Pangloss Cellars — Attraction in Sonoma

Visited Pangloss recently. Was not impressed. I had been there a few years ago and was very impressed. This time, not so much.

The facility is attractive. It is right on the Sonoma square. There is a lot of seating at the bar and on couches in the front of the room.

The tasting fees are $25. And they don't rebate the fee if you buy a bottle or bottles or spend over a certain dollar amount on bottles. The associate actually said they rebate the fee if you join the club. Yup, that's what he said. All wineries do that. I guess if you want to get technical about it. there is no fee to waive if you are a member.

The last time I was there, the associate we had was excellent but that was on a weekend. This was a weekday. All of the associates seemed to be busy doing other things. When pouring a taste, they would give you basic information about the wine and go away.

But we're all here for the wine and the wine was not great. None were bad. I realize that everyone has different tastes. In my opinion, they were good but overpriced for how they tasted. I had a taste from one bottle that I would have bought but I thought it was a little high priced for what I was tasting. And, as I said, they don't waive the tasting fee. The pinots were decent but I've had better at wineries mentioned below.

There are better wineries in the area. A few examples; Nicholson Ranch, Buena Vista and Ravenswood have excellent wines around the same price range. They are not on the Sonoma Square although within the vacinity. Walt, just off the square, has fantastic pinots for about $75.

Three stars might be a little harsh. I'd give them...

My husband and I visited Pangloss Cellars about a year ago for a tasting and were immediately won over by our amazing host, Alissa. Her warm, compassionate approach made the entire experience feel personal and genuine, so much so that we signed up for a membership on the spot. It’s honestly one of the best wine club decisions we’ve ever made.

Pangloss is family-owned, and that spirit is felt every time we visit. The staff not only remember us, they ask about our family, our travels, and even remember special dates. It truly feels like a second home.

The location is another huge bonus: right on the Sonoma Square, where you can legally sip your wine outdoors. Surrounded by top-notch restaurants, friendly locals, and gorgeous weather, Pangloss offers a one-of-a-kind tasting room experience that we can’t recommend highly enough. Every visit is memorable, and every pour is a reminder of why we joined. Cheers to...

On a rare rainy (for Sonoma) Friday afternoon, my wife and I enjoyed an excellent wine and food pairing experience in the newly opened Texture tasting room at Pangloss Cellars. Our wine guide was Neil, who was able to successfully navigate tasting of a Texture Chardonnay and three different Pinot Noir wines (one Pangloss and two Texture) past yours truly - a skeptical California Pinot Noir wine taster (too many bad Pinot Noir tastings in my background). But not this time - the Pangloss and especially the two Texture Pinots were amongst the best California Pinots that I have tasted. Paired with the wines were some nice Sonoma County cheeses along with Greek olives, tapenade spread, and a variety of rabbit and duck pates, expertly prepared by Pangloss chef Peter (hope I got the name right). Well...