Sonoma Wineries

Sonoma County—Much to Offer

Perhaps my opinion is a little biased by actually living in Sonoma County, CA but I truly believe it's one of the best places to go wine tasting. The hardcore Sonoma County-"ites" say that "Napa is for auto parts" -- a bit of friendly rivalry with our fellow wine country county across the hills. But in all honesty, Sonoma has much to offer the prospective tourist who visits: the Pacific Ocean and wonderful seafood, redwood forests, lakes for fishing and skiing, beautiful bed and breakfast inns, world-class restaurants, and of course wineries! The list goes on.

A Detailed Look

Sonoma County wineries are among some of the best rated wines in the world, and for good reason. There are so many micro-climates within the county that almost any wine type you can think of can be grown here with great success. There are 58,665 acres planted with grapes with over 1000 growers who probably sell their grapes to one of the 191 wineries in the county. AVA stands for American Viticulture Areas, which are geographic areas within the county that display unique characteristics that differentiate themselves from all other areas (such as climate, soils, terroir, etc.) There are a total of 13 AVA’s in Sonoma County:

• Rockpile
• Dry Creek
• Russian River
• Sonoma Coast
• Carneros (shared with Napa Valley)
• Chalk Hill
• Green Valley
• Knights Valley
• Sonoma Valley
• Sonoma Mountain
• Alexander Valley
• Bennett Valley
• Northern Sonoma

Planning Ahead

As with any wine tasting trip, the more you plan ahead the better off you are. Frequently wineries have special requirements for tasting (by appointment, no large groups, etc) and some Sonoma wineries are not even open to the public, so definitely call ahead. It’s also handy to get a map, which you can do beforehand by going to a few websites (try going to the Russian River Wine Road at www.wineroad.com.) There you can get a map of the areas and plan ahead where you want to go, and the most effective way to plan your route so you’re not backtracking on yourself and wasting time driving. Check our article California Wine Tour to read about more tips for wine tasting.

Some Great Sonoma Wineries

So obviously we can’t list all 191 wineries here, but I am going to list some wineries that I recommend for various reasons, which will be listed. So let’s take a peak at some of the wineries Sonoma has to offer:

Korbel-Almost everyone has heard of Korbel Champagne Cellars, which resides in the heart of the Russian River Valley. It’s a beautiful historic facility and the tours are very informative for the novice wine drinker. They also have a deli on-site in case you get the munchies.

Hartford Winery-This is a beautiful winery nestled into the hills of the Russian River making fantastic Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and a few Zinfandels. During the Fall it’s an absolutely stunning drive to get there with all the leaves turning colors.

J Vineyards and Winery-A personal favorite since I used to work here a few years back. Judy Jordan (daughter of Tom Jordan of Jordan Winery) started this winery/sparkling wine house with the intent of serving her wines with food. Still to this day they showcase their wines with food pairings made by the chef on premise.

Ridge/Lytton Springs- Ridge pioneered California Zinfandel since the winemaker, Paul Draper, started making wines back in 1969 and does still to this day. This is their new facility in Dry Creek Valley, and the building is 100% straw bale construction, and the whole thing is powered by a solar array with the intent to be environmentally friendly.

Robert Young- Up in Alexander Valley Robert Young planted grapes many years ago and the name became famous when other wineries made wine from his grapes. Now, years later, he’s making his own wines from his grapes. They pour everything, including their Scion (high-end Bordeaux blend).

Ferrari-Carano- Ferrari-Carano winery is perhaps one of the most beautiful in Sonoma County. It is in the middle of Dry Creek Valley, and is a great place to take visitors for a stroll of the gardens and grounds. You can also check out the cellar downstairs and see all the barrels stored under the ground.

Front Street Five-This is a group of small local wineries who share a small area off the Russian River in Healdsburg. The wineries are Huntington Cellars, Holdredge, Sapphire Hill, Camellia Cellars, and Davis Family. It’s a great opportunity to try wines from small producers and be able to try a variety without having to get in your car between each stop.

Lynmar Winery- This winery, started by Lyn Fritz, is (at this moment) the newest facility in Sonoma County. The winery has been around for a while, but recently they have built caves and a new hospitality center that is gorgeous, set in the Russian River overlooking the Santa Rosa Laguna. The wine tasting is a sit down experience. You get served the wines by a specialist who brings them to your table and chats with you. Known for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Enjoy Sonoma

I also encourage you to ask the personnel at the wineries you visit for their recommendations. They have the most current, inside knowledge to the other wineries in the area, so tap that resource. You might discover some new ones that you can take your friends too. Enjoy the experience!