Sonoma Aperitif
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Sonoma Aperitif
Denman Ranch is a historic, storied property located in the heart of Sonoma County's world famous winegrowing region. Established by Ezekiel Denman in 1869, Denman Ranch was once composed of well over 2000 acres. As the director of the Sonoma and Marin District Agricultural Society, Ezekiel Denman was one of the pioneers of agriculture in Sonoma County.

Today, the ranch consists of a seven acre parcel that hosts the winery, vineyard and barns, and our tasting room and event space. Located in the Petaluma Gap AVA, the Denman Ranch Estate Vineyard is a cool-climate site that benefits from the cool, ocean air that reaches us via the Petaluma wind gap.
Services
In addition to our tasting appointment options, we also partner with our friend, Chandra Thorpe, to offer a more curated event experience. Chandra can customize the particulars for your event - whether the occasion is a birthday, bachelorette party, business outing, or just because - and recommend the appropriate wine parings for you and your group, too.
Reviews (20)
Belinda Robinson
Belinda Robinson
Sep 01, 2019
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Great wine , libation tasting * purchasing venue. events site for small event
Ryan A.
Ryan A.
Apr 15, 2019
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I try not to use the phrase a "hidden gem" too often or not at all, but Sonoma Aperitif should fall into that category if it indeed a legitimate term to use!

I had loose plans to visit Sonoma Aperitif on a weekend a few months back, but was not committed due to other plans. Well I had some spare time and figured I'd try to stop by and see if I could do a walk in tasting/sample. Laura who is the owner graciously accepted us into her old style barn converted into a tasting room. It really displays the Petaluma hospitality as well as the true country vibe of the aesthetics inside.
Chefs Daughter D.
Chefs Daughter D.
Jun 23, 2018
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Apéritif is a French word derived from the Latin verb aperire, which means "to open". An apéritif is an alcoholic beverage usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite, and is therefore usually dry rather than sweet."

Fantastic alternative from ciders and wine tasting. (But I still love ciders and wine :) I've never experienced aperitif. Laura, the creative mistress and owner was highly informative and had so much passion with her creations. Her previous career led her to this wonderful libation. The public gets to reap the rewards. This tasting bar shares the
Gail M.
Gail M.
Jun 02, 2018
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Laura is great and the aperitifs and shrub are incredibly fabulous. They are ideal summer fruity libations to sip on a warm day - preferably near a pool, lake or the sea!

My favorite was the citrus with Buddha's hand, but my husband preferred the grapefruit!

Taste them and decide which is your fave!!!
Amarilis P.
Amarilis P.
Apr 29, 2018
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Wonderful place! I visited from the east coast and Laura is very nice and detail oriented. The place is quiet, private and quaint! The aperitifs are delicious! Must come if you are in Sonoma!
Dave B.
Dave B.
Nov 11, 2017
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We stopped in and didn't want to leave. The Apertif are amazing. These are fairly uncommon to most Americans, but very common in France and extremely well-made and delicious. When she try these they will be on your pre-dinner menu. We also enjoyed the Camraderie and the fine Mendocino red wine from their shared Winery partner - delicious pepper flavors common in European wines - just delicious. Super nice ladies too
Amanda L.
Amanda L.
Sep 23, 2017
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Well, this place is awesome.
Seriously though, if you're in the mood for a truly unique tasting, then you absolutely have to come here. Sit down and enjoy the delicious alcohol + fruit infused cocktails.
I can honestly say this has been my favorite spot to discover in a very long time. I am so excited to have found this place and I plan to come back very soon. Additionally, I plan to ring my friends and family here when they visit - it is that wonderful of an experience (and delicious too! So. Delicious!)
I bought a bottle of the Strawberry Basil aperitif to go, so I can try to replicate some
Erika M.
Erika M.
Aug 27, 2017
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This was such a cute little find! The aperitifs were amazing- such a refreshing summer treat! Woman owned, and super knowledgeable. And the ambience of the tasting room was so adorable.
Such an awesome place. I am definitely coming back next time we are in town!
Danae C.
Danae C.
Jul 18, 2016
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Love it! I had a lovely time tasting and chatting with Laura. Her tasting room is adorable. We tasted aperitifs, shrubs and jam. My favorite thing I tasted was the heriloom citrus aperitif although I bought every thing I tasted. Laura was so welcoming and she clearly loves talking about citrus fruit and recipes. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying new flavors.
Bernard W.
Bernard W.
Jul 16, 2016
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Super fun addition to any wine tour of the area. We were lucky enough to be served a trio of amazing wine-based drinks by proprietor Laura Hagar Rush including an amazing lil white wine, blood orange, rosemary and prosecco concoction. Fantastic.
Nawaf A.
Nawaf A.
May 29, 2016
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This place is an amazing gem. Every drink is unique, delicious, and a piece of art. Also the price is extremely reasonable for what you are getting. Do yourself a favor and come to taste these appertifs, shrubs, and whatever she happens to have on hand today.
Kalana W.
Kalana W.
Feb 14, 2016
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The best aperitifs in town! Laura was so friendly and has the best hospitality! We sampled all her bottles, which are all fantastic! The only negative is deciding which bottle to buy first! Thanks again Laura, we will definitely be back!!
Marc L.
Marc L.
Feb 14, 2016
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Laura was an extreme pleasure to learn from, and she was a great host! The aperitif's are delicious, and the shrubs are so amazing! I highly recommend stopping by and doing a tasting, you will want to take every bottle home.
Adriano F.
Adriano F.
Nov 30, 2015
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An incredible experience. A true gem where home made aperitifs hide, made of herbs, fruits and flowers with the greatest care from the owner who welcomed us with a big smile and guided us through her universe of multiple tastes. She was generous with the free tasting and kind to our children who could try non alcoholic variables.
Dane R.
Dane R.
Nov 15, 2015
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We stopped by this lil Gem on the way out of town and we're glad we did. My wife and I were very impressed with the quality and hospitality we experienced during our visit. We tried a wonderful tasting of different aperitifs that were made by Laura, who was very gracious and knowledgeable. We can't wait to go back and would suggest to bring a few people with you to experience it.
Petaluma Downtown A.
Petaluma Downtown A.
Sep 18, 2015
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On a Friday afternoon, my entire office gathered to experience Sonoma Aperitif. We were welcomed by owner, crafter, graphic designer, and hostess extraordinaire, Laura. From the first sip to the last, we were all captivated.

Her aperitifs are all created with local organic fruits and herbs, often sought after and handpicked by Laura from unusual and forgotten fruit trees & bushes, white wine and fortified with vodka (16% alcohol). We started with tastes of all her current seasonal aperitifs, which included: white nectarine and rose, strawberry and basil, heirloom citrus, ruby red grapefruit
Kelly M.
Kelly M.
Sep 09, 2015
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My husband and I were visiting Penngrove recently and we stumbled on Sonoma Aperitif while looking for PW Scoggins winery, and thank goodness we did!! Laura was absolutely amazing. Very warm and welcoming. Not only did we try different aperitifs and shrubs, but she answered all our questions (and believe me, we had A LOT since we'd never heard of an aperitif before). The highlights for us were the white nectarine and roses aperitif, grapefruit aperitif, and the sour cherry shrub. We loved that everything was made from local ingredients on site. At the end of our tasting, Laura was nice enough
Anita C.
Anita C.
Jun 21, 2015
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We didn't have an appointment but saw the great Yelp review and decided to see since we were in the area. Laura is great!

She welcomed us in and was super informative. She explained her craft and explained the products that she had. We got an aperitifs as well as a preserve. Both were awesome.
Sam L.
Sam L.
Jan 23, 2015
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Laura is so cute! WE actually stumbled in on accident (looking for Scoggin Wines) it probably happens all the time, but shes always so inviting and her place is super cute and rustin. It was empty on a Sunday evening, but nevertheless we decided to give it a shot. She is so creative with her flavor combinations. I love how passionate she is, even though this is just her hobby (what a cool hobby!). Her flavors are all pair really well. and I love when she busts out the champagne and makes little mimosas for you to try. They're to die for! They'd be so refreshing on a summer's day
Veronica N.
Veronica N.
Dec 12, 2014
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My boyfriend and I stumbled upon a GEM!

The owner was so kind and generous. Our tasting included 5 different types of delicious aperitifs as well as her delicious preserves. She had such a welcoming, knowledgeable, and playful presence. It was a true treat.

We bought a bottle of Grapefruit Qu'est-'ce Que c'est Aperitif. It has been a favorite at holiday gatherings with a bit of champagne on top!

I'm almost out and headed back for more....maybe fig or quince this time....might have to just try them all again!

Thank you