2017-12-22 15:04:09
BEYOND SAN FRANCISCO , SONOMA VALLEY IS CELEBRATED AS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA’S PREMIER WINE MAKING REGION. Located just 45 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sonoma Valley offers the best experiences in wineries and tasting rooms, culinary and picturesque towns, fresh open-air hiking and biking, and perfect places to extend your stay overnight. Our winery map on the reverse side will guide you through your wine tasting adventure. 100 + WINERIES Sonoma Valley is the perfect wine country destination for wine enthusiasts, both novice and seasoned alike. With 100+ wineries — from striking castles and garden chateaus to modern lounges and Mediterranean-style villas — Sonoma Valley offers a unique wine tasting experience for everyone and is the birthplace of California wine. Sonoma Valley’s rolling vineyards are nestled between two mountain ranges offering exquisite and peaceful beauty. Sip award-winning wines while learning about the history of California wine from a winemaker, tour a production facility or wine cave, take a tractor tour through the vineyards, peruse the tasting rooms on the historic Sonoma Plaza or enjoy a mountaintop wine tasting. Founded in 1973, Chateau St. Jean is the quintessential Sonoma winery. Chateau St. Jean is known for its outstanding Reserve wines, vineyard designated wines and the flagship Cinq Cepages Bordeaux-style blend. For the foodie, enjoy perfectly paired wine, cheese and charcuterie and a romantic view with our Charcuterie and the Chateau tasting. For the explorer, learn about how Chateau St. Jean became the pioneer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Sonoma County. For the collector, experience luxury at its finest with a library tasting of Cinq Cepages with our Cinq Reves tasting. For a more casual experience, the tasting room is open daily 10a.m.-5p.m. chateaustjean.com For more than 30 years, Benziger Family Winery has farmed its 85-acre ranch on Sonoma Mountain. Committed to Biodynamic Farming, the highest form of organic certification, the Benziger Estate features a polyculture of vineyards, an insectary, gardens, sheep and cattle pastures, wetlands and ponds. Tours are offered daily inviting guests out into the vineyards to explore first hand. The Biodynamic Tram Tour provides an overview of the farming approach and winemaking process. The Partners Tour is an opportunity for the knowledgeable wine lover to get a more in-depth look at the Estate, finishing with a seated tasting of Biodynamic Estate wines. If you are looking for an intimate wine tasting experience of flagship and reserve Benziger wines, make an appointment for the Estate Library Tasting. Benziger Family Winery is ready to welcome you from 10a.m.- 5p.m. daily, benziger.com FARM - FRESH RESTAURANTS Taste through Sonoma Valley’s delectable restaurants with farm-to-table bites and handcrafted meals from the bounty of local harvest. Olives, nuts, heirloom tomatoes, citrus fruits, herbs, vegetables and livestock can all be found in the area, and are plated up at restaurants that may be right around the corner from where they were grown. Dine in an elegant hotel, romantic corner cafe, picturesque patio or with spectacular views of vineyards and mountains. Sample artisan cheeses and sip on craft beers as you chat with their creators and storeowners. Sonoma Valley's dining experiences bring worldly flavors for everyone with a wine country twist. Sonoma Market and Glen Ellen Village Market are gathering spots for the community — where locals and visitors alike go to bring the wine country lifestyle home. From artisanal Sonoma products, to specially curated picnic packages, available for online ordering and store pick-up, the goal is to be a go-to market. Stop by and grab a fresh pressed juice or a fine cup of Peet’s coffee. Visit the Grab & Go for a quick snack (or prepared meal) or stroll the aisles and explore everything from fine wine to meat and seafood, and other pantry essentials, sonomamarket.com Turn off the beaten path and discover Petroni Vineyards. A breathtaking expanse of terraced vineyards, olive orchards and magnificent 18,000-square-foot wine cave located in a rustic Tuscan setting 1,500 feet above the valley floor in the Mayacamas Mountain range. Let our gracious hosts create a personal experience showcasing Petroni Vineyards critically-acclaimed wines and olive oil, as we celebrate the legacy of Lorenzo Petroni. By appointment only, petronivineyards.com STAY OVERNIGHT Enjoy an overnight stay at a cozy bed and breakfast, wine country bungalow, luxury inn or chic hotel offering guests all the amenities they need to make the trip special. Stay within walking distance of the historic Sonoma Plaza, or take in a vineyard view from your room’s window during your wine country visit. Relax and be pampered with a mud bath, hot springs experience and luxury spa treatment. Sonoma Valley’s accommodations showcase rich history and iconic wine country heritage, while also meeting the needs of today's chic and contemporary traveler. The Flamingo Conference Resort & Spa is a historical landmark, located just north of Sonoma Valley wineries offering all the modern amenities with a retro vibe. The resort offers 170 newly remodeled rooms and suites, two pools, health club, full-service spa, yoga and cycle studio, poolside dining, tennis, lounge entertainment, free parking and Wi-Fi, and Sunday Champagne Brunch. Relax, rewind or rejuvenate at this iconic hotel in the heart of Sonoma wine country, flamingoresort.com Located just two blocks from the restaurants, cafes and boutique shopping of the historic Sonoma Plaza, Inn at Sonoma is the perfect destination for a wine country visit. This TripAdvisor top-ranked hotel features 27 well-appointed guest rooms featuring a queen, king or two queen beds, fireplace, flat-panel television and most have a private deck. Guests enjoy a sumptuous complimentary breakfast, afternoon wine, hors d’oeuvres and freshly baked cookies. The inn offers guests the use of bikes for a beautiful ride along the bike trails with countless wineries. innatsonoma.com Since 1958, the El Pueblo Inn, a family-owned hotel, has been a favorite of visitors to Sonoma’s wine country. Located just minutes from the Sonoma Plaza shopping and dining, El Pueblo Inn is your home base for exploring Sonoma Valley. Come enjoy the gracious rooms, attractive grounds, and attentive service — all of which have been awarded a three-diamond rating from AAA. Enjoy the heated pool and whirlpool spa, lounge by the fire in their cozy lobby, or stroll the beautiful gardens. El Pueblo Inn looks forward to welcoming you as family, elpuebloinn.com The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa feeds the curiosity of the wine connoisseur and novice alike, celebrating the tradition of winemaking and embracing new and exciting flavors from spirits to micro brews. Guests enjoy complimentary daily activities— wine pours, education series, guided nature hikes, wellness classes and live entertainment. The resort has 182 newly-remodeled guest rooms and suites situated throughout lush grounds. Award-winning Carneros Bistro, casually elegant Bean & Bottle and the renowned The Spa at Renaissance Sonoma, combined with unparalleled amenities and services provide a great base from which to call home and reflect on the day’s experiences. lodgeatsonoma.com A family-owned hotel, the Best Western Sonoma Valley Inn is the perfect expression of the friendly, hometown warmth that defines Sonoma. After a day of tasting at your favorite wine tasting rooms just minutes from the hotel, and steps from the Sonoma Plaza, you’ll find everything you need to relax. From Jacuzzi Suites to pet-friendly garden patio rooms, our accommodations will take you away from it all. Lounge in the garden, unwind in the hot tub and steam room or take a dip in the saltwater pool. During the evening, savor a glass of wine around an outdoor firepit or by your rooms wood-burning fireplace, sonomavalleyinn.com LET US PLAN YOUR WINE COUNTRY EXPERIENCE . SONOMAVALLEY.COM/SF EXPLORE SONOMA VALLEY Get outdoors to one of Sonoma Valley’s 13,000 acres of state and regional parks where you can hike, bike, run and experience the serene beauty of wine country. Take a park tour on foot or horseback and view ancient redwoods, historical buildings including the former home of Jack London, reservoirs and hiking trails through the vineyards and mountainsides. Stop at a deli and pack a picnic with your favorite cheeses, charcuterie and of course, Sonoma Valley wine. Then find your perfect picnic spot to relax and just enjoy your day. Escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life and enjoy the solace of wine country. SHOP in boutique and specialty shops for unique and authentic goods. Wander through chic and quaint stores brimming with clothing and luxury goods, home furnishings, kitchenware, jewelry, custom leather goods and gifts, prized arts, olive oils, cheese and more. Wherever you go, you can expect warm, welcoming service from proprietors and artisans who know, and often make, their merchandise. There’s an extra something special about a Sonoma Valley wedding. With a nickname like the Valley of the Moon, you’ll be adorned in romance for your special day. Gather your nearest and dearest among the vineyards and sprawling estates, at picturesque hotels or quaint churches, inside a charmingly rustic barn, or simple take it outside under twinkling lights that may or may not just be the stars above. Small and sweet or large and formal, you’ll find a venue that’s perfect for your big day. Few places wield the historic beauty, cultural purpose and resources of Sonoma Valley. Fine arts abound across Sonoma’s galleries, guilds, businesses, and museums, whilst live music flows through local restaurants and wineries... Be sure to check out the events calendar for the best things to do each month. Visit Jacuzzi Family Wines and The Olive Press at the gateway to Sonoma Valley. Steeped in history, renowned for inventions and producing some of the finest Italian wines California has to offer, Jacuzzi Family Wines has 130 years of winemaking heritage. The tasting room is open daily 10a.m.-5:30p.m. The Olive Press is known as the most highly awarded olive oil producer in the nation. Visit the shop for complimentary tastings, gourmet food, artisan gifts and see how olive oil is made! jacuzziwines.com | theolivepress.com Make art a part of your visit with a stop at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art. A young, vibrant museum of modern and contemporary art, SVMA has intimate galleries, a 2500-volume art library, an art studio, and features workshops and events year-round. Recent exhibitions have included the works of Richard Diebenkorn, Eleanor Coppola, Annie Leibovitz and more. Merely steps from historic Sonoma Plaza, an hour spent with SVMA’s exhibitions after you’ve eaten, tasted, and shopped is a great way to renew yourself. Now, guests can peruse the Museum Gift Shop full of Sonoma gifts and treasures for all. svma.org Located just 10 minutes from the Sonoma Square, in the towns of Kenwood and Glen Ellen, you’ll find an amazing array of wineries tucked in the hills and scattered throughout the valley offering world-class wines. Celebrate at Heart of Sonoma Valley Winery Association’s signature events year-round, at over 15 wineries where you can enjoy wine tastings, meet winemakers, mingle in our caves and cellars, stock up on your favorite wines, pick up gifts for your friends and family and relish in wine country cheer. Or, come out anytime and enjoy our Wine Trail Pass. The one-and two-day pass includes wine tastings at over a dozen wineries year-round, for one price. There is something for everyone in the Heart of Sonoma Valley. heartofsonomavalley.com
©San Francisco. View All Articles.