Sonoma Wine & Walking Tour

“Wine is made in the vineyard, not the winery, as most winemakers acknowledge. Travelers can get out among cordons and clusters – maybe even nibble the new vintage right from the vine – with the Sonoma Wine & Walking Tour…” – Wine Enthusiast

We absolutely love Sonoma County and have been running tours here for years.

The real beauty of Sonoma County is its diversity, ranging from 60 miles of Pacific coastline on the west to the Mayacamas Mountain on the eastern edge with Napa County; from the large expanses of rural fields including wine vineyards, to the cute small towns, such as Geyserville and Healdsburg, where we base our trip. Sonoma County is also incredibly laid-back given the intensely successful nature of its tourism and wine industries.

Explore this vibrant wine region in an intimate and unique way with our three-day Sonoma Wine & Walking Tour. You’ll experience much more than you would by car. The winemakers’ personalities as they offer you a rich education in (and better understanding of) the wine-making process, the local flora and fauna, the views from a nearby ridge top, or even lunch among the vines – all experiences you wouldn’t have from the seat of an automobile. Your Sonoma Vineyard Walk vacation includes a personal guide that will take you on invigorating walks through private vineyard land, with each excursion ending in a wine tasting.

Related blog posts:

• Pairing Wine With Walking – Sonoma County In The Fall
• Sonoma County and Wine Tourism: A Love Affair
• How to Pack Wine for Travel
• From Wine Enthusiast to Certified Wine Lover

Tour Details

• Location: Sonoma County, California
• Next Public Tour Date: November 4 -6, 2018
• Trip Price: $1,200
• Optional single supplement: $350
• Host: Jim McCammon
• Meals: Two breakfasts and two dinners are included. Lunch will be on your own to give you a chance to explore the area.

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Private Tour Option

• Private Tours are available to book with your own group on any date you choose, given lodging availability, as either Classic or Deluxe
• Deluxe  Tour: $2,350 per person
• Classic  Tour: $1,200 per person
• Minimum: 4 people
• Customizations to the above itinerary possible with additional fees. An additional $400 is required for private tours booked on Fridays or Saturdays.
• Please note –  Our pricing is based on double occupancy lodging. If upon finalizing your private trip, your group has a solo traveler in a room without a roommate, the single supplement becomes mandatory.This amount will differ depending on the itinerary. Please contact our tour operations team for more details.

The following is included in our Deluxe Tour offering:

• All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
• All our wine tours include tastings of very good to excellent wines. However, these are not necessarily rare, reserve, or old wines. If you would like to upgrade your wine tastings on a private tour, please let us know in advance and we are happy to arrange that at an additional cost.
• Upgraded to luxury accommodations

Day 1

Depending on how and when you arrive in the area, our guide will meet you at 1:00 pm either at the Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa or our host hotel, whichever is more convenient for you.

From there, we’ll head straight to our first vineyard walk and wine tasting in the Russian River Valley. This AVA is named after the first non-native settlers to come to area and has a rich history as many consider it the birthplace of Sonoma County wine because the first grapes were planted here. The Russian River Valley is known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as other cool-climate loving varietals.

After our walk and tasting, you’ll check into our hotel, if you haven’t done so already. If there is time prior to dinner tonight, we recommend visiting one of the local tasting rooms. This evening we’ll enjoy a casual, but delicious dinner in the area.

Day 2

Today, we’ll discover the picturesque Dry Creek Valley. This AVA produces a wide variety of excellent wines, but is best known for their world-class zinfandels. Its diversity is due to the unique mix of different soil types, elevations, sun exposure, wind, and water – all within a narrow 16-by-2-mile valley. We’ll head out on our walk to explore another stunning vineyard and cap it off with a lovely wine tasting.

We recommend having lunch at the iconic Dry Creek General Store that was established in 1881 and offers a tasty variety of sustainably-made food. This afternoon, we’ll head to our second wine tasting of the day. If you have a specific place you’d like to visit, let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your request. Later, we’ll enjoy dinner at one of the world-class restaurants in the area.

Day 3

On our last day together, we’ll meet after breakfast to head out for our last vineyard walk. After a couple scenic miles on foot, we’ll arrive at our final wine tasting of the tour. Afterward, we’ll head back to the hotel to check out. We’ll say our farewells and shuttle you back to the Santa Rosa airport or leave you to extend your stay in the area.

The Dry Creek Inn is a Tuscan-style getaway conveniently located in the northern part of Sonoma County, just outside of Healdsburg’s downtown area. Relaxing by the outdoor firepits, or lounging poolside with a glass of wine in hand, it is the perfect place to unwind from a busy day and your big city concerns.

Please note: Hotels are subject to availability. If listed hotel is not available at time of tour, a hotel that is equal or better to the original will be secured.

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