Wine Tasting in Sonoma

Wine tasting in Sonoma takes a bit more planning than Napa. Napa's wineries line up conveniently along Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail, but Sonoma is spread across separate pockets, from Sonoma Valley to Geyserville, with wineries tucked into towns like Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Santa Rosa, and Healdsburg along the way.

The county breaks into distinct wine regions, each with its own personality. Russian River Valley is known for growing some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the world, thanks to the cool coastal fog that rolls in most mornings. Dry Creek Valley is Zinfandel country, with excellent Syrah too. Carneros, in the south, shares its cooler climate with Napa's side of the same region and rewards visitors chasing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on a budget.

Drive Sonoma's highways without a plan and you'll see plenty of "Tasting Today" signs, but you'll also spend more of your day behind the wheel than in a tasting room. A little research before you go changes that. Start with the grape you actually want to drink: head to Russian River Valley for Pinot Noir, Dry Creek for Zinfandel, or Carneros if you want a cooler-climate, lower-key day.

Map your route before you leave the hotel, and don't overbook the day. Sonoma's wineries sit farther apart than Napa's, so three to four stops is usually the right number, not six. If you'd rather skip the mapping entirely, the Sonoma Northern Tour already covers Dry Creek's Zinfandel country, the Russian River Valley Tour is built around Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the Sonoma Southern Tour handles the Carneros side. All three, plus the rest of Sonoma and Napa, are on the Regional Tours page.

A little planning goes a long way in Sonoma. Happy tasting.