Given Sonoma County’s broad range of soils and microclimates, a most amazing thing happens here: Roughly 60-plus grape varietals thrive. If there’s dirt, it seems, a hardy and ambitious grapevine will find a way to make its home there.
The Diversity of Sonoma County Wins & Wineries
Thanks to this variety of what vintners have to work with, there are more than 425 wineries across 18 appellations in Sonoma County. While wine grapes may not grow on the rock cliffs that line the Pacific coast of Bodega Bay, you will find superb Chardonnay, Viognier, and Pinot Noir at the chilly, fog-enshrouded Peay Vineyards estate just 4 miles from the ocean. You can taste wines surfside too, at Gourmet au Bay overlooking Bodega Bay, with flights of boutique wines served on a little wooden surfboard.
Sonoma County Wine Road
In any tasting-based travels around Sonoma County, you’ll quickly encounter the Wine Road. It’s not actually a road in the sense of a single, continuous stretch of highway, but rather an association of wineries that dates back to 1976 and now boasts nearly 200 estates nestled among the Dry Creek, Russian River, and Alexander valleys.
Dry Creek Valley Wineries
While Dry Creek Valley is home to more than 30 grape varieties, it’s best known for its Zinfandels, the black-skinned grape that brings hints of big brambly blackberry, blueberry, tobacco, and cracked black pepper. The climate here is Mediterranean—hot, dry summers with cool nights—which is a lot like the Italian peninsula. As a result, the local winemakers have taken a cue from the area’s early Italian settlers by using sustainable, organic, and biodynamic grape-growing methods, all similar to what those pioneers once used. You can taste the results at Papapietro Perry Winery’s tasting room and winery in Healdsburg, whose grapes are sourced from several nearby vineyards in Sonoma County.
Russian River Valley Wineries
For a taste of the famed Russian River Valley, go to the MacRostie Winery and Vineyards, which salutes owner Steve MacRostie, a legend for his superb wines from his original Wildcat Mountain Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap region of the Sonoma Coast. This estate winery and tasting room is set on a Healdsburg hillside and channels Sonoma County’s luxurious side with its polished oak tree trunk stools, leather chairs, and spaceship-globe chandeliers.
Alexander Valley Wineries
The Alexander Valley is another must-visit region. It's home to the 1,200-acre Jordan Vineyard & Winery whose stone-and-stucco castle operation focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, served with small bites from estate chef Todd Knoll and showcasing the property’s culinary garden. Nearby, Silver Oak welcomes guests to its sleek, sustainable tasting room to sample its renowned Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Nearby, Robert Young Estate Winery honors one of the valley’s pioneering winegrowing families with Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay tastings overlooking the vineyards. Farther north, Medlock Ames combines sustainability with sophistication, producing organic estate wines and offering intimate tastings in a restored 1890s ranch house surrounded by olive trees and gardens.
Tastings That Pair Wine with Food
Many Sonoma wineries make food a prime part of the wine tasting experience. In Sonoma Valley, Hamel Family Wines impresses with sophisticated small bites and cave tours, while St. Francis Winery offers a sumptuous multicourse small-plate lunch with guided wine pairings. And the Palate Play immersion at Ram’s Gate in Carneros-Sonoma is nearly a full meal, beginning with a backstage tour of the Howard Backen–designed winery and followed by a seated, guided pairing of wines and dishes.
Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley
If you’d prefer to leave the driving and planning of a wine-tasting itinerary to someone else, book a seat on the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley, a custom-built San Francisco cable car–style trolley. Guided tours take you to three wineries, and you’ll learn about the growing and winemaking processes as well as taste the finished product. Read about more out-of-the-ordinary ways to tour wine country.
Designated Driver Services
Exploring Sonoma County’s wineries is even better when you can fully relax. Leave the driving to the pros by booking a tour of vineyards in a luxury sprinter van with Noble Tours, or by hiring one of the region’s designated driver services. Companies such as Designated Drivers Napa Sonoma and WeDrive will chauffeur you in your own car (or rental) from one tasting room to the next, so you can sip without worry. It’s an easy, stress-free way to discover new favorites while winding through vineyard-lined roads and charming wine country towns.