Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards
From our family to yours, we invite you to visit our Kunde Estate Tasting Room in the heart of Sonoma County's spectacular Valley of the Moon. Constructed as a replica of the original Kinneybrook Ranch cattle barn, which stood on this land for more than a century, our Tasting Room is surrounded by our estate vineyards, a shaded picnic area nestled under majestic valley oaks, and reflecting pool and fountains.
As you satisfy your pursuit for estate-bottled wines, many of which are available only at the winery and through our wine club, we'll share samples of our latest releases. We also offer a host of unique gifts, including wine country art, clothing and culinary treats such as hand crafted oils, vinegars, spreads, sauces and, of course, our always popular Zinfandel Chocolate Sauce and Cabernet Chocolate Cherries.
- Open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Tastings are $10.00 per person for our Destination Series tasting and $20.00 per person for our Grand Estate selections in the Kinneybrook Room.
- Guided tours of aging caves every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the day at no charge and without appointment.
- To schedule a private or group tour, please contact our Hospitality Department at (707) 833-5501, Extension 331 or naomi@kunde.com.
- Click here for directions to Kunde Estate
The First 100 Years
Family owned and operated, Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards produces ultra-premium, estate-grown, and sustainably farmed wines in the finest traditions of the renowned Sonoma Valley. Our founder, Louis Kunde, who emigrated from Germany, acquired the Wildwood Vineyards ranch with its acclaimed iron-rich, ancient red volcanic soils in 1904. These vineyards were first planted in 1879 by pioneer John Drummond with imported cuttings from Chateaux Margaux and Lafite Rothschild. Upon Louis' death in 1922, the winery and vineyards were taken over by his son, Arthur "Big Boy" Kunde. Big Boy kept the winery open during the difficult times of Prohibition by selling "sacramental" wines, and though he continued to grow grapes through World War II, he was forced to close the winery doors when his sons were drafted into service. Throughout the 1960's and '70's, two of Big Boy's sons, Bob and Fred, greatly expanded the Kunde Estate, adding the esteemed Kinneybrook Ranch in 1977. Planting hundreds of acres to prime varietals, their hard work and savvy business decisions laid the groundwork for building the Kunde Estate Winery and aging caves in the early 1990's.
In October 2004, three-generations of the Kunde family gathered with friends to celebrate our 100th harvest, and to honor all the hard work and dedication that came through us and before us. As we enter the next century of winegrowing, the fourth and fifth generation family members remain hands-on proprietors. We now oversee an operation comprised of our state-of-the-art winemaking facility and 1,850 contiguous acres, of which 700 acres are planted to more than twenty different varieties of wine grapes.
HIGHLIGHTS IN KUNDE HISTORY
1879: John Drummond plants first vines with imported cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon from Chateau Margaux and Lafite Rothschild to create Drummond Vineyard
1879: James Shaw plants Wildwood Vineyard to Zinfandel
1904: Louis Kunde buys the 1,000-acre Wildwood Vineyards and crushes first Estate harvest
1915: Louis Kunde wins two gold medals for his Wildwood Vineyards' red wines at the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco
1920: Prohibition begins. Winery continues to make wine under Reg. #30 by manufacturing, purchasing and selling "non-beverage wine" or sacramental wines
1922: Upon Louis' death, the winery and vineyards are taken over by son, Arthur "Big Boy" Kunde
1933: Prohibition ends. Big Boy Kunde continues to make wine until the start of World of War II, when his sons leave the ranch to fight in World War II
1955: Big Boy Kunde turns ranch management over to sons Bob and Fred
1960's: Bob and Fred Kunde begin expanding the vineyards, focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
1977: Bob and Fred Kunde buy the neighboring 850-acre Kinneybrook Ranch
1989: Kunde family announces plans to build the Kunde Estate Winery and aging caves
1990: First crush at the new Kunde Estate Winery
2004: The Kunde family celebrates their 100th harvest