322 Best Sights in Napa and Sonoma, California

London-style gin got the ball rolling for Michael and Jenny Griffo’s industrial-park distillery, which also produces vodka, whiskey, brandy, liqueurs, and bottled cocktails. Michael, who handles the distilling, has a PhD in physics research, but the spirits satisfy as much for their creativity as the scientific rigor. Case in point: the single-malt whiskey Michael developed with the brewmaster at neighboring Lagunitas Brewing using barley mash from one of the latter's beers. A small bar near the entrance serves single tastes, flights, and cocktails. The barrel room and adjacent patio host live music and other events, often with food trucks.

The Bundschu family has owned much of this 320-acre property since 1858. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and red blends from estate grapes are the specialty—the Bordeaux-style Mountain Cuvée contains each vintage's best fruit. Guests seeking a quick introduction can stand at the bar inside an 1870 stone winery still used for production, sampling wines that might also include a Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, or rosé. More leisurely seated tastings take place in a courtyard with views of vineyards and a pond.   Book a seasonal cave tour or Pinzgauer vehicle vineyard excursion for a more comprehensive experience.

Hard to miss along Highway 29, Lawrence Argent's 35-foot-tall Bunny Foo Foo, a stainless-steel sculpture of a rabbit leaping out of the vineyard, is one of many museum-quality artworks on display at Hall. Looking westward from the glass-walled hospitality center's second floor, rows of neatly spaced Cabernet vines capture the eye, and beyond them the tree-studded Mayacamas Mountains. The Art of Cabernet tasting provides a solid introduction to this prominent producer's flagship varietal. Sister operation Hall Rutherford hosts wine-and-food pairings atop a Rutherford hillside.

A diverting stop across from Healdsburg Plaza, this small storefront museum displays antiques fans from around the world. The collection includes 19th-century floral-theme specimens from Japan, France, and Austria that show exquisite craft, with commercial 20th-century ones from the United States promoting products, politicians, and ideas. Some fans are for sale.

Handcrafted, 100% Cabernet Sauvignons from hillside and mountain vineyards 2 acres or smaller are this boutique winery's emphasis, with the wines from Mt. Veeder, Rutherford, and Calistoga often among the best. The lineup also includes Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, along with a Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County's Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Guests at appointment-only seated tastings sip in a light-filled upscale-rustic space clad in reclaimed redwood wine-barrel staves or in the open-air courtyard the structure surrounds.

A limestone structure, rustic from the outside but modern within, contains tasting salons and a gallery exhibiting museum-quality works by artists such as Andy Goldsworthy, Anselm Kiefer, and Robert Rauschenberg. Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon is the portfolio's star, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir additional strong suits. Some experiences include a tour of the art Swiss founder Donald Hess collected; others might involve an ATV vineyard excursion, food pairings, or comparing Cabernets.

Cookware for sale catches the eye at this contemporary concrete-and-glass tasting room before wine bottles do—the founder manufactures pots and pans for upscale outlets like Williams-Sonoma and in the 2020s introduced a line by chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry. Sit down for a tasting, though, and attention quickly shifts to the polished, almost voluptuous wines that two acclaimed winemakers craft for four separate labels. The Meyer and Stephanie Cabernet Sauvignons and the Stephanie Petit Verdot, all from grapes grown amid the southern Vaca Range, are particularly successful, as is the Vincent Christopher Pinot Noir.

Doug Hill farms grapes for prominent Napa wineries, but at the urging of his son, Ryan, the family began bottling its own Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other wines. Crafted by Alison Doran, a protégé of the late Napa winemaker André Tchelistcheff, these are refined reds you can sample, along with whites that include Albariño and Chardonnay, on a 7½-acre estate. Alfresco tastings take advantage of classic valley views—vineyards and the board-and-batten winery building up close, the Mayacamas Mountains farther west. Appointment-only visits are limited to a few guests per day, but the family also operates a tasting salon less than a mile away in downtown Yountville. Ask about seasonal tours (with tasting) of a "secret garden" that grows produce for The French Laundry and other top restaurants.

Sustainable farming is the big story at this family-run winery. When offered, the absorbing Eco-Tour and Tasting focuses on the Honig family's environmentally friendly farming and production methods, which include using biodiesel to fuel the tractors, monitoring water use in the vineyard and winery, and generating power with solar panels. Bluebirds, hawks, and owls patrol for insects, rodents, and other pests. Known for Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the Honigs also make rosé of Cabernet and late-harvest Sauvignon Blanc. All tastings are by appointment; call ahead for last-minute availability.

Dubbed "the wise man of Carneros" by Wine Spectator, winegrower Larry Hyde began farming grapes in the southern Napa Valley in 1979. For years, high-scoring brands like Massican and DuMol have purchased his fruit. With this exalted a pedigree—experts consider Hyde Vineyards not merely among California's finest vineyards but also the world—it was only a matter of time before wines bearing the Hyde name would appear. Pinot Noir came first, followed by Chardonnay and later Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Syrah, poured at the appointment-only tasting room Hyde and his son, Chris, opened. During midsummer heat waves, San Pablo Bay breezes keep patrons on the vineyard-edge terrace blessedly cool.

"The winemaker is in," reads a driveway sign when owner Kathleen Inman, who crafts her winery's Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and other Russian River Valley wines, is present. Her restrained, balanced, exceedingly food-friendly output also includes rosé of Pinot Noir, sparkling wines, and Pinot Gris. Inman’s zeal to recycle is evident everywhere, most conspicuously in the tasting room, where redwood reclaimed from an on-site barn was incorporated into the design, and crushed wine-bottle glass was fashioned into the bar. Tastings, some held on an outdoor patio, are by appointment. Book a "Meet the Maker" session to learn directly from the source about her farming, fermenting, and aging methods.

A top sparkling-wine producer, J also makes Russian River Valley Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and other still wines. One tasting highlights wines whose grapes come from multiple vineyards; another emphasizes single-vineyard and reserve wines. For a more indulgent experience, book yourself into the Bubble Room's five-course wine and food pairing (reservation required).

Wine writers turned vintners Roger Beery and his late wife Donna parlayed their passion for Pinot Noir into a boutique winery that benefits from connections they made while reporting on the industry. They met their consulting winemaker, Adam Lee, even before he cofounded Siduri Wines, and their vineyard lineup includes stellar sites like El Coro, La Cruz, van der Kamp, and the Martinelli family's The Wedding Block. J. Cage also produces a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc, a rosé of Pinot Noir, and the Craftsman's blend of Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah. Considering the caliber of the vineyards involved, the wines, poured at a shared storefront space, are reasonably priced.

Mirrors and shiny surfaces abound in this ode to indulgence named for its French owner, Jean-Charles Boisset (JCB). Sparkling wine, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir were early successes, with Cabernet Sauvignon a more recent strong suit. Boisset's plush tasting space doubles as a showcase for home decor items from the likes of Lalique and Baccarat.

The grapes at family-owned Jericho Canyon grow on hillsides that slope as much as 55 degrees. The rocky, volcanic soils of this former cattle ranch yield intensely flavored berries that winemaker Nicholas Bleecher, the founders' son, transforms in consultation with blending specialist Michel Rolland into three Cabernet Sauvignons and a few other wines. The nuances of sustainable farming in this challenging environment are among the topics covered during tastings. All visits, customized based on guests' interests, are by appointment.

This boutique winery's guests discover why "wind to wine" is the Petaluma Gap AVA's slogan. The steady Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay breezes that mitigate the midday heat give the grapes thick "sailor's skin," heightening their tannins and flavor, says Ana Keller, whose parents began planting vineyards here in 1989 on former dairy fields. Tastings of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah wines usually take place alfresco on a stone terrace shaded by umbrellas and flowering pear trees. On most days, a few dozen cars collected by winery founder Arturo Keller are on display.

Some of the best Kenwood wines—Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and a red blend—are made from Sonoma Mountain AVA grapes the winery farms on the author Jack London's old vineyard. Kenwood, established in 1970, is best known for these wines and its widely distributed Sauvignon Blanc. Since its purchase by France's Pernod Ricard, new to the brand are the top-of-the-line The Barn Chardonnay and The Barn Pinot Noir, whose labels depict the 1906 barn, still in use, erected by the property's original vintners. Tastings are by appointment, though last-minute weekday visits are usually possible.

Two businessmen brothers own this winery that produces collector-quality Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon on a secluded Knights Valley AVA estate. All the wine production on this site, whose elevation varies from 300 to 900 feet, takes place underground in an ingeniously designed cave. Most visits begin with a UTV side-by-side property tour, passing by dry-farmed, head-trained Chardonnay vines more than three decades old and several Cabernet and other Bordeaux-grape blocks. Although in Sonoma County, the winery bears a Calistoga address; if using GPS, make sure to enter the correct coordinates.

The brothers Korbel (Joseph, Francis, and Anton) planted Pinot Noir grapes in the Russian River Valley in the 1870s, pioneering efforts duly noted during tastings and tours at the well-known brand's Guerneville facility. Korbel produces dry to sweet bubblies using the French méthode champenoise, for which the second fermentation occurs in the bottle. If it's open when you visit, stroll through the rose garden, home to more than 250 varieties.

The high-profile brand's multistory tasting space occupies a restored early-1900s redwood barn used over the years for hops, hay storage, and as a stable. With its cool Russian River Valley maritime climate, the celebrated Saralee's Vineyard fits the preferred La Crema profile for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. You can sample wines on the patio or (if you book ahead) hop aboard a golf cart for a vineyard tour followed by a tasting.

These days owned by Heineken International, Lagunitas began as a craft brewery in Marin County in 1993 before moving to Petaluma in 1994. In addition to its large facility, the home of "hop-forward" IPAs operates a taproom, the Schwag Shop for gifts, and a beer garden. Guides leading the brewery tour, which includes a beer flight, provide an irreverent version of the company's rise to international acclaim.

The Normandy-style castle visible from the highway was intended as winery owner Steve Ledson's family home when construction began in 1989, but this 16,000-square-foot space has always been a production facility and hospitality center. Pourers stationed amid a warren of tasting rooms introduce guests to the several dozen mostly single-varietal wines Ledson makes, everything from Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon to Rhône varietals such as Syrah and Mourvèdre. The on-site Marketplace sells salads, sandwiches, artisanal cheeses, and other edibles you can enjoy on the picnic grounds (no outside food, though).

Several small wineries, most without their own tasting rooms, pour their wines at this modest downtown Geyserville storefront. There's no fee to sip—extraordinary for wines of this quality—and the knowledgeable hosts are happy to pour you a flight so you can compare, say, Cabernet Sauvignons. Locals occasionally hosts guest speakers and wine seminars.

A winery with personality galore, Lola earns critical plaudits for owner-winemaker Seth Cripe's accessible unconventional wines. The Albariño, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Malvasia Bianca, Riesling, and other whites favor acidity and “unripeness,” a succulence two rosés and reds including Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Charbono, and Cabernet Sauvignon also share. All the wines are from single vineyards and 100% one grape type. Cripe, who also runs a lucrative business selling bottarga (fish roe) to fine-dining restaurants, presents his wines at a redbrick 1892 former home a few blocks from the center of town. In good weather, most tastings take place on the tree-shaded back patio.

A 100-point score for its Lot No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon and a snappy renovation of the original 1933 winery added 21st-century luster to this operation whose namesake was a founding Napa Valley Vintners member. Established well before the valley's preoccupation with Cabernet Sauvignon took hold, Martini, owned for more than two decades by E&J Gallo, also makes Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux-style red blends, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Muscat, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and dessert wines. A basic tasting includes a few of these. The more comprehensive Heritage Tasting of small-lot wines is highly recommended, with or without the optional food pairing. Fun fact: 10 of the St. Helena AVA acres the winery occupies cost Louis M. $3,000 (total) in 1933.

Back when tasting rooms were low-tech and the winemaker often poured the wines, the experience at Loxton Cellars unfolded pretty much the way it does today. The personable Australia-born owner, Chris Loxton, who's on hand many days, crafts a white and a rosé, along with reds that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, and the popular “GSP” (Grenache, Syrah, and Petite Sirah) blend. All are good, and some regulars swear by the two Syrah Ports. In good weather, tastings take place at picnic tables with vineyard views.  To learn more about Loxton's wine-making practices, book a tour, followed by a seated tasting.

Renowned horticulturist Luther Burbank lived and worked on these grounds and made significant advances using modern selection and hybridization techniques. The 1.6-acre garden and greenhouse showcase the results of some of Burbank's experiments to develop spineless cacti and such flowers as the Shasta daisy. Use your cell phone on a free self-guided garden tour, or from April through October take a docent-led tour (required to see the house).

Undulating vineyard hills front this longtime Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producer's steel, wood, and heavy-on-the-glass tasting space. Moments after you've arrived and a host has offered a glass of wine, you'll already feel transported into a genteel realm. With fruit from renowned sources—25-plus for the Chardonnays, 20-plus for the Pinots—the wine-making team downplays the oak and other tricks of the trade, letting the vineyard settings, grape clones, and vintage do the talking. Seated tastings, inside or on balcony terraces with views across the Russian River Valley, are by appointment, but walk-ins are usually accommodated.

In a century-old hop barn with the telltale triple towers, Martinelli's tasting room has the feel of a country store. The winery's reputation rests on complex Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, and Zinfandels, including the Jackass Hill Vineyard Zin, made with grapes from vines planted mainly in the 1880s by the current owners' ancestors. Noted winemaker Helen Turley set the Martinelli style in the 1990s—fruit-forward, easy on the oak, reined-in tannins—and the 21st-century team continues this approach. All visits are by appointment; some tastings unfold on a vineyard's-edge terrace in good weather. Serious wine drinkers gravitate to the Collector's Flight of top-drawer Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels.

The visitor center at Matanzas Creek sets itself apart with an understated Japanese aesthetic, extending to a tranquil fountain and a vast field of lavender. The winery makes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines under the Matanzas Creek name, and four equally well-regarded bottlings—a Bordeaux red blend, a Pinot Noir, a Chardonnay, and a Sauvignon Blanc—bearing the Journey label. The winery, owned by Jackson Family Wines, encourages guests to enjoy a picnic on the property. Hosts waive the table fee with a wine purchase. Weekend reservations are a good idea.  From late June to mid-August, blooming lavender perfumes the air.