Day Trip to Sonoma
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Not enough time or money to stay in Sonoma wine country? I get it, I have been there. Hotels are crazy expensive especially on the weekends. I don’t know about you but dropping $600 on a hotel I only plan on sleeping in, is not my jam.
So, let’s just go for the day! Want a weekend getaway? Check out my Napa Getaway.
First and foremost, if you plan on doing tastings or drinking. Take the bus or rent a driver to take you up there. It keeps you safe and lets you still have a blast. Most vineyards open at 10 or 11 am. Perfect to grab brunch first!
Sonoma Plaza Top Restaurant Recommendations
The girl and the fig is a local fav. Opening at 8am on Saturday and 10am on Sunday. With a casual brunch vibe and outdoor seating this is the perfect spot to start your Sonoma day trip. On our day trip to Sonoma we ate across the street for lunch, but this place was poppin!
The recommendation I got was for the Eldorado Kitchen. We had already started our day off drinking, so we needed to base our stomachs with some hearty food. And I am a sucker for fresh farm raised food. To be honest the food was great. My chopped salad was delish, but the service was not good. Maybe we caught them at an off time.
Now that you have gotten some food in you, take a peak around downtown. It is a cute little square that is the home to many delicious restaurants, mom and pop shops, and tastings.
Wine tastings, that is why you are reading this. Personally, I think Sonoma is forgotten about. Everyone talks about going to Napa but what about her sister Sonoma?
A tasting like none other. This is set in a quiet, private room because the size of the cellar is intimate. The cellar has a focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a special tasting of their Cabernet. Located in the Sonoma Plaza. Private tastings for only 8, every hour and a half.
Reservations are necessary. A tasting is $35.
I have not been to this vineyard yet, BUT I do know the owners also own Hall. Which I know all too well. My girlfriend was a wine club member here and the wine is decadent, fully bodied Cabernet! Since, Hall specializes in Cab. Walt’s expertise is in Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs. From what I understand this is just a tasting room, but if I know the Hall’s, the artwork will be exquisite and the ambiance comfortable.
Tasting compiled of 5 wines is $30.
Something you should know is I have not done a lot in Sonoma, but in light of my research for my next trip. I decided I should share it! A little insight to my picks. Easy to get to, no one wants to spend the day driving around wasting your buzz, I am a bottle snob at heart, if the label is cool on a bottle of wine, I buy it. This is a trick I used to do in college and rarely does it fail me.
Here is where my bottle snobbiness comes in. The label is clean, classic and the vineyard is Labyrinth Vineyard. I learned about Labyrinths the first time I did the Bay Area hike Land’s End in SF (check out my adventure). It is so interesting the history behind the mazes.
This tasting is just a tasting room, no vineyard and the tasting consists of Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs. I am sensing a Sonoma trend!
Reservations recommended, private tastings and tours are about 90 minutes and $35.
Before you hit the road and get out of the Sonoma Plaza, I suggest grabbing another bite! You could try the Sunflower Café or grab some Tapas at Tasca Tasca. The way the menu is set up is one of my favorite ways to eat. You choose, 3, 5 or 7 items on a list and you make your own app. I love it!
After you grab a nibble you can head to your first vineyard of the day, which is a 3-minute drive or less than a mile.
First a little history, this vineyard has been making wines for 100 years! It has got to be good right? Sebastiani was also the only vineyard to continue making wine during Prohibition. Supposedly, it was for medicinal reasons.
The tasting room is casual and upbeat. There are numerous opportunities for tastings. Walk-ins are welcome for bar tastings, reservations for tours are necessary. You can also get a pairing of cheese, local snacks and chocolates. Discovery Flights start at $15 and tours begin at $45.
On your way home, you can stop at one of my favorites! It is another mile down the road.
Ravenswood, a wine that I had heard about and honestly didn’t give a shot because the bottles at Safeway were less than $10. Dumb, I know. But I assumed it couldn’t be great. I was wrong.
Getting to the vineyard you take a beautiful drive up into the mountain, you might second guess yourself on if you are going the right way. (We ended up at the neighbor’s house, oops). When you pull up there are detailed cobblestone steps that lead you to the tasting room. You can also opt to do a tasting on the patio (do this on a nice day) the view is undeniable.
The wine was divine (I rhymed, twice), the view of the vineyard overlooking the mountains, was breathtaking to say the least, the Sommelier was knowledgeable, funny, so sweet and he gave us a couple extra tastes! They have snacks, which I am huge on. Those were delish too.
We did a walk-in tasting and enjoyed the view for $25 (reservations, not required). You can do a tour as well.
You can tackle Sonoma any way that you please. By starting at a vineyard or you can just cruise around the Plaza going from tasting to tasting. There are more options than there is time in a day, in case you run into the tastings being booked.
Once you have hit your last spot you can head back to the city or if you decide to spend the night there are plenty of options in the Plaza or around it.
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