The Hanson family can do no wrong in my book, with their scintillating cocktails and their organic vodkas which are harvested, made and bottled in small batches locally in Sonoma, California, they have certainly carved their own niche in the heart of wine country. Credit goes to the entire Hanson family lead by father and CEO Chris and his wife Judy and their kids, Darren, Chris, Alanna and Brandon, who all serve pivotal roles within their distilling empire, which began over a decade ago by turning locally harvested organic grapes into naturally infused vodkas, each with its own distinctive taste and flavor, in addition to single malt whiskey. I have had multiple experiences with Hanson of Sonoma Distillery with their two locations both on the Carneros Highway in Sonoma, and their art gallery on Bridgeway in Sausalito. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails in a spectacular setting for both private special events, where we received a tour from members of the Hanson family themselves, and making reservations for a special vodka tasting with a friend can make for one memorable afternoon. Recently a friend and I were in the area visiting a local winery, and we thought to ourselves would it be possible to walk right in and see if they were not only taking customers for the day and were they serving their signature handcrafted pizzas made out of their special wood-fired grill, which is inside their tasting room. We got their early enough on the weekend afternoon we arrived and after milling about their tasting room, looking around and seeing if any space was available, we were told we could sit on one of the two four seated high top tables. The menu at the Hanson of Sonoma Distillery is separated in "Experiences" which are their vodka and whiskey flights, sometimes paired with caviar and chocolate; their Club Release Cocktails; and their food menu, which ranges everything from oysters sourced locally from Hog Island, salads, and of course their Wood-Fired Pizzas which are only sold from Fridays through Sundays as their chef Ari, who has enjoyed achieving a Michelin star rating, has another full-time chef job to do. Since we came for lunch, and we saw the wood-fire grill burning brightly, my friend and I were committed to sharing a pizza and a couple cocktails. Our tasting room associate Jack recommended their Salsiccia pizza with its spicy sausage, red pepper, red onions, pecorino and San Marzano sauce that sounded too good to ignore. To pair with our pizza, I ordered their Sunshine Splash cocktail which had ginger vodka, white peach puree, lemon and agave, while my friend ordered their Cucumber Drop, But Pretty which had their signature cucumber vodka, fresh lemon, agave, and butterfly pea flower. Our cocktails came out first and they were presented with such flair and brightness as my cocktail was a pink and fizzy delight that reminded me of paloma with a little more pizazz, while my friend's lavender beverage was a surprising delight thanks to the butterfly pea flowers that gave this festive drink its lively color. Then came perhaps the best part of our meal, the pizza, which was a beautifully cooked small size pizza that was so perfectly cooked with some of the best toppings that I have ever enjoyed on a pizza. Chef Ari deserves all of the praise she has earned as the little burned bubbles were cooked to perfection. When combined with a few sips of my cocktail, it was the perfect combination. Our tasting room associate Jack was nice enough to offer us a sip of their signature Bloody Mary, and it was so rich and hearty that after even a small sample one could easily taste it was a meal unto itself. From the pizza to the cocktails Hanson of Sonoma Distillery puts in that extra touch that easily makes you make many more return visits, as they even had a little extra of my friend's Cucumber Drop in his shaker and he graciously gave her a little extra pour. Our total bill was $58.72 with tip and before gratuity which was totally reasonable for the amount of food and cocktails we enjoyed this afternoon. It's nice
Mandie F.
'Twas a great experience! Neil and Jack made this whole day! We stumbled upon this establishment based on Sonoma local recommendations and pure curiosity -- VODKA MADE FROM GRAPES!? For a liquor girlie in wine country this place is otherworldly! When we walked in Neil himself offered for us to join his tour and we did NOT regret it! He was knowledgeable but humorous simultaneously with his own spice of charm! The drinks, specifically the Guava Lava, were delicious and the vodkas are so smooth and delicious! Highly recommend for anyone and everyone who love to drink! Stay and chat, be open and listen, you'll have a great time!
Darcy V.
I had the pleasure to visit Hanson recently. The property was very serene and architecturally beautiful. I found the staff, Gigi and Neil both laid back, fun & engaging. The Vodka was delicious my favorite was the lemon infused Vodka my husband's the Habanero Vodka and the double barreled Whiskey. We did the 6 vodka flight and 3 vodka + 1 whiskey flight paired with charcuterie and had some cocktails to follow with a half dozen oysters every thing was lovely. Definitely recommend!
Erik Bacher
Excellent everything! Gotta check this place out if your around. Drinks food and ambiance is perfect. Look forward to coming back to try the pizza.
aaron Bishop
Very nice place with excellent vodka flavors.
Mike K.
Best vodka in the valley. Especially because it's made fresh m grapes! Crazy cool and thanks.
Naomi Homer
Best vodka Ever!! It is so tasty with different flavors just add a little water. It tastes so much better as it is made with organic grapes.
Marc Z.
Back in 2020, we were visiting our cousins in Santa Rosa and wanted to do a wine tour. She said "let's do something unusual". We ended up visiting this place. Wow! It was so nice. We had drinks at the bar, as well as vodka tasting. We ended up buying 12 bottles. Oops! Well, back to 2023. We found out you need a reservation and gotta pay for parking and tasting. SHAME ON YOU. just rude.
William M.
Ordered the expresso martini gift boxes earlier in the week and they weren't ready when I arrived. They said gift box but they were in baskets and not complete as they advertised. When i asked about it they said they couldn't find the product. The couple ahead of me had a very similar experience not getting what they had ordered. They need to improve this part of their business or discontinue it.
Stuart B.
Vodka Vibes * Customer service: 5 stars * Professionalism: 5 stars * Cleanliness: 5 stars * Ambiance: 4 stars * Accessibility: 4 stars Hanson's Distillery exceeded expectations on a spontaneous Monday visit. Initially headed elsewhere, we spotted the sign and decided to give it a shot. With the place to ourselves, the bartender (Jack) took the experience up a notch, offering insights into the origins and crafting of their vodkas. Opting for the six-flight tasting, each vodka had its unique charm; standouts were the espresso, spicy habanero, and a zesty Bloody Mary. My wife loved the orange vodka. Friends went for the three-cocktail flight, trusting the bartender's choices, and were thoroughly pleased. Meeting the owner was a bonus, and we snagged some cool photos by the vineyard. The bartender, with his upbeat vibe and informative banter, made the experience memorable. We left with a bottle of their standard vodka, appreciating the grape-based distilling process. At $30, it felt like a steal. Looking forward to cracking it open in the new year. Cheers to Hanson's Distillery in Sonoma!
The cocktails were so good. Loved the off the menu drinks and flight! Staff was friendly. Just a little short handed when it got busy. Went home with bottles of the limited edition Boysenberry!
midge johnson
Our party enjoyed the salami cheeses olive boards. Our host was personable and we felt taken care of and informed. Vodkas sample were generous and delicious!
Michelle F.
Came here on a whim, mainly for the oysters! Oysters were definitely fresh and delish! Gigi was our server and definitely shared some very useful knowledge about their stuff! Ambiance was cozy and love how its just of the hwy.
v r.
Thank you for pulling out this bottle of whiskey from your stash for me today. It's going to make the best engagement gift. Looking forward to returning for a tasting!
Matthew Stanton
We love this place. It’s our “must stop” spot when we getaway to Napa for a night or two and it’s perfect for bigger events. We rented the back room for a surprise party recently. Everyone had a blast and everything went so smooth. The staff were very accommodating and super fun, which is hard to come by these days. And don’t get me started about the spirits. That espresso vodka. “Yow..!”
The Hanson family can do no wrong in my book, with their scintillating cocktails and their organic vodkas which are harvested, made and bottled in small batches locally in Sonoma, California, they have certainly carved their own niche in the heart of wine country. Credit goes to the entire Hanson family lead by father and CEO Chris and his wife Judy and their kids, Darren, Chris, Alanna and Brandon, who all serve pivotal roles within their distilling empire, which began over a decade ago by turning locally harvested organic grapes into naturally infused vodkas, each with its own distinctive taste and flavor, in addition to single malt whiskey. I have had multiple experiences with Hanson of Sonoma Distillery with their two locations both on the Carneros Highway in Sonoma, and their art gallery on Bridgeway in Sausalito. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails in a spectacular setting for both private special events, where we received a tour from members of the Hanson family themselves, and making reservations for a special vodka tasting with a friend can make for one memorable afternoon. Recently a friend and I were in the area visiting a local winery, and we thought to ourselves would it be possible to walk right in and see if they were not only taking customers for the day and were they serving their signature handcrafted pizzas made out of their special wood-fired grill, which is inside their tasting room. We got their early enough on the weekend afternoon we arrived and after milling about their tasting room, looking around and seeing if any space was available, we were told we could sit on one of the two four seated high top tables. The menu at the Hanson of Sonoma Distillery is separated in "Experiences" which are their vodka and whiskey flights, sometimes paired with caviar and chocolate; their Club Release Cocktails; and their food menu, which ranges everything from oysters sourced locally from Hog Island, salads, and of course their Wood-Fired Pizzas which are only sold from Fridays through Sundays as their chef Ari, who has enjoyed achieving a Michelin star rating, has another full-time chef job to do. Since we came for lunch, and we saw the wood-fire grill burning brightly, my friend and I were committed to sharing a pizza and a couple cocktails. Our tasting room associate Jack recommended their Salsiccia pizza with its spicy sausage, red pepper, red onions, pecorino and San Marzano sauce that sounded too good to ignore. To pair with our pizza, I ordered their Sunshine Splash cocktail which had ginger vodka, white peach puree, lemon and agave, while my friend ordered their Cucumber Drop, But Pretty which had their signature cucumber vodka, fresh lemon, agave, and butterfly pea flower. Our cocktails came out first and they were presented with such flair and brightness as my cocktail was a pink and fizzy delight that reminded me of paloma with a little more pizazz, while my friend's lavender beverage was a surprising delight thanks to the butterfly pea flowers that gave this festive drink its lively color. Then came perhaps the best part of our meal, the pizza, which was a beautifully cooked small size pizza that was so perfectly cooked with some of the best toppings that I have ever enjoyed on a pizza. Chef Ari deserves all of the praise she has earned as the little burned bubbles were cooked to perfection. When combined with a few sips of my cocktail, it was the perfect combination. Our tasting room associate Jack was nice enough to offer us a sip of their signature Bloody Mary, and it was so rich and hearty that after even a small sample one could easily taste it was a meal unto itself. From the pizza to the cocktails Hanson of Sonoma Distillery puts in that extra touch that easily makes you make many more return visits, as they even had a little extra of my friend's Cucumber Drop in his shaker and he graciously gave her a little extra pour. Our total bill was $58.72 with tip and before gratuity which was totally reasonable for the amount of food and cocktails we enjoyed this afternoon. It's nice
'Twas a great experience! Neil and Jack made this whole day! We stumbled upon this establishment based on Sonoma local recommendations and pure curiosity -- VODKA MADE FROM GRAPES!? For a liquor girlie in wine country this place is otherworldly! When we walked in Neil himself offered for us to join his tour and we did NOT regret it! He was knowledgeable but humorous simultaneously with his own spice of charm! The drinks, specifically the Guava Lava, were delicious and the vodkas are so smooth and delicious! Highly recommend for anyone and everyone who love to drink! Stay and chat, be open and listen, you'll have a great time!
I had the pleasure to visit Hanson recently. The property was very serene and architecturally beautiful. I found the staff, Gigi and Neil both laid back, fun & engaging. The Vodka was delicious my favorite was the lemon infused Vodka my husband's the Habanero Vodka and the double barreled Whiskey. We did the 6 vodka flight and 3 vodka + 1 whiskey flight paired with charcuterie and had some cocktails to follow with a half dozen oysters every thing was lovely. Definitely recommend!
Excellent everything! Gotta check this place out if your around. Drinks food and ambiance is perfect. Look forward to coming back to try the pizza.
Very nice place with excellent vodka flavors.
Best vodka in the valley. Especially because it's made fresh m grapes! Crazy cool and thanks.
Best vodka Ever!! It is so tasty with different flavors just add a little water. It tastes so much better as it is made with organic grapes.
Back in 2020, we were visiting our cousins in Santa Rosa and wanted to do a wine tour. She said "let's do something unusual". We ended up visiting this place. Wow! It was so nice. We had drinks at the bar, as well as vodka tasting. We ended up buying 12 bottles. Oops! Well, back to 2023. We found out you need a reservation and gotta pay for parking and tasting. SHAME ON YOU. just rude.
Ordered the expresso martini gift boxes earlier in the week and they weren't ready when I arrived. They said gift box but they were in baskets and not complete as they advertised. When i asked about it they said they couldn't find the product. The couple ahead of me had a very similar experience not getting what they had ordered. They need to improve this part of their business or discontinue it.
Vodka Vibes * Customer service: 5 stars * Professionalism: 5 stars * Cleanliness: 5 stars * Ambiance: 4 stars * Accessibility: 4 stars Hanson's Distillery exceeded expectations on a spontaneous Monday visit. Initially headed elsewhere, we spotted the sign and decided to give it a shot. With the place to ourselves, the bartender (Jack) took the experience up a notch, offering insights into the origins and crafting of their vodkas. Opting for the six-flight tasting, each vodka had its unique charm; standouts were the espresso, spicy habanero, and a zesty Bloody Mary. My wife loved the orange vodka. Friends went for the three-cocktail flight, trusting the bartender's choices, and were thoroughly pleased. Meeting the owner was a bonus, and we snagged some cool photos by the vineyard. The bartender, with his upbeat vibe and informative banter, made the experience memorable. We left with a bottle of their standard vodka, appreciating the grape-based distilling process. At $30, it felt like a steal. Looking forward to cracking it open in the new year. Cheers to Hanson's Distillery in Sonoma!
Restaurantji Recommends
The cocktails were so good. Loved the off the menu drinks and flight! Staff was friendly. Just a little short handed when it got busy. Went home with bottles of the limited edition Boysenberry!
Our party enjoyed the salami cheeses olive boards. Our host was personable and we felt taken care of and informed. Vodkas sample were generous and delicious!
Came here on a whim, mainly for the oysters! Oysters were definitely fresh and delish! Gigi was our server and definitely shared some very useful knowledge about their stuff! Ambiance was cozy and love how its just of the hwy.
Thank you for pulling out this bottle of whiskey from your stash for me today. It's going to make the best engagement gift. Looking forward to returning for a tasting!
We love this place. It’s our “must stop” spot when we getaway to Napa for a night or two and it’s perfect for bigger events. We rented the back room for a surprise party recently. Everyone had a blast and everything went so smooth. The staff were very accommodating and super fun, which is hard to come by these days. And don’t get me started about the spirits. That espresso vodka. “Yow..!”