So. Much. Fun.
The Sonoma County Experience introduced me to my first ever wine/cannabis experience and it was a total blast! Everything was excellent - starting from the breakfast mimosas in the bus all the way to the educational information our tour guide Jared shared with us throughout the trip (i.e. why Sonoma is such a special region in the world - you'll have to learn for yourself though!). As a Bay Area local, I was surprised to learn as much as I did about our beautiful Sonoma County.
The tour started with a stop at the vista point at the end of Golden Gate Bridge, where we could take pictures of our pretty city. Instagram photos commence! After our vista point stop, we got back into the shuttle to find mimosas waiting for us. It was a perfect way to get relaxed before our first wine stop.
(Bonus: The shuttle bus was really luxurious and comfortable, there were snacks on hand at all times, and the beats were jamming.)
The first winery stop was Larson, which was a perfect start to the day with an outdoor tasting. The grounds were open and beautiful, and included a bocce ball court. Our host at Larson Winery was super friendly and our tastings ended with chocolate & cabernet.
Our second winery stop was Robledo Winery, which had one of the best Sauvignon Blancs I've ever tasted. At the winery, Jared brought us our sandwich orders from the famous Carneros Deli, which made for a perfect break before we moved to the marijuana dispensary.
So this is the part of the tour that took me by surprise. I enjoy cannabis, but I mostly only imbibe in social situations. However, our visit to Solful was very educational - mostly helping me realize how little I know about marijuana. The times I have it - some brownie tray at a house party, a friend offering me a smoke, or some vape pen at a social gathering - I realized I have no idea what I taking into my body and its effects on me. At Solful, they do an incredible job walking you through the different ways cannabis can effect you (e.g. psychoactive vs. non-psychoactive) and how cannabis can support your health (e.g. decreasing anxiety, improving sleep, etc.). Needless to say, it was a invaluable part of the tour, but I felt that I could ease into it because it was combined with something I was already very comfortable with - wine.
I would say that is what truly distinguishes Sonoma County Experience from any other tour - is that it combines both the wine and cannabis experience (at a very high quality).
Our last stop was Dutton Ranch. Very quaint and cute, and a lovely way to round out our trip. We left the day feeling like we were living our best lives, and enjoying all of the pleasures that California has to offer.
Note: Since marijuana laws are very recent, there are still a lot of permit processes that are finalizing in the Bay Area. It sounds like in the future, the Sonoma County Experience will be 2 wineries, a cannabis dispensary, and a cannabis farm (rather than 3 wineries + dispensary). I will already be booking my next tour to check out the farm soon. Beer lovers can also book the cannabis + brewery tour, which is another one I'll also have to try with my beer loving friends. read more