Sonoma or Napa?
I pose this question up front to be transparent about my bias towards Sonoma...
At the level that I am able to appreciate wine (not high), Sonoma and Napa both have fantastic wineries. Napa is the better known of the
two, with more of the famous names, large tastings rooms and organized tours. For the same reason, Napa also is more commercial (tourist) and expensive (tasting fees). Generally speaking, Sonoma wineries are more laid back, tasting rooms more intimate, and better value.
If you have two days to explore the area, it is worth spending a day in each. I would stick to one or the other, as Napa and Sonoma are deceptively close on a map, but are really two valleys that, for all intensive purposes, connect at the southern end.
Trip Planning
Exploring wine country can be a day trip or a getaway. Wineries are open between 10-11am and close anytime from 4-6pm. It's good to sketch a route and mark wineries that you are particularly interested in, especially so you can make appointments at ones that require them. Time at each winery can be 20 min to an hour, depending on the tastings and your group. Some may have free or for fee tours and events, as well as food and pairings.
One nice way to do the wine tasting trip is to leave SF by 8:30-9am, park cars near your dinner location, and hire a car for six hours so
everyone can enjoy the tasting. A few designated drivers can sober up at dinner and make the drive home. There are great restaurants to choose from in both downtown Napa and Sonoma, and most take OpenTable reservations. Here's a short Yelp list for restaurants I like in the area and a nice Sosh list on Wine Country to dos. Oxbow Market is a fun Napa center with food and food related establishments in town, and Oakville Grocery is a good stop for sandwiches/picnic stuff.Alternatively, get a car from SF and back and everyone can enjoy a few tastings!
A few places for car services
Wine Country Limo is SF based and reasonably priced (ask for a cash discount too)
415-312-3773
Terrific Tours is Petaluma-based (so could work well with the "meet up north to save a few hours" plan)
707-658-2748
Katie at Sonoma Sterling Limo
1-707-542-5444
Five Emerald Limo is another SF-based service. Simple pricing from SF - 8 person limo for $100 an hour or for 8+ people an SUV stretch for $150/hr (as of Oct 2015)
415-812-1757
*Note: We loved Bridget and Jancy who used to drive for Private Limo Service, but have had poor interactions with the company in the past few years... would love to know where those drivers went!
For an overnight stay, look at VRBO for house rentals or AirBNB. There's the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn if you're looking to splurge.
These are two great maps for wineries.
Sonoma Wineries
These are mostly in or north of Healdsburg, on the northern (and farther) end of Sonoma Valley, but my favorite area if you can make the trek.
- Kokomo - my favorite, super chill, delicious wine, and conveniently located in the same old fruit packing lot as five other wineries. Briget actually introduced me to this one last Thanksgiving when I was with my family. It was the first time I went through a tasting and wanted to get every wine, so I joined their wine club, and now get to go to super fun wine pick up parties twice a year!
- Ram's Gate - luxurious, beautiful and relatively close to SF, which makes it a good first/last stop (or a place to leave your cars). Gets super busy so might want reservation. More for setting than wine though.
- Dutcher Crossing - recent find, also joined wine club. This is about as far north as you can go.
Beautiful grounds, great wine, and a picnic area- Bella Vineyard - a beautiful, small winery up in the hills
- Papapietro-Perry - known for their Pinot Noirs, Papapietro only has reds. In the same location as Kokomo
- Quivira Vineyards - great picnic area
- Francis Ford Coppola - huge and Disney-like but in a good way. Their restaurant Rustic is delicious and worth a lunch stop.
- Sbragia Family Vineyards - gorgeous views and outdoor space and nice wine
- Truett Hurst - great outdoor patio and gardens with a fun band, though might be a better 'later in day' stop for the wine...
- Ferrari Carano - beautifully landscaped grounds and garden, uber touristy and Napa-y
South of Healdsburg and closer to SF
Here's one fun wine route from Santa Rosa to Healdsburg and back for Barrel Tasting weekend!Napa Wineries
- Bouchaine - south Napa - this is my other wine club. Small winery, delicious chardonnays and pinots, beautiful patio and picnic area, and also one of furthest south (45 min from SF)
- Elizabeth Spencer - Rutherford - amazing wine, expensive, but totally worth it
V Sattui - Rutherford - great picnic spot, lunch BBQ on weekends- Louis Martini - St Helena - another nice patio spot. Call about picnic
- Franciscan - Rutherford, yum
- Mumm - Rutherford - sparkling wine
- Domaine Chandon - Yountville - sparkling wine
- Peju
- St. Supery - open later
- Artesa - south Napa - beautiful grounds and art
- Domaine Carneros - south Napa - sparkling wine
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