California Dreaming
Some trips are worth planning down to the glass. This one started the moment we landed at SFO and didn't let up until the last pour five days later with a loop through Sonoma Square, the Russian River Valley, and a detour into Napa's Silverado Trail. If you're dreaming up your own wine country escape, consider this both a recap of where we went and a starting point for your own itinerary.
Day One: Welcome to Sonoma Square
We touched down at SFO and made the drive north, arriving in Sonoma Square by early afternoon. There's no better way to ease into wine country than lunch in the heart of downtown Sonoma so we started at Cafe La Haye, a tiny, art-filled bistro just off the Plaza that's been a local institution since 1996. It's the kind of place regulars fight for a table at. An open kitchen and a short, seasonal menu of "New American" cooking that punches well above its 34-seat size. If you go, don't skip the gorgonzola au gratin potatoes. They also have an outstanding wine list.
Other favorite places in Sonoma Square: SIGH Champagne Bar & Three Stix Wines at the Adobe.
From there we headed up north to Limerick Lane Cellars, a 53-acre estate tucked into the northeast corner of the Russian River Valley where Sonoma's Zinfandel history runs deep. The estate's original vines date to 1910, planted by Italian immigrant farmers, and the winery still turns out old-vine Zinfandel and Rhône-style Syrah and Grenache from that same rocky, well-drained ground. It's a small, unpretentious tasting room next to the vines, the kind of stop that feels like a discovery rather than a destination. These are some of the most refined, elegant Zinfandel made in the U.S.A.
By late afternoon we checked into our house just next door for the week complete with views overlooking the local vineyards. See the house here: Limerick Lane Estate
If you're planning your own Day One: Sonoma Plaza is walkable and anchors the whole visit with restaurants, tasting rooms and shops all sitting within a few blocks of the historic square. It makes it an easy first stop after flying into SFO or Oakland. Note: It’s about an hour to Healdsburg from the Plaza so plan accordingly when booking accommodations.
Day Two: A Detour to Napa's Silverado Trail
Napa and Sonoma are close enough that a day trip between them is easy, so we spent our second day on the Silverado Trail, Napa Valley's quieter, more scenic alternative to Highway 29.
Our first stop, Reynolds Family Winery, sits at the southern end of the trail near the Stags Leap District, in the shadow of Atlas Peak. It's a genuinely family-run operation. The winery centers on small-lot, estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. We spent hours on the scenic patio where second-generation vintner and Kimberle's friend, Cameron Reynolds, walked us through the winery's incredible portfolio, including their second vintage of sparkling wine. The winery is low-key and personal with a spring-fed pond, antique-filled tasting room, and a fireplace at the center of it all.
For lunch, we skipped a formal winery meal and stopped at Oakville Grocery, one of Napa Valley's classic provisions stops. It's an easy place to grab something delicious and casual before continuing along the Silverado Trail.
We closed out the day at Tres Sabores. Owner and winemaker Julie Johnson has farmed this certified-organic property since the late 1980s, growing dry-farmed, 50-plus-year-old Zinfandel and Cabernet vines alongside olives, pomegranates, and Meyer lemons. Tastings happen outdoors among the vines with a resident Golden Retriever named Cava making the rounds.
If you're planning your own Napa day: the Silverado Trail is a smart way to see Napa without the Highway 29 traffic, and it strings together some of the valley's best small, family-owned wineries. Oakville Grocery is an easy, unfussy lunch stop to work into the route.
Day Three: Back to Sonoma's Russian River Valley
Day three brought us back into Sonoma for a deep dive into Russian River Valley wine. The RRV is arguably the region's best showcase for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, thanks to the cooling fog that rolls in from the Pacific.
We started at Benovia Winery, a family-owned producer built from three estate vineyards Cohn, Martaella, and Tilton Hill totaling about 70 acres. Benovia has quietly become one of the Russian River Valley's most respected names for balanced, elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay since its founding in 2005. Kimberle got the chance to taste in the cellar with their winemaker, Adolfo.
From there, Copain was the day's visual showstopper. Perched on a hillside above the valley, Copain (French for "friend") was founded in 1999 by Wells Guthrie, whose winemaking is deeply influenced by Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. Our wine host, Evan, guided us through the experience which included a proper sit-down food and wine pairings. Small bites paired with a flight of the winery's site-specific Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah all served with sweeping views over the valley. It's a splurge, but worth it for the setting alone. If you’re lucky enough to see Ryan, their current winemaker, make sure you say hello!
We finished tasting at Williams Selyem, which needs little introduction to anyone who follows California Pinot Noir. What started in 1979 as two friends, Burt Williams and Ed Selyem, making wine in a Forestville garage grew into one of the wines most responsible for putting Russian River Valley Pinot Noir on the world map. Our wine host, Sierra, made the tasting especially memorable as we explored the winery's portfolio and its long-standing philosophy: source the best vineyards, and let the wine express the site.
Jeff Mangahas added an especially memorable touch to the visit by bringing us fresh-pressed, brand-new wine to taste. Being able to compare that just-made wine side by side with the same wine after it had been finished and aged in our glasses gave us a fascinating, almost hands-on look at how wine evolves from its earliest stage into the finished bottle.
We capped the night with dinner at Chateau Lando, the home of winemaker Sam Lando & his wife Jen. It was an intimate setting to experience his wines. Lando Wines is a small, Pinot Noir-focused family winery making intense yet elegant and balanced Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast fruit. Sam and Jen launched the winery in 2012, and because production remains extremely limited, most of the wines are offered through their mailing list rather than broad distribution. If you're a Pinot lover, getting on the list is the best way to follow the wines and have a shot at future releases.
If you're planning your own Russian River day: book ahead as most are appointment-based wineries and the settings are half the experience.
Day Four: Green Valley and the Sonoma Coast
Our fourth day pushed further into the cooler, foggier reaches of Sonoma wine country, starting with Iron Horse Vineyards in Green Valley which is the coolest, most fog-influenced pocket of the Russian River Valley. Iron Horse is one of America's great sparkling wine houses; its bubbles have been served at the White House through seven consecutive presidential administrations, dating back to the Reagan-Gorbachev summits. Our wine host, Kevin, showed us around and brought the wines to life against the incredible setting. The tasting room here is entirely outdoors, at the end of a one-lane road, with a view that stretches clear across the county to Mount St. Helena.
For lunch we headed into the tiny town of Graton, where we ate at Willow Wood Market Cafe, a beloved, market-style diner open since 1995 known for hearty breakfasts and comfort food. It was exactly the kind of unfussy wine country lunch we wanted between tastings.
Next was Emeritus Vineyards, a Pinot Noir specialist built on the famous Hallberg Ranch. Our wine host, Glen, guided us through the wines and the story behind the property. Emeritus farms the largest dry-farmed vineyard in Sonoma County using close, Burgundy-inspired vine spacing across its Hallberg Ranch and Pinot Hill sites. Many local winemakers around Sonoma source fruit from this estate including Gary Ferrell & Williams Selyem. In total, about 60% of the fruit is sold.
We wrapped the day at Carboniste, a newer, small-production sparkling wine house founded by Dan and Jacqueline Person. Dan trained at Schramsberg before setting out to make a distinctly Californian style of bubbles with lower dosage, crown-capped and built around varieties like Albariño rather than traditional Champagne grapes. It's a fun, modern contrast to the more classic sparkling houses in the region. One note for planning your own trip: Carboniste is currently closed to the public, so this is one to admire from afar rather than add to your tasting itinerary unless you are a member.
If you're planning your own Green Valley day: this is prime sparkling wine and Pinot Noir territory so make sure you try both in this area.
Day Five: One Last Stop in Windsor
We saved a final morning for Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor, a sprawling 40-acre Russian River Valley estate with gardens, ponds, and a culinary program built entirely around the property. This was one of the best tasting experiences. Our wine host, Michael, guided us through the “Soaring” experience which was three wines paired with food. This is NOT to be missed, truly one of the best pairings we’ve ever experienced. Tom Pierson and the infamous Bob Cabral are at the helm making exceptional wines. The wines range from unoaked Chardonnay to old vine Alexander Valley Zinfandel. This was such a relaxed, memorable way to close out our wine country trip.
Planning Your Own Sonoma & Napa Trip
A few takeaways from our week for anyone plotting a similar route:
Base yourself in Sonoma. It's centrally located between the Russian River Valley, the Sonoma Coast, and Napa's Silverado Trail so you can day trip in any direction without long drives.
Book ahead. Most of the wineries are appointment only. A little planning goes a long way in peak season.
Mix it up. The region rewards variety: old vine Zinfandel in the Russian River, Cabernet on the Silverado Trail, sparkling wine in Green Valley, and small-production newcomers experimenting with different styles altogether.
Leave room for lunch. Some of the best meals of the trip were the unfussy ones like Cafe La Haye, Oakville Grocery and Willow Wood sandwiched between tastings.
Don't overlook the people. Some of our favorite memories came from the hosts who shared the stories behind the bottles: Cameron Reynolds, Evan at Copain, Sierra at Williams Selyem, Kevin at Iron Horse, Glen at Emeritus, and Michael at Bricoleur.
Sonoma doesn't rush you, and neither should your itinerary. Give yourself room to linger over a glass and the region will do the rest.
IYKYK