While Sonoma County offers a diverse range of wines and plenty of worthy wineries to visit, you don’t have to venture far for a day or two of wine tasting when staying in the charming town of Sonoma—many of the local tasting rooms are centrally located near Sonoma Plaza or just a short drive away. To help narrow down where to taste when you’re short on time, we’ve gathered the eight best spots for wine tasting in Sonoma. Pick and choose from the list below to curate your own perfect wine tasting itinerary.

Day One – Downtown Sonoma

WALT

Kathryn and Craig Hall, founders of HALL Winery in Napa Valley, founded WALT in 2010. Located just off the square in a converted home, WALT’s Sonoma tasting room is a welcoming place to sample the brand’s Sonoma County Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Stop in for a tasting of current releases or library selections, or, for a more elevated experience, reserve the Root 101 tasting, which features six single vineyard Pinot Noirs (spanning over 1,000 miles) with pairings from Sonoma Chef Seth Johnson.

Visit: 380 First Street West, Sonoma CA 95476
Contact: (707) 933-4440

Three Sticks

A stop into The Adobe at Three Sticks Wines should be high on your list when visiting Sonoma Wine Country. The meticulously restored Vallejo-Casteñada Adobe house is the oldest continuously occupied residence in Sonoma County, originally built in 1842, and makes for a memorable place to taste. Here, seated tasting experiences are both intimate and educational, providing the opportunity to sample the winery’s esteemed Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs—each made with grapes sourced from some of Sonoma County’s best vineyards.

Visit: 143 West Spain, Sonoma CA 95476
Contact: (707) 996-3328

Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery

Sebastiani is drenched in history, claiming the title as the only Sonoma winery that remained open during Prohibition, thanks to producing medicinal and sacramental wines. When Bill Foley acquired Sebastiani in 2008, he surprised many people by downsizing production to focus on crafting smaller lots of complex wines. Today, that decision has paid off, and Sebastiani’s legacy remains strong. Book a tasting to enjoy in their historic courtyard or opt to sip in the expansive indoor tasting room—either way, you’ll get to savor a relaxed tasting of wines.

Visit: 389 East Fourth Street, Sonoma CA 95476
Contact: (707) 933-3230 | (866) 485-6622 (toll free)

SIGH. Champagne Bar

Named for the sound a bottle of sparkling wine makes when the cork is eased out, SIGH is a worthy destination if you like sparkling wine, or if you need to break away from the sea of Pinot and Chardonnay. This bubbly-focused bar offers a vast range of sparkling wines from around the globe, including vintage Champagne, Italian Prosecco, and local Sonoma sparklers—all available by the glass and bottle. They also offer a rotating list of tasting flights, still wines from Sonoma County, and, for those who prefer their bubbles with hops, beer (including the “Champagne of Beers,” Miller High Life). To make your time at SIGH even more fun, order a cheese plate or a side of salty chips to pair with your high acid bubbly, or go big and splurge on a caviar tasting.

Visit: 120 W Napa St, Sonoma CA 95476
Contact: (707) 996-2444

Pangloss Cellars

Step inside Pangloss Cellars, located in a historic building over a century old, and take in the grand tasting room, with its high ceilings, exposed beams, and rock walls. Despite the expansiveness of the 4,000-square-foot space, it still manages to feel warm and inviting, thanks to intimate seating areas, cozy leather chairs, and a communal tasting bar. For an elevated experience, book the private Explore Moon Mountain District experience, which focuses on wines produced in the region’s volcanic terroir.

Visit: 35 E Napa St, Sonoma CA 95476
Contact: (707) 933-8565

Day 2 – Minutes From Town

Gloria Ferrer

Founded in 1986 by the Ferrer family (of Spain’s La Freixeneda), Gloria Ferrer was the first sparkling wine house in Sonoma, established to fulfill the family’s dream of producing traditional method sparkling wine in America. Today, this winery at the base of Sonoma is a popular destination for glasses or flights of sparkling wine and estate varietal wine, best enjoyed from the outdoor terrace. For a glimpse into Gloria Ferrer’s history and the sparkling wine process, join one of the daily tours (which include a taste of sparkling wine), or choose from the list of elevated experiences, such as the Culinary Journey, a delicious pairing experience, or the Reserve Expedition, which dives into vintage gems.

Visit: 23555 Arnold Drive, Sonoma CA 95476
Contact: (707) 933-1986

Buena Vista Winery

Just five minutes from Sonoma Plaza is Buena Vista Winery, the first premier winery founded in California in 1857. A designated Historic Landmark, this legendary estate has been reimagined by Jean-Charles Boisset of Boisset Family Estates, and offers no shortage of things to do, see, and taste—think a variety of tasting experiences, picnic grounds, wine caves, and even a 19th and 20th century tool museum. The Barrel Tasting & Winery Tour offers visitors a chance to experience the renovated Champagne Cellar and dig into Buena Vista’s rich history, followed by a tasting of current release wines, but on a nice day, you can’t beat an al fresco glass of wine with a picnic.

Visit: 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma CA 95476
Contact: (800) 926-1266

Gundlach Bundschu

Established in 1858, Gundlach Bundschu or “Gun Bun” is California’s oldest family-owned winery, located near Buena Vista just a few minutes from downtown Sonoma. This historic winery has a wide variety of wines to taste, from Gewürztraminer to Chardonnay, Tempranillo to Cabernet Franc, and a tasting experience for every taste and budget. Try the Pinzgauer Excursion for a chance to venture into the vineyards, or opt for the Rhinefarm Tasting, which takes place in a courtyard under the olive trees overlooking a pond. Want to head underground? The Cave & Vineyard Tour is a fun one, which includes a tasting of Gun Bun’s Vintage Reserve Cabernet.

Visit: 2000 Denmark Street, Sonoma CA 95476
Contact: (707) 938-5277