Things to Do in Napa & Sonoma

Jacuzzi Family Vineyards have been run by the same family for generations, ever since owner Fred Cline spent time with his grandfather in vineyards in his late childhood. Its heritage wines are highly influenced by the culture and wines of Italy, and the property itself has a beautiful courtyard and an Italian stone villa filled with elegant Italian art, fountains, and handmade furnishings. The barrel room has vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows, adding to its elegant atmosphere. The Jacuzzi family makes a variety of Italian varietals, including Pinot Grigio, Barbera, and Sangiovese. An olive oil press and balsamic vinegar tastings round out the experience.

Uniquely, the winemakers do not use any synthetic pesticides on the vineyards. Efforts for sustainable winemaking practices are essential to the process. They’re generous with tastings of both the foods and wine made here, including their specialty: a chocolate cup filled with Pinot Noir.

In an era when wineries are fast becoming the sole dominion of large corporations, Benziger Family Winery has distinguished itself by going against the grain and sticking to its familial roots.

Known for being something of a maverick in the Napa wine region, Benziger has strengthened its roots by focusing on quality wines that are organically grown using sustainable farming practices. Family-owned for more than thirty years, Benziger took to sustainable and “green” farming practices back in the 1990’s. Almost as famous for their effective farming methods as for their delicious wines, Benziger offers tours of their “Biodynamic” vineyards via tram – thus offering more, in many ways, than other more traditional wine tours. To visit Benziger Family Winery is to peek into the unique family approach to the craft of winemaking; something that has earned them the lauded title of the 2012 Winery of the Year by Wine and Spirits Magazine.

If you like your tasting glass to sparkle, save time in your wine country itinerary for a visit to Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards. Located in the Carneros region of Sonoma County Wine County, Gloria Ferrer was the first sparkling wine house to plant roots in the area back in the early 1980s. Most of the 335-acre estate is dedicated to Pinot Noir.

Guests have a number of options depending on how much time they have to sip. Daily 40 minute tours present a winery history and an introduction to the traditional méthode champenoise sparkling wine-making process used at the winery. Food and wine pairing tours lasting 90 minutes are also offered by appointment. The winery’s Vista Terrace comes with photo-worthy wine country views. On a sunny day, it’s the place to sip and stay awhile.

Folks at Larson Family Winery like to have fun, and it shows from the minute you turn down the long driveway. If you’re traveling with kids or just consider yourself a kid at heart, this winery is a must-visit when in the Carneros region of Sonoma County wine country.

Visitors are encouraged to taste and play here. Just outside the barn turned tasting room is an open space overlooking the winery’s Estate Chardonnay Vineyards where you can play bocce ball, horseshoes and an assortment of lawn games like ladder golf or corn hole. There’s also a large field perfect for a game of catch or showing off some soccer skills. Pack a picnic, as tables are available. Dogs are welcome and are a common sight, so you’ll regret it if you decide to leave your pooch at home.

Located in the heart of Napa Valley, Grgich Hills Estate is a family-oriented winery committed to natural wine growing and sustainability with a history of excellence.

Founder and winemaker Mike Grgich is nearly as famous as his wines, thanks to his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that won the historic 1976 Judgment of Paris Tasting – thus firmly putting Napa on the map as a wine-making region to contend with (and inspiring the movie Bottle Shock). The legend himself still tours the picturesque landscape daily, so it is possible to run into the kind and spritely gentleman while on a tour of this fabulous estate.

Napa Valley is chock full of charming towns worth a visit during your stay in wine country and St. Helena is one of them. There are countless wine tasting spots to choose from in St. Helena, so know when you visit that you’ll be back for more. Even if you only have a couple of hours in between wine tastings, it’s worth taking a stroll down St. Helena’s Main Street. Along with boutique style shopping you’ll find an assortment of great restaurants that offer both fine and casual dining. If a cooking class is on your wine country wish list, St. Helena is also home to a campus of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

On weekends it’s worth making the trek a few miles north of town to the Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park. Here visitors can see the tallest waterwheel west of the Mississippi in motion, milling corn and wheat into flour, cornmeal and polenta.

If you’re looking for a unique Napa Valley wine tasting experience, look no further than Raymond Vineyards. Offering guests more than the typical tasting room experience, Raymond Vineyards in fact has many rooms where visitors can enjoy wine. There’s the Rutherford Room, the Red Room, and the Library Room just to name a few.

The Blending Room is where guests become "Winemaker for a Day." After blending their own red wine, guests take home a bottle of their new creation, complete with their own custom label. Raymond's estate vineyards in Rutherford and St. Helena are both certified organic and Biodynamic. All of the winery's power comes from renewable solar energy.

California's Russian River is one of the largest in the San Francisco Bay Area, starting in Mendocino County and cutting through Sonoma County on its way to the ocean.

The entire Russian River runs more than 110 miles from its source to the Pacific Ocean, and much of the area is popular as a tourist destination. Towns like Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Santa Rosa, Geyserville, Sebastopol, Jenner and Bodega Bay are all draws for outdoor recreation, fine dining and winery visits. The river itself is great for canoeing, swimming, and fishing from spring through fall. In the beautiful countryside on either side of the river you can go horseback riding, hiking, camping or golfing. The Russian River Valley is famous for its wineries, known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – and that thriving wine culture brings with it a thriving food culture. You can take wine tasting tours in the area, and cap them off with excellent meals in nearly any town throughout the Russian River Valley.

If you're a wine lover, the Silverado Trail should be on the top of your agenda on a visit to Napa & Sonoma Wine Country. Between Napa in the south and Calistoga in the north, you’ll find some 40 wineries dotting this trek, which parallels Highway 29.

Head northeast of Napa on the Silverado Trail, starting with super-Tuscan-style Sangiovese at Luna Vineyards. Stone bulls glower from atop pillars lining the driveway of Darioush, a jaw-dropping winery styled after the ancient Persian temples that offers monumental Merlots. Oenophiles need no introduction to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, which produces some of the best California Cabernets. Further up Silverado, you’ll spot the tasting barn and pet goats of laid-back, solar-powered Casa Nuestra, ideal for picnics with melon-accented, dry Chenin Blanc made from 50-year-old, organically farmed vines.

With all the charm of a small town, Sebastopol lies peacefully in Sonoma County some 50 miles north of San Francisco. It is known for its proximity to wine and apple country, with a charming downtown area and liberal culture. Check out the quirky local art on display along Florence Avenue downtown — many of the pieces are made using recycled materials — or take a tour of a local farm. Famous horticulturist Luther Burbank once maintained massive gardens on Sebastopol land.

Small restaurants and cafes all over town serve fresh local food and wine. Tasting rooms offer the best of the region’s wine and beer, and dozens of hiking, biking, and walking trails are set against rolling hills. Sebastopol is bordered on the east by the Laguna de Santa Rosa Wetlands Preserve, providing access to the natural beauty of the area.