Summer in Sonoma Valley means gorgeous weather, vineyards bursting with greenery, and our winemaking and vineyard crew walking the rows looking for the first purple hues of verasion as the bright green berries begin to ripen.

Here at the Adobe just off the square in downtown Sonoma, the sun is shining, the wines are flowing, and our first "high season" guests are arriving ... immediately mesmerized by the oasis they discover when they step through our gate for their private tasting appointments.

From the private parking area, guests are greeted by the stunning oversized mural created by muralist Rafael Arana. This full-scale piece strikes a balance between modern technique and historic imagery - the perfect introduction to what you'll find inside ...

Though the Adobe is just moments from the bustle of the historic Sonoma Plaza, it feels worlds away. The lush garden, water features and quiet beckoning spaces create an enchanting retreat that starkly contrasts the busy summer season in Sonoma Valley wine country.

Our hosts had prepared two of our tasting spaces for our visitors - the first in the historic Adobe dining room and the second under the shaded trellis in the gardens. Each small group had reserved a focused tasting of four current release wines.

Our first group arrived at 1pm ... all the way from Mississippi, and as our host, Steve, took them on a meandering tour of property one guest was overheard to say, "We've been to a lot of great tasting rooms this week, but we haven't seen anything like this!"

Our guests were friends of our Director of Winemaking, Bob Cabral, and he stopped by to catch up while they enjoyed their Three Sticks wine tasting. (You can spot Bob enjoying himself at far left.)

Meanwhile, outside in the shade of the gardens, Kayla hosted three Three Sticks fans from Northern California. This group enjoyed two Chardonnays - Durell Vineyard ORIGIN and "One Sky" from Sonoma Mountain - followed by two Pinot Noirs - Russian River Valley and "The James" from Sta. Rita Hills .

Later that afternoon, our last reservation was scheduled to arrive to enjoy their private tasting in the refreshingly cool Storehouse wine cellar - the perfect place to escape when  summer temperatures peak in the afternoon.

And ... COMING SOON ... we are very pleased to announce that we have partnered with Chef Armando Navarro of the fabulous El Dorado Kitchen to craft new food & wine pairing offerings at the Adobe. For the tasting pictured here, five small bites have been specially created to pair with five Three Sticks wines. Fancy a taste of Fire-Roasted Cauliflower with Pan-Seared Day Boat Scallops, Golden Raisins & Crispy Kale? That's just one of the exquisite items you'll sample.

If you'd like to visit the Adobe during your time in the Sonoma Valley, we invite you to contact us using the Reservation Form on our site. Expect to spend 60 to 90 minutes with us, relaxing amid the gorgeous secret corners of our new home. Here are the details you'll need to make your day perfect:

AVAILABLE NOW: Focused Tastings
A personal host will take you on a "slow-tour," wandering through the new Adobe space explaining the history and design. Then, you'll sit for a guided journey of new releases, past vintages and limited production wines. We have two options:

• Three Sticks Wines Current Release: 4 wines, $35
• Three Sticks Wines Library Tasting: 7 wines, $70

STARTING IN AUGUST: Food & Wine Experiences
El Dorado Kitchen is literally steps from the Adobe, and who could ask for better neighbors? Chef  Navarro has cooked up two fabulous food pairings to offer our guests - each paired with a sampling of five Three Sticks wines. Let us know which suits you best:

• Food and Wine Pairing; 5 wines, $85
  Culinary flight of small bites perfectly paired to match the first of our 2013 vintages.
• Private Luncheon; 5 wines, $200
  3-Courses paired with 5 wines privately served at our historic Adobe property

We look forward to hosting you soon!

The Three Sticks Adobe Team