Tips for Sonoma County Wine Tasting

Welcome to Sonoma Wine Country, where wine tastings are friendly, fun, and often inexpensive events that visitors and locals thoroughly enjoy.

Whether this is your first time on a vineyard-filled vacation or you want to brush up on sipping etiquette, here are a few fun tips that’ll help you relax and sample Sonoma County wine like a sommelier.

1. Understand Where You Are

The name “Sonoma” may be shorthand for “Sonoma County,” but Sonoma is also the name of a charming town located within the county that is full of great wine-tasting rooms. Sonoma County (or Sonoma Wine Country as it is sometimes referred to) is comprised of many casual-chic cities and villages, all with special attractions, wineries, and vineyards to explore.

To add to this name game, there’s also the Sonoma Valley — a geographical feature and the name for one of Sonoma County’s designated wine regions with unique growing characteristics that produce world-class grapes.

It may be a bit confusing, but one thing’s for sure: Sonoma County is not Napa County — and Napa is not Sonoma. While both are considered Wine Country, they are very different. What does Sonoma County have that Napa County doesn’t? Read more here.

2. Reserve a Spot

Some wineries require a reservation, while others invite you to make an appointment simply because reservations can help the flow and experience. There are many venues that accept walk-ins (see our list here), but reserving a spot confirms a tasting room has space and that you’ll get a seat. Making a reservation isn’t difficult. In fact, most wineries offer easy online options for booking a tasting time.

Sonoma County wine and food pairings should be planned in advance because not only do these popular experiences span a longer timeframe, but they can also fill up fast. Many of these delicious tastings involve entertaining tours and seated, guided sampling with a variety of special plates.

Explore all the wineries and tasting rooms in Sonoma County.

3. Plan Your Tasting Times Correctly

Make sure to give yourself enough time to enjoy the wine, a particular winery, and each unique experience. On a good day, you may have time to visit three or four wineries in one day. Any more and you may have to rush. If you’ve booked a tour or sit-down wine pairing, plan to be thoroughly enthralled for a while. Ask how long tours are to help you plan. If you find yourself with spare time, there’s always something to explore on the spur of the moment, and some of the downtown tasting rooms are open later in the evening, too.

For more on timing, read Wine-Tasting Myth Busting: You Can Hit 10 to 12 Wineries in One Day.

4. Designate a Driver

Don’t be fooled: Small sips of wine add up, and that’s never a good scenario for driving, especially on twisty, narrow, and unfamiliar roads. Check out our list of local transportation companies or use a Sonoma County tour guide for a completely relaxing day. Another option is spending time in an area that boasts a variety of tasting rooms within strolling distance, like Sonoma or Healdsburg. Get cozy for the night in a Sonoma County hotel or resort you can walk to.

If you are lucky enough to have a designated driver with you, check out these wineries that offer something special for them as well!

5.  Spit Like a Pro

Wine tasting should be fun — even without drinking all the wine. Know that spitting is perfectly normal, and it’s what wine professionals do. If you’re in a wine cellar, you can spit in the drain, and if you’re tasting outside, you can spit in the gravel. In a tasting room, you can spit in a “dump bucket” or ask for a spitting cup.

6. Attend a Sonoma County Wine Event

Sonoma County wineries offer a plethora of unique experiences and events. These range from intimate dinners with winemakers to harvest festivals and exclusive opportunities to taste new vintages. For more options, check out the Sonoma County calendar of events.

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7. Give it a Swirl

Swirl your glass before your first sniff, and your first sip. Not only is it fun, but swirling allows oxygen to enter the wine, which makes it more fragrant. Swirling is done by holding the bottom of the stem. Gently swirl five to eight times — then smell and consider the aroma. Now you’re ready for that first sip.

Discover more facts about Sonoma County wines and wineries.

Plan your Sonoma Wine Country getaway with these helpful itineraries: 

• Wine Tasting Itinerary: Sonoma Valley and Beyond 
• Wine Tasting Itinerary: Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valleys.

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Written by Sonoma Insider James Knight