California’s Wine Country

Sonoma Valley Wineries Nearby Hotel Wine Tasting Tours

Northern California’s Wine Country is known for its premium wines, spectacular scenery, upscale spas and resorts, and romantic hotels and bed and breakfasts. With more than 400 wineries in the area, this region has perfected the art of winemaking over the past 200 years. Wineries in the area run the gamut from small independents to major producers creating everything from the heartiest Cabernet Sauvignon to the lightest sparkling wine. Tourism in the Napa Valley and Sonoma County is not limited to wine tasting, however. The area is also popular with hikers and bikers, as well as history buffs, day spa aficionados, epicureans, and nature lovers.

Sonoma Valley Wineries. With more than 190 wineries in the area, Sonoma County is known worldwide for its quality wines. The area boasts more than 58,000 acres of vineyards growing a wide range of varietals from Cabernet Sauvignon to Pinot Noir. www.sonoma.com

Napa Valley Wineries.Napa Valley is California’s most famous wine region, with more than 340 wineries growing varieties like Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Merlot among others. Napa offers a wide variety of tasting opportunities from large winery tasting rooms to samples at local wine shops. www.napavalley.com   [Top]

Wine Tasting Tours. There are more than 400 wineries in Sonoma and Napa, so if you’re not familiar with the area, a wine tasting tour can not only take the stress out of your trip, but also help you to choose the right wineries to fit your taste and enjoy the sights and sounds of Napa and Sonoma without worrying about driving or looking for directions. One of the most spectacular ways to see the sights and enjoy the local wines is on a hot air balloon ride. There are a variety of tour companies offering everything from a simple picnic in the air to a full-day tour. Limo tours are another choice and are great for small groups since you have more freedom to choose your destinations. Biking tours are a fun way to see the sights and sample the area’s best wines. And if you’re feeling romantic, a horse and carriage wine tour is a sure way to set the mood and show you care.

Napa Wine Train. Originally built by Samuel Brannan in 1864, the Napa Valley Railroad was created to transport tourists from San Francisco to Brannan’s popular resort town, Calistoga. Today’s Napa Valley Wine Train was established in 1989 and offers several wine tasting tours through the spectacular Napa Valley wine country. The 3-hour long trip from Napa to St. Helena allows passengers to enjoy local wines from wineries located in the region and dine on a gourmet lunch or dinner as they ride in fully restored, luxurious, turn-of-the-century Pullman lounge cars, observation cars and dining cars. Wine bars in the lounge cars offer more than 100 different local wines and the wine shop stocks over 300 wines for wine lovers to choose from. The Napa Valley Wine Train also offers several special events throughout the year including murder mystery dinners, vintner's luncheons, and holiday parties. www.winetrain.com  [Top]