Last month’s issue of Power Tasting contained an article on planning for a trip to Napa Valley. We owe the same to the other half of Napa/Noma, Sonoma County. Many aspects of the planning are the same but there are some very distinct differences as well. For one thing, Sonoma County is a lot more relaxed than Napa Valley. For another, Sonoma’s Wine Country is quite a lot bigger than Napa Valley’s, so there’s more travelling to do if you want to see – and taste – it all.
- Figure out what you want to taste. Different AVAs of Sonoma Wine Country are associated with different grapes. Russian River is renowned for its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays (although Chardonnay is grown just about everywhere). Alexander Valley is known for Cabernet Sauvignon. Dry Creek Valley is famous for its Zinfandels. You’ll find some of everything everywhere and some other AVAs make a little of everything, but you really ought to focus your tasting on the local specialties.
Alexander Valley. Photo courtesy of The Wine Country.
- Avoid a lot of driving. You will need at least a day to go wine tasting in any one region (and of course you won’t be able to taste everything in a day), so don’t plan to do a little bit in the Sonoma side of Carneros in the morning and then Dry Creek after lunch. The main route in Sonoma County is Route 101 and even at highway speeds, it’s an hour’s drive between those two ends of Sonoma’s Wine Country.
Traveling through Russian River. Photo courtesy of Ride with GPS.
- But enjoy the drive. Unlike Napa Valley, which is laid out in fairly straight lines, Sonoma County’s Wine Country is full of rustic, windy roads many of which are especially beautiful. Take some time to open your eyes and look around.
- Choose a hotel that’s close to where you want to taste wine. The principal towns with large hotels are Sonoma to the south, Santa Rosa in the middle and Healdsburg up north. Each has a mix of chain hotels, inns, resorts and bed-and-breakfasts. It’s probably a good idea to figure out where you want to taste, then ask Google how long it would take to get there from each town. That should make it easier to narrow your hotel search.
- Think about food, too. For the most part, Sonoma County restaurants are more casual than their counterparts in Napa Valley. Healdsburg has a few rather elegant eateries (Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen and Valette) but you’ll usually find both the food and the diners to be easy-going in the rest of the county. That’s not a put-down; there are lots of places to eat with great food. Like anywhere else, reservations are a good idea on weekend evenings in warm weather, but in general you won’t need them.
- Enjoy lunch, too. If you’re going to be sipping wine all day, you’d better eat. There are iconic delis (the Jimtown Store in Alexander Valley, the Dry Creek General Store, the Oakville Grocery in Healdsburg). Many wineries in Sonoma County have picnic facilities, unlike those in Napa Valley. And having a bite on the town squares in Healdsburg or Sonoma, followed by a casual stroll, should be a part of your vacation plans, too.