A 16,000-square-foot French Normandy castle on Highway 12, designed and built entirely by founder Steve Ledson. Conceived as a family home, the structure proved so striking during construction that the Ledsons opened it as a winery in 1997. Three tasting bars, a Gourmet Marketplace for Oak Grove picnics. Direct-to-consumer only.
Ledson is one of Sonoma Valley's more distinctive operations — a family-owned estate housed in a 16,000-square-foot French Normandy castle on Highway 12, designed and built entirely by founder Steve Ledson. Originally conceived as a family home, the structure was so visually striking during construction that the Ledsons pivoted to opening it as a winery, releasing their first wine — the 1994 Estate Merlot — in 1997. The family farms 17 acres of estate vineyards on the property and additional sites across Sonoma, Russian River, Dry Creek, and Napa, producing more than 70 wines a year sold direct-to-consumer through the Castle, the wine club, and online — no retail distribution.
Estate Vineyard Merlot, Sonoma Valley — The signature wine, made since the winery's first release; richly textured with red plum, black cherry and cocoa.
Estate Ancient Vine Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley — Drawn from vines well over a century old, a bold, concentrated expression of old-vine Sonoma Zin.
Cabernet Sauvignon — One of several estate Cabernets in the portfolio, full-bodied with cassis and vanilla.
Chardonnay — A Sonoma County white in the winery's polished style; a Reserve Carneros Chardonnay earned 93 points from Wine Spectator.
Sauvignon Blanc — Crisp and bright, one of the estate's white varietals.
Known worldwide as 'The Castle,' Ledson is a family winery in Kenwood housed in a 16,000-square-foot French Normandy building designed by fifth-generation Sonoma farmer Steve Ledson. Originally intended as a family home, it opened to the public in 1999 and now offers more than 60 small-lot wines sold only at the winery, online, and at the Ledson Hotel.
The Castle has three named tasting bars — Noble, Winslow, and Whitby — each named for a Ledson family member and offering a different ambiance with vineyard or grounds views. Tastings are typically by reservation; walk-ins are accepted subject to availability. Add a cheese and charcuterie plate, or browse the Gourmet Marketplace for sandwiches, salads, mustards, olive oils, and Ledson-made wine-infused chocolate sauces — popular for picnics in the majestic Oak Grove that surrounds the property. The lineup spans Cabernet, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier, with the Knights Valley Cabernet and Merlot consistently rating among the most serious bottlings in the program. Reserved table tastings in the West Oak Grove or Castle Parlor offer a quieter, self-paced alternative to the bar experience.
Steve Ledson is the proprietor and vintner of Ledson Winery & Vineyards, best known for 'The Castle' — the elaborate Gothic-style landmark he designed and built in the heart of Sonoma Valley. A sixth-generation Sonoma County farmer and builder, Ledson draws on family land and select vineyards to produce a remarkably broad range of highly rated small-lot wines, from the Merlot the family is known for to dozens of varietal bottlings sold exclusively at the Castle, online, and at the luxury Ledson Hotel on the Sonoma Plaza. Tastings unfold across the Castle's many handcrafted bars and its oak-shaded grounds.
Randy Bennett is the general manager of Ledson Winery & Vineyards, overseeing daily operations and hospitality at the landmark Sonoma Valley estate known to visitors as 'The Castle.' He guides the guest experience across Ledson's intimate tasting bars, private tasting suites, and Gourmet Marketplace, extending the warm, bespoke hospitality that has become a hallmark of founder Steve Ledson's 16,000-square-foot showpiece in Kenwood.
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Estate Vineyard Merlot, Sonoma Valley — The signature wine, made since the winery's first release; richly textured with red plum, black cherry and cocoa.
Estate Ancient Vine Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley — Drawn from vines well over a century old, a bold, concentrated expression of old-vine Sonoma Zin.
Cabernet Sauvignon — One of several estate Cabernets in the portfolio, full-bodied with cassis and vanilla.
Chardonnay — A Sonoma County white in the winery's polished style; a Reserve Carneros Chardonnay earned 93 points from Wine Spectator.
Sauvignon Blanc — Crisp and bright, one of the estate's white varietals.
Known worldwide as 'The Castle,' Ledson is a family winery in Kenwood housed in a 16,000-square-foot French Normandy building designed by fifth-generation Sonoma farmer Steve Ledson. Originally intended as a family home, it opened to the public in 1999 and now offers more than 60 small-lot wines sold only at the winery, online, and at the Ledson Hotel.
Ledson is one of Sonoma Valley's more distinctive operations — a family-owned estate housed in a 16,000-square-foot French Normandy castle on Highway 12, designed and built entirely by founder Steve Ledson. Originally conceived as a family home, the structure was so visually striking during construction that the Ledsons pivoted to opening it as a winery, releasing their first wine — the 1994 Estate Merlot — in 1997. The family farms 17 acres of estate vineyards on the property and additional sites across Sonoma, Russian River, Dry Creek, and Napa, producing more than 70 wines a year sold direct-to-consumer through the Castle, the wine club, and online — no retail distribution.
The Castle has three named tasting bars — Noble, Winslow, and Whitby — each named for a Ledson family member and offering a different ambiance with vineyard or grounds views. Tastings are typically by reservation; walk-ins are accepted subject to availability. Add a cheese and charcuterie plate, or browse the Gourmet Marketplace for sandwiches, salads, mustards, olive oils, and Ledson-made wine-infused chocolate sauces — popular for picnics in the majestic Oak Grove that surrounds the property. The lineup spans Cabernet, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier, with the Knights Valley Cabernet and Merlot consistently rating among the most serious bottlings in the program. Reserved table tastings in the West Oak Grove or Castle Parlor offer a quieter, self-paced alternative to the bar experience.
Steve Ledson is the proprietor and vintner of Ledson Winery & Vineyards, best known for 'The Castle' — the elaborate Gothic-style landmark he designed and built in the heart of Sonoma Valley. A sixth-generation Sonoma County farmer and builder, Ledson draws on family land and select vineyards to produce a remarkably broad range of highly rated small-lot wines, from the Merlot the family is known for to dozens of varietal bottlings sold exclusively at the Castle, online, and at the luxury Ledson Hotel on the Sonoma Plaza. Tastings unfold across the Castle's many handcrafted bars and its oak-shaded grounds.
Randy Bennett is the general manager of Ledson Winery & Vineyards, overseeing daily operations and hospitality at the landmark Sonoma Valley estate known to visitors as 'The Castle.' He guides the guest experience across Ledson's intimate tasting bars, private tasting suites, and Gourmet Marketplace, extending the warm, bespoke hospitality that has become a hallmark of founder Steve Ledson's 16,000-square-foot showpiece in Kenwood.
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