California wine country: the back story

About California wine country: the back story

By the ULTIMATE California Editorial Team

The Napa Valley and Sonoma County sit next to each other an hour or so north of San Francisco. Napa is one long valley lined with famous names along Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail; Sonoma is bigger and more rural, from the historic town of Sonoma to Healdsburg and the Dry Creek and Russian River valleys.

Napa Valley

Highway 29 runs up the west side of the valley through Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford and St. Helena to Calistoga; the quieter Silverado Trail runs parallel on the east side. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is on the Silverado Trail, Robert Mondavi in Oakville and Castello di Amorosa, a Tuscan-style castle, outside Calistoga.

Sonoma County

Around Healdsburg, Ridge’s Lytton Springs and Ferrari-Carano are among the best-known names in the Dry Creek Valley, and Francis Ford Coppola’s winery is in Geyserville. Kistler makes chardonnay in the cooler Russian River area.

Most wineries now take tastings by appointment: book ahead, even midweek.

Sparkling wine

Carneros, at the southern end of both valleys, is cool enough for sparkling wine: Domaine Carneros and Gloria Ferrer both make it. Schramsberg in Calistoga ages its sparkling wine in caves dug into the hillside.

Planning a tasting day

Choose two or three wineries close together, book tastings in advance and eat lunch in between. Use a driver or a tour rather than driving yourself.

Our advice: base yourself in Yountville or Healdsburg, where you can walk to dinner.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with California wine country: the back story before you go.