favs for napa & sonoma

Over the past two weeks, I've gotten six (!!) separate inquiries from friends and family for my Napa / Sonoma recommendations.  It seems as though everyone is planning a fall trip to sample the region's sweet nectar, and boy oh boy, are they in for a treat because fall harvest is absolutely magical in either valley.  

Now I always LOVE giving advice on the best things to do in places near and dear to my heart (wine country is chief among them), but after spending an hour each responding to just two of these inquiries, I figured there was a better way to document my suggestions.  And so here I am today bringing you my favs from these two fabulous regions.  

We'll start with the real reason most of you are (or will be) visiting: the wine.

Sonoma Valley

• Kunde
• Full disclosure: I'm extremely biased on this one as it was the locale of our nuptials, but I must say we choose the spot for good reason: spectacular views, rich history, family owners, expansive property, yummy but affordable wine, friendly staff, the list goes on and on.
• If you do make a visit, it's definitely worth the extra time and dollars to do their Mountain Top Tasting, where they take you up to the tippy-top of their property to do a sampling of their wines overlooking the entire Sonoma Valley with a glimpse of Pablo Bay.  Make a reservation ahead of time as they fill up quick.  
• More details on why we ended up getting married at this rocking spot here.

 

admiring the views back in February
for more about this trip here

• BR Cohn  
• A lovely little spot not too far away from Kunde with really delicious wine and a spectacular vintage car collection.  A perfect spot to hit up with a picnic lunch (think: baguette, cheese, prosciutto, peaches) as they have an inviting outdoor patio where you can munch and sip.  Simply order some vino inside at their tasting bar and bring it outside to enjoy with your snacks.  Don't forget to save room to sample their delicious olive oils and vinegars.

 

• Ram's Gate
• While I've never actually been to this special spot, it is TOP of my list.  As the first winery en route from San Francisco to Sonoma, you can't miss it.  The wines are supposed to be unreal.  The views are supposedly spectacular.  The architecture - genius.  What more do you want?  Reservations highly recommended.

• Scribe
• This secluded spot has a chilled, laid-back vibe like no other.  Reservations needed as they only allow a very small number of guests on their gorgeous property.  We fell in love with it from the get-go and would have tied the knot here if they allowed more than 60 guests for a party.  (Again, all about focusing on the chill, no frills, laid back approach to winemaking.) Their wines are quite pricey but limited and delicious. 

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Napa Valley

• Domaine Carneros
• This French-style chateau is known for their fabulous sparkling wines (as it's the sister vineyard to Tattinger and my personal fav sparking in California) but they make very good reds as well.  They also make a delicious, interesting and very rare white Pinot Noir, which they call their Pinot Clair.  Not always available, but if it, definitely worth a taste!
• The property and chateau are gorgeous.  They have an amazing outdoor terrace that is heavenly on a sunny day.  
• If you're interested in more history and learning on wine making, their "Art of Sparkling Wine" tour is one of the best.  It's lengthy but chocked full of great info about how to make good sparkling and fabulous sips of their bubbly!

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• Robert Sinskey  
• Really good wines, but the best thing about this place is that they do their tastings with a food pairing.  It's just tiny little bites (a few rosemary almonds or a Gruyere croquette or a few bites of a savory blue cheese) but each bite is matched perfectly with one of their wines.  They explain to you exactly how the two pair and in which order you should sample.  Very fun.

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• Pine Ridge 
• Really, really great reds.  Their tasting room is simple and modest.  While their wines are on the more expensive side, they're often trying to finish selling one year's vintage so you can get quite a steal if you play it right.  

 

• Del Dotto  
• If you're looking for a more wild experience, do a barrel tasting tour at Del Dotto.  While I've only been to their Napa location,  their St. Helena spot is supposedly fabulous as well.  
• Their barrel tasting tour starts off with an hour of touring around their unreal caves and tasting straight out of the barrel as much as you possibly can, then moves into a smaller tasting room for more wine paired with delicious savory meats and cheeses before finishing off with luscious chocolate truffles and a tasting of their port.  
• They're quite well known for their reds, but they've never knocked our socks off, especially given the high price tag.  Go for the experience, not necessarily the wine.

 

you'll be tasting by candlelight

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• Rubicon
• Delicious wines, amazing property, but if you make the trip, go for their Janus Wine and Food Pairing lunch.  While pricey, you'll leave full of delicious wine + food in addition to buckets of knowledge about the winery's history and how to pair to perfection.

after a guided tour of the property (with wine in hand of course),

you'll enjoy lunch with wine pairings in one of their private cellars

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• Round Pond  
• Amazing wines and amazing olive oils - if you can make a visit during their olive oil press, definitely worth a trip.

their estate isn't so shabby either

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• Opus One 
• This one's only worth it if you're a SERIOUS wine drinker as the wines are to-die-for but super, super expensive.  I have never been but Stefan has and he raves that the wine is unreal - just be ready to pay ridiculous amounts for it.

You can also never go wrong with the classic names you all know:
Robert Mondavi (do their reserve tasting to beat the crowds and sample delicious wines),
Beringer (they often have live music on weekends),
Stag's Leap (pricey but good - for my take, read here),
Gloria Ferria (tour bus central but their patio is perfection if you can snab a spot), and
Chandon (classic bubbly with beautiful grounds - don't miss their sparkling red pinot - amazingly good).

And if you're looking to get a bit further afield, try driving up to the Dry Creek / Russian River Valley region.  For a recount of our trip up there this spring (and where you should and shouldn't spend your time), read here. 

Stop back next week for my favs for eating in wine country.  Almost as good as the wine.

 

xoxo

KK