crema’s rosé grow on Saralee’s Vineyard alongside chardonnay, riesling, viognier, and more. The sprawling 265-acre estate sits in the Russian River Valley, with soil predominantly of sand and pebbles and a cool morning and evening fog. This terroir holds the balance ideal for growing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes to their full maturity without sacrificing the acidity we crave in a well-balanced glass.
During the tour, we spotted a variety of fruit trees flanking the vineyards. We stopped to pick and eat apples from one growing in the same area as La Crema’s chardonnay grapes. When we tasted the chardonnay from Saralee’s Vineyard after our tour, we immediately recalled a familiar hint of flavor from our afternoon snack—the apples! Talk about terroir!
During the next part of our tour, we were brought to a pond that serves as a rainwater capture system for irrigating the vineyard, followed by our final stop at the base of an owl house. What strikes us most about the La Crema’s Estate are the countless measures put into place to ensure sustainability of the vineyard while protecting and preserving the environment in and around it.
We ended our tour back at the tasting room, where we were warmly greeted and ushered to our outdoor deck table overlooking the gorgeous vineyard.
The Wine
The premier varietals of the Russian River Valley are Burgundian grapes, due to similar climate and soil conditions as those found in the Burgundy region of France. Back in the tasting room, we explored La Crema’s interpretations of these varietals, tasting their wine from grapes grown onsite alongside those grown in other California appellations.
Tasting the vast differences in the wine was striking. The chardonnay from Los Carneros was fruit-forward and crisp, while the Kelli Ann Vineyard chardonnay had more dominant notes of brioche and toast with a rich buttery mouthfeel, thanks to its significantly longer aging period in French oak barrels. We agreed that the chardonnay from Saralee’s Vineyard was our favorite, loving its bright acidity as well as the tree-fruit notes we tasted in the apples we picked during our vineyard tour.
We found as much variety tasting La Crema’s pinot noirs as we did the chardonnays. Some were light, silky and earthy, while others were more plush, full, and textured, such as the Bellflower Vineyard pinot noir. We imagined enjoying this wine as an accompaniment to a cool-weather meal, like braised beef short ribs with roasted root vegetables.
Cruising Through the Vineyard
As we enjoyed our wine and cheese board on the deck of the Kundes’ former home, we realized that any day of the week would be a good time visit La Crema Winery Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard. Sundays might be prime, but beating the traffic and visiting midweek would be perfect as well. We can’t think of a better reason to take a day off and indulge in a weekday road trip.
When we finished our tasting, we made sure to take a walk through the vineyard and soak up a little more of the Russian River Valley magic before leaving. You’ll be glad you did the same!
We had the chance to expand our palates and experience the power and beauty of terroir first-hand. We got to taste delicious wines in a fabulous, picturesque setting. Most importantly, we discovered exciting California wines that will be even more special to sip at home, because they’ll forever bring us back to our perfect day at Saralee’s Vineyard. For us, that’s what wine is all about—creating new memories and reminiscing fondly on adventures past.
La Crema Winery at Home
If you’re not able to make the trip to the vineyard anytime soon, check out La Crema’s store locator to find a store or restaurant carrying their wine near you. Even better, visit their online wine shop and have a bottle delivered straight to your doorstep!
Getting in Touch with La Crema Winery
To learn more about La Crema Winery, visit their homepage at lacrema.com.
To experience a wine tasting or a tour of the La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard, make a reservation here.
To purchase La Crema wines to try at home, visit the online wine shop here.
Follow La Crema on Instagram @lacremawines or on Twitter @lacremawines.