Wine Country. Your Way.
Wine Country: Know Before You Go
It’s Big!
Did you know there are more than 2,000 wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties? That’s a lot of wine, friends. It’s important to know there are only two main routes. They don’t really criss-cross, so you’ll want to plan your tour accordingly.
Plan on a Full Day
Estimate two to three hours round trip to/from Napa (the base of the Valley). There are no freeways and traffic is… let’s say… leisurely. Figure 30-45 minutes between vineyards. You’ll want at least an hour at each winery to taste and schmooze the winemaker. It’s not an experience to rush!
You Need Reservations
In our post-covid world, wineries are not open all day every day to the general public. You’ll need to make reservations… and for Napa wineries, expect to pay $65 - $200 in advance per person, for tour, tasting and maybe Wine Country bites.
Tailor the Tour
When we help plan a wine tour, it helps to know what kind of wine drinker you are. Are you a novice? Do you have a grape preference? Is your group interested in wineries with history and intriguing stories, or are you just looking for the wine country equivalent of a pub crawl? It’s all possible! (PS: We have a great tour below…)
Spring for a Driver
It’s worth it! There’s nothing like leaving a winery and hopping right into a comfy, air conditioned SUV just waiting to take you to the next pour! Yes… ubers might get you to remote wineries, but… Cell service isn’t reliable. Our drivers are. Email us to schedule a car for you.
Don’t Expect Dinner
While there are a few wineries that offer a brunch or charcuterie boards, many of them don’t. And — this is a surprise to a lot of people — most wineries close up by 4 or 5 pm. The good news: the Wine Country is chock full of fantastic restaurants, and most of them also pour local wines.
Curated Sonoma Tasting Tour
We’ve selected four wineries for their eclectic, off-the-beaten-path experiences, their mix of the casual and elegant, the historical and contemporary, and their well-loved varietals alongside creative new surprises.
We’ll make your appointments and build the schedule. Our driver will take you from tasting to tasting, so you can enjoy the experience from door-to-door.
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For six generations and over 160 years, the Bundschu family has farmed the Rhinefarm estate vineyard at the crossroads of the Sonoma Valley, Carneros and Napa Valley appellations. Today, they focus on making small lots of ultra-premium wines, including:
Bordeaux | Cabernet Sauvignon | Merlot | Pinot Noir | Zinfandel | Chardonnay | Reisling | Gewurztraminer
They have been farming sustainably since 2008 (early adopters of beneficial predators, water recycling, and solar arrays; plus they recycle their cardboard, glass, cork, and plastics.) Regenerative Organic Certification expected August 2023.
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Nestled in the hills 4.5 miles northwest of Glen Ellen, the vineyard’s volcanic shallow soils and steep terrain forces vines to struggle for nutrients and water. Of course, this struggle is the trademark of many of the greatest wines and vines in the world. Organically farmed, this vineyard’s slopes are some of the most beautiful you will see in the world. They recently replanted a five-acre section that burned in 2017. From the ashes will come not only a return to normal production levels, but Grenache, Mourvedre, and Gamay! Their current offer:
Sparkling Chenin Blanc | Sparkling Pinot Noir Rose | Sauvignon Blanc | White Rhone Blend | Orange Wine | Zinfandel | Syrah | Sonomasuolo | Estate Pinot Noir | Carignane | Red Rhone Blend | Charbono.
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A charming, yet sophisticated Tasting Salon located just off the Square in downtown Sonoma. Our seated tasting experiences allow guests to compare our Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines side-by-side, across each varietal, from their respective growing regions. This allows our guests to experience the nuances among our vineyards in the Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, and Napa Valley appellations.
Pinot Noir | Chardonnay | Cabernet Sauvignon
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If you like tailgating, epic wines, road houses and last stands, you've found your spot at The Barn! Here, you'll enjoy a tasting flight of incredible Highway 12 and Highwayman wines in a cozy, off-the-beaten-path hideout. Dog friendly!
Highway 12 is atypical of other wineries in that they make use of a number of different growing appellations to create unique wines. They traverse the iconic appellations of Sonoma, Napa and the foothills of the Sierras to find the perfect grapes, putting longstanding friendships with growers to perfect use. Three generations of wine-growing family heritage are apparent with every sip.
Pinot Noir | Pinot Noir Rosé | Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc
Popular Wine Country Excursions
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One Stop Shop
V. Sattui has three tasting rooms (reservations recommended), plus outdoor tasting areas. Their 2.5 acre picnic area and marketplace means you can taste, picnic and let kids be kids in this gorgeous field of green. This is a perennial favorite.
The CIA at Copia is The Culinary Institute of America’s food and beverage hub in the heart of Napa. Explore food and wine through a variety of dining experiences, hands-on classes, shopping, and more. Check out the 3D dining experience — it is uh-maz-ing.
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Fun for Groups
Gather, imbibe, shop and learn at this 15-winery tasting collective. Feast it Forward’s outdoor festival venue (The Yard) and experiential showroom (The Studio) features a live film studio, tasting room, food pop-ups, concert venue, plus kid and dog-friendly zones. There’s a lot here, and it’s all really cool.
Cornerstone Sonoma is a wine country marketplace featuring a collection of world-class shopping, boutique wineries and tasting rooms, artisanal foods, art-inspired gardens, live music, and home to Cornerstone Gardens. Everybody in your group can find their bliss here.
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Fantastic for Families
Napa Valley is fun for kids, too! Check out Visit Napa Valley’s Top 10 list of family friendly wineries known to captivate the younger set with castle-esque architecture, peacocks and horses, cave tours and grape juice tastings. But, who said drawbridges, moats and torture chambers are just for kids?
And your fur-babies? There’s a Wine Country for them, too. This is a good list on Dog Travel Buff (although our dogs are not well-behaved enough to travel to the Valley with us, so we cannot vouch for the pup experience personally.)
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Napa Valley Wine Train
This vintage passenger train rolls 18 miles into the Napa Valley and back, treating its patrons to gourmet meals, local pours and gorgeous views of the famous wineries along the rails. They offer several experiences, including a high tea service, a murder mystery adventure and “Legacy” service, the only ride that stops at wineries along the way. What to know:
Transportation is tricky, but we have set up a shared SUV shuttle on certain days. Learn more on the Wine Train site.