Sonoma wineries for cool climate Pinot (Burgundy) lovers

I started drinking more Pinots a couple years ago when my wine consumption started getting a bit higher. Dark and rich California Cabernets are not easy to drink all the time! I used to think I don’t like Pinots after only trying a few California (mostly Russian River Valley) Pinots that can be jammy and with a specific characteristic I can’t pinpoint. But discovered Pinots from cool climates (i.e. Oregon, Burgundy, West Sonoma Coast) can be pretty different. While I have yet to find a Russian River Valley Pinot I love, I’ve been drinking a lot more Pinots from Burgundy, Oregon, and parts of Sonoma, specifically West Sonoma Coast region.

West Sonoma Coast is a fairly new AVA approved in 2022 and while I’m still exploring more, I’ve been very happy drinking them :) Here’s the list of wines and wineries I’d recommend

  • Occidental: Gorgeous setting and tasting room, 100% de-stemmed whole berry fermented fresh Pinots

  • Cobb: Small tasting room in downtown Sebastopol, great Pinot, Chardonnay, and Riesling

  • Peay: I haven’t been to the winery/tasting but love their wines!

  • Copain: Beautiful tasting area with a vineyard view, also has a great food pairing

  • Small Vines: Lovely vineyard views, great wines from meticulously grown estate vineyards

  • Littorai: One of my favorite Pinots but I didn’t LOVE the tasting experience. Felt a bit rushed and impersonal but great juice!

Most of them are small family owned wineries, which I also love! Other wines that I’ve heard great things and are on my list to try are Wayfarer, Senses, Ceritas. Follow along on IG @fine.vining as I explore more wineries and find hidden gems!


Weekend trip to Bodega Bay from SF (with wine and Instagram Spots)

California is known for picturesque coastal view, especially Big Sur and Monterey. While Mendocino and Bodega Bay are not as well known, it offers similar amazing viewpoints and great food and lodging options. Because Bodega Bay is so much closer from SF (~1.5hr) , it’s quickly becoming my favorite weekend trip destination. Not to mention all the fun wine tasting options on the way. You can stop by Sebastopol to visit some of my favorite wineries or venture out to the Sonoma mountains for small family owned wineries. Here’s my quick and easy Bodega Bay itinerary idea for a weekend trip

Where to wine

  1. Sonoma Coast Winery: This winery is right on the HWY1 with the view of the coast. They offer wines by the glass, bottle, or tasting flight. Mostly Pinots and Chardonnay and all were enjoyable

  2. Halleck winery: I looked at Google maps to see different wineries on the way to the coast and this small family owned winery caught my eye

  3. Tasting by the Sea: If you drive a bit more north from Bodega Bay to the town of Jenner, there are cute cafe and this outdoor wine bar looking out the Russian River.

  4. Valley Ford Cheese and Creamery: This is technically a cheese shop and a cafe with food but when you get their cheese tasting flight, you can also bring (or buy) a bottle of wine. They have the cutest outdoor eating area and the vanilla soft serve is to die for. I would totally drive from SF just to get their soft serve 😂

Where to eat

  1. Fishetarian Fish Market: I had the BEST BBQ Oyster here! it was the most plump and flavorful oyster I’ve ever had. Quality might depend on the season but overall highly recommend stopping by for oysters, fish and chips, and tacos

  2. Spud Point Crab Company: We went during the Dungeness crab season so not sure how it is during the off season but their clam chowder was one of the bests I’ve had. Not too thick but creamy and garlicky, went perfect with their crab sandwich.

  3. Patrick’s Sea Water Taffy: Technically not a spot to eat but this place is so cute and you can snag a few bags of delicious Sea Water Taffy. You can choose from 50+ flavors!

Where to sleep

There are a few inns and lodging options in the area but we actually camped in our car right on the beach. There are two state parks where you can reserve a spot, and we love the Wright’s Beach because it’s really right on the beach. Some of the sites (1-10) are truly on the beach with unobstructed view but all other sites are worth it as you can walk right to the beach. Spots fill up months in advance but you can often snag last minute cancelation on Reserve California

Best wineries to visit in Healdsburg

Healdsburg is such a cute town and while it might seem much further up north, it’s only a few more minutes from Napa. I love the area for more relaxed vibes and different varieties of wines I can find at wineries there. Here are some of my favorite wineries to visit in Healdsburg:

  1. Reeve: One of my favorite wineries for Pinot and Sangiovese! Their wines tend to be light to medium bodied, fruity but complex. I don’t typically love Pinot but love all their wines. They also serve wood fire pizza on weekends.

  2. Lambert Bridge: They make one of my favorite Cab Francs. So smooth with depth and if you love Napa Cab Sauvignon, you will love this one! Ground is cute and the indoor tasting room set up is so cozy and worth the visit!

  3. Amista: Believe it’s the only winery in Healdsburg that specializes in sparkling wines. They have a separate sparkling flight and a red flight that focuses on Rhone varietals and blends. I really enjoyed tasting all of their wines and some of the bottles we brought home tasted even better than I remember it to be. Definitely worth a stop!

  4. De La Montoya: Their outdoor tasting area is super cute, surrounded by greens and the garden. They allow picnic and also sell small snack/food boxes so plenty of options for food to go with your tasting

  5. A Rafanelli: This small family owned winery is adorable with an amazing view of the vineyard and adorable cave. They typically have ~3 wines for you to taste and purchase (Cab, Zin, Red Blend) and they are all really good. Super friendly place that makes you feel like you are visiting a friend’s place!



Best wineries for cute photos in Napa and Sonoma

I don’t think I’ve met a winery that does not look great on photos. But out of 100+ wineries in Napa & Sonoma, these are the ones I like especially because the grounds, views, and etc. I tried to include a variety of backdrops so you can take your pick 

Views

  1. Chappellet: Located on the Pritchard Hill, the view from the back of the winery consists of endless vineyards, the lake, and the mountains. $75 tasting fee

  2. Hamel: Tasting room is located on top of a hill of their vineyards, offering a great view of the vineyard from the tasting/picnic area.  $75 tasting fee

  3. Amizetta: Located up in the mountains so it’s a bit more of a drive to get there but for a good reason. The view is to die for as much as their wines. $75 tasting fee waived upon purchasing 3 bottles.

I’ve also gotten recommendations for Kuleto, Signorello, and Cade for their views but have not been yet.

Architecture, buildings, and grounds

  1. V Sattui or Castello di Amorosa: Both owned by the same owner, V Sattui is a Tuscan style while Castillo de Amorosa is a medieval castle. $45 tasting fee for V Sattui, $55 for Castello di Amorosa

  2. Chateau St Jean or Ledson: Another set of wineries with a castle-like ground near each other. Ledson castle is a French Normandy structure and Chateau st Jean feels like rustic gardens of country villas in Italy and the south of France. $45 tasting fee for Chateau St Jean, $30 for Ledson

  3. Caymus or Peju: Lots of green backdrops and walkways filled with greenery. $50 tasting fee for Caymus, $40 for Peju

  4. Domaine Carneros: This one is a popular one so you’ve probably seen/heard of it. Known for sparkling wines and the Chateau. $40 tasting fee

Fun weekend trip itinerary to Healdsburg wineries

Napa is only about 45min-1.5hr from SF depending on which part of the wine country you are visiting and we usually make it a day trip. However, if you drive a bit further north, you will get to Healdsburg, Sonoma for additional (usually less crowded) group of wineries that are super fun to visit. We like to make it an overnight trip to be able to visit multiple wineries and spend more time in downtown (super cute!). Below are few of wineries to visit in Healdsburg

  1. Lambert Bridge: Usually members only (we were referred) so relatively private but they sometimes accommodate you if you call and ask. Really good red wines, loved our host and the tasting room is super cozy. Not sure about the tasting fee but bottles are $80+. If you get a chance to visit, you will have a great time.

  2. R.Fanelli: We saw the entrance to the winery while driving by, looked them up online and made a reservation for the next day. Cute little family owned winery focused on Cab and Cab blends. They usually only have 2-3 wines to taste (4 wines in their entire portfolio) but the host was great and will tour you around the cave. Remember tasting fee to be not much, probably around $10, we got it waived with a bottle purchase.

  3. Lancaster Estate: Larger winery within the Foley Food and Wine family of wineries. Beautiful grounds and good big bold red wines.

  4. Martorana: Casual spot with a picnic area for games and tasting wines. Enjoyed their Merlot!

  5. Jordan: We ended up not being able to visit due to timing but have gotten recommendation for their food pairing. From their website the grounds look beautiful and seem to have reds, whites, and sparkling