California has so many choices when it comes to the top destinations to taste wine in style. Let’s learn more…
From Mountains to Ocean to River to Redwood Valley… all the way to the Vineyards.
California is among the most geographically diverse states paired with the most pleasant weather. Perfect for globetrotters who enjoy wine and also want to enjoy the outdoors. During this pandemic, tasting outdoors in a safe and comfortable setting has become all the more important.
I write about wine and travel and have spent a great deal of my time exploring the many different grape growing regions in California, my home base. Travelers often ask me for advice on must-see wine country locations when planning a trip to the golden state.
With all of this time on our hands, during the pandemic, I find that it is a great opportunity to plan for future travel… with wine glass in hand of course. Listed below – in no particular order – are our Top 5 choices (click away)
Enjoy the best of Wine Country, California.
From incredible views, to farm to table dinners, to hot air balloon rides, to vineyard adventures on an ATV, each location offers something unique for visitors. They also offer the same thing… WINE.
Road Trip Anyone?!? Exploring the plethora of wine country offerings along the way, of course.
With more than 4,000 wineries statewide, it is hard NOT to run into a vineyard or winery along the highway. Rustic to urban to contemporary, there is something for everyone.
Discover the best spots to visit and enjoy a glass with our curated list. You will find no shortage of things to do. Which part of the wine road is right for your next trip?
We share some of the highlights of each California hot spot below. CHEERS to you and the journey!
Sonoma County Wine Country
Alexander, Russian River and Dry Creek Valleys are names familiar to Pinot Noir lovers across the globe. As the leading producer of Pinot Noir among California counties, Sonoma has made quite a name for itself. Only an hour and a half drive north of San Francisco lies this stunning wine region that offers up so much. Much more than just Pinot.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Syrah, and Zinfandel to name only a few. You will also find many lesser known varietals, over 65 different types of grapes, last I checked and probably more. It’s nearly impossible to drive through Sonoma and miss the vineyards.
There are vines everywhere… also making for some stunning views. From a top elevation of around 2,600 feet right down to sea level at the beach – not all wine regions offer this same topographical diversity.
Sonoma is blessed with a Mediterranean style climate which makes it perfect for travel many months out of the year. Stretching in Northern California from the Pacific Ocean out west to the Mayacamas Mountain Range in the east…
You can visit Old Growth Redwood Forests, Natural Hot Springs, Award Winning Restaurants, Sustainable Farms and Plenty of Wineries ALL IN ONE DAY.
Sonoma also offers it’s own airport with major airlines featuring shorter lines, affordable parking, ground transportation connections, and welcoming hospitality. Unwavering hospitality is one of the driving forces behind visitors return over and over again in Sonoma’s Wine Country. The people are friendly, welcoming and greet you with warmth each and every time.
Santa Barbara Wine Country
This Southern California wine region is only a 2 hours drive from Los Angeles. Although close to the hustle and bustle of L.A., Santa Barbara leaves the city behind with a small town, quaint feel of the beachside community that it is. Soak up the sun and enjoy the near perfect coastal Cali climate in between sips of their amazing wines.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah are the most sought after bottles for wine lovers who are already familiar with this area. And although a popular movie might have had an opinion about it… They also make some great Merlot in Santa Barbara along with many other not so well known varietals.
The climatic diversity, coupled with a variety of soil types and elevations makes for many unique vineyard plantings. Chardonnay dominates with Pinot Noir close behind.
Whether it is enjoying the outdoors, dining in style, a fabulous night-life, a wealth of water sports, or the laid-back beach vibe, Santa Barbara has got you covered. And did I mention the fabulous wine?! Most of the wine region here is located just north of the beaches of Santa Barbara and includes the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valley.
It is also a slower paced wine region than most. A plethora of tasting rooms are found within the city of Santa Barbara and the cute little town of Los Olivos. With both scoring ‘above average’ when it comes to walkability.
You can park your car for the day and walk around enjoying tasting room after tasting room. Their budding culinary scene has also begun turning the heads of epicurious travelers. So, may we also recommend finding a great restaurant while on your wine walk?!
With it’s enjoyably warm weather, even for California standards the climate is quite perfect, Santa Barbara’s Wine Country also offers travelers the ability to enjoy the outdoors for a great deal of the year, even in winter, the temperatures are quite nice. The coastal lifestyle.
El Dorado Wine Country
This topographically unique region has more than 2,000 acres of vineyards planted at the very highest elevations across California. It rests in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains in between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. This leads to scenic viewpoints that cannot be easily found in other wine regions in the state.
This area is a national scenic byway with thousands of old growth pine and aspen trees. A wide diversity of varietals can also be found here paired with breathtaking vistas and some of the cleanest air to be found along the wine road. ‘Nature is Awesome’ is frequently the theme when visiting a tasting room in El Dorado’s Wine Country.
Wines with Altitude. With the highest vineyard elevation being 3,500 feet, there is altitude here indeed. The vineyards and wineries first flourished here during the Gold Rush era.
Yes, it is Gold Country alright. For those familiar with the ‘Mother Lode’ (a 120-mile gold vein discovered in the late 1840’s), El Dorado sits on the north end of what was the site of the California Gold Rush.
They make big, bold, full-bodied wines from my experience. Old vine Zinfandel can be found in many wineries along with some really fantastic red blends. Barbera, Petite Syrah, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Marsanne, Tempranillo and so much more, with over 76 varietals and counting.
While sipping, visitors enjoy bright blue lakes, high mountain peaks, sprawling meadows full of wildlife, and scenic overlook vistas. The El Dorado area is also well known to outdoor enthusiasts.
Go white water rafting, mountain biking, or lace up your boots to hike the trails. Don’t forget the picnic lunch, with wine, of course!
Paso Robles Wine Country
In Central California, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco lies the Paso wine region. It is warm here with hot days and cooler nighttime temperatures. Well known for it’s Zinfandel, the area’s heritage varietal, they also grow lots of different grapes – from Spanish to Italian, Bordeaux to Rhône.
The winemakers here also each have their own unique styles to what goes in the bottle. ‘Be Unique’ seems to be the motto here. You will also notice that there is a real comradery here and all the wineries work and play together well and often.
Wineries are all doing something different, winemakers testing and trying different techniques. It is a young wine region full of animation and the spirit of youthful discovery.
With a strong marine air influence to the wine grapes, and a greater day-to-night temperature swing than any other appellation in California, Paso Robles’ distinct meso-climates, diverse soils and long growing season makes for some happy grapes.
While wine is a real draw for tourists, many wineries also offer craft beer, ciders, and spirits. For wine country, again, this is a unique place to stop in for a beverage. It has a small town, everyone knows everyone kind of place.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah are produced in great quantity here. Visitors to wineries here find the vineyard views from the tasting room also include 360 degree views of the region.
With 200+ wineries, beaches, the cutest town square with plenty of small business shopping, cycling, golf, and the iconic Hearst Castle nearby, visitors will not get bored in between tasting room stops. I even saw many signs stating ‘Discover the ‘Paso-bilities’
Napa Valley Wine Country
When speaking about Wine and California… the name that people often recognize, time after time, is Napa Valley. They not only cultivate grapes here they are expert level when it comes to cultivating experience. With over 500 wineries to choose from, adventures abound.
It is a high end, award winning and quite passionate wine region and people paired with Michelin-starred restaurants and many wineries with design inspired by a French châteaux.
When one drives from one end to the other, they will pass winery after winery all in a row, all seemingly surrounded by vineyards and all constantly trying to one-up one another. Lots of showing off.
Cabernet Sauvignon is by far the most well known grape varietal bottled here with too many awards to count and some of the highest priced bottles worldwide to also be found bearing the Napa Valley name. Cab is king while the various soils and topography also allows for many other varietals to be planted and grow well, just like throughout California.
Unlike many other California wine regions, Napa is quite compact at only 30 miles long and a few miles wide. Small place, big reputation.
A prestige for history, it was the first American Viticultural area (AVA) to be designated in California in 1981 and grapes first planted in 1839.
Napa is a must-see wine region for oenophiles and a good destination year-round as weather is often as pleasant as the views. Some may call it a utopia of gourmet dining, exclusive shopping, luxurious spas, deluxe lodging, and plenty of culture.
Napa Valley has 5 distinct towns and 4 different wine regions for travelers to dine, shop, sip and stay awhile. Plus, there is all that legendary world-class wine. Cheers!
