322 Best Sights in Napa and Sonoma, California

The rooftop patio's the draw at this three-level brick-walled tasting room opened by vintner Joseph Wagner, who grew up working at his family's Caymus Vineyards before starting successful brands on his own. Hosts inside the 1908 structure pour Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from Wagner's Belle Glos, Böen, and Elouan labels, plus Napa Valley Quilt’s Chardonnay, Fumé Blanc, red blend, and Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings and Key to Building 1’s Albariño.   You can customize a tasting from the diverse portfolio.

An ambitious beautification project also promoting democracy in art, outdoor wellness, and other ideals, RAD Napa commissions artists to paint murals on buildings, fences, and utility boxes along or near downtown Napa's railroad tracks. Sculptures and other installations are also involved. Many of the outdoor artworks can be viewed along the Napa Valley Vine Trail pedestrian and biking path or aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train. Download a walking map on RAD Napa's website.

All the world's a stage to Jean-Charles Boisset, Raymond's charismatic owner—even his vineyards, where his five-act Theater of Nature includes a series of gardens and displays explaining biodynamic agriculture. The theatrics continue indoors in the disco-dazzling Crystal Cellar tasting room (chandeliers and other accoutrements by Baccarat), along with several additional spaces, some sedate and others expressive. The lush wines include Cabernet Sauvignons and numerous Bordeaux-style red blends.  The Winemaker for a Day blending seminars here are entertaining.

Some ex–movie folks started Red Car, naming it after Los Angeles's old streetcars and producing wines out of Southern California before moving to West County. Coastal cool-climate wines are the specialty. The Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, among the best, come from grapes grown in the far-coastal Fort Ross–Seaview AVA. Also look for the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, rosé of Pinot, and Heaven & Earth Pinot Noir. The tasting room's hip country-casual decor pairs well with the rock playlist and the hosts' low-key approach.

This tasting room and retail shop serves wines by the glass from a few dozen Sonoma County producers. Each week a different operation takes center stage, with vintners, winemakers, or staffers discussing their wines during meet-the-makers happy hours. Convene by Dan Kosta and Michael Browne's CHEV, separate projects by the founders of Kosta Browne, are among the labels represented, along with Chenoweth, Lombardi, Scherrer, Trombetta, and other local brands. If you've never heard of them, there's your reason to check this place out.

Centered on a two-story 1904 manor house constructed from Napa River stone, this tasting space amid Restoration Hardware's food, wine, art, and design compound is an excellent spot to learn about small-lot Napa and Sonoma wines. Collector-revered labels like Corison, Lail, Matthiasson, Mayacamas, and Spottswoode are represented, the wines in good weather poured by the glass, flight, or bottle in "outdoor living rooms" behind the stone structure. Oozing RH fabulousness, the Wine Vault can feel like a scene on a busy day, but the wines are the real deal.

The rare manuscripts, first editions, photographs, childhood toys, and other artifacts at this small museum document the life and literary career of Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). One exhibit examines the months Stevenson, at the time impoverished, spent in an abandoned miners' bunkhouse north of Calistoga in what's now Robert Louis Stevenson State Park. The interlude inspired the author's book The Silverado Squatters. Check before visiting to make sure the museum will be open, as staffing is sometimes an issue.

Arguably the most influential participant in the Napa Valley's rise to international prominence, the late Robert Mondavi established his namesake winery in the 1960s. In an era when tasting rooms were downscale affairs, Mondavi commissioned architect Cliff May to create a grand Mission-style space to receive visitors. The winery is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, which Mondavi marketed as the more elegant-sounding Fumé Blanc, but also makes wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and several other grapes. The winery closed in 2023 for extensive renovations, expected to be completed by early 2026. Until the Oakville property reopens, tastings will take place in downtown Napa at Arch & Tower in the Borreo Building, 930 3rd Street.

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's lush reds, among them several Cabernets and a Tempranillo 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. Over these wines, preceded perhaps by a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Noir, guests hear inspiring multigenerational tales, sometimes firsthand from Everardo or one of his siblings.  Picnickers and pets are welcome here.

Claiming a pretty site, with patio tables overlooking the vineyards, this winery has an airy tasting room with an equally romantic view. Production is small, and fans on the winery's mailing list snap up most of the bottles, but Rochioli is still worth a stop to sample wines that usually include the estate Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and one other. Because of the cool growing conditions in the Russian River Valley, the whites' flavors are intense and complex, and the Pinot Noir, which helped cement the Russian River's status as a varietal powerhouse, is consistently excellent. Tastings are by appointment.

The late Rodney Strong was among the first winemakers to plant Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley. His namesake winery still makes Pinot Noirs, but it's known more for Cabernet Sauvignon. The large brand has a stylish tasting room, though from April through October many guests sit on an umbrella-shaded vineyard-view terrace sipping wines from several Sonoma County appellations. Some tastings include the Cabernet-heavy Bordeaux-style Rowen Wine blends from a hilly ranch in far northern Sonoma County.  The winery hosts summer outdoor concerts; Alanis Morissette, Blues Traveler, and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram have performed in recent years.

"Iconic" is an adjective often associated with Rombauer Chardonnays, particularly the flagship Carneros bottling. Sometimes described simply as "buttery," the wines express, at their best, equal parts ripeness, acidity, and creaminess, with vanilla accents courtesy of oak aging. Purchased in 2023 by Gallo, the winery also makes Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, sparkling, and dessert wines. Most guests book a full tasting, but it's also possible to sip by the glass or bottle in the landscaped garden.  Outside food is permitted at garden sessions (reservations recommended).

Redwoods and cedars tower over the downtown garden patio of this under-the-radar producer of Bordeaux-varietal wines. Alison Doran, whose first wine-making gig was as a harvest intern in the 1970s for André Tchelistcheff, the premier California winemaker of his era, extracts rich flavors from grapes grown in Romeo's half-century-old southern Calistoga vineyard. The Napa Valley Cabernet is a bargain for the quality; the Malbec and Petit Verdot are also strong suits, as are the Sauvignon Blanc and Petit Verdot rosé. Musicians perform on summer weekends, when pizza parties also take place.

Sophisticated wines come from Round Pond, but the valley-floor estate also produces premium olive oils, most from olives grown and crushed on the property. Guests participating in the olive oil tasting, held across the street from the winery, pass through the high-tech olive mill and sample the aromatic oils. Hosts at the winery tasting room pour Round Pond's well-rounded red and many other wines. The flagship Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has the structure and heft of classic 1970s Rutherford Cabs but acknowledges 21st-century palates with smoother, if still sturdy, tannins. Tastings are by appointment only. The full Il Pranzo lunch incorporates products made and produce grown on-site.

Live music on Fridays and weekends attracts an eclectic clientele to this winery specializing in single-vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs, but it's worth a stop anytime. In good weather, most guests enjoy tastings under pergolas, shade trees, and umbrellas as woodpeckers pilfer acorns from nearby oaks, caching their booty in the redwood roof of the property's hop-barn-style structure. The countrified setting has been known to induce "couch lock," causing patrons to while away hours sipping wine and nibbling on gourmet food boards, sandwiches, and salads (lunch is served daily). Some folks even settle in with a book, an option that wine service by the glass or bottle makes all the more tempting.

A short drive down a country lane leads to this winery whose founder, Nils Venge, made history as the first U.S. winemaker to earn a 100-point score from the critic Robert Parker. The wine that earned this distinction was a Cabernet Sauvignon for nearby Groth. These days, Venge makes two Cabs for his own label, along with Pinot Blanc, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Malbec, and several others guests sample by appointment at vineyard's-edge picnic tables. Saddleback's presentation is decidedly retro compared to its tonier Oakville neighbors, but the stories, wines, and mountain views east and west cast a memorable spell.

This pioneer helped dispel the conventional wisdom that only the French could produce great Pinot Noir. With their subtlety and balance, Saintsbury's wines continue to please. In recent years the winery has expanded its reach from Los Carneros to the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, the Sonoma Coast, and elsewhere in California with equally impressive results. Named for the English author and wine lover George Saintsbury, this unpretentious operation also makes a few Chardonnays and a Chenin Blanc. Visits are by appointment only. When the weather cooperates, tastings take place in a rose garden.

As a lad in Germany, the late Walter Schug made Pinot Noir, inspiring a lifelong preoccupation with the Burgundian grape. The founding winemaker at the Napa Valley’s Joseph Phelps Vineyards, in the 1980s he established his namesake winery in the far western reaches of Los Carneros AVA. His children continue his legacy, producing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux-style wines. There's also a wine from the St. Laurent grape, an offspring of Pinot. Sample current releases in the courtyard with a vineyard view, or book a private cave tour with a brief property walk and tastes of single-vineyard wines.

After working nearly a decade at Italian Swiss Colony, then among California's largest wine producers, Edoardo Seghesio purchased land in 1895 and planted some of the Alexander Valley's earliest Zinfandel vines. Fruit from them goes into his namesake winery's highly rated Home Ranch Zinfandel, one of several Zins made here. Wines from Italian grapes are another emphasis, most notably Venom, from what Seghesio bills as North America's oldest Sangiovese vineyard. The Vermentino and Barbera are exceptional, too. Some tastings take place on the broad lawn and patio fronting the property.

Walt Disney animator Ben Sharpsteen, who retired to Calistoga, founded this old-school but compelling museum whose centerpiece is a diorama depicting the Calistoga Hot Springs Resort during its 19th-century heyday. A restored cottage from the resort, moved to this site, sits next door to the museum but is entered through it. Other exhibits survey life in Calistoga through the decades and author Robert Louis Stevenson's time here in 1880. 

The first review of this winery’s debut 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon declared the wine not all that good and overpriced at $6 a bottle. Oops. The now-celebrated Bordeaux-style blend, still the only Napa Valley Cab bearing the winery's label each year, evolved into a cult favorite, and founders Ray Duncan and Justin Meyer received worldwide recognition for aging their wines exclusively in American oak barrels. Tastings take place in a hospitality center constructed of reclaimed stone and other materials from a 19th-century flour mill. At-the-bar pours for walk-ins include the current Napa Valley Cabernet and its Alexander Valley counterpart, made at Silver Oak's Sonoma County facility. You’ll need a reservation for elevated sessions involving library wines or food pairings.

The splurge at Silver Trident is on the decor: this tasteful downtown space doubles as a Ralph Lauren Home Collection showroom where everything’s for sale. It’s a fittingly ritzy setting for subtly delicious Sauvignon Blanc, rosé, Pinot Noir (winemaker Kari Auringer's strong suit), and Bordeaux-style reds (also quite good). You can taste current releases without food, though most guests opt for a pairing with gourmet potato chips or Detroit-style pizzas. Visits are by appointment. Walk-ins are often possible.

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 well-balanced Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap, and Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs capture much of the attention. Comparative tastings at a bungalow just east of Sonoma Plaza explore the subtle variations in the wines caused by climate, terrain, and clone type depending on the grape sources.

Rare East Asian trees and plants thrive in this 67-acre woodland garden just north of downtown Glen Ellen. The colors throughout are most vibrant in spring, but year-round a visit here makes for a pleasant break from wine touring. The garden hosts more than a hundred permanent and migratory bird species.

Franciscan friars established the northernmost of their 21 California missions in 1823. Exhibits at the mission, the centerpiece of Sonoma State Historic Park, and nearby related sites convey a sense of life during 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 General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, who controlled vast tracts of land in the region. General Vallejo's home stands a few blocks farther 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. On summer days, the plaza is 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. The 1906 structure’s 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.

After an ill-fated attempt to make chocolate wine, founder Bill Reading’s notion of adding dark-chocolate essences to Port became Deco Port, the first hit of this small winery on downtown’s southern edge. Reading followed up Deco by adding hazelnut essences to what's now called Duet Sherry. Individual Ports made from Chardonnay, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo rosé, and Zinfandel are among the other crowd-pleasing wines you can taste in the warehouselike space where some are made and all are aged.

Winemaker Elaine St. Clair and wine-business executive Laina Brown founded this "urban winery" and nanobrewery a few blocks north of downtown. Most tastings unfold across the street from the dual production facility in a colorful culinary garden. St. Clair produces crisp yet complex whites and balanced layered reds, among them Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Making beer wasn't an afterthought for St. Clair, the first woman in the United States to earn a degree in both wine making and brewing. A few of her award-winning beers are always on tap. You can sample them, the wines, or zero-proof cocktails solo or with addictive appetizers.

Nestled at the foot of Mt. Hood, St. Francis has earned national acclaim for its pairings of wines and small bites. With its bell tower, red-tile roof, and views of the Mayacamas Mountains to the east, the winery's California Mission–style visitor center occupies one of Sonoma County's most scenic locations. The charm of the surroundings is matched by the wines, among them Cabernet Sauvignons and rich earthy Zinfandels. The five-course pairings might include Chardonnay with lobster bisque or Cabernet Sauvignon with wine-braised beef ribs.