Top Wineries for First-time Visitors

First time visiting Sonoma County wine country, or on the wine-tasting trail? Whether you want to make a limousine-driven beeline for the most luxurious house of Cabernet Sauvignon, or prefer the non-intimidating setting of a little wine shack in which to talk about Zinfandel with the person who made it, relax: Sonoma County wineries have got you covered.

Buena Vista Winery

Begin the journey where it all began. Best known as California’s first premium commercial winery, Buena Vista was founded in 1857 by Hungarian entrepreneur Agoston Haraszthy, the self-proclaimed “Count of Buena Vista.” More recently, this California Historic Landmark winery in Sonoma has been restored and revamped by wine impresario Jean-Charles Boisset.

Outdoor tastings on the cobblestone patio include four BV wines, the fascinating story of this Sonoma County treasure, and if you choose, a boxed lunch or cheese tasting for two. Note that access to the wine museum, press room, and barrel room here are temporarily unavailable, pending Covid-19 protocols.

Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Gardens

Go beyond this famed winery’s best-selling Vintner’s Blend and discover Kendall-Jackson’s top reserve wines, as well as more unusual varietal offerings, in this chateau-style setting surrounded by formal gardens.

Inspect the demonstration vineyard to learn about grape varieties, pick a leaf of lemon verbena in the sensory experience garden, or enjoy small plate gourmet food pairings made with fresh ingredients from the culinary gardens.

You can even spend some time wandering around their winery’s garden yourself, looking at all the different varietals of edible plants on the property.

Korbel Champagne Cellars

The only place in Sonoma County where you can say “champagne” and not be corrected with,”sparkling wine,” Korbel is the granddaddy of local bubbly.

Founded in 1882 by three Czechoslovakian brothers, Korbel called its Methode Champenoise-style wines champagne before the eponymous French wine region put the kibosh on using that designation outside its borders – and thus, was able to keep the name.

Korbel today offers free winery tours, tastes of a wide array of its California champagnes, and the on-site Korbel Delicatessen & Market for a nice sandwich, pastry or coffee under the shade of the property’s redwood trees.

Iron Horse Vineyards

These sparkling wines have been served by the White House for decades: the classic Russian Cuvée was uncorked at the Reagan-Gorbachev summit, and the Rainbow Cuvée was served by the Obamas at their annual LGBT reception.

But the winery’s rustic walk-up tasting bar, tucked away in the Green Valley subregion of the Russian River Valley and overlooking a rolling swath of vineyard, is as funky as ever. This makes Iron Horse an ideal place to experience real Sonoma County wine country.

Chateau St. Jean

Beloved as one of Sonoma County’s wine castles, the namesake chateau actually started out as a 1920 vacation home.

Set below a dramatic backdrop of volcanic peaks, this elegant winery is styled after a monastery in the French Alps, evoking the monastic tradition of winemaking in France. Stroll in the courtyard citrus garden and taste reserve Malbec and the flagship Cinq Cepages Bordeaux-styled blend.

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery

The villa of Dry Creek Valley, Ferrari-Carano is the place for walking, wine tasting, and dreaming among the vines.

The stately rose-pink villa architecture plus the wide selection of estate-grown wines and options to taste them make this winery a hit with first-time visitors. And a quiet walk through the shaded pond gardens provides a respite from all the touring and tasting.

Medlock Ames

Among the newer breed of “rural hipster” wineries, Medlock Ames, founded by two college buddies in 1998, is a great place to connect with modern-day Sonoma County.

Tastings are hosted beneath an old olive tree or in a century-old, newly remodeled rustic space, which formerly housed a saloon. The property’s award-winning landscape includes a bocce court and organically farmed edible gardens; you’ll find estate-pickled vegetables as well as crisp Sauvignon Blanc at their rustic-chic Alexander Valley tasting room.

DeLoach Vineyards

DeLoach is just one of the icons of the wave of new wineries that changed the Sonoma County wine scene back in the 1970s, but earns its place in this limited lineup because of its expanded wine education programs. With a characteristic touch of whimsy and fun courtesy of the new regime, Boisset Family Estates, you can discover wine appellations, stroll through their outdoor Theatre of Nature garden to learn about Biodynamic farming and greet sheep and goats, or just sip Pinot or Chardonnay by the fireplace.

Harvest Moon Estate & Winery

Finally, it’s an absolute must for the first-time visitor to drop in on at least one of Sonoma County’s many lesser-known small, family wineries — you never know where you’ll find a new favorite. Specializing in Russian River Valley Zinfandel and Pinot Noir, Harvest Moon offers the kind of tasting and learning experience that is intimate and unscripted at the same time.

No tour needs to be booked at this backroads bodega, where the activities of the crush or other winery operations are on display in a courtyard setting that may remind some of the village wineries of Europe.

For more info see the Guide to Sonoma Wine Country for Your First-Time Visit.

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Written by Sonoma Insider James Knight