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Cline Family Cellars

Family-friendly Carneros winery with pondside picnics · Sonoma, CA

Casual Sonoma winery on a 160-acre ranch with spring-fed ponds, $25 bar tastings, free weekend walking tours and reservable pondside picnics.

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🗓️ Open year-roundUpdated October 17
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Make a day of it

Stops within about 40 miles of Cline Family Cellars. Collect a Lavender Passport stamp at each one.

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About Cline Family Cellars

Cline Family Cellars sits on Highway 121 at the southern end of Sonoma Valley, on a historic 160-acre ranch with gardens, lawns and spring-fed ponds. It is one of the more relaxed, family-friendly stops in the area, and the grounds are as much of a draw as the wine list, which leans on Zinfandel, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.

The tasting room is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Classic Sonoma Bar Tasting ($25, standing, up to four people) takes walk-ins, and the Outdoor Seated Reserve Tasting ($35, five wines, up to eight people) is best booked ahead; the patio is covered and heated in winter. Buying two bottles waives either fee. From April through October, groups of 10 to 24 can book a Hilltop Tasting on Hat Strap Hill with cheese and charcuterie.

Picnics are the specialty. Pondside tables can be reserved for two hours with a two-bottle purchase for groups up to eight, and you can bring your own food, order a cheese and charcuterie board or picnic basket, or buy picnic items in the tasting room. Garden cabanas open May through October. Pick up a property map for a self-guided walk daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or join the free 30-minute walking tour at 11:30 a.m. on weekends. Two guest houses on the property sleep up to 10 each.

Bees N Blooms in Bennett Valley is about 35 minutes north by Arnold Drive and Highway 12. Start with the lavender labyrinth, then come back south for a late picnic by the ponds.

What to do

  • Taste Zinfandel and Rhône-style reds at the bar, walk-ins welcome
  • Book an outdoor seated tasting of five wines
  • Reserve a pondside picnic table and bring your own lunch
  • Join the free 30-minute walking tour on Saturday or Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
  • Explore the gardens and ponds on a self-guided walk with the property map
  • Rent a garden cabana, May through October

Season, hours and prices

Season
Open year-round; cabanas May–October; Hilltop Tasting April–October
Hours
Posted on their website (2026): Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Admission
Bar tasting $25; seated reserve tasting $35; walking tour free (as posted on their website, October 2026)

Good to know

Age
21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
Reservations
Walk-in

Tips for your visit

  • Pondside picnics are cancelled in rain
  • Buy two bottles and the tasting fee is waived
  • Large groups of 9 to 20 need to reserve a group tasting
  • Plan a designated driver before you head out on Highway 121

Pair it with a lavender farm

Bees N Blooms · about 35 minutes away

Bees N Blooms in Bennett Valley is about 35 minutes north, so walk the lavender labyrinth in the morning and finish with a pondside picnic at Cline.

Getting there

Questions

Is Cline good for families?

Yes. The winery describes itself as casual and family-friendly, and its pondside picnic area is set up for families.

Can I bring my own food?

Yes. You can bring food for a pondside picnic, which requires buying wine by the bottle.

Do I need a reservation?

Not for the bar tasting; walk-ins are welcome. Seated tastings are best reserved, and picnics, cabanas and group tastings must be booked.

Is there a free tour?

Yes, a 30-minute walking tour on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m., with no wine included.

🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Santa Rosa & Northern Sonoma County, California

Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free

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