Wine Country. Your Way.

Wine Country: Know Before You Go

 

It’s Big!

Did you know there are more than 2,000 wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties? That’s a lot of wine, friends. It’s important to know there are only two main highways into the valley. They don’t really criss-cross, so you’ll want to plan your tour accordingly.

Plan on a Full Day

Estimate two to three hours of round trip travel time to/from Napa (the base of the Valley). There are no freeways and traffic is… let’s say… leisurely. Figure 30-45 minutes between vineyards. You’ll want at least an hour at each winery to taste and schmooze the winemaker. It’s not an experience to rush!

You Need Reservations

In our post-covid world, wineries are not open all day every day to the general public. You’ll need to make reservations… and for Napa wineries, expect to pay $65 - $200 in advance per person, for tour, tasting and maybe Wine Country bites. Hint: Sonoma tends to be less expensive and less crowded.

Tailor the Tour

When we plan a wine tour, it helps to know what kind of wine drinker you are. Are you a novice? Do you have clear preferences? Is your group interested in wineries with history and intriguing stories, or are you just looking for the wine country equivalent of a pub crawl? It’s all possible! (PS: See our Curated Sonoma Tour)

Spring for a Driver

It’s worth it! There’s nothing like leaving a winery and hopping right into a comfy, air conditioned SUV just waiting to take you to the next pour! Yes… ubers might get you to the winery, but… cell service isn’t reliable. Our drivers are. Email us to set up a tour and driver for you.

Wineries Don’t Do Dinner

While a few wineries offer a brunch or charcuterie boards, many of them don’t. And — this is a surprise to a lot of people — most wineries close up by 4 or 5 pm. The good news: the Wine Country is chock full of fantastic restaurants, and most of them also pour local wines.

Popular Wine Country Excursions

  • Green picnic area with tables and families tasting wine.

    One Stop Shop

    V. Sattui has three tasting rooms (reservations recommended), plus outdoor tasting areas. Their 2.5 acre picnic area and marketplace means you can taste, picnic and let kids be kids in this gorgeous field of green. This is a perennial favorite.

    The CIA at Copia is The Culinary Institute of America’s food and beverage hub in the heart of Napa. Explore food and wine through a variety of dining experiences, hands-on classes, shopping, and more. Check out the 3D dining experience — it is uh-maz-ing.

  • Sprawling-stone-castlye-with-grapevines

    Fantastic for Families

    Napa Valley is fun for kids, too! Check out Visit Napa Valley’s Top 10 list of family friendly wineries known to captivate the younger set with castle-esque architecture, peacocks and horses, cave tours and grape juice tastings. But, who said drawbridges, moats and torture chambers are just for kids?

    And your fur-babies? There’s a Wine Country for them, too. This is a good list on Dog Travel Buff (although our dogs are not well-behaved enough to travel to the Valley with us, so we cannot vouch for the pup experience personally.)

  • Vintage train dining table and Napa Valley view outside of large windows.

    Napa Valley Wine Train

    This vintage passenger train rolls 18 miles into the Napa Valley and back, treating its patrons to gourmet meals, local pours and gorgeous views of the famous wineries along the rails. They offer several experiences, including a high tea service, a murder mystery adventure and “Legacy” service, the only ride that stops at wineries along the way. Important note: Transportation is tricky, but we have set up a shared SUV shuttle on certain days. Learn more about the shuttle here.

  • Group with kids playing giant Connect 4 and drinking wine.

    Fun for Groups

    Gather, imbibe, shop and learn at this 15-winery tasting collective. Feast it Forward’s outdoor festival venue (The Yard) and experiential showroom (The Studio) features a live film studio, tasting room, food pop-ups, concert venue, plus kid and dog-friendly zones. There’s a lot here, and it’s all really cool.

    Cornerstone Sonoma is a wine country marketplace featuring a collection of world-class shopping, boutique wineries and tasting rooms, artisanal foods, art-inspired gardens, live music, and home to Cornerstone Gardens. Everybody in your group can find their bliss here.