IREM San Francisco Bay Area (the regional chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management) hosted a member and guest wine tasting day in Sonoma County with more than 40 attendees, beginning with one of the more iconic brands in the wine industry – Kendall Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens.

Jodi Contreras CPM®, ARM® and Woodmont Real Estate Services Regional Vice President served as the event chair. She is also an IREM San Francisco Bay Area board member.

 Jodi Contreras, with La Crema vineyard in the background.

It was a great day for networking and experiencing a perfect summer day in the Wine Country.

Attendees enjoyed a guided garden tour led by Tucker Taylor, Director of Culinary Gardens, followed by a wine tasting at this beautiful estate.

Guests sipped a Sparkling Brut Cuvee, Chenin Blanc, and Pinot Noir while strolling the gardens, which not only serve Kendall Jackson guests, yet also can be found in some 30 San Francisco Michelin starred restaurants, said Taylor.

The IREM group then traveled a short distance to La Crema Estate at Saralee's Vineyard where they dined on a catered lunch of paella, salad and fresh garden vegetables made in the Kendall Jackson kitchen (La Crema is part of the Kendall Jackson wine group), followed by a Chardonnay flight (tasting) and a selection of Pinot Noirs from the Anderson Valley, the West Sonoma Coast and the Russian River Valley. The wines were a clear demonstration how much different wine appellations, or AVAs, can impact the way a wine drinks and tastes – even when they are the same wine varietal.

The multi-level tasting room, which was once the home of Richard and Saralee Kunde, is truly gorgeous. The wine tour concluded at 3:00 PM.