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The Plan
A weekend in Napa & Sonoma has always been a dream of ours, as my husband Milan has an affinity for oaky, buttery Chardonnays and hard-to-find Marsanne / Roussane blends and made me fall in love with them too. When my husband surprised me with a trip to these renowned wine regions for my birthday, I jumped for joy and then went into full blown trip-planning mode.
I've put together my trip planning process in the hopes it makes your travel planning less burdensome.
Accommodation Research
There are many different places to stay in Sonoma & Napa, you can live like a local with airbnb, get romantic at a cozy bed & breakfast, however, if you like to have access to a pool, gym, room service, spa, etc., a hotel is a nice way to stay. If you have loyalty points with a particular hotel chain or website, it's a good idea to check whether you have enough to treat yourself to a nice spot. Since this part of California can be pretty pricey, particularly on long weekends, we decided to use a few free night credits we had accumulated from Hotels.com and our Marriott Rewards program. These programs have given us many nights of free hotels, so we highly recommend using them too.
Relevant Apps
Uber & Lyft - these ride-sharing programs are readily available to take you around from winery to winery safely
Winery Finder - often has discounted or 2 for 1 tastings if you check in through the app prior to the tasting
The Wine Regions
Milan and I are predominantly white wine drinkers, so if you are on the same page you can reference our trip for inspiration. However, if you prefer red, or rosé all day, be sure to check out the map below, which outlines where your favourite grape varietals are grown and then focus on those areas for when you arrive. If you click on the map, you'll be redirected to winefolly.com which has done a great job of mapping out the various wine varietals across the valleys.
Select Your Wineries / Make Reservations
It is easy for time to fly as you meander around a winery and enjoy both the wines & views, so if you are not too particular on the wineries that you go to, it is nice to have an unstructured day. Be sure to look for wineries that allow walk-ins as many places require a reservation. Even if a winery does not require a reservation, most wineries do appreciate a call just before you arrive to ensure they can accommodate your group.
If you have a few specific wineries in mind or would like a tour, be sure to do your research online ahead of time to see what their tasting / tour fees are (some are quite expensive!) and whether you can secure a reservation. Also make a note as to the distance between the wineries to ensure you have enough time at each one.
At a quiet winery, you can complete a tasting in under 20 minutes, however, it is more enjoyable to savour vs. slam the wine, so I'd recommend 45 minutes to 1 hour at each winery. Depending on your budget and how much wine you can handle, I recommend attending between 3 and 5 wineries in a day.
Most wineries open around 10am and close around 5pm, so the max you could do, while still enjoying the wines would be about 8.
TIP: Need some inspiration about which wineries to go to? One simple trick is to check out the top rated restaurants in the area and take a peek at their wine list. If they want to serve it, you may want to try it.
Some wineries offer special & memorable touches, like a hilltop tasting overlooking the valley, blindfolded tastings and lunch among the vines, others have a restaurant on-site, allow picnics on-site or offer locally sourced cheese & charcuterie boards. I think it is imperative to try at least one of these options to have a full wine tasting experience.
You can see our itinerary in the next section for an idea of how we structured our trip.
Off We Go
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Day 1: Sonoma Valley
Where we Stayed
Cost: $150/night (approx)
Distance to Carneros: 10 minutes
Distance to Sonoma: 40 minutes
Distance to Napa: 25 minutes
Pros: free parking, free wifi, generous room sizes, great launch location for both Sonoma & Napa without the expensive price tag, wineries located within 10 minutes in the Carneros region, café-style restaurant on-site including Starbucks.
Cons: across from a Six Flags so ensure to ask for a quieter room, a touch run down, no room service
Review: It’s not The Peninsula by any means, but their staff were friendly, it was surprisingly quiet and it’s a decent place to stay if you are looking to save on lodging with close proximity to the wineries.
Where we Drank
TIP: Chat up the knowledgeable staff, sometimes they will let you try wines not shown on the tasting menu or recommend places for you to go and provide 2 for 1 sampling cards!
*Reservations Suggested*
Hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
Tastings: Start at $15pp (we did one Legacy $15 & one Legends $25 tasting)
Where to sip: On their beautiful spacious patio beside the vines
Highlights: Many beautiful white wine options, the warm staff who gave us a couple recommendations on where to go next & the photo opportunities
Favorite wine: 2015 Sangiacomo Chardonnay
*Walk-ins Welcome*
Hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
Tastings: $20pp
Where to Sip: On their cozy porch, where you will feel like you are at a serene cottage
Wine Highlights: We were really interested in their Rhone blend, consisting of Marsanne & Rousanne, which is one of our favorite blends and difficult to find! We loved it. Their Viognier was completely sold out, so unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to try it.
Favorite wines: 2014 White Rhone Style Blend (Marsanne & Rousanne) & 2014 Estate Chardonnay
*Reservations Required*
Hours: 11am - 6pm (daily)
Tastings: $15pp (we split one tasting)
Where to sip: It’s a tasting room vs. a winery so I’d reco their beautiful navy blue velvet sectional
Highlights: Hungarian owner who provided many red wines varietals that were unique, although a touch lost on my white wine loving taste buds
Favorite wine: Magdalena (A Hungarian-style of Port named after the winemaker’s mama)
*Walk-ins Welcome*
Hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
Tastings: Start at $15pp
Where to sip: Outside on the deck, three levels to choose from
Highlights: Complimentary rosé upon entry, which was lovely and we loved their wines. Lots of sweet dogs on the patio, so looks like pets are welcome!
Favorite wine: 2015 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
*Reservations Suggested*
Hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
Tastings: Start at $15pp
Where to sip: A seat by the window or on the patio overlooking the vines
Highlights: First class reception, where they literally greet you in the parking lot as you approach with a glass of wine! In our case it was a Sauvignon Blanc, we actually got to meet to Steven MacRostie, the founder of the winery, who was very warm & welcoming, t’s also a pet-friendly place and they have a resident doggy who loves to be pet
Favorite wine: 2015 Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay
Where we Ate
Hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
A super artsy interior, beautiful patio, lively atmosphere with attentive service and an extensive wine list
Favorite dish: The Flounder (it’s incredible)
TIP:There are lots of tasting rooms downtown Sonoma, so you can grab a taste before your reservation if you have time
Hours: 12pm - 9pm (daily - open until 10pm on Friday & Saturday)
A delicious spread of homemade ice cream options and just down the street from The Girl & the Fig, look for the long line up
Favorite ice cream: Whatchamacallit scoop (mashup of peanut butter, chocolate and a few other delicious things)
TIP:The ice cream will be even more enjoyable when you stroll through the Sonoma Plaza park
Day 2: Napa Valley
Where we Stayed
Cost: $289/night+ (approx) - however, prices can stretch to upwards of $700/night on summer weekends
Pros: Free valet, free wifi, generous room sizes, foyer designed with elements of wine-making process (i.e. cork counter tops, flooring designed in a pattern that resembles a wine barrel, faux riddling rack behind the reception area) beautiful pool area, restaurant on site, walking distance to the Oxbow food market & downtown Napa
Cons: Pricey, rooms are a little bit dated, small gym
Review: Service is first class here, the staff are informative and cheerful, the location is decently close to everything you will need, views are just ok from the property
Where we Drank
TIP: Don't be afraid to share a tasting, especially after a few wineries, and sometimes it's more enjoyable to split the $40 tasting than each get a $20 tasting
*Reservations Only*
Hours: The vineyard tour & tasting is not open to the public - reach out the winery directly to set up a memorable worthwhile experience (alternatively they have a tasting room located near the Oxbow market, open 11am to 7pm Thursday-Monday)
Tastings: $90pp (includes a 2.5 hour + experience, with tour & tasting on top of the highest hills in Napa)
Where to Sip: You'll have the best option in the valley - sitting hilltop in the sky overlooking the valley at a table that sits no more than 7 among over 1 million vines
Highlights: This winery had special meaning to us, so this is where we decided to enjoy a tour. In fact, the 2007 Krupp Brothers Black Bart Marsanne, was one of the first bottles Milan and I enjoyed together (which, unfortunately is no longer in production) and we managed to score a space in this coveted tour, which includes a maximum of 6 people for a 2.5 hours in one of the most breathtaking views of the valley.
Favorite wines: 2015 Black Bart’s Bride & 2014 Krupp Brothers Chardonnay
*Reservations Only*
Hours: 10am - 4pm (excluding some holidays)
Tastings: Starting at $15pp (we missed our tasting time :-( but were still charged $15pp)
Where to Sip: Where they direct you to sip, be careful not to sit on the members only patio (we made that mistake)
Highlights: Our first tour ran over time, so we missed our tasting, so we can’t really comment on the experience here, we actually didn’t appreciate how rigid they were with timing, but we did try a few of their white wines, which were lovely
Favorite Wine: 2015 Chardonnay Reserve
*Walk-ins Welcome*
Hours: 11:30am - 5pm
Tastings: Starting at $25pp (we shared a charter $25 tasting & then bought a bottle to enjoy on the patio)
Where to Sip: On their patio, under a sun umbrella in the shade of a flowering tree
Highlights: Very relaxed & hospitable atmosphere, with beautiful, highly knowledgeable staff who will customize your tasting if you let them know what you like, you can buy a bottle and enjoy it on the patio (which we did)
Favorite Wine: 2015 ExS Roussanne Diamond Mountain & 2009 ExS Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Where we Ate
Hours: 11:30am - 9pm (daily)
A former bordello, which explains the discreet speakeasy style design, once you enter in the "backstreet" you are wowed at how charming this place is, with a delicious menu, full of interesting pleasantries, you can cool off indoors or dine alfresco under a 100-year-old fig tree (our choice - it's very romantic)
Favorite dish: Pollo Loco with cheese-stuffed peppers (yum!)
TIP:Continue your wine tasting here with their extensive menu of local wines sold by the glass where you can continue to sip & share glasses
Hours:
Sun-Thurs: 11:30 am- 9 pm Fri and Sat: 11:30 am - 10 pm A new restaurant that opened in 2016, The Culinary Institute of America at Copia felt like a hidden gem! It was very modern, kitchen-inspired art hangs on the wall, wonderful wine list, unique food combinations all at a reasonable price point
Favorite dish: The Mussels
TIP:Plan ahead to enjoy a cooking class or wine tasting tutorial they offer, view the calendar here
Day 3: Napa Valley
Where we Ate
Hours: 9am - 9pm (daily - approx.)
A lively market place full of interesting bites, sips & eats, follow your nose and you are sure to stumble upon some interesting finds
Favorite dish: Green juice from Hudson Greens & Goods and a coffee from Ritual with really neat brewing processes
TIP:Divide and conquer, this place gets very busy on the weekends, walk around and see what you want to get and then split up to place orders so that you don't wait in line all morning (NOTE: The Model Bakery line was especially time consuming and it ended up being very greasy)
Hours: 7:00 am - 11:00 am / 11:30 am - 2:15 pm / 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm (daily)
A worthwhile splurge on this Michelin star restaurant, no detail was overlooked, with warm & attentive hospitality, impeccable, picture-worthy views, extensive wine list provided on an iPad, delicious fresh food
Favorite dish: Maine lobster salad (it's worth every penny)
TIP:Request a table with a view on patio overlooking the scenery below
Moments We Savoured
Sonoma Valley
See: Sonoma Plaza, it's quaint and a quite beautiful place to stroll
Taste: The flounder at The Girl & The Fig
Hear: The sound of a sommelier popping open a fresh bottle
Touch: The fresh produce being sold by local vendors along the way, including fresh strawberries
Smell: Your wine before you sip it :-)
Napa Valley
See: A view from above (i.e. Krupp brother's tour or hot air balloon)
Taste: Auberge du Soleil Lobster Salad & Lewis Chardonnay (the view is easy on the eyes as well!)
Hear: The playful "choo choos" of the wine train, another way to sip through the valley
Touch: A wine vine (carefully & with permission of course)
Smell: Ritual coffee brewing at Oxbow Market
Captured Memories - Sonoma
Captured Memories - Napa
