Though it does so beautifully, the world's most sustainable wine area provides much more than just wine.
Sonoma County is well-known for producing some of the best pinot noir and chardonnay in the nation when it comes to California wine. But there is more to Napa's generous neighbor than first meets the taste in this instance. There are 60,000 acres of vines, and 425 wineries and 99% of them are sustainable. Additionally, there are 55+ miles of coastline, which includes desolate sandy beaches, cliffs, and turquoise coves. Then there are the breathtakingly magnificent inland landscapes with their glistening rivers, winding trails through the forest, and sturdy old-growth redwoods. A 19th-century Spanish mission and historical sites honoring local greats like author Jack London and Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz are also present.
Sonoma is the most sustainable wine area in the world, with three recognizable valleys—Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander—and a large number of permaculture and biodynamic farms growing not only grapes but also an abundance of other fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Generally speaking, Sonoma is a more relaxed and family-friendly location than Napa, and it is usually less expensive to drink, eat, and stay there.
The county is made up of several little, welcoming communities. These include the historic colonial town of Sonoma with the Mission San Francisco Solano, the artistically up-and-coming Sebastopol, the bucolic culinary destination Glen Ellen, the architecturally significant Sea Ranch from the 1960s, the award-winning distilleries and small cheese farms of Petaluma, and the charming Healdsburg, which offers both impeccable food and drink and a charming atmosphere.
If you're on a weekend trip and want to avoid the traffic from the Bay Area, fly into Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport (STS) — nonstop from more than 10 major airports — to get to this gorgeous Eden. If not, rent a vehicle at SFO and take the hour-plus journey up the 101. then be ready for an adventure that will be a multi-sensory feast. Find all the information you require right here to enjoy Sonoma to the utmost whenever you visit.
Best Time to Visit Sonoma
Due to the annual harvest, Sonoma experiences its peak season in the fall, like the majority of wine areas in the Northern Hemisphere. However, following the fun rush, there are plenty of things to see and do when winter takes on the flaming reds and oranges of fall and early spring blossoms. There are also discounts to be gained. Pack layers because the weather during mustard season, which lasts from January to April, is still extremely sunny and prone to huge changes in temperature throughout a single day. That holds even during the undoubtedly stunning — and frequently extremely crowded — summer when intensely scorching midday temperatures can drop significantly at night. Seafood aficionados should be aware that the season for Dungeness crab begins in November.
Activities in Sonoma
Even though wine may be the main draw, Sonoma offers a wide range of wellness and outdoor activities. There are numerous activities you may engage in to get some exercise and fresh air in the vast and open ecosystems, like hiking, cycling, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, and SUP. Campouts are an alternative. Armstrong Redwoods State Nature Reserve offers ancient trees to hug, wildflower walks, vineyard yoga courses, and "Wiking" tours that combine wine and hiking (such as at Jordan Winery). Spas can be found all around Sonoma, offering tried-and-true treatments and purifying rituals made using locally-produced goods. Think honey, lavender, and grapes, of course, as well as seaweed and shells at The Lodge at Bodega Bay. Participate in the action at you-pick farms that provide sustainably cultivated produce such as apples, peaches, olives, and citrus.
There are many chefs available to fill you back up with top-notch cuisine, most of it genuinely Californian, that is fuelled by the farms, ranches, and fishermen of Sonoma, as healthy as Sonoma can make you. Eating, and eating well in particular, is a must-do in the wine region where the husband-and-wife owners of the three-Michelin-star SingleThread Restaurant produce each exquisite component of their 11-course tasting menu, which is inspired by the region's terroir as well as their time spent in Japan. The Michelin-starred Barndiva, the homegrown chef Dustin Valette's The Matheson, the beautiful Farmhouse Restaurant, and the vegetarian Little Saint are additional places to make reservations in advance.
For those who are cheese aficionados, Sonoma has a cheese trail, while Sebastopol's The Barlow will satisfy those who like variety. In addition to wineries, distilleries, and craft beer breweries, this 12-acre outdoor market zone is also home to artisan manufacturers who create their goods on-site, as well as their studios and shops. Pax Wines, which specializes in Old World-styled wines, is well worth a visit.
Accommodations in Sonoma County
The hotel environment in Sonoma is incredibly diversified. There are handcrafted bath amenities that are out of this world at Farmhouse Inn, where the proprietors' generational links to local wineries, patissiers, brewers, cheesemakers, and other brilliant people provide for very personalized, blissful visits. On a wider scale, Montage Healdsburg is a piece of heaven where experiences like hiking and beekeeping are waiting and guest bungalows gaze out over rows of vines. Hazel Hill restaurant also dishes up the most flavorful harvest gathered from Sonoma's fertile soil.
Interior design guru Jay Jeffers' The Madrona, a beautifully renovated Victorian mansion with 24 rooms and bungalows, spectacular vistas, lush grounds, intriguing art, and a restaurant worth dressing up for, will appeal to design enthusiasts. The opulent Hotel Healdsburg, which has chef Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen, and the eco-conscious h2hotel, which leans bohemian rustic and has a living green roof, free bikes, and a solar-heated creekside pool, are both right along Healdsburg's plaza and are both excellent walking alternatives. The sister facility Harmon Guest House features elegant, roomy accommodations, free yoga sessions for visitors, and a sustainable attitude throughout.
The Lodge at Sonoma Resort, Autograph Collection is a tranquil retreat in the center of downtown Sonoma that celebrates the rustic charm of the area in a decidedly opulent way. Some of the guest suites and cottages feature outdoor soaking tubs and fireplaces, and the spa offers treatments using locally sourced indigenous botanicals. The Sea Ranch Lodge, a restored home and restaurant on the gorgeous Sonoma Coast, combines pure natural settings with legendary architecture.
Visit Sonoma County Wineries
There is no chance of ever having to look for wine because Sonoma County has more than 400 wineries, as was previously noted. That being said, there are some vineyards in the area that are a must-visit when planning a trip, and scheduling tastings in advance is always recommended and even needed. Thanks to its delicious organic pinot noir and chardonnay, of course, but also to the constantly expanding collection of both architecture and massive sculptural art, The Donum Estate is one of the most interesting and opulent vineyard experiences in the county. Ai Wei Wei, Yayoi Kusama, Tracey Emin, Doug Aitken, and Louise Bourgeois, among others, create some of the world's best art. In Studio Other Spaces' prismatic Vertical Panorama Pavilion, reserve the Transcend Experience for a pairing of estate and library wines with artfully crafted nibbles, and set aside time to explore the regenerative, museum-like surroundings.
Flowers Vineyards & Winery is a unique experience in its own right, offering tastings at the House of Flowers that let guests fully appreciate the complexity and terroir of each wine produced there since the first organic estate vineyards were responsibly planted there in 1991. Visit Gundlach Bundschu, the oldest family-owned winery in California, to taste the results of more than 160 years of winemaking experience in innovative, cool-climate Bordeaux-style wines that will soon be certified regenerative organic. Sit among gnarled vines laden with grapes at Abbot's Passage Winery & Mercantile in Glen Ellen to sample sixth-generation vintner Katie Bundschu's innovative, experimental field blends, which are charmingly named and pleasantly surprising to the palate.
The adventurous estate, like Bricoleur Vineyards outside of Healdsburg, where co-owners Mark Hanson and his daughter named their first sparkling rosé, Isla Rose California Brut Rosé, after her infant daughter, is very family-friendly. They are the sixth generation of this illustrious Sonoma winemaking family. It provides for a wonderful half day with easy-drinking wines, great food matching and picnic options (including wood-fired pizzas), and lovely gardens to explore. (A father-and-daughter team is also responsible for Vérité Wines, which has a salon for private tastings 20 minutes from Healdsburg.) Groups can spend even more time at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery, which features two swimming pools, a full-service restaurant, bocce, and movie memorabilia in addition to a focus on the renowned director's several wines.
The well-known French-style Jordan Vineyard & Winery offers guests the chance to immerse themselves in all things regional and mindful thanks to its 1,200-acre sustainable estate and excellent dining experiences. DaVero, a regenerative vineyard and winery planting grapes like Sagrantino that many Americans have never heard of under the principle of "Grow what belongs here," puts a great deal of care into each bottle despite its much smaller production. Be tolerant. Similar methods are used in Dry Creek Valley by the holistic and serene Truett Hurst, who creates wines that faithfully capture the flavors of the vineyards and the people who make them. A few other notable Healdsburg wine-tasting establishments are the Bacchus Landing wine cooperative, the hip Marine Layer pinot noir and chardonnay company, and the sommelier-run Maison Healdsburg wine bar.