Expect sunny days and warm afternoons – perfect for outdoor wine tasting.
It’s the second week in February 2022, but it feels like springtime in the Napa Valley and Sonoma County. It would be nice if it were raining to ease the drought, but unfortunately that’s not the case. Temperatures in the 70s are forecast into the middle of the month – perfect for outdoor wine tasting.
To help you decide where to take advantage of the springlike weather, below are three 30-second videos introducing a few winery favorites from Fodor’s Napa and Sonoma – something for every mood, taste, and budget. Snippets from each winery’s Fodor’s review are provided. These are all great places to sip wine and bask in the sun, though be nice and pray for rain afterward. A few are closed on Tuesday or Wednesday, but most pour daily. Make an appointment a day or two ahead; some places can accommodate same-day visitors (but still call ahead first).
Napa Valley
Napa
Robert Biale Vineyards (“Zinfandel from heritage vineyards holds the spotlight, with luscious Petite Sirahs in supporting roles.”)
Fontanella Family Winery (“Six miles from the downtown Napa whirl, husband-and-wife Jeff and Karen Fontanella’s hillside spread seems a world apart.”)
Yountville
Elyse Winery (“A country lane leads to this unassuming winery whose tastings have a casual backyard feel.”)
Oasis by Hoopes (“Vineyards surround the walk-through organic garden and corral for rescue animals.”)
Oakville
Nickel & Nickel (“For the splurge Terroir Tasting, hosts introduce eight single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernets.”)
Rutherford
Frog’s Leap Winery (“The tour at eco-friendly Frog’s Leap is a fun way to begin your wine education.”)
St. Helena
Corison Winery (“Library tastings illustrate vintner Cathy Corison’s consistency as a winemaker.”)
Smith-Madrone Winery (“For a glimpse of the Napa Valley before things got precious, head up Spring Mountain to the vineyard Stu Smith purchased in the early 1970s.”)
Calistoga
Larkmead Vineyards (“Intuitive artistry informs everything that takes place on this 150-acre estate.”)
Vincent Arroyo Winery (“The presentation here is charmingly old school.”)
Sonoma Valley and Petaluma
Sonoma
Blue Farm Wines (“Hosts of private Chardonnay and Pinot Noir tastings at Anne Moller-Racke’s 13-acre estate explain her winegrowing philosophy.”)
The Donum Estate (“The white board-and-batten tasting room affords guests hilltop views, with large-scale museum-quality contemporary sculptures placed amid the vines.”)
Hamel Family Wines (“Guests on the broad stone terrace enjoy valley and Sonoma Mountain views.”)
Robledo Family Winery (“Lush Tempranillo, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon reds stand out among wines served on a covered patio jutting into a Pinot Noir vineyard.”)
Sangiacomo Family Wines (“The famed grape-growing family didn’t establish its own label until 2016, but its cool-climate wines are already earning critical plaudits.”)
Glen Ellen
Abbot’s Passage (“Sixth-generation vintner Katie Bundschu focuses on wines made from organic grapes grown in other family-owned vineyards.”)
Lasseter Family Winery (“Immaculately groomed grapevines dazzle the eye at John and Nancy Lasseter’s secluded winery.”)
Loxton Cellars (“Back when tasting rooms were low-tech and the winemaker often poured the wines, the experience at Loxton Cellars unfolded pretty much the same way it does today.”)
Kenwood
En Garde Winery (“Winemaker Csaba Szakál selects top Sonoma County vineyards for the Pinots and the Napa Valley’s Diamond Mountain, Mt. Veeder, and other high-elevation sites for the Cabernets.”)
Petaluma
McEvoy Ranch (“The Taste of the Season spread involves wine served with artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, olive oil, and other items.”)
Northern and Western Sonoma County
Healdsburg
Capo Creek Ranch (“Dr. Mary Roy created a magical showcase for her mostly Rhône-style wines.”)
Limerick Lane Cellars (“Sip swoon-worthy Zinfandels . . . with vineyard and Mayacamas Mountains views.”)
Porter Creek Vineyards (“About as down-home as you can get, Porter Creek makes notably good wines from biodynamically grown grapes.”)
Tongue Dancer Wines (“Made from grapes from choice vineyard sites, these wines by James MacPhail impress—and sometimes stun.”)
Geyserville
CRUX Winery (“Crux validates the notion that superior fruit and an idiosyncratic perspective can trump high-tech equipment and a textbook approach.”)
Zialena Winery (“Zialena specializes in estate-grown Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon with a lush mouthfeel.”)
Windsor
Sebastopol
Santa Rosa
More Napa Valley Ideas and Itineraries
Downtown Napa in a Day
48 Perfect Hours in Calistoga
3 Historic Napa Valley Wineries Day Trip
3 St. Helena Wineries with a Personal Touch
10 Foolproof Napa Valley Cabernet Tasting Experiences
2 Splendid Days in Walkable Yountville
More Sonoma County Ideas and Itineraries
Bacchus Landing – It’s a Families Affair
Sonoma County Vineyard Walks
Sonoma Pinot Noir Day Trip
What’s New in Healdsburg This Winter (2022)
Daniel Mangin is the author of Fodor’s Napa and Sonoma, the coauthor of The California Directory of Fine Wineries, and has written about the Wine Country for Napa Valley Life Magazine, Marin Magazine, and other media outlets. Lead photo: arbor at Bricoleur Vineyards.