Wine Tasting
Monday, July 30, 2012
If you are driving up from the airport to the wine region, you should drive over the Golden Gate Bridge (it is free coming from the city).
There are a TON of wineries. It depends on how far you want to drive.
As for Sonoma or Napa, for one day pick one and be done. We always try to see too much and wind up exhausted. I think you can't go wrong either way. With 2 days spend one in each valley and learn the difference.
Note: A lot of the smaller wineries are closed on Sundays. Many close at 4:30.
Here are some great links.
Wine Country Wine, Wineries, Wine Reviews, and Wine Information
Sonoma County Wineries - Plan you wine tasting room tour
For a printable Sonoma Valley Map.
http://www.sonoma.com/visitorsinfo/Sonoma_County_Winery_Map.pdf
Napa Valley Wine Country - Wine, Wineries, Lodging, Restaurants, Events, Weddings
For a printable Napa Valley Map:
http://www.napavalley.winecountry.com/visitorsinfo/Napa_Valley_Winery_Map.pdf
I like Petite Sirah, Zin, heavy steaky wines. So this is my list:
If you go to Sonoma go to Benzinger and take the tour, Benzinger is Bio-dynamic, and organic. They have beautiful grounds. After Benzinger, head over to Imagery. Since they are both owned by the same family, you get free tasting at Imagery with your tour ticket from Benzinger. :)
In Napa, Rutherford, St Helena. Try to get a reservation at Frog's Leap...MMMMM... Free tasting with the tour, but, plan some time here. Because you will have a great time!
Caymus has a sit down tasting 25$ also needs a reservation. If you like port, you must stop into Prager. it is 10$ but you sample 6!!!! ports. Prager, Frog's Leap and Caymus are next to each other,and in an area with many other wineries. You can hang here for the day.
If you want to try a small (very small) winery and want to trek up to Calistoga, try Vincient Arroyo.
Frog's Leap Winery - Napa Valley
Welcome to the Vincent Arroyo Winery
For food up here, there are MANY MANY restaurants. I usually picnic. I have had some really yummy dinners at a place called Central Market in Petaluma. Also I have heard the Girl and the Fig in old town Sonoma is good.
Central Market Restaurant in Petaluma, California: Slow Food, Good Served
You should drop in to some random ones and make some new discoveries too. Have a great time.
Here is a list I got from my friend Debby who is totally into wine:
Ledson- They close at 5pm, so make sure you get there before then. ;)
Chateau Potelle- Really GREAT wine. Awesome Cabernet and Pinot Noir. Super friendly people, beautiful vineyards, and really great dogs. Really small production wine, family owned and run for years. Also, from what I remember, very eco-conscious, which of course, I love. They have a line of wines called V.G.S. which stands for Very Good Shit! Great name, right? Ask for Tony. They are located sort of between Sonoma and Napa so you could stop there on the way to Napa if you make it over there. http://www.chateaupotelle.com/
Ravenswood- This winery is in Sonoma, pretty close to the main downtown area where you'll find other tasting rooms. Ravenswood has great Zinfandels. I love their Old Vine Zin. Nothing super special about their tasting room, but pretty good wines and centrally located.
http://www.ravenswood-wine.com/
Peju- Great variety of Reds. Awesome Cabernet Franc! There's a guy that works there called the Blue Rapper. He's an old white guy and he raps! It's hilarious. He raps about the wine. This is a great place to stop at the end of the day because their tasting room is open until 6pm, which is pretty much the latest any of them are open. Very picturesque tasting room. http://www.peju.com/
Tim’s suggestion for a Winery:
Regusci
Regusci Winery - A Tradition of Family Winemaking - Est. 1932
5584 Silverado Trail.
probably about 8-10 miles from caymus but sooo good. especially if you like zins.
HAVE A GREAT TIME