Napa or Sonoma: Can't Decide? Choose Pride

My son and I had only enough time to visit one vineyard in the area north of San Francisco. Just one hour drive north of San Francisco, we could be in the vast wine growing region of Napa County and Sonoma County. With hundreds of potential places to go, the possibilities are numbing. Napa or Sonoma? How to see the region without feeling trapped in a tasting room?
We chose Pride Mountain Vineyards as the perfect solution. Pride is on top of a mountain, called Spring Mountain, which straddles the Napa/Sonoma county line. It is in the northern area of the wine sector. That meant traversing almost the whole region up the western side through Sonoma County (on the 101) and allowed a return by a different, easterly route down through Napa, via the charming town of St. Helena. Pride's mountain access road is a 30 minute climb on a sun-dappled country lane, up a sinuous path of linked switchbacks. The isolated rural road was a welcome contrast to the bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic crawl out of San Francisco. Maybe we passed 4 people; tops.
Pride Vineyard's tour of its cave and tasting experience took about 45 minutes and was particularly well done. Host Scott pointed out the distinct line cutting through the property to demarcate the Napa side from the Sonoma side.

Napa/Sonoma line runs right through the vineyard, jiggles across the parking lot, and continues into the processing area

He emphasized the importance of segregating the grapes by county of origin. For wine labeling, they need to accurately track where the grapes were grown. The origin regulations allow some wiggle room for a small percentage of the non-dominant wine to be blended in.  To enjoy the status of being produced in Napa, he explained, with a hand motion pushing his nose into the air (meaning Napa is snobby?), the vineyard must certify that the grapes were grown on land in Napa County.
My brother in law, the wine expert told me that Pride's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is particularly well regarded, and I should get "a few bottles" if I could. At the end of the tour, I asked. That wine is $135 per bottle and it's not for sale -- unless you are a member of their wine-buying club.  I'm not. I didn't go home with that wine.  I'm not proud.

Pride Vineyards Host Scott