The Perfect Weekend Getaway: Wine Tasting Itineraries in Sonoma County

Sonoma County has over 60,000 vineyard acres and several hundred wineries. There’s no better place to go on a weekend wine-tasting adventure.

If you can narrow down a manageable list of wineries to visit, that is. And figure out which wine-growing regions — AVAs — you most want to see. (There are 19, so it’s hard to hit them all in a single weekend.) And decide how to spend the time you don’t spend in tasting rooms.

So we decided to start three wine-tasting itineraries for your planning convenience. Each begins and/or ends at one of Roche Winery’s two tasting rooms, but focuses on different parts of Sonoma County otherwise. Customize them as you see fit, and feel free to get in touch for more tips!

A Day Trip in the Lower Sonoma Valley

This itinerary stays close to (our) home in the lower Sonoma Valley. Start your day off right with a breakfast burrito at Sunflower Caffé or Café Scooteria followed by a stroll around Sonoma Plaza. If you’re up for something more strenuous, knock out the Sonoma Overlook Trail, a three-mile out-and-back hike.

Then head south out of town and begin the day’s tastings.

  • Roche Winery (Tipperary Vineyard). For a truly unique experience, reserve a walking tour of our vineyard and production facility. Yes, you can sip as you go!

  • Robledo Family Winery. This charming multigenerational winery is literally next door to us. Stop by and say hello!

  • Schug Winery. We’re fortunate to call one of Sonoma’s great Pinot Noir wineries our neighbor.

  • Three Fat Guys Wines. Just south of the city of Sonoma, stop in at their tasting room and hang out with locals sipping wines from local winemaker Tony Moll. 

  • Roche Winery (Downtown Sonoma Tasting Room). Finish the day with an a la carte glass and a few bites at our downtown tasting room, then walk over to Girl & the Fig for a classic farm-to-table dinner.

Up to Healdsburg and Back

This is best done as an overnighter. We recommend the Camellia Inn or the Grape Leaf Inn, both in downtown Healdsburg, but do your own research as there are plenty of adorable B&Bs to choose from up there.

  • Hamel Family Wines. With vineyards creeping up the Mayacama foothills, Hamel Family Wines offers outstanding views to go with its outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon.

  • Hobo Wine Co. This funky Santa Rosa winery offers tastings by appointment only, but their Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are well worth the extra effort. Grab a late lunch while you’re in town.

  • BACA Wines. BACA showcases the dry, sunny Healdsburg region’s amazing warm-climate Zinfandels. Quite a change of pace from our neck of the woods!

  • Seghesio Family Vineyards. Best known for Zinfandel, Seghesio also produces “Italian heritage” varietals like Omaggio and Vermentino. They’re quite difficult to find stateside.

  • Roche Winery (Downtown Sonoma Tasting Room). We’re open late(ish), so stop by for a pre-dinner “afternooncap” when you return.

Sebastopol and the Sonoma Coast

This is another overnighter for Sonoma visitors eager to see the misty, rugged Sonoma Coast in person. It’ll take you out past Sebastopol, a charming little town with multiple B&B options. You can also stay in remote Bodega Bay after a day hike at Sonoma Coast State Park and a quick drive down the coast.

  • Roche Winery (Tipperary Vineyard). You know the drill by now.

  • Reichwage Winery. Located just outside Sebastopol, this family winery specializes in Zinfandel and rarer French-heritage varietals like Carignane and Gamay Noir.

  • Porter-Bass. Head past Forestville into the heart of the Russian River Valley and you’ll find Porter-Bass, whose local Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs perfectly capture the local terroir.

  • Red Car Wine Co. Back in Sebastopol, you absolutely must try the Pinot Noir and Rose at Red Car. Like Porter-Bass’ offerings, they’re grown in Sonoma’s cool western hills.

  • Roche Winery (Downtown Sonoma Tasting Room).

Things to Keep in Mind When Touring Sonoma Wine Country

Your Sonoma wine country tour should be relaxing and inspiring, not stressful. Keep these things in mind to ensure it goes off without a hitch.

  • Book tastings and lodging in advance. Especially lodging, and especially during peak seasons like summer and harvest (early fall). As for wineries, it’s true that many Sonoma tasting rooms (including Roche’s two locations) don’t require reservations, but they can fill up fast on weekends.

  • Allow some extra drive time. Some of Sonoma’s best wineries are off the beaten path, miles down winding country roads where a single cautious (or reckless) driver can cause a traffic jam. Plan accordingly, particularly if there’s rain in the forecast.

  • Pack for changeable weather. Speaking of rain: Sonoma is known as a temperate and (mostly) sunny place, but it’s not the Mojave Desert. Check the forecast on your tasting days and pack accordingly. And if you’re planning to visit foggier microclimates like the lower Sonoma Valley or Sonoma Coast, bring a jacket. Fog is actually more likely in these areas on warm summer days due to the temperature contrast between the cold ocean and warm interior.

  • “Casual elegance” is the norm. Sonoma wine tasting is not a black-tie, ballroom-gown affair. But tasting rooms aren’t gyms either. “Casual elegance” is the ideal, whatever that means to you. 

Wear white at your own risk. Laugh now, but we’ve seen some things. At the very least, bring a non-white change of clothes.

Cindy L