Napa and Sonoma are California's classic wine country: cabernet in Napa, pinot and zinfandel in Sonoma, with farm-to-table restaurants in between. Go in September and October for harvest, or spring for green hills and mustard flowers.
Good to know
- Reservations are required at most wineries; plan 2 to 3 tastings a day and hire a driver or tour.
- Skip Highway 29 at weekends and use the Silverado Trail instead.
- Sonoma tastings are generally cheaper and more relaxed than Napa's.
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Book appointments at two or three boutique wineries between Yountville and Calistoga.
Food hall by the river with oysters, tacos, a bakery and local cheeses.
Dawn flight over the vineyards followed by a champagne breakfast.
Rent bikes in Yountville or Healdsburg for flat, scenic rides between tasting rooms.
A faithfully built Tuscan-style castle winery with a dungeon and Italian varietals.
Volcanic ash mud baths and geothermal pools in a down-to-earth spa town.
Walkable town with some of the country's best restaurants and Thomas Keller's bakery, Bouchon.
Historic town square with tasting rooms, cheese shops and the last of California's missions.
Zinfandel country with small family wineries and a stylish town plaza.
Hands-on classes and a restaurant at Greystone in a historic stone winery building.
Rugged beaches and fresh seafood 1.5 hours from Napa, with whale watching in winter.