A Weekend in Wine Country – Sonoma/Napa

Wine, food, & beautiful landscapes. With so many wineries to explore and so much food to try, this is a place I can’t wait to go back. See below for a list of my personal favorite wineries and food stops.

Free itinerary at the bottom of this post!

Wineries

There are over 400 wineries in Sonoma County and close to the same amount in Napa Valley.

With so many to choose from, I recommend finding wineries that have the type of wine you like and that offer other experiences you might be interested in (barrel tasting, farm tour, sustainability etc.).

Most wineries require reservations for a tasting. Be sure to check out the wineries’ website to ensure they are open for in person tastings and to see their tasting prices/options.

Having a driver (depending on how much wine you will be drinking) is also a great idea.

Your experience at a winery/tasting can sometimes be determined by the person leading your tasting. My husband and I enjoy learning about all things wine, so it was disappointing when we had someone that just simply poured and gave us the basic description of the wine.

We found out quickly that the more questions you ask about the wine/winery, the more engaged the person pouring tends to be. It was fun to see some perk up when we showed interest in learning. And there is so so much to learn about wine.

Top 4 Favorite Wineries

1. Rombauer Vineyards

If you love a buttery, creamy, oaky chardonnay, then this is your place! Their chardonnay goes through 100% malolactic fermentation (process where malic acid is converted into a softer tasting lactic acid) making it one of the most silky creamy chardonnays you can find.

This is my all time favorite chardonnay!

Oh, and they have other wines too of course! I did not fall in love with their other wines, but maybe that’s because the chardonnay was tasting so good that day.

But aside from the wine, the view at this vineyard is stunning!

If you visit, plan to grab a glass or bottle of wine after your tasting, sit outside, and enjoy the view. This was my happy place. For more info, check out their website.

Anyone else out there love a buttery, oaky chardonnay? What are your favorites? Comment at the bottom of this post! 🙂 I also really love J. Lohr’s Chardonnay and Bread & Butter Chardonnay.

2. Caymus Vineyards

Have you ever tried Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon? I highly recommend… and sorry in advance if you get hooked (as it is a little pricey).

This is my husband’s favorite wine, so a tasting here was a must for us. I’m not usually a cabernet drinker (as they are sometimes too bold for me), but their cabernet is so smooth and well balanced that I now also love it.

We sat outside on their beautiful patio filled with plants/flowers for our morning tasting which was a little chilly. They offered us blankets which I gladly accepted.. so cozy! For more info, check out their website.

3. Buena Vista Winery

Buena Vista was a fun stop. Their tasting room is in their old Press House that was built in the 1860’s.

Our plan was to visit another winery after this, but we did not make it that far. They have so many different wines to try.

This winery is right outside of town in Sonoma which is super convenient if you are staying in Sonoma. For more info on this winery, check out their website.

4. Kunde

Kunde had a beautiful outdoor patio area leading up to the tasting room.

If you go here, plan to spend some time enjoying a glass or bottle outside after your tasting. We just did a tasting in their main bar tasting room, but they have a mountain top tasting that looks stunning.

For more info on this winery, check out their website.

The Food Scene

The Food scene is strong in the Napa area. There were so many more places I wish we could have made it to. Here are some that I highly recommend:

• Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch (in St Helena): Farm-to-table, fresh ingredients, beautifully renovated barn
• The Girl & The Fig (in Sonoma): French country fare, outdoor patio
• Bistro Don Giovanni (in Napa): Italian fare, delicious pasta
• Places I wish we would have made it to: The French Laundry (in Yountville, very pricey), Bouchon Bakery (in Yountville)

Where to Stay

My husband and I chose to stay in Sonoma as most people’s feedback on Napa is that it has become a little over commercialized.

I was so happy we stayed in Sonoma. I loved the small town feel of this quiet quaint town. We rented this private guest suite via Airbnb and loved it!

Learn More About Wine

Want to learn more about wine but don’t know where to start? Here are a few good places to start:

• Check out the Wine Folly website. It has a ton of great info and a nice beginners guide to wine.
• Go to local wine tastings or wine bar in your area. And ask questions!
• If you are looking for some more advanced knowledge, read the book The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil.

Free Itinerary

Other Posts You Might Like:

• The Best Wineries & Food in Paso Robles, California

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