It's our first time in the Wine Country Area. We would like tips, tours and places we should visit. We are traveling from South America.

It's been a couple of years since we did that trip, but I do remember that the Chandon winery was the best one.
It's the only one that charges -- a few dollars for a glass of wine with cheese and crackers. And you get to sit on a patio overlooking the vineyards while you sip. Also, the tour of the winemaking operation was good.
The other wineries practically throw the stuff at you. It's free, but not very elegant.

Maria,

You really won't need to find any tours. You can pick up a free map of the area which will show you where all the wineries are located, and you can explore on your own. I think it's better that way because it affords you more flexibility and independence. Napa and Sonoma Counties are both very beautiful and can get crowded, especially in the summer to fall months. Napa has quite a few of the larger wineries that produce larger quantities of wine, and have impressive buildings and grounds. Most of the wineries charge a small fee for tasting, which may be deducted off the cost of any wine you purchase. Sonoma is a much smaller area. There are many family owned wineries, very beautiful area as well. The area seems more intimate. The wineries there don't typically charge for tasting, although I believe some are beginning to. My favorite for wine is Cakebread in Napa. Visit Chateau St. Jean for the beautiful grounds. Hope you have a good time!

Maria, may I suggest you purchase "Wine Country" (about Napa and Sonoma Valleys) by John Doerper, Compass American Guides. If you look at a CA map, you see that you depart SF for Route 29 and head north. This will take you through the heart of the Napa Valley, and by accessing internet and using the Doerper book, you'll be able to pinpoint the wineries to visit. Many offer a good place to picnic, and you can get the food from Oakville Grocery on 29. Sonoma is just a short distance west. There are numerous B&B's (e.g., Ink House on 29 is great!), plus many, many excellent restaurants. Also, access the Wine Spectator Magazine website and research their past articles on Napa and Sonoma. One I recall included places to stay and to dine, plus all the details on the best winderies open to the public. Just a suggestion: many places will charge for the tasting ... so, pick the better places and forget the cost. You might also access Zagat's ... I'm not certain but they may have published a miniguide to the wine areas of northern CA. If you get an opportunity, include the Russian River area in your tour, so you can taste the many fine pinot noirs being bottled in N. CA. For a thrill, follow that river out to the Pacific Ocean, at Jenner, CA, and follow Hwy. 1 south along the coast back to SF. Have a good time, and allow at least 3-4 days.

Hello Maria,

We live about a little over an hour from the Napa Valley and try and get down there 4-5 times a year.

We find the town of Yountville to be a very nice place. A lot of great places to stay and some of the better restaurants in the area nearby, either by walking or a short mile or 2 drive.
A lot of winereies all over. You can get a map of them from the Yountville Chamber of Commerce. Try their website.

On this message board, try running "Yountville" then highlight "California" in the Text Search and you should find a whole lot of suggestions.

I feel like going down there for lunch today. Around 85 degrees and sunny!
Mahalo,
Kal

Maria, Hi. May I make a suggestion. The Napa and Sonoma Valley are wonderful wine destinations. But they are very crowded, especially in the summer. If you feel like a little adventure, why not try Amador County near Sacramento? They have wonderful wines. The country is beautiful, not very far from Lake Tahoe. This is one of the most beautiful areas in the states. The people in Amador are very friendly. The pace is a lot slower and no where near as crowded as the other wine regions. The wine area there is centered around the gold rush area of the states. You will love it.

I don't know Napa well, but the following are places in Sonoma Valley where I take friends who are visiting:
Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma -now a historic site run by CA Parks & Recreation
The Barracks - the old military garrison, now a museum
General Vallejo's House - docent-guided tour of house and grounds
(One ticket gets you into all 3 of the above)
Shops, restaurants, and picnic grounds around Sonoma Plaza
Sebastiani Winery - offers a good free tour that ends in the tasting room and gift shop
Jack London State Park - museum with fascinating collection of artifacts from the writer's travels. A mile hike on a paved trail will take you to the ruins of his dream project, Wolf House

I hope you have a very pleasant stay.

I would suggest getting a copy of the tourguide "Wine Country Access." It will give you a good overview of both Napa and Sonoma Counties. One very nice one (an a great place for a picnic, but book ahead) is Chateau Montelena. Chateau Souverain is probably our favorite in Sonoma. Get the book as soon as you can since you'll need to book some hotel rooms prior to arrival if you're coming in the summer. BTW, the weather in the wine country is much warmer than SF in summer so add 10-15 degrees to the SF temperatures. Wishing you a great time.

Maria,

.Rent a car - no tour.
.Drive up route 29.
.#1st stop MUST be Robert Mondavi on left. The Best intro to wine making in the entire valley.
Just keep driving and stopping at places you think look like fun and make your own discoveries.
Stop in the town of St. Helena and walk around. Tra Vigna is my Favorite rest in Napa and is right there in St. Helena.
Louis Martini winery is free - many aren't any more - and the staff is fun.
Cakebread - incredible wines.
V. Satuii - free tasting - not such great wines, but the market and shopping is fun to see.
If you make it all the way up to Calistoga. Get a message there at any of the spas and recoop. Then head back down the other side of the valley along the Silverado Trail. This time stopping in at the mom and pop wineries. This is a fail-proof trip no matter what you do. A toast to your health!!

Start with a tour of one of the larger places - you've already had posters give you good advice on a few to try. My favorite place for a tour is Sterling b/c its up on a mountain and has fabulous view/grounds. Clos Pegasse is right nearby if you're interested in art - they have a nice collection that is worth a few minutes to stop by.

After you cover the basics, try to go to some of the smaller vineyards - if you stay in a small bed & breakfast, ask the locals who run it to recommend some of the smaller vineyards. Last time we did this, we got great recommendations - and had wonderful wine at family-run places that were happy to waive tasting fees. The experience was very personal and we got to hear firsthand from the winemakers, which we really enjoyed. Zahtila, up near Calistoga, was one such producer - they only make Red Zindfandel. If you are a Zin fan, its a can't miss visit - we ordered a case and gave several bottles as gifts - about half of the receipients ordered a case for themselves!

Definitely include a picnic lunch in your plans - either go to V. Sattui or buy groceries at Oakville Grocery or the Calistoga Grocery, both on the "main drag" of the wine country.

Have fun!

The above advice is fantastic - Fodorites are clearly keen wine drinkers! Definitely stay in Yountville not only for the accommodation but mainly the food - don't miss JeanTy - superb. Have fun.