Wine Country at It's Finest
I'm one of the biggest wino's you'll probably every meet. Living in San Francisco just 1-2 hours from Napa or Sonoma if I don't want to stay in SF but want to explore somewhere close you'll find me there.
I've always wanted to try the Wine Train and I've heard many, many great things about it. So if you don't want to have to pick your own wineries then the Wine Train is just for you. Easy to navigate, food served on the train and wineries included on your tour.
Here are a few of my favorite or most popular wineries in wine country.
NAPA SIDE:
Del Dotto: Located in the gorgeous Napa Valley creating a range of styles of wine where you can explore the inside of the the caves. Filled with rich history and delicious wines!
Domaine Chandon: Another gorgeous winery looking over the hills of Napa. Grab a bottle hang out in the gardens or just do a tasting in the tasting room.
Mumm Napa: Delicious sparkling wines inspired by the French champagnes. Highly recommend a reservation or being patient and waiting for a table when you visit. A great location for some sparking and food paring while you enjoy the gorgeous indoor and outdoor patios.
Raymond: My go to winery in St. Helena. My favorite room to taste in is the Crystal Cellar where I enjoy the cabs. They also have the red room and the main tasting room where they have another assortment of wine selections. There is also a nice garden/vineyard in the entrance of the winery where you can explore as well as a cute back area where you can play bocce ball.
Domaine Carneros: A fun castle right on the edge of Napa overlooking the valley. Has some delicious champagne but don't forget to make a reservations.
Artesa Winery: On top of a hill overlooking the Napa Valley has some great wines & a fun atmosphere. No reservation needed feel free to just show up and walk up the stairs to get to the tasting room grab a glass and enjoy the lovely view of Napa.
Duckhorn: This gorgeous Duckhorn Vineyards Estate house located in St. Helena surrounded by beautiful vineyards and garden views. It is the perfect sit-down wine tasting experience where we have plenty of different tasting menu options that come with a few food pairings. This winery seriously has some of the most delicious wines I’ve had. They even do tours which require reservations.
SONOMOA SIDE:
Soda Rock Winery: This gorgeous winery located in the Sonoma County's scenic Alexander Valley is the perfect winery to bring friends and those furry ones too for some delicious French style wines. This winery has a gorgeous outdoor seating area as well as a beautiful inside tasting room all inside of historical buildings.
DeLoach Winery: One of the Boisset family wineries with a gorgeous tasting room in the back house of the property surrounded by vineyards and a sustainable farm. Mostly known for it’s Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zin’s. This was one of my first wineries I visited and it didn’t disappoint.
Buena Vista: This is the first premium winery in California founded in 1857 before Napa and Sonoma were a well known name. Another of JCB Boisset Wineries he’s helped revive this winery and create a gorgeous fun winery located in a history building in the heart of Sonoma. Surrounded by a cobble stone path and a magnificent fountain. Well known for its assortment of cabs and pinots.
Silver Oak Winery (Alexander-Valley): I love this winery. The wine is great and it’s never super crowded. It’s a super modern looking property filled with great people and a gorgeous view of the valley.
Gloria Ferrer: One of the first sparking wines in the Carneros Valley.
Scribe Winery: This is on my next place to visit! A couple friends of mine are members so they always rave about it.
