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Wine Country
There's been wine in California since the missionaries started working their way north from Mexico! The area traditionally regarded as California Wine Country - Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties - is north of the San Francisco Bay area, and Grape-Nutz.com is one resource for visitors who want to try wine touring. Some people prefer Sonoma Valley over Napa Valley because the Sonoma wineries are less corporate, more likely to be family-owned and run, smaller, more intimate, and, most importantly, less likely to charge for tasting. It's possible to do Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley as a day trip from San Francisco, depending on how many wineries you want to visit or other things you may want to do in the area. On an overnight trip a stop at Fort Bragg's Glass Beach is pretty cool, and it has the excellent North Coast brew pub. The drive along the coast in that area is quite spectacular and quite a contrast to the inland highway. There is a hippie colony northeast of Fort Bragg.

If you want to drive all the way up to Healdsburg on the Russian River Wine Road, you can park in the downtown plaza area and taste wine from about 15 wineries all in a tiny area. There's also a swanky grocery store where you can buy food to eat in the plaza. From there, take the Old Redwood Highway south to Mark West Springs Road and head west for a mile or so until you see Martinelli Winery (it's on the left as you're driving west). Stop in there and taste some swanky, super-boutique but super-tasty wines. Continue west on Mark West Springs and take a left on Olivet Road. Stop in at De Loach Vineyards, then take a right on Guerneville Road until you reach Highway 116. Drive 116 and stop in at Topolos Russian River Vineyards. Continue all the way out on 116 until you reach the ocean (Jenner), then drive south on Pacific Coast Highway 1 to Bodega Bay. Head inland again on Bodega Highway through Sebastopol and take 116 south to 101 in Rohnert Park.

For a redwoods-included, no-Healdsburg tour, start out on route 101 north to 116 west. Drive through Sebastopol (or stop if you want), and continue out Bodega Highway to Bodega Bay. It's a gorgeous drive out to the coast. Drive north on PCH 1 where there are a number of small beaches at which to stop if you want to feel some cold wet sand on your toes. Have lunch at a fabulous Indian restaurant called Sizzling Tandoor that's in a really unexpected location just south of Jenner. Take 116 in from Jenner to Monte Rio and then left on Armstrong Woods Road. Drive until you come to the redwoods. Bask in their gigantic glory. Coming back out on Armstrong Woods Road, take a left on River Road to Korbel and taste the good champagne. Continue east on River Road and take a right on Mirabel and a left on 116, then stop in at Topolos. Continue southeast on 116, take a left on Guerneville Road and a left on Olivet and stop at De Loach. Go right on River Road and stop in at Martinelli. From there, if you're done with tasting, you can head back to 101 south or if you want some more wine, use the West Sonoma County Winery Map to find other wineries you'd like to try. This alternate route avoids the most tourists and gives the best tour through the west county whereas the first route offers the possibility to taste wine from a bunch of wineries without actually having to go to those wineries since there are tasting rooms all around the plaza in Healdsburg.

In the California central coast area Santa Barbara wines are quite well known, and the town of Santa Barbara is worth a stop, even without a winery visit.

Comments:

We did Pasa Robles in the central coast area and it was great, but we fell in love with Santa Barbara. Compared to France, Italy, Spain, etc., the entire state of California is a Johnny-come-lately when it comes to wine. I am an equal opportunity sipper. I think Napa and Sonoma's reputations are safe as the *original* California wine country, but the fact is there are plenty of good grapes and good times further south. I think the wine making started south along with the missions. My aunt told me the first wine making was in San Juan Capistrano, which is pretty far south in CA. San Luis Obispo is awfully old, too, but Napa/Sonoma did become Winemaking Central. Didn't they have the first Pinot noir? That is our traditional Thanksgiving dinner wine. One thing that I think is cool is the exchanges of grapes and vintner skills between CA and Europe, back then and today.

I honestly don't think Napa County is worth it; Sonoma County is prettier and not as hot in the summer, and the wine is just as good and cheaper to taste. I wouldn't bother with the town of Sonoma unless you REALLY want to be surrounded by tourists. Stick with central and western Sonoma County, and you will do well.

I've driven up Route 1 from San Francisco to Bodega Bay. It did have a few dramatic views at the southern end, but frankly I was a little disappointed. It is time-consuming as well. With a couple of quick stops, it took a good 2.5 hours to get there. On the way back, we took the 101 which was much quicker but obviously less scenic. Maybe it was due to the howling winds, but I didn't find much of interest in Bodega Bay. I did stop by one of my fave micro breweries in Novato for a tasty beer. We wandered around downtown Petaluma for a bit.

Trip Report - Wine Country, June 2005

We decided to wander up Route 1 after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge for a bit and wandered over to Petaluma to pick up the wineries. The first place we stopped is a new place run by a very nice Australian guy, Loxton Cellars. Amazing port and, of course, a wonderful Syrah. The winemaker himself did the pouring and chatting and was so cheerful and helpful and very nice.

We made the mistake of wandering into Kenmore (sucky wine and rude staff, although good bathroom) and St. Francis (turned around and left after being sort of ignored for a while).

But! we did make it to Martinelli and De Loach, both of which were delightful and fruitful visits. We joined the De Loach wine club because you can now ship wine to Kentucky and we like to say "our wiiiine club" in a Thurston Howell voice. At De Loach we heard about the hoard of marauding NASCAR Visigoths who tore through the winery earlier that day, much to the dismay of just about everyone. The bus driver hit the side of the building, and the whole bus load of NASCAR fans was drunk and left beer cans outside. Yeesh!
Then we wandered up to the redwoods, ate some awesome burritos, drove down to the beach (DANGER! Goat Rock Beach!) and wandered down Bodega Bay until we picked up the 101 again to go back to the city.