Kenwood Wine Tasting Experiences

VIRGINIA’S SUITE

The Virginia tasting suite is named for Steve’s mother, and has been furnished with the utmost care highlighting the qualities that made her the amazing woman that she was. Family was very important to her, and she treated everyone that worked on the Ledson ranch as if they were a part of their family, making sure every single one was fed and happy. It was from her that Steve learned what real hospitality is. With that in mind, the Virginia suite was designed to be warm and inviting. Visitors that get to have a private tasting in the Virginia suite will get to experience good old-fashioned hospitality like you don’t see anywhere else, while enjoying impeccable wines, with an amazing view of the vineyard just beyond the castle grounds.

WILLIAM’S SUITE

The William tasting suite is named for Steve’s great grandfather, William Cunningham. An overachiever at heart, William was able to recognize the same qualities in Steve’s grandfather, Barker Ledson. William was immediately taken with him, and thrilled that he would be the man to marry his daughter, Edna. William took over for his father, Zina, in managing the Cunningham ranch, planting 35 acres of Zinfandel and Aleatico, and was widely known for his commercially available wine in the mid 1860’s. Like everyone in Steve’s lineage, he was a hard worker, and is very much responsible for the rich farming legacy that continues today. Visitors that have a tasting in the William suite will get to experience the warmth and the passion that William was known for, while tasting amazing wines, with gorgeous views of the front courtyard and vineyards. 

HANNAH’S SUITE

The Hannah tasting suite is named for Steve’s great grandmother, Hannah Cunningham. Hannah was William Cunningham’s wife, and the matriarch of the Cunningham family. William was known for being an overachiever at everything he did, and Hannah was the perfect match for him. Intelligent, hard-working, and full of determination, Hannah would often be seen working right alongside her husband on the Cunningham Ranch, and later on in their 105-acre ranch in Kenwood after the Cunningham Ranch was sold in 1919. The work ethic and values that were established by William and Hannah Cunningham so long ago helped push the family towards the lasting legacy that you know and love today. Visitors that have a tasting in the Hannah suite will experience the generous and tender spirit that Hannah was known for, while tasting unforgettable wines, with a jaw dropping
view of the front courtyard and vineyards. 

The Winslow tasting bar is named for Steve’s uncle, Winslow Ledson. Winslow was the middle child of “The Ledson Boys,” taking part in competitive high school livestock fairs, their own local business, and eventually following Noble to college in San Luis Obispo. After the war, Winslow returned home and took a job at Lucas Dairy in Marin, worked his way up the ladder, and when the dairy was finally purchased by Clover, was named General Manager of Clover Dairy. Visitors that taste in the Winslow tasting bar will experience Winslow’s inviting and understated nature, while enjoying unparalleled wines, and taking in the incredible views of the castle grounds and vineyards.

The Whitby tasting bar was named for Steve’s uncle, Whitby Ledson. The youngest of “The Ledson Boys,” Whitby was an avid farmer, participating in FFA competitions with his brothers, and even starting a business with them while in high school, delivering home goods to their neighbors. Whitby returned from World War II to become a cattle rancher, and eventually branched out into the restaurant business, before finally settling into working for two of the most prestigious family-owned wineries at the time: B.R. Cohn, and Kunde. Visitors that taste in the Whitby tasting bar will experience Whitby’s devoted work ethic and kind heart, while enjoying outstanding wines with breathtaking views of the castle grounds and the vineyards.