See California Wine Country in Style
Vineyards and wineries have been around for hundreds of years.
Many of them are family owned and operated and have been passed down from generation to generation.
San Francisco is in the heart of wine country, it is roughly an hour’s drive away from the world renowned Napa Valley and Sonoma.
This creates a unique experience for those who live in or travel to San Francisco.
With so many amazing vineyards and wineries a stone’s throw away, there are options near and far to fulfill your wine needs. When in Northern California, wine tours and tastings are a must.
Sonoma Valley
Heading north from San Francisco, you will soon be surrounded by Sonoma wineries and vineyards. The California Wine Country is centered on the picturesque and historic town of Sonoma. The Sonoma Valley is the oldest wine-producing district in the California Wine Country. In 1823, Franciscan Monk, Father Jose Altimira planted the first vineyards in Sonoma Valley at the Mission San Francisco Solano. And in 1857, the first commercial winery (Buena Vista Winery) in California was founded. It is the perfect environment for the growth and creation of wine and is home to almost 60,000 acres of vineyards with more than 400 wineries. Now, a Sonoma Valley wine country tour is at the top of many people's bucket list.
There are a variety of wineries in the area that have unique qualities outside those of normal vineyards and wineries. Some of the best Sonoma Valley wine tours include The Jordan Winery is unique in that 75 percent of the estate is dedicated to natural habitat, with ducks and geese in and around the lakes, and rabbits, deer, wild turkeys and an occasional fox or coyote giving a fleeting glimpse throughout the rolling hills. Jordan has actually become a working ranch, with chickens, cattle, and bees for honey and gardens for flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Another must-see is the long-respected Ridge winery and vineyard. They recently started offering tours of its 120-year-old Lytton Springs vineyards in Sonoma's Dry Creek—one of the oldest vineyards in California. A ride through the vineyard in an open-air shuttle culminates in a Zinfandel tasting at the solar-powered winery, insulated with straw bales. The Food & Wine Pairing Tour with Gloria Ferrer guides guests through the process of making sparkling wine, with a four-course lesson in how to match the wines with food. Sonoma Valley has many different options for wine tours and tastings; these are only a few of the amazing choices for the area.
Napa Valley
Roughly 30 miles away from Sonoma is the world renowned Napa Valley. A wine tour of Napa Valley will take you into one of the world's premier wine regions. It is an American Viticultural Area, which is a designated wine-grape growing region. Records of commercial wine production in the region date back to the nineteenth century, the first being established in 1858. Today the Napa Valley features more than 450 wineries that grow grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, among others. While winemakers may produce wines from specific American Viticultural Areas within the valley, many wines are made as a blend from grapes grown on the valley floor and the surrounding hillsides. Napa Valley wine tasting tours are some of the most popular in the world.
Some of the best Napa Valley wine tours include The Beaulieu Vineyard. It is one of the oldest producers in the valley. They offer tours of the original winery building, which dates back to 1885, and a stop in the Heritage Room, which chronicles the history of wine in Napa.
The Clif family is becoming as well known for wine as for energy bars. Their unique tour experience allows visitors to rent a road bike from the Velo Vino tasting room and do the 24-mile Cold Springs Loop, past Clif's organic farm and vineyards.
When you visit Ma(i)sonry, you'll have the experience of multiple wine tastings in one unique location. Twenty small California wineries offer tastings at the Ma(i)sonry collective. Guests can taste from whichever wineries they choose in whichever setting they prefer, from a steampunk-art gallery to a contemporary sculpture garden to a blanket on the lawn. With so many amazing options, choosing where to stop while in the Napa Valley can be a tough decision. But whichever you choose, you will have an amazing wine experience.
Fisherman’s Wharf
For many, a San Francisco vacation isn't complete without a day of wine tasting up in Napa or Sonoma. But you can find great wine without even leaving the city, particularly in Fisherman's Wharf where there are numerous tasting rooms. A must-do stop is to nearby Cannery, where the Winery Collective is located. The Collective is San Francisco's first multi-winery tasting room, with wines from dozens of California's small boutique wineries.
Whether you choose to visit all of San Francisco and its surrounding area's amazing variety of vineyards and wineries or choose to visit just one region, you will not be disappointed.
