Depending on the season and day of the week, you may find yourself sipping vino to live music or embarking on a guided kayaking adventure. While Napa is the more established, elder sibling of the two-home to well-known names in wine like Robert Mondavi and Domaine Carneros-Sonoma is the spunkier, more spirited region, and the largest county of the region -one filled with small, family-run start-up wineries boasting picnic facilities and bocce ball courts, and rustic towns like Guerneville, where river tubing between tastings is a common pastime.Įven if you're not a wine drinker, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of Wine Country's ample offerings-from its spectacular hiking trails in places like Jack London State Historic Park and Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, to ballooning over the vineyards as the sun rises to the east. Travel Tip: One of the coolest things about Napa and Sonoma counties and their wine tasting culture is that each area has its own unique feel.Two other popular options: the Napa Valley Wine Train, and bicycling. Public transit such as Sonoma Country Transit and Napa Vine buses also provide local transportation, but more between specific Wine Country towns. You can also hop an Airport Express bus from either SFO or Oakland to Sonoma County, then utilize a ride-share service like Lyft or Uber to navigate between wineries. Thankfully, there are several half-day and full-day wine country excursions leaving from both San Francisco and Oakland. Getting Around:The easiest way to navigate Wine Country is by car, but being behind the wheel while hopping from tasting to tasting isn't an ideal scenario.Language and Currency: Wine Country is undoubtedly an international destination, though being in California-English is the standard language and the U.S.Spring comes alive with wildflowers and the first sprouting grapes and winter-though often relatively frigid and rainy also sees lesser crowds, offering the opportunity for more intimate tasting experiences. Summer brings the crowds, though it also offers long nights of wine tasting and live music while the fall harvest is a celebration like no other. Best Time to Visit: With its distinct Mediterranean climate and activities that mesh with the seasons, there's never a bad time to visit Wine Country.A great resource for explorations of the entire Sonoma County Wine region is The Wine Road website. Visits to Hartford Family Winery, Dutton-Goldfield Winery, and Merry Edwards Winery are well worth your time for the beautiful wines you’ll discover as well as the warm welcome from local wine experts. Make an appointment for a tasting on the patio of the renowned Iron Horse Vineyards, where you’ll sample sparkling wines that have been served at the White House for over thirty years. Some of our favorite tasting rooms include Thomas George Estates, Gary Farrell Winery, Arista Winery, and Moshin Vineyards.Īnother up-and-coming area for wine tasting is south of River Road, in the area between Forestville and Sebastopol. You will find wineries large and small, new and old, and ranging in style from picnic-friendly to formal. If you can devote an entire day to wine tasting, we suggest you explore the twelve miles of Westside Road connecting the town of Healdsburg to River Road near Guerneville.
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