My husband and I are going to San Francisco and San Diego for our first anniversary, and we are taking a day excursion to Muir Woods and then Napa/Sonoma Valleys. Do you recommend any particular winery or wineries that are geared to novice wine tasters, and that offer fun, unique tours, with beautiful settings?

We went to northern Sonoma about a year ago, near Healdsburg. It's less commercial (and expensive) than Napa--most tastings are still free up there.

We didn't go on any tours, but a beautiful place to visit is Ferrari-Carrano (sp.?)--while it is a bit commercialized for that area, they have beautiful gardens and good wine.

Another romantic place to visit is Chateau Souverain--it has an upscale cafe/restaurant for lunch (I don't believe they are open for dinner), and you can sit outside weather permitting.

We also enjoyed Preston wineries--a little place that has picnic tables outside and a few very friendly cats.

We were novices with wine, too, but if you just talk to the folks at the wineries (especially when they are not that busy), you can find that you can learn a lot that way. It's amazing how quickly your tastebuds develop even after trying a few wines.

you sure you wanna to this? as coffeeaddict wrote, it's amazing how quickly your tastebuds go from liking an $8 bottle to needing a $30 bottle.

Beringer has a very accessible wine tour (i.e. geared to the masses) but I like St. Supery. They've kind of got a wine museum thing going with little sniff boxes to tell you what "peppery" smells like, for example. It's also a working winery (Beringer isn't) so you can see wine actually being made. And the tasting part of it was good too.

Thank you for your help - MonicaRichards, you mentioned that Beringer is not a working winery. Is it just a vineyard, or a museum then? I heard it was quite beautiful.

Also, does anyone know which winery has the tram ride through the vineyard?

Benziger in Glen Ellen has a tram ride tour and offers an educational self guided tour through a small vineyard as well. Just up the road in Sonoma Valley (Rt12), try tasting at Landmark - friendly people and the Chard is well rated. An interesting place to try some "local" wines near Kenwood, also on Rt 12, is the Family Wineries of Sonoma. Thye have wines from several small producers nad it's a good way to compare various styles - people there are also very informative and won't be talking over your head. Sonoma Valley is the way Napa Valley was years ago and remains less crowded.

Beringer, along with many (most?) of the wineries that offer tours in Napa, actually make their wine at another location. What you get at the winery is the historical part where they used to make the wine, along with some vineyards.

Our favorites are Benzinger for an unique tour and good wines (ask if they have any Yamakawa), Kunde - again for a very interesting tour to the caves, Ferrari just for the setting (and great reds). When I have a day to spend during a business trip out there, I just hit those three and ship home a ton! Chateau St Jean is also really pretty.

People we know opened "Sullivan and Birney" winery in Glenn Allen. I hear it is beautiful and they also have a bed and breakfast. I have yet to go there but hear their wine is pretty good. They have a website.

They are a fabulous couple and I'm sure you would have a great time there...

sterling, in napa, has a tram -- www.sterlingvineyards.com.

Among several locations, Beringer crushes across the street. That way no one gets run over by trucks, forklifts, etc. or trips over hoses.

Another vote for the Benziger tram-the Sterling tram,at the North end of the Napa Valley is an aerial tram (with a $$ charge) over gardens up a hill to the winery-pretty in the late afternoon, but not as much fun or info as at the Benziger, which is in the vineyard and free ! I do agree MR that St.Supery (NV)is a neat place to go with it's exhibits. Definetly worth the stop. Sonoma County wineries are very friendly & easy going places for the most part. You may enjoy a look at www.wineroad.com - By the end of the day you will know more than you ever wanted-the tasting room staffs are eager to share what they know! Welcome to my backyard! Relax,and Have Fun!
R5

I'm not a regular wine drinker. So for purely sightseeing reasons, these are the wineries I enjoyed:
--Sterling in Napa has a tram that goes all the way up to the hill.
--Ferrari-Carrano in Healdsburg is a beautiful Italian mansion with gardens.
--Chateau Soverain, French chateau in Healdsburg, has a restaurant with views.
--Kendall Jackson near Healdsburg has a garden tour that features the various grapes used to make different wines (educational for novices like me).
--Korbel in Russian River area has a winery and garden tour.
--V. Sattui in Napa has a store where you can buy gourmet food items and picnic on their grounds.
--I went to one in Napa--the name escapes me--that gives tours of the actual wine-making process, machinery, barrels and all.
--I went to another one in Napa that has a gallery of modern art.
--Any winery that provides a lot of oils and dips to sample.

Napa for a novice wino:

1. Sterling Vineyards: beautiful location, tram ride for a view of the valley, stunning building that looks like a monastery. Some wonderful cabs are available there.

2. Beringer: this is probably one of the most educational tours in the valley. The house is lovely and they have great tasting rooms. If you are a newbie just go with the free or minimal cost tastings. The library wines are for the real wine nuts.

3. Sutter Home: No flames please. These supermarket wines introduce many people to the pleasures of wine and they are responsible for many wine drinkers today who started with their pink wine many years ago.

4. Chandon. A wonderful place to learn about sparkling wines (champagnes only come from the champagne region of France). You can taste many there.

If you drive to Muir Woods I recommend doint that in the morning fairly early, stopping off at Mountain Home for coffee (it is a stunning bed and breakfast on the road to Mt Tam and Muir Woods.

Thanks to everyone for all of their advice/suggestions. We are leaving for SF tomorrow, so I will let you know when I return in a few weeks!