One of the stops we made on Westside Road in Healdsburg was to Hop Kiln. This was one of our last stops of the trip and definitely one of the most memorable. The grounds were beautiful, the main building was enormous, the staff were excellent, and I would have loved to spend more than an hour there. Next time, I will definitely pack a picnic and hang out.
In California, the Hop industry is (and was) very important. As the name of this winery suggests, this enormous main building used to be a hop kiln and storage facility. This building is now a historic landmark. I really wish I had taken more pictures of the inside of this building.
Of course I had to get a shot of the hops that they had out on the counter. I didn’t ask if they were grown on site but they smelled like a wonderful IPA.
What I loved about Hop Kiln that was different from most other places we visited was the blends. Most wineries and vineyards are so proud of their grapes and their flavors that blending them may muddle the flavors. The blends at this winery were so good, we signed up for the wine club on the spot! The Thousand Flowers white blend was one of those wines that is great to open up and share with friends. As you would guess, there were some definite floral notes but it was more like flower nectar and less like munching on potpourri. I could have sipped on a chilled glass of that all afternoon. I would definitely considering grabbing a bottle at their shop! They were also the most affordable wines of the trip.
If you are traveling in Northern Sonoma County, make sure you stop by for a picnic and a great glass of the Thousand Flowers.
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Wonderings of a Twenty Something 
Sneaky sneaky! Your FB post made me think I could get a great glass of white wine in DENVER, not California 🙂 Was this white really sweet? I’m much more a fan of the drier white wines – pinot grigio is my go-to if I’m ordering a white!
It wasn’t sweet which I loved. The blend made it very approachable and very worth it! (You can order it online, great price!)