Wine Tourism: California Dreamin’ at Napa and Sonoma
If you’ve got wine on your mind, Northern California is the place to go — specifically, Napa and Sonoma. But there’s more to these storied regions than wine, such as small-batch beer and artisan spirits, along with the excellent food, beautiful landscapes and gorgeous weather.
In fact, there’s so much to do and see in California’s core wine country that it can be overwhelming. Here are a few things to try when visiting the area.
Napa
A number of Napa wineries and institutions are celebrating big anniversaries this year. For instance, Beringer Vineyards, California’s longest continuously operating winery, marks its 150th year in 2026 with a calendar of immersive experiences, seasonal festivities and participation in marquee wine events across the country. The St. Helena, CA, estate, which in 1934 was the first local winery to open for public tours, helped set the standard for modern Napa Valley hospitality.
Domaine Carneros, known for its sparkling wine and estate pinot noir, has a new visitor offering called Scent & Savor: A Wine Tour of Aromas and Taste Transformations. One of several distinctive food and wine pairing experiences offered to visitors at the property, Scent & Savor is a 90-minute guided journey from vineyard to glass.
The Duckhorn Collection at Paraduxx serves as the home for an expansive selection of Napa Valley wines. Located just outside Yountville since 1994, the Silverado Trail estate welcomes visitors to enjoy a range of culinary-focused wine experiences.
For an entertaining immersion in the area’s offerings, Festival Napa Valley is held at resorts and estates throughout the valley. The festival, which runs from July 4-19 in 2026, turns 20 this summer and boasts a lineup featuring international stars and emerging talent.
In addition to the Taste of Napa event showcasing the valley’s wines, cuisine and hospitality, this year’s Festival Napa Valley will include the world premiere of a opera called The Judgment of Paris. The new opera celebrates the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, the blind tasting in which two Napa wines beat out the French contenders and helped put California wines on the map.
If you want to further celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Paris Tasting triumph, visit Chateau Montelena, whose 1973 chardonnay took the top spot for white wines. Located at the top of Napa Valley in Calistoga, the winery is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and offers several curated tasting experiences.
The Judgment of Paris’ number-one red was Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 1973 S.L.V. cabernet sauvignon. In addition to tastings, a trip to this Napa Valley winery promises refined food and wine pairing experiences and stunning views of the S.L.V. and FAY vineyards set against the backdrop of the Stags Leap Palisades.
Grgich Hills Estate is another Napa winery with a connection to The Judgment of Paris: The Croatian-born founder Miljenko “Mike” Grgich created the Chateau Montelena chardonnay that was the highest-scoring wine of the tasting. The St. Helena, CA-based offers a selection of different tasting experiences, not to mention a beautiful outdoor garden patio with an easterly view of the Vaca Mountains.
Looking to hit several wineries? All aboard The Napa Valley Wine Train, one of the few active historic passenger railroads in the U.S. that offers several unique packages and journeys. The Wine Train promises an engaging and memorable experience, with fine-dining service, multi-course meals cooked to order, Napa Valley scenery and ultimate relaxation while traveling through the heart of California wine country.
The Duckhorn Collection at Paraduxx serves as the home for an expansive selection of Napa Valley wines.
Spirits, Beer and Mud
If spirits are more your thing, Redwood Empire Whiskey opened its distillery and visitor destination a year ago on Mare Island, a historic former naval station in Vallejo, CA. The spirits producer has significantly expanded its distilling capacity and deepened its commitment to whiskey education. With the launch of Redwood Empire Whiskey University, and an expanding slate of experiential programming, the company aims to establish Mare Island as a premier destination comparable to the iconic bourbon trails of Kentucky and Tennessee.
Beer fans can check out Berryessa Brewing Co., a 20-barrel craft brewery located just outside historic Winters, CA. The taproom at the brewery provides a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere in a country setting with limited indoor seating, scenic outdoor seating, food trucks and live music.
Napa Valley Brewing Company was founded in 1987 and sits on the grounds of the historic Calistoga Inn. It was the first commercial brewery in Napa County since the end of Prohibition in 1933 and one of the pioneers of the craft beer industry.
While you’re in Calistoga, don’t forget to take part in the hot springs and mud baths at one of the spas. Golden Haven, Dr. Wilkinson’s, Roman Spa and Indian Springs are just a few of the options for bathing in the legendary mud made from mineral-rich volcanic ash with waters from natural hot springs.
Sonoma
The largest wine producer in Northern California, Sonoma County stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Mayacamas Mountains. Its 18 wine regions include diverse and scenic growing regions with more than 425 wineries. Sonoma is a key producer of chardonnay (66,265 tons), pinot noir (47,768 tons) and cabernet sauvignon (40,348 tons), among the 60-plus grape varieties.
Some of Sonoma’s well-known wineries include Korbel, Ledson, Rodney Strong, and Gloria Ferrer. Santa Rosa, CA-based Kendall-Jackson offers several seasonal tasting experiences, from small plates and pairings to picnics to a chef’s five-course menu and pairing. The Kendall-Jackson Culinary Gardens have seven distinct garden spaces and can be explored on your own or as a guided tour.
Founded in 1882 in the Russian River Valley, Korbel is known as one of the oldest continually operating champagne houses in North America. Visitors to the Korbel winery in Guerneville, CA, can take a celebratory journey through its distinctive California heritage, with its signature champagne on the patio, historic tours of the property and guided tastings.
The Francis Ford Coppola winery, from the renowned film director-turned-vintner Francis Ford Coppola, offers plenty to do in addition to tasting its wines. The sprawling villa includes a small gallery of Coppola’s movie memorabilia (such as Don Corleone’s desk from The Godfather), as well as Rustic, an onsite restaurant specializing in Italian/South American fare, plus two large outdoor swimming pools.
Banshee Winery in 2023 opened a new tasting room in Alexander Valley. Experiences at the dog-friendly location include Flight of The Banshee, a tasting flight showcasing five featured current and award-winning wines, and the Banshee Vintage Lunch Club, a fun seasonal meal served in a collectible retro tin lunchbox. “Each quarter, the menu and the lunchbox change, delivering a new wave of reimagined, nostalgic bites and unexpected wine pairings that have no business being this good,” the company says.
Banshee Winery in 2023 opened a new tasting room in Alexander Valley.
Alexander Valley Vineyards in Healdsburg, CA, also has a unique pairing experience: five different cookies paired perfectly with five different sips of its top wines. The winery also offers a non-alcoholic option of five different cookies paired five non-alcoholic tastings. Culinary director/chef Tim Gleadall creates the NA beverages with handcrafted shrubs using seasonal ingredients and products grown on the Alexander Valley Farm.
To cover more ground, the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley offers tours designed for people who want to experience the sights of the valley and taste the area’s famous wines. The one-day itineraries with entertaining guides transport guests in a California streetcar replica to well-known estates as well as trailblazing small producers who work with biodynamic and organic wines.
Wine Country Spirits and Brews
Sonoma County also boasts a thriving artisan beverage industry, including nearly two dozen craft breweries, five cider works and about a dozen distilleries — with more to come. Numerous small breweries dot towns such as Santa Rosa, Healdsburg and Petaluma.
One is Sonoma Springs Brewing Company, which describes its taproom as a “work of art” blending the charm of a German beer hall with Sonoma County wine country style. The company brews a wide variety of styles ranging from traditional German beers and California ales to innovative modern IPAs and to barrel-aged creations.
Russian River Brewing Company is known for super hoppy and Belgian-inspired beers, namely Pliny the Elder — one of the first commercially brewed Double or Imperial IPAs in America. The company operates a brewpub in Santa Rosa and an 85,000- sq.-ft. brewery in Windsor that encompasses beer production for both clean beers and sour barrel-aged beers, a brewpub, an outdoor beer garden, a gift shop and tasting room/growler fills.
For a bigger beer brand experience, Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma offers lively taprooms and hop-forward favorites. The brewery, started on a kitchen stove in 1993, has since expand to more than 38 countries and become the number one selling IPA worldwide with an expanding line of line of hop-forward craft beers.
On the more spirited front, Hanson of Sonoma Distillery and Tasting Room in the heart of the Carneros Region of Sonoma Valley is know for its unique vodka distilled from organically farmed grapes. Visitors can experience the vodka-making process from the grape crush pad, through the state-of-the-art distilling facilities, to the final fruit infusion and well as enjoy a guided spirits tasting, book a food pairing in the specially built tasting room, or taste by the pond in the garden. This region of California is a venerable vibrant craft beverage playground where world-class wine meets small-batch beer and artisan spirits. Whether you’re a seasoned collector, a curious taster or someone who simply loves beautiful landscapes and perfect weather paired with exceptional drinks, Napa and Sonoma deliver an unforgettable experience.
Melissa Dowling is editor of Cheers magazine, our on-premise sister publication. Contact her at mdowling@epgacceleration.com. Read her recent piece: Our 2026 Wine Growth Brands Awards Winners.
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