TASTEMAKERS
Girls Weekend Wineries in Sonoma County
From Spill
16 wineries
Explore all Sonoma County wineries →
01
Sonoma is the easier county for a group
The valley floor in Napa is built around two-tops. Sonoma spreads out, the rooms are bigger, and the wineries that take groups say so plainly. You can build a whole weekend here without the booking anxiety.
Base in the town of Sonoma or in Kenwood. Both put you inside twenty minutes of everything below.
02
Open with sparkling in a cave
Gloria Ferrer has been making sparkling wine in Carneros since 1982 and pours it above the vineyards with food. It is the arrival stop, and the view does the work before anyone has said anything clever.
Highway 12 Winery is a small room right in downtown Sonoma at twenty five dollars, useful for the hour after you check in and before anyone wants a real tasting.
03
The Sonoma Valley run
Gundlach Bundschu is a hundred and sixty five years old, sits where three regions meet, and has food, a patio, and a picnic area, from thirty dollars. Imagery Winery rotates original artwork with every release and starts at fifteen dollars, which makes it the cheapest genuinely interesting stop in the county.
Ledson Winery is a castle in Kenwood run by five generations of the same family, with food and a picnic lawn. Chateau St. Jean has been going since 1973 and has the best formal garden of the group, from fifty dollars.
04
Where to eat properly
Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor does multi-course seasonal pairings with their own chefs and gardeners, from forty dollars. Halleck Vineyard pours estate Pinot Noir family-style above the Russian River Valley with food and a picnic area.
Anaba Wines and Ana Vineyards both run seasonal bites from Executive Chef Maria Lynn, which is the same kitchen doing two rooms.
05
Slow afternoon
Loxton Cellars in Glen Ellen is twenty dollars and Chris Loxton makes everything himself. Lasseter Family Winery farms organically nearby. Meadowcroft has a picnic area and a range that starts at nothing.
Trione and Cast are both up in Geyserville if the group wants one more day and one more valley.
Book two rooms a day, leave the afternoon empty, and Sonoma runs itself.
06
More in this guide
Good to know
What days are they open?
All 15 with posted hours are open Thursday to Sunday. Two of them are closed Monday and Tuesday.
Do I need a reservation?
Most ask you to book ahead. Highway 12 Winery, Loxton Cellars, Meadowcroft Wines, Trione Vineyards and Cast Wines take walk-ins.
How much is a tasting?
Posted tastings run $15 to $150, with Imagery Winery at the low end.
What regions does this list cover?
Los Carneros, Sonoma Valley, Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley.