California Wine Country Regions

From Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma in Northern California to Temecula, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo in Southern California, across mountains in the Sierras and great valleys of the San Joaquin, California is home to almost half the wineries in the country and some of the oldest vineyards on the West Coast. Tour and explore California's diverse wine regions, boasting charming vineyards, wineries and tasting salons that create the earth's most inspiring vines, wines and landscapes.

Sonoma Valley Wine Country
Birthplace of California wine, Sonoma Valley is home to the earliest vineyards and wineries in the state. Discover one of the finest wine-producing regions in the world as you savor robust, award-winning wines at 160 wineries and tasting events. Savor the heady aromas and intense flavors of Sonoma's world-class Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Zinfandels as you embrace the enchanting coastal landscapes and beautiful vine-laden countryside of Sonoma County.

All the flavor and charm of Sonoma come alive at the Kendall-Jackson Winery and Wine Center in Healdsburg and Fulton. Taste champagne in the redwood forest of the Russian River Valley at Korbel Champagne Cellars. Sample award-winning wines at the chateau tasting rooms, tour gardens, or picnic under the century-old redwood grove. Sample excellent Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnay wines and tour the historic estate at Simi Winery. For a taste of Sonoma's gold-medal Zinfandel, visit the family-owned estate of Alexander Valley Vineyards, which produces the perennial favorite Sin Zin. On your Sonoma journey, stop by St. Francis Winery & Vineyards in Santa Rosa, Iron Horse Vineyards in Sebastopol, and Buena Vista Carneros, the oldest active winery in California.

Napa Valley Wine Country
Indulge your senses in the Napa Valley Wine Country as you wind through Northern California's most romantic and historic wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms. The connoisseur of premium wine will discover a sip of heaven in California's Napa Valley, recognized as one of the world's premier wine growing regions. Lined with spectacular vineyards and 250 award-winning wineries, Napa offer diverse vine varieties, wine-tasting tours, wine salons, wine festivals, and captivating landscapes. Explore the spectacular wine country as you sample cabs, pinot noirs, zins, merlots, syrahs, blancs, and sparkling wines in one of the most beautiful valleys and wine producing regions on earth. Lined with sun-kissed vineyards and charming winery estates, Napa produces 4% of California wines.

With many of California's top wine estates, such as Domaine Chandon and Robert Mondavi, the beauty of the land is matched by the flavor of Napa's distinctive wines. Discover Napa's country roads lined with award-winning estate wineries, such as Niebaum-Coppola, Trefethen, St. Supery, Cuvaison, Artesa Vineyards & Winery, Beaulieu Vineyard, Beringer Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Conn Creek Winery, Frank Family Vineyards, and Opus One. Red wine lovers will find heaven among the vines. Ride the aerial tram to Sterling Vineyards, a Mediterranean-style winery perched 300 feet up on a rocky knoll. For a walk on the wild side, roam Napa Valley's Silverado Trail - a less traveled wine road lined with 35 charming wineries and Napa's oldest vineyards. Take a 33-mile epicurean journey through Napa Valley's picturesque country vineyards on the vintage Napa Valley Wine Train.

Mendocino County Wine Region
Drive along Northern California's spectacular coast and discover Mendocino County's charming seaside villages dotted with stellar wineries, sea-crashed wine caves and ocean vistas. Enjoy the vines and views at these delightful wineries: Brutacao Cellars & Vineyard and Fetzer Vineyards in Hopland, Eaglepoint Ranch Winery in Philo and Pacific Star Winery, a unique seaside winery in Fort Bragg where waves crash into sea caves under the cellar, naturally filtering and creating dense, delicious wines.

Santa Cruz Mountains & San Francisco Bay Area Wineries
From Pt. Reyes National Seashore to the Santa Cruz Mountains, the San Francisco Bay Area is a premium wine growing region with picturesque wineries, superb wines and spectacular scenery. Enjoy a romantic Bay Area winery getaway and raise a glass to California's nectar of the gods. Visit the picturesque Bonny Doon Vineyard, overlooking the Santa Cruz Mountains, where sun-loving grapes of the Mediterranean flourish in California's coastal climates. Thomas Fogarty Winery invites you to experience "the flavors of the fruit" from its beautiful mountain winery located west of Palo Alto.

Explore the mostly undiscovered Santa Cruz Mountain wineries, which utilize one of the premier wine growing regions of the world. Sip hand-crafted wines where the flavors enhance Santa Cruz mountain views. There are many wine vineyards and wine makers located this beautiful region, with most of them just a short 15 or 20 minute drive through the redwood trees. Nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, Byington Vineyard & Winery provides the perfect setting for sipping wines in its Italianate stone chateau. Come sample award-winning Chardonnay, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Petit Sirah and Merlot wines at Halcrest Vinyard, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, Silver Mountain Vineyards, Storrs Winery, Ahlgren Vineyard, Fortino Winery and Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards & Winery.

Central Coast Wine Country
Taste your way through the Central Coast Wine Country and experience the remarkable wines and breathtaking vineyards that span miles of beautiful coastline. From the Santa Cruz and Monterey wine country to the wine trails of Santa Barbara, you'll experience the world's finest premium wines from vine-velveted, oak dotted, foggy vineyards. Wind through the vineyards in San Luis Obispo County, and sample prize-winning Pinot Noirs, rich Chardonnays, big Zinfandels, bold Cabernets and velvety Merlots at some 80 wineries. The wine region also produces excellent Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc. Wineries to tour include: Galante Vineyards in Carmel Valley, Wente Estate Vineyards Winery and Carmel Road Winery in Monterey, Diablo Grande Vineyards in Patterson and Tin House Winery in Los Olivos.

Central Valley Wine Country
Relatively isolated from other California wine regions, the Central Valley has some of the oldest still producing grape vines and old-growth Zinfandel vineyards. Nestled between the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Sierra foothills in Lodi, Jesse's Grove Winery offers award-winning Chardonnay and old-vine Zinfandel. The tasting room overlooking the Bogle Winery is the perfect setting in Sacramento Delta for an escape from the city. Central Valley wineries to visit include Delicato Vineyards in Manteca, E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, Woodbridge Winery in Acampo, and Scribner Bend Vineyards in Sacramento.

Southern California Wine Country
South of Los Angeles and north of San Diego rests Southern California's beautiful wine country of Temecula Valley and Santa Barbara. Experience rolling hills blanketed with vineyards, views that reach the highest mountains and ocean breezes that cool the vineyards to create remarkable wines. Enjoy 18 wineries that produce award-winning, premium pours, including Rosenthal - The Malibu Estate in Santa Barbara, Galleano Winery in Mira Loma, Churon Winery in Temecula, Gerber Vineyards in Vallecito and Bernardo Winery, Southern California's oldest operating winery in Rancho Bernardo.

Sierra Nevada Mountains/Gold Country Wine Region
The Sierra Nevada Foothills have been re-discovered as one of the hot spots for wine travel. Named by Frommer's as one of the "Up and Coming Places to Visit in 2006" and gushed over by the New York Times and Wine Spectator, the region is awash in rustic charm and rural solitude that will rejuvenate your spirit and please your palate. From the Sierra foothills emanate the aromatic Tuscan-style wines of Alzante in El Dorado, and handcrafted zinfandels and world-class ports from Kelson Creek Winery. Other Sierra Nevada/Gold Coast wineries to explore are C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery in Mt. Aukum, Charles Spinetta Winery in Plymouth, and Nevada City Winery, which has earned hundreds of awards at the California State Fair for Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignons.

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