8 Best Spots for Wine Tasting in Sonoma

Wineries
by HANA-LEE SEDGWICK
on JUNE 12, 2024

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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.

Downtown Sonoma

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Wineries / Sonoma

WALT Wines

Kathryn Walt Hall, founder of HALL Winery in Napa Valley, founded WALT Wines in 2012 and launched with the 2010 vintage with winemaker Megan Gunderson. 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.

Insider Tip

WALT also has a tasting room in Napa’s Oxbow district, where the same great wines and a variety of different experiences can be enjoyed in a more youthful, hip ambiance. Photo courtesy of Walt Wines / John Bedell

Details Visit Website

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Wineries / Sonoma

Three Sticks Wines

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.

Insider Tip

Each room in the rAdobe is beautifully decorated, but believe it or not, the bathrooms are some of the most impressive rooms you'll find here. These washrooms stand out for their decorative mirrors and elaborate wallpaper, so be sure to make time for a bathroom break. Photo courtesy of Facebook: Three Sticks Wines

Details

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Wineries / Sonoma

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 going 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.

Insider Tip

Sebastiani’s specialty is Cabernet, so what better way to kick start your intro to Sonoma Cabs than with the Cabernet Corner experience? You’ll sample five different Cabernets, each with a distinctively different terroir. Photo courtesy of Sebastiani

Details Visit Website

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Things To Do / Sonoma

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.

Insider Tip

Though the space is bright and airy, the color scheme (reminiscent of a New Year’s Eve fête) is more indicative of the vibe this place has on a weekend: festive. If looking for a quiet place to sip Champagne, head here during off-hours or on weekdays, as Friday and Saturday nights can be bustling. Photo courtesy of Wilson Ishihara Design

Details

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Wineries / Sonoma

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.

Insider Tip

Tasting at Pangloss Cellars is by reservation only. Choose from either The Classic or The Optimist, each a seated tasting that further explores both popular and member-only wines. Open daily, there are four windows a day, including 10:00 am, 12:30, 2:15, and 4:00 pm. Photo courtesy of Frame2Table

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Minutes From Town

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Corporate Events / Sonoma

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards

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 90-minute Rosé Exploration or the 45-minute Walking Vineyard Tour.

Insider Tip

Looking for something besides just sparkling wine? No problem. The winery’s Culinary Journey experience focuses on both still and sparkling wine, to help guests learn the different characteristics of each style and region. Seasonally curated pairings are also part of this 90-minute exploration, led by your own personal wine expert. Photo courtesy of Gloria Ferrer

Details Visit Website

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Wineries / Sonoma

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.

Insider Tip

Buena Vista’s colorful founder, Agoston Haraszthy, also known as The Count of Buena Vista, was one of California’s first pioneering winemakers. He dug Sonoma’s first wine caves, introduced innovative viticulture techniques, and brought over 487 different varieties from Europe to the Sonoma region. The winery honors his legacy with the Founder's red blend. Photo courtesy of Buena Vista Winery

Details

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Wineries / Sonoma

Gundlach Bundschu Winery

Established in 1858, “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. In the cooler months, the Vineyard Cave Tour won’t disappoint, which includes a tasting of Gun Bun’s Vintage Reserve Cabernet.

Insider Tip

Some of Gundlach Bundschu’s tasting experiences are only offered on weekends and/or are seasonal, so plan accordingly if there’s a particular tasting you’re interested in. Photo courtesy of Gundlach Bundschu

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STAY, PLAY, EAT & DRINK IN SONOMA COUNTY

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