It’s officially 2020 & our R&D for “What do in Sonoma while not celebrating Torhees” is now live! As you all know, Sonoma is a very special place for the two of us and we are so excited to share it with you. While in town, we highly recommend exploring as much as possible. To get you started on your adventures, below are some of our favorite places (food & vineyards) organized by geography. Each area has a different focus on the types of wines they grow based on its micro-climate but each winery carries a range of varietals. See a map for your phone here for reference or the one below. A few items to note:
Things with an * are our favorites
Places with an “(R)” - make a reservation
If you are interested in making the trek to Napa (the neighboring valley and county), please let us know and we can send you a list.
Other great places to search: Yelp and this adorable site called Google
If you’re going to be doing multiple wine tastings, we highly encourage utilizing Uber/Lyft or hiring a driver
Sonoma Square Area
Sonoma Square
Sonoma Square is the heart of the town of Sonoma with lots of places to eat, shop, and drink. The surrounding American Viticulture Area (“AVA”) includes Sonoma Valley and Sonoma Mountain.
Places to eat:
El Dorado Kitchen* (R, brunch & dinner), Girl and the Fig (R, brunch & dinner), Sunflower Cafe (breakfast/lunch & coffee), Basque Boulangerie Cafe (breakfast & coffee)
Wineries & Watering Holes:
Sebastiani Vineyards (closest winery to the square), Roche Winery (tasting room on the square), Hawkes Wine (tasting room on the square), Steiner’s Tavern (the best bar on the Square), B&V Whiskey Bar & Grille (where the after party is!)
Other Activities:
Sonoma Golf Club - an excellent golf course just 10 minutes from Sonoma Square. Although the club is private, if you’re staying at the Fairmont, you can reserve tee times through the hotel.
Fairmont Willow Stream Spa - a 40k square foot spa atop of a thermal mineral spring that boasts 3 outdoor pools including one that plays classical music under water.
South Sonoma Valley & Carneros
Scribe Winery
You’ll drive through this area on your way up to your hotel and it is also the gateway to Napa. The area is dominated by wineries but there are a few places to eat as well. The closest part of wine country to the Bay gives way to cooler weather best suited for lighter grapes.
Places to eat:
Angelo’s Wine Country Deli, Boon Fly Cafe*, and Lou's Luncheonette
Wineries:
Scribe (R)*, Nicholson Ranch, Gundlach Bundschu, Artesa (wines aren’t great, but interesting grounds), Domaine Carneros (pinots & bubbles), Cuvaison Estate, Etude, Rams Gate* (closest winery to SF)
North Sonoma Valley & Glen Ellen
Valley of the Moon Winery
Just north of the town of Sonoma, this region runs up into Santa Rosa and includes the area of Kenwood where both the Welcome Dinner and our Wedding is. Glen Ellen is the main town in the area.
Places to eat:
Glen Ellen Village Market (sandwiches at it’s butcher counter), The Fig Cafe, Glen Ellen Star*, Rancho Market & Deli* (a small Mexican market w/ great and cheap tacos)
Wineries:
Valley of the Moon, B.R. Cohn (the manager of the Doobie Brothers owns it and they have olive oil tasting as well), Imagery (bocce and cornhole!), Deerfield Ranch* (taste in a cave), Chateau St. Jean* (save it for our wedding!), Kunde, St. Francis, Belden Barns* (R)
Russian River Valley
The Russian River
One of the more picturesque parts of Sonoma, you’re now getting closer to the coast so there’s more fog and cooler temperatures. This unique climate leads to a lot of great Pinot and Chardonnay.
Places to eat:
Molsberry Market (grab a sandwich at the butcher counter before heading tasting for the day)
Wineries & Breweries:
Joseph Swan, Woodenheard, Garry Farrell, Porter Creek, Arista* (R), MacRostie Winery* (R), Russian River Valley Brewing Company (Santa Rosa & Windsor locations)*, Lagunitas Brewery (in Petaluma)
Healdsburg
The town of Healdsburg
Our favorite town in all of wine country! It’s a bit smaller than Sonoma but has great restaurants, wineries, and shops. Some of the wineries listed below are technically in the Russian River Valley AVA, but are close to Healdsburg.
Places to eat:
Oakville Grocery (sandwiches), Chalkboard, Dry Creek Kitchen, Campo Fina, Spoonbar, Barndiva, SingleThread Farms (R, three Michelin stars), Madrona Manor (R, one Michelin star), Bravas Bar de Tapas, Valette, Journeyman* (sandwiches/charcuterie)
Wineries:
Williamson Wines* (in the town and they pair each wine tasting with a bite of food), J. Vineyards* (has bubbles and you can also do a coursed lunch here), Rodney Strong (also can do a coursed lunch), Christopher Creek*
Dry Creek Valley & Alexander Valley
Fog resting at the bottom of Dry Creek Valley
Nestled north of Healdsburg in the upper most part of Sonoma County, this area is the furthest from the Bay so is the hottest part of Sonoma. Thus, its focus is on hardier grapes like Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Places to eat:
Dry Creek General Store
Wineries:
Medlock Ames*, Jordan (R), Mauritson, Ridge* (R, their Lytton Springs location), Talty, Mazzocco, Amphora*, Comstock