Hike, drink and be merry in Sonoma

It's no secret that skiers like to drink. Call it an appreciation of the finer things in life. And of course, skiers (and snowboarders) also love the mountains and everything that involves them.

It might be the middle of winter, but if you live in a warm locale, you can still enjoy a nice hike. (Heck, you can hike in the snow, but we're specifically talking about California, here.) If you don't live somewhere warm, and don't want to get your feet wet in the snow, start planning an eco-hiking vacation. What's more, it's easy to be green while you're at it.

The Kunde Family Estate features special dog hikes and wine-tasting treks around the 1,850-Acre Kunde Estate. The hiking programs are designed to mesh wine enthusiasm with the outdoors, with a focus on sustainable wine-growing practices and eco-system management. The hikes are decently strenuous and will take you from the sunny Sonoma Valley floor up to 1,400 feet into the Mayacamas Mountain range.

Specific dates and details from Kunde are below:

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Eco-Tour Dog Hikes with Fourth Generation Winegrower, Jeff Kunde
Conducted by Fourth Generation Winegrower, Jeff Kunde, this tour is a
moderately strenuous three-mile hike through the 1,850-acre
winegrowing estate with an elevation change of 800 feet. Lasting
approximately four hours, the tour concludes at Boot Hill overlooking
the Sonoma Valley. Here, dog walkers enjoy winetasting and a wine
country box lunch, while dogs savor a water bar and special treats. A
portion of the ticket proceeds benefit Canine Companions and the
Sonoma County Humane Society. Pre-registration is required and space
is limited.

Dates:

Saturday, March 27th
Saturday, May 15th
Saturday, July 3rd ~ Special Holiday Event
Celebrate the 4th of July Weekend with your Dog: Dog Parade, Old

Fashioned BBQ, Doggy Portraits, Art, Vendors and more.

Saturday, October 9th

Time: 9:00 a.m. ~ Hike begins in the tasting room.
Tickets: $45 per person
For more information, contact the Hospitality Department at (707)
833-5501 Ext. 334.

Hike & Taste in the Vineyards with Sonoma Valley Docent, Bill Myers
Sonoma Valley Docent Bill Myers leads this fun and casual hike
through the 1,850 acre volcanic and vertical Kunde Family Estate.
Guests taste wines along the way in the very vineyards where the
grapes are grown. Moderately strenuous, the hike lasts approximately
four hours. The tour concludes at the tasting room, where invigorated
hikers sample Kunde Family Estate's 100% estate-grown wines.
Reservations are required. A portion of ticket proceeds benefit the
Sonoma Ecology Center. Guests must pack a sack lunch, water and wear
hiking boots or appropriate footwear. Sunscreen is highly
recommended. Space is limited to 50 people per hike. No pets or
children under five years of age allowed.

Dates:

Saturday, January 9th
Saturday, February 6th
Saturday, April 3rd
Saturday, June 19th
Saturday, August 7th
Saturday, November 6th
Saturday, December 11th

Time: 10:00 a.m. ~ Hike begins in the tasting room.
Tickets: $25 per person
For more information, contact the Hospitality Department at (707)
833-5501 Ext. 334.