Sonoma Pinot Noir Day Trip

Top tasting rooms in and around historic Sonoma Plaza.

Several leading Sonoma County Pinot Noir producers have tasting rooms on or near Sonoma’s central square. Sojourn Cellars, Three Sticks Wines, WALT Wines, and (by late Spring 2026) Patz & Hall are within a half-mile of each other. It’s worth the 3-mile trek south of Sonoma Plaza to pastoral Blue Farm Wines.

These acclaimed operations have access to top fruit, sometimes from the same vineyards. A few wineries source grapes from Gap’s Crown, a Sonoma County gem owned by Bill Price of Three Sticks. Pinots from this vineyard highlight how each winemaker’s choices—when to pick grapes, which barrels to use, and how long to age—shape the final wine.

Planning Your Day

Tips

Visit two tasting rooms before a late lunch and one or two after for a pleasant day. Break up your tastings with shopping along the plaza. A quick peek into the historic Sonoma Mission and related buildings north of the square is diverting, and several worthwhile restaurants border it. Downtown Sonoma is 45 miles north of San Francisco, making it an easy day trip from the City by the Bay. Extend your stay at plaza-area lodgings, including inns, apartments, and resortlike spreads.

Reservations

Reservations are recommended at all five tasting rooms. For food-related sessions, book at least 48 hours in advance.

Timing

Plan on spending from 60 to 90 minutes per tasting. Hours and days vary and are subject to change, but at least four places will be open on whatever day you choose.

The Tasting Rooms

Blue Farm Wines

A small winery with an impressive pedigree, Blue Farm Wines produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from vineyards across Sonoma County, including the Carneros District estate of vintner Anne Moller-Racke. Her rose garden, where dozens of varieties bloom, is a featured stop on the short vineyard walk preceding many tastings.

Read the full Blue Farm Wines review here.

Why go: vineyard and mountain views; Pinot Noirs “made in the vineyard.”

Patz & Hall

In Spring 2026, Patz & Hall will begin showcasing its Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at a bungalow a long block south of Sonoma Plaza. Until then, limited tastings will take place at the winery’s production facility. As always, winemaker James Hall and his team make the most of grapes from top vineyards in three major Sonoma County appellations, as well as fruit from elsewhere in California.

Read the full Patz & Hall review here.

Why go:  skilled winemaking team, wines from multiple regions.

Sojourn Cellars

The first wines released by Sojourn Cellars were Cabernet Sauvignons, but these days the winery receives more press for its Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs, particularly the ones winemaker Erich Bradley crafts from the Gap’s Crown, Sangiacomo, and Rodgers Creek vineyards.

Read the full Sojourn Cellars review here.

Why go: Pinot Noir lineup; high-quality grapes; comparative tastings.

Three Sticks Wines

Winemaker Ryan Prichard achieves Pinot poetry at Three Sticks Wines, whose estate vineyards include the highly regarded Gap’s Crown and Durell vineyards. Grapes from other sites throughout Sonoma County go into other equally sublime single-vineyard wines.

Read the full Three Sticks Wines review here.

Why go: historic setting; Pinot poetry.

WALT Wines

WALT Wines, sister to HALL St. Helena, focuses on single-vineyard Pinot Noirs sourced from Oregon’s Willamette Valley to California’s Santa Rita Hills. The Root 101 tastings include small local bites.

Read the full WALT Wines review here.

Why go: relaxed tastings; “1,000 miles of Pinot,” from Oregon to Southern California.

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This story first appeared online in 2017; it was most recently updated in 2026.