Harrow Cellars and Sojourn Cellars to share former Ravenswood property
The new yet-to-open Harrow Cellars winery has purchased Sonoma’s Sojourn Cellars and the two wineries will share the former Ravenswood tasting room, production facility and cellar space on Gehricke Road. The terms of the Sojourn acquisition were not announced.
Harrow Cellars is a new winery run by Angelina Mondavi and owned by Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group (SBHG), the Sonoma-based collective of local businesses owned by Ken and Stacy Mattson and run by Karin Rogers. Mondavi and SBHG announced the acquisition of the former Ravenswood property in January 2020.
Sojourn Cellars is a high-end producer of pinot noir, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, with a tasting room located at 141 E. Napa St. The winery will move its operations to the former Ravenswood winemaking facility currently undergoing renovations, but its East Napa Street tasting room will remain open. According to Sojourn co-founder Craig Haserot, the move marks the winery’s first opportunity to move its production in-house since its 2001 founding.
“Sojourn’s founders (Haserot and Erich Bradley) and winemaking team all live in Sonoma, and the tasting room will remain in Sonoma,” said co-founder and winemaker Bradley, “so this feels a lot like a homecoming, both physically and spiritually. We work with an incredible set of 16 different vineyards and now we can look forward to a winemaking facility in which we can take quality control to the next level.”
Sojourn’s fall 2020 wine release was Aug. 25. The winery’s pinot noir landed the No. 35 spot on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list in 2016.
Haserot told the Index-Tribune that from Sojourn’s standpoint, “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to have production offices and a beautiful hospitality space on an estate-style property.”
The Sojourn Cellars team will remain intact, and winemaking will continue to be headed by Bradley and Randy Bennett, both of whom will have a hand in the renovation and design of their new cellar home.
Sojourn Cellars’ downtown “tasting salon” will remain open “as an auxiliary experience” to the tasting room planned at the Harrow Cellars estate. Sojourn’s building at 141 E. Napa St. building is owned by Ken and Stacy Mattson of SBHG.
“Harrow will give the property some TLC and breathe new life into it,” said Haserot. “This is fantastic for us and for Sonoma, too. It will be a great spot for people to enjoy Sonoma Valley.”
Harrow is aiming for a harvest 2021 opening date.
Contact Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.
