30 Best Sights in Sonoma, Napa and Sonoma

Anne Moller-Racke, founder of the Pinot Noir powerhouse The Donum Estate and its president for nearly two decades, established this smaller label also devoted to serious Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Moller-Racke, who describes herself as a winegrower in the French vigneron tradition that places agriculture at the pinnacle of wine making, practices "precision farming" to produce the best possible fruit. Hosts of private tastings at her 13-acre estate explain her philosophy and the five Sonoma County appellations where she cultivates grapes. Anchored by a circa-1880 Victorian and adjacent pump house, the former horse farm is now planted to 7 acres of grapes. Near the residence, a formidable century-old pepper tree and a rose garden with dozens of varieties catch the eye, the Mayacamas Mountains supplying the idyllic setting's backdrop. The appointment-only winery requests prospective guests inquire about visits at least 48 hours in advance.

Seeking respite from foggy San Francisco summers, Pam and George Hamel Jr. purchased a vineyard mostly for the scenery but quickly got bitten by the wine bug. The family now owns four biodynamic, mostly dry-farmed (no irrigation) vineyards. Collector-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon, the flagship Isthmus red blend, and carefully crafted Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc account for the bulk of production. Pam and George's son John, who makes the wines, also supervises the farming, striving for "purity of fruit" that, he says, requires little of him post-harvest. He's too modest. His choices during fermentation and aging beget magnificent wines. Appointment-only private tastings take place at the family's steel-and-glass Estate House, where guests indoors or on the broad stone terrace enjoy valley and Sonoma Mountain views. Despite its Sonoma address, the estate is closer to Glen Ellen.

About a mile and a half from Sonoma Plaza, Lomita Avenue angles off Highway 12, winding north and east to Hanzell, a hillside hideaway whose origin story enchants nearly as much as the winery's collector-worthy Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Most tastings take place at metal-roofed outdoor platforms positioned to take maximum advantage of the Sonoma Valley views. James Zellerbach, a businessman and later U.S. ambassador to Italy who became smitten with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on trips to Burgundy founded Hanzell (his wife's name was Hana) in 1953. At the time, neither grape had much of a foothold in California, but his hunch that each would do well here paid off. A few acres of Cabernet Sauvignon planted later provide grapes for the Bordeaux red blend that closes most sessions, led by gracious, well-informed hosts proud of this winery's legacy, organic farming practices, and studiously crafted wines.

Rhône-style wines with complex layers and textures have long been the siren song of winemaker Jeff Cohn. The whites might include single-varietal wines and blends, and there's a brut rosé of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre that's deceptively dry. The Syrahs, from Rockpile, Zio Tony, and other Sonoma County vineyards, are superb. Cohn, who's known to crack wise, also makes Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, endeavoring to avoid making them "over-the-freakin'-top." He's wildly successful with all his wines, which often earn scores in the mid-to-high 90s and effusive praise from guests to his downtown Healdsburg tasting room and patio, where reservations are preferred but walk-ins usually accommodated. 

Several dozen wineries produce vineyard-designate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from grapes grown by the Sangiacomo family, whose Italian ancestors first started farming in Sonoma in 1927. The family didn't establish its own label until 2016, but its cool-climate wines and a Napa Valley Cabernet quickly earned critical plaudits. Chardonnay vines and the Carneros District's western hills form the backdrop for tastings, usually outdoors, at the 110-acre Home Ranch, the first of a dozen-plus vineyards the Sangiacomos acquired or lease. At appointment-only visits, you're apt to encounter one or more third-generation members, all of whom enjoy meeting guests and sharing their family's legacy. On Friday from May through September, the winery hosts Sunset on the Terrace, with wines served by the glass, carafe, or bottle (no flights) from 3:30 pm until sundown.

You'll always meet a family member at this approximately 200-acre Sonoma Valley ranch established in 1924. The land's history stretches back well further, though, to at least the 1850s, when "Fighting Joe" Hooker, later General Joseph Hooker of Civil War fame, owned it. The Serres family has been growing and selling wine grapes for decades; the fifth generation—a sister and her two brothers—began producing wine in 2017. Merlot and two Bordeaux-style red blends were among the initial bottlings, with Cabernet Sauvignon from 2018 vines growing where Hooker planted his vineyard, expected soon. When the weather's good, tastings, accompanied by cheese and charcuterie, include a UTV ranch tour with a stop at a grove of thick-branched valley oaks. Reservations, best made 48 or more hours ahead, are required.

The team at this prominent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producer prizes viticulture—selecting vineyards with superior soils and microclimates, planting compatible clones, and farming organically with rigor—over wine-making wizardry. Tasting areas that include a contemporary white board-and-batten structure and a pavilion with a conical multicolor glass canopy afford guests hilltop views of Los Carneros, San Pablo Bay, and beyond. The wines, from several Sonoma County appellations and one in Mendocino County, continue to exhibit the "power yet elegance" that sealed the winery's fame in the 2000s. Tastings are by appointment only (last-minute unlikely). The more than three dozen large-scale museum-quality contemporary sculptures placed amid the vines, including works by Ai Weiwei, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Keith Haring, and Anselm Kiefer, add a touch of high culture to a visit here.

The grapes for the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs of Three Sticks come from six estate vineyards, including Durell and Gap's Crown, of winery founder Bill Price. Winemaker Ryan Prichard also crafts Rhône-style wines that bear the Casteñeda label in honor of the restored 1842 Vallejo-Casteñeda Adobe, where the entire lineup is poured. San Francisco–based designer Ken Fulk transformed the structure, Sonoma's longest-occupied residence, into a showcase both lavish and refined. Seated private tastings might unfold at a long elm table inside the adobe or a cast-stone one under a willow-covered arbor. The winery's food pairings, which rank among Sonoma County's best, demonstrate the wines' versatility. Two Chardonnay-only sessions, one involving caviar, the other oysters, are offered seasonally; a superb one offered year-round also includes Pinot Noir.

Don't be surprised if someone in tie-dye greets you at the downtown salon of this winery whose labels psychedelic art whiz Stanley Mouse—known for his rock posters and Grateful Dead album covers—designs. The hippie ethos that begat the 1960s back-to-the-land movement and the original Earth Day survives and thrives in the wines, whose grapes come from vineyards cofounder Phil Coturri manages. Dubbed by Wine Spectator magazine the "Wizard of Green," Coturri is an expert at organic and biodynamic viticulture. Grenache is a particular jam, but in several decades of farming he's proven adept at coaxing the best out of whatever varietals he's tending. Tastings might include rosé, Viognier, Grenache, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, or other wines. If you're interested, the hosts are happy to explain Coturri's winegrowing philosophy—but only after you've selected some vinyl (classic jazz or rock) to accompany your pours.

Reprising the greatest hits of Burgundy (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir) and the Rhône (Grenache, Syrah, Viognier), Anaba hosts guests in a whitewashed board-and-batten hospitality center whose breezeway frames windswept Coast Range views to the west. When John Sweazey founded Anaba in 2006, he named it for the Carneros District's up-sweeping anabatic winds, a few years later installing a turbine to harness them for electricity. When planning the hospitality center and adjacent production facility, both completed in 2019, Sweazey and son John Michael continued the alternative-energy commitment by ordering solar panels that, supplemented by the turbine, supply the winery's power. Lower on the radar than many of its Carneros peers, appointment-only Anaba receives high marks from critics for its wines, particularly the Roberts Road Pinot Noir, Bismark Syrah, and late-harvest Viognier. For their quality, they're reasonably priced.

Grape growing at this winery surrounded by 375-acre Bartholomew Park dates back to an 1840s vineyard a Native American planted during California's Mexican era. These days, the park's nonprofit foundation makes wines from its own organically farmed estate vines. The Garden Block Zinfandel, Viviano's Block Syrah, and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon score well in local wine competitions; lighter wines include Sauvignon Blanc, a Marsanne-Roussanne blend, and rosé of Zinfandel. Tastings often take place on an oak knoll overlooking the vines, with Sonoma Valley and the mountains as the bucolic backdrop. You can also purchase a bottle and picnic in a separate grove. It's not necessary to taste wine to enjoy the park's 3-plus miles of hiking trails; park in the lot and follow signs to the trailheads.

Zinfandel and other varietals grown in heritage vineyards throughout California are the focus of Bedrock, a young winery whose backstory involves several historical figures. Tastings take place in a home east of Sonoma Plaza owned in the 1850s by General Joseph Hooker. General William Tecumseh Sherman was his partner in the vineyard a few miles away (a spat over it affected their Civil War interactions); the next owner, newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst's father, George, replanted it in the late 1880s. Some Hearst vines still produce grapes, whose current owner-winemaker, Morgan Twain-Peterson, learned about Zinfandel from his dad, Ravenswood founder Joel Peterson. Twain-Peterson's bottlings, many of them field blends containing multiple varietals grown and fermented together, are as richly textured as his winery's prehistory.

A local actor in top hat and 19th-century garb sometimes greets guests as Count Agoston Haraszthy at this homage to the birthplace of modern California wine making. Haraszthy's rehabilitated former press house (used for pressing grapes into wine), completed in 1864, is the architectural focal point, with photos, banners, plaques, and artifacts providing historical context. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and several Bordeaux-style red blends are the strong suits among the several dozen wines produced. During appointment-only visits (weekday walk-ins generally possible), you can taste some of them solo or preorder a cheese plate or box lunch from the affiliated Oakville Grocery.

After leading an effort to revive a local winery, Lloyd Davis, an African American financier and oenophile, turned his attention to making the experience of learning about wine and food-wine pairings less daunting. To that end he opened a light-filled space, diagonally across from Sonoma Plaza, for tastings of Sonoma County wines guests can pair with cheeses or small bites. The lineup includes a brut rosé sparkler, Chardonnay and Marsanne-Roussanne whites, a rosé of Pinot Noir, and several reds. Corner 103's welcoming atmosphere, which in recent years has earned it a ranking at or near the top of USA Today's Best Tasting Room list, makes it an excellent choice for wine novices seeking to expand their knowledge. Visits are by appointment, though hosts usually accommodate drop-ins seeking wine-only tastings.

General Mariano G. Vallejo commissioned this 1852 Victorian Gothic home situated on several serene acres a few blocks west of Sonoma Plaza. It's a great place to picnic amid enormous cacti and learn about one of the region's early VIPs. The home blends Mexican and American styles and has opulent furnishings, including white-marble fireplaces and a French rosewood piano, one of the first pianos brought to California. Another building holds a small museum. Occasional weekend tours are conducted by docents.

On a clear day this Spanish hacienda–style winery's Vista Terrace lives up to its name as guests at seated tastings sip delicate sparkling wines while taking in east-facing views of Los Carneros AVA and beyond it San Pablo Bay. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from the vineyards in the foreground are the product of old-world wine-making knowledge—generations of the founding Ferrer family made cava in Spain—but also contemporary soil management techniques and clonal research. Hosts well-acquainted with the winery's sustainability practices and history as the Carneros District's first sparkling-wine house serve the wines, either solo or accompanied by food that varies from cheese and charcuterie to caviar or a full lunch. Except on Wednesday, visits are by appointment. On Wednesday only, the winery is open for by-the-glass pours and bottle service (no flights), reservations not required.

"Gun lock bun shoe" gets you close to pronouncing this winery's name correctly, though everyone here shortens it to Gun Bun. The Bundschu family, which has owned most of this property since 1858, still uses parts of an 1870 stone winery for production. Reds from estate grapes include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and the Bordeaux-style Mountain Cuvée containing each vintage's best fruit. Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, and two rosés are also in the mix. You can sample five estate wines in a courtyard with views of vineyards and a pond. For a more comprehensive experience, book a Pinzgauer vehicle vineyard tour or a Heritage Reserve pairing of limited-release old-vine wines. All visits are by appointment only, with same-day tastings often possible.

The Hanson family makes grape-based organic vodkas, one traditional, the rest infused with cucumbers, ginger, mandarin oranges, Meyer lemons, or habañero and other chili peppers. A surprise to many visitors, the Hansons make a blended white wine before distilling it into vodka. The family pours its vodkas and a single-malt whiskey in an industrial-looking tasting room heavy on the steel, with wood reclaimed from Deep South smokehouses adding a rustic note. In good weather, some sessions take place on the landscaped shore of a small pond. Per state law, there's a limit to the amount poured, but it's sufficient to get to know the product.

The high-ceilinged tasting room of this winery named for the optimistic doctor from Voltaire's satire Candide occupies a restored 1902 stone building across from Sonoma Plaza. Originally a general store, it's a striking setting to enjoy wines by Erich Bradley, also the winemaker at nearby Sojourn Cellars. The Pangloss roster includes white and red blends, a brut rosé sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. You can sip wines by the flight or glass or enjoy them with cheese and charcuterie or a caviar plate. The winery prefers guests make a reservation, but walk-ins for wine-only tastings are usually possible on weekdays. Bradley also makes the collector-worthy wines of the affiliated Texture winery; they're poured in a dedicated room in the back of the Pangloss building.

Sophisticated single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are the trademark of this respected winery that hosts tastings at a fashionable single-story former residence 3 miles southeast of Sonoma Plaza. A Wine Country adage holds that great wines are made in the vineyard—the all-star fields represented here include Hyde, Durell, and Gap's Crown—but the wine-making team routinely surpasses peers with access to the same fruit, proof that discernment and expertise play a role, too. You can sample wines on the vineyard-view back patio in good weather. One tasting focuses on current releases, and the other incorporates older vintages. Appointments are highly recommended; walk-ins are possible, but call first.

Zesty limoncello was the first claim to fame of this distillery whose nearly three dozen artisanal offerings also include other "cellos" (try the fig if it's being poured), gins, brandies, liqueurs, and bottled cocktails. You can sample six at the tasting room, down an alley due east of Sonoma Plaza. In addition to the alcoholic beverages, the shop sells bar paraphernalia, cocktail-related books, a few snacks, and coffee aged in bourbon barrels.

Stunning views, ultrachic architecture, and wines made from grapes grown by acclaimed producers make a visit to Ram's Gate an event. The welcoming interior spaces—think Restoration Hardware with a dash of high-style whimsy—open up to outdoor tasting areas and views of the entire western Carneros. In fine weather, cooling breezes waft through the site as guests sip sophisticated wines, primarily Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays but also Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, rosé, a sparkling blanc de noirs, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, and Syrah. With grapes from the estate vineyard plus other illustrious sites, the wine-making team focuses on creating balanced wines that express what occurred in nature that year. Appointments are necessary for all tastings, one of which involves a multicourse culinary pairing.

It's truly a family affair at this winery founded by Reynaldo Robledo Sr., a migrant worker from Michoacán, Mexico, and María de La Luz Robledo. Son and winemaker Everardo Robledo and several of his eight siblings are involved in the winery and vineyard-management company Reynaldo and Maria established. Everardo's lush reds—particularly Tempranillo, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes grown on 350-plus estate acres in several counties—stand out among the wines poured in a modest interior space or on a covered patio that juts into a Pinot Noir vineyard. Los Braceros, a blend, pays tribute to temporary workers from Mexico, including Reynaldo's father and grandfather, who contributed to California agriculture as part of the Bracero Program (1942–64). Over these wines, preceded perhaps by Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Noir, guests hear inspiring multigenerational tales, sometimes firsthand from a family member. Picnickers and pets are welcome here.

As a young lad in Germany, the late Walter Schug made Pinot Noir, inspiring a lifelong preoccupation with the Burgundian varietal. The founding winemaker at Joseph Phelps, where he developed the flagship Insignia Bordeaux-style blend, in the 1980s he established his namesake winery in the far western reaches of Los Carneros AVA. His children continue his legacy, focusing on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other Bordeaux varietals. There's also a wine from the St. Laurent grape, an offspring of Pinot. To sample current releases with a vineyard view, book a Classic Wine Tasting. The more comprehensive Cave Tour and Tasting includes a brief property walk, seasonal small bites, and current and library wines.

Stellar fruit sources and a winemaker with a light touch have earned Sojourn Cellars high ratings from critics for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Cabernet Sauvignons. Founded in 2001, the winery started out producing Cabernet and still makes several from the Napa Valley and Sonoma County, but the more than a dozen well-balanced Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap, and Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs capture most of the attention. Comparative tastings (by appointment) at a bungalow just east of Sonoma Plaza explore the subtle variations in the Pinots caused by climate, terrain, and clone type depending on the grape sources. By 2024, Sojourn hopes to be making wine and receiving guests at the former Ravenswood Winery site a few miles away but plans to retain the bungalow space for in-town sessions.

The northernmost of the 21 missions established by Franciscan friars in California, Sonoma Mission was founded in 1823 as Mission San Francisco Solano. These days it serves as the centerpiece of Sonoma State Historic Park, which includes several other sites in Sonoma and nearby Petaluma. Some early mission structures fell into ruin, but all or part of several remaining buildings date to the era of Mexican rule over California. The Sonoma Barracks, a half block west of the mission at 20 East Spain Street, housed troops under the command of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, who controlled vast tracts of land in the region. General Vallejo's Home, a Victorian-era structure, is a few blocks west.

Dating to the mission era, Sonoma Plaza is surrounded by 19th-century adobes, atmospheric hotels, and the swooping marquee of the Depression-era Sebastiani Theatre. A statue on the plaza's northeastern side marks the spot where California proclaimed its independence from Mexico on June 14, 1846. Despite its historical roots, the plaza is not a museum piece. On summer days it's a hive of activity, with children blowing off steam in the playground, couples enjoying picnics from gourmet shops, and groups listening to live music at the small amphitheater. The stone city hall is also here. If you're wondering why the 1906 structure looks the same from all angles, here's why: its four sides were purposely made identical so that none of the plaza's merchants would feel that city hall had turned its back to them.

This sister winery to Hall St. Helena specializes in Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, Mendocino County, California's Central Coast, and Oregon's Willamette Valley and also produces Chardonnay. Just north of Sonoma Plaza, the tasting room occupies a mid-1930s Tudor-inspired home whose backyard tables sit beneath canary palms and a tall, double-trunk redwood tree. One tasting focuses on current releases. To see how the wines pair with food, make a reservation for Root 101 (not offered daily), a showcase for single-vineyard Pinots that includes small bites. A third option involves chocolates.