The down-home, fun-loving country atmosphere of this boutique winery conceals a passion for grape growing and winemaking. Don’t be misled by the casual atmosphere (or the llamas and sheep).

A few minutes’ drive down a narrow lane is the 100-acre country ranch of the Larson Family. Tom Larson and his wife, Becky, strive to keep the winery a fun, casual place where people can come to relax and enjoy their wine. The tasting room is an uncomplicated affair, with stained cement floors and a wood-topped tasting bar sitting on old wine barrels. A large mural on the wall depicts earlier days of rodeos and racehorses.

The flagship wine here is their flavorful, award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon. It is long-lived, with plenty of fruit and spice. Altogether, over a dozen wines are produced, all made in small lots, ready to enjoy and consumer-friendly. The winery also has space to custom-crush wine for other wineries that do not have their own equipment.

There is much to do here, including checking out the rodeo and horseracing memorabilia, playing bocce ball, or just relaxing in the picnic area. Dogs and children are invited to take a walk or mountain bike a bit farther down Millerick Lane to view the abundant wildlife, which includes river otters, muskrats, turtles, blue herons, great egrets, Canada geese, coots and mallards. Dolly the llama and Spongy the sheep are nearby, as are Max, Ruff and Sunny, the winery dogs.

What is now Larson Family Winery was once the Embarcadero, the farthest navigable point up Sonoma Creek from San Francisco Bay. Beginning in 1847, steamboats docked here and turned around for the voyage back to San Francisco. It was the captain of one of these steamboats who built “The Captain’s House,” the Civil War-era farmhouse that still stands today on the winery property and is available for overnight stays. Tom's great-grandfather, Michael Millerick, bought the house and 101 acres of land in 1899.