Hard to pronounce, easy to drink, a pleasure to visit, this sixth-generation winemaking enterprise knows how to treat visitors, make wine and have a good time.

In 1857, Bavarian-born Jacob Gundlach purchased a 400-acre parcel of land in Sonoma, naming it Rhine-Farm. Charles Bundschu, from Mannheim, Germany, joined the business in 1868 and later married into the family. Today, Jim and Jeff Bundschu run the operation, with Linda Trotta as winemaker.

As you enter the property you pass a huge, brightly painted mural of a grape harvest emblazoned on a winery wall. Then head down a pathway to the tasting room and enter the original stone winery building. The atmosphere is cool, relaxed and fun. The tasting crew guides you through their current releases or the reserve offerings with style, wit and aplomb. There are wine accessories, light snacks and some neat gift items for sale.

Outside there is a beautiful olive grove, and a patio overlooking the winery pond with tables and chairs for lounging. Across the way is a trail up the wooded hillside, where rustic picnic tables are scattered about under the oaks. Up by the parking area is an amphitheater, where an active spring/summer program of movies, music and events are staged. Nearby you can’t miss the entrance to their 10,000 square feet of wine caves, where over 1,800 barrels are stored.

The best-known wines here are their Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each wine has a specific barrel program, but in general the Pinot, Chardonnay and Vintage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon see French oak only; Zinfandels see American oak only; and the rest of the red wines follow a mix of approximately 75 percent French and 25 percent American oak.

Approximately 70 percent of the estate is planted to Bordeaux or Burgundian varietals, with 30 percent planted to other special limited-production varietals such as Zinfandel, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. They also produce an estate Tempranillo.