4 Californian wine regions you need to visit

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• Sonoma County
• Mendocino
• Napa Valley
• Yolo County

Sonoma County

The Sonoma region has a large variety of microclimates and soil types, so is able to produce a wider range of grapes and wine styles. Pinot noirs and chardonnays, particularly from the cool Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast regions, are capable of great elegance and complexity, while warmer inland areas such as the Alexander Valley are known for their robust wines made from cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel (also known as primitivo) that tend to be heavily oaked and high in alcohol.

Sonoma is a wonderful place to visit, with its rolling countryside, pretty towns, ancient redwood forests and wild Pacific coastline, as well as hundreds of vineyards and wineries which are very welcoming to tourists.

Where to stay in Sonoma County

Montage Healdsburg

Billing itself as a resort rather than a hotel, Montage Healdsburg is the ultimate in discreet luxury, set among its own immaculate vineyards in the heart of Sonoma’s wine country. The gorgeous rooms all have their own balconies with fabulous views and are very hard to leave, but don’t miss out on dining on the terrace at the Hazel Hill restaurant, which uses brilliant local produce to create spectacular dishes, or eat poolside at the more casual Hudson Springs Bar and Grill.

Check rates and availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or montage.com/healdsburg

Where to eat in Sonoma County

Barndiva, Healdsburg

Quirkily decorated and with bags of charm, Barndiva recently turned its back on the Michelin-starred food it used to serve and now focuses on more approachable, more affordable dishes made from fantastic local organic produce. Drinkers are spoilt for choice with inventive seasonal cocktails and an incredible international wine list. barndiva.com

Catelli’s, Geyserville

Fifth-generation family-run Italian restaurant lies on Geyserville’s main street. It’s laid back and lots of fun with homemade pasta dishes, vibrant salads and local wine the highlights, all served with warm and welcoming hospitality. mycatellis.com

Cyrus, Geyserville

Set right on the edge of vineyards with Sonoma’s majestic mountains as a backdrop, this beautiful restaurant will take your breath away. Settle in for a multi-course dining experience of many dazzling dishes, or just treat yourself to a glass of fizz and very superior bar snacks in the Bubble Lounge. cyrusrestaurant.com

Mendocino County

North of Sonoma, at the upper end of Highway 128, sleepy Mendocino County is a lesser-known and more laid-back wine region but has loads to offer intrepid drinkers and tourists alike. Dramatic landscapes, from rolling hillsides inland to the rugged Pacific coastline, provide diverse microclimates for its mainly small, family-owned wine producers, many of whom are committed to sustainable, organic and/or biodynamic practices.

Cooling maritime breezes give elegant, poised wines, especially in the Anderson Valley which produces excellent pinot noirs and chardonnays, as well as other cool-climate grapes such as riesling. Warmer inland areas are known for riper, more robust zinfandels, syrahs and cabernet sauvignons. Many wine producers welcome visitors and there are also plenty of brilliant local breweries and cider makers – pay a visit to Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, established in 1876 and set on the edge of an orchard of very old apple trees, and taste through their range of lovely award-winning ciders.

What to do in Mendocino

Mendocino town is a good base from which to explore the area. Right on the coast with rocky cliffs and surf-bashed beaches either side, Mendocino’s pretty Victorian architecture dates from its heyday as a logging centre in the 19th century. These days it’s more of a village, attracting artists and craftspeople as well as tourists who are well served with good accommodation and dining options.

As well as great eating and drinking, there are loads of activities for outdoorsy types in the region. Hiking, cycling, horse-riding and fishing are all available, or paddle up the appropriately named Big River from Catch-a-Canoe on the edge of Mendocino where you can rent canoes of different sizes to explore the wild and wonderful nature all around – look out for otters, seals and herons.

Where to stay in Mendocino

Stanford Inn Mendocino

Stay in gorgeous, cosy wooden cabins with balconies overlooking the extensive gardens and out to the sea in this lovely hotel on the outskirts of Mendocino town. Innovative all-vegan organic food at on-site Ravens Restaurant, a heated pool and a well-stocked bookshop with the emphasis on wellness and good living are a few of its many charms.

Check rates and availability at stanfordinn.com

Where to eat in Mendocino

Cafe Beaujolais

Set in an attractive 19th century farmhouse in the town of Mendocino, this restaurant has been running since 1968. Great French-Italian-Californian dishes are served with old-school charm and there’s a really interesting wine list of bottles from Europe as well as the US. cafebeaujolais.com

Noyo Fish Company, Noyo Harbour

Don’t miss this casual, sunny joint in the middle of Noyo harbour where you can soak in the atmosphere of the busy fishing town. Huge portions of super fresh fried fish, oysters, tacos and other treats are best washed down with excellent local beers.

Pennyroyal Farm, Boonville

This charming farmstead makes its own wine as well as handmade cheeses using milk from its own flocks of sheep and goats. Drop by for a wine and cheese tasting, visit the animals and stay for delicious food made with wonderful produce from the organic kitchen garden. pennyroyalfarm.com

Napa Valley

Napa Valley still produces some of the world’s most prestigious (and costly) wines, and is a playground of delights for the millions of well-heeled, wine-loving tourists who visit each year. There are now over 400 wineries, many of which have their own tasting rooms to welcome visitors. Cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay are the king and queen of the grapes here and make Napa’s most famous wines.

What to do in Napa Valley

Napa is a premium region for its quality of tourist offerings as well as its wines. There are countless top-notch uber-luxe hotels, many with their own immaculate vineyards, golf courses, spas and anything else your holidaying heart could desire. Roll up your sleeves and roll out the dollar bills as everything costs big here but serious wine lovers are unlikely to leave disappointed.

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to winery visits. Some, like Castello di Amorosa, a complete facsimile of a 14th century Tuscan castle complete with torture chamber and antique suits of armour, are more like theme parks. My pick of the crop is Sterling Vineyards, one of the oldest producers in Napa, offering stunning views from the cable-car ride that takes you up to the hillside winery. Renovated following damage in the 2020 fires that wreaked such havoc on the region, the winery has interesting explainers as you walk around seeing all stages of production up close, and some very good wines in the bar which has a panoramic terrace, as well as artwork treasures by the likes of Picasso and Matisse on the walls.

Where to stay in Napa Valley

Dr. Wilkinson's Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs

Calistoga is Napa’s northernmost town, more low-key than the rest of the valley and with a rustic, historic charm. Dr. Wilkinson's has well-appointed modern rooms and warm mineral pools, plus an on-site spa including its famous mud bath treatments and a restaurant serving healthy but delicious Mexican-inspired vegan food.

Check rates and availability at booking.com or drwilkinson.com

Best restaurants in Napa Valley

Mustard’s Grill

A staple of Napa Valley dining for more than 30 years where you rub shoulders with truck drivers, winemakers and in-the-know tourists. Generous servings of excellent American dishes served along with an astonishing wine list drawn from across the US and Europe. Really good fun and not to be missed. mustardsgrill.com

Oakville Grocery

California’s oldest grocery store; lots of tempting food to take away or eat in, and a splendid collection of wine to taste by the glass, including those from some of Napa’s most prestigious producers. oakvillegrocery.com

Truss Restaurant & Bar

Eat on the drop dead gorgeous terrance overlooking the valley’s vineyards here at the Four Seasons Hotel & Resort. Innovative but crowd-pleasing food using local produce, unsurprisingly wonderful wines and charming service. fourseasons.com/napavalley

Yolo County

Just to the south of Napa, Yolo County is known as a more low-key (and cheaper) alternative; locals say it’s like Napa was 30 years ago. Most of its wine producers are small, boutique operations, often family-run farms which also grow other crops. This is a solidly agricultural region where grapes grow alongside walnuts, olives, plums, apricots and almonds, and it is one of the world’s largest producers of sushi rice – which is why very few of the wines make it across the pond to the UK.

What is there to do in Yolo County?

With activities such as trekking, horseback riding and fishing, Yolo is also a resting place for migratory birds on their annual trek from Canada to Mexico and back, so has lots to offer nature-loving visitors as well as those more interested in wine. Unlike Napa, it’s one of the most diverse regions in terms of grape varieties grown, ranging from albariño to zinfandel and with so many in between.

Twenty five miles from Sacramento Airport, the town of Winters makes a great base from which to explore Yolo. It has a certain sleepy, wild west feel to it, with pretty buildings and plenty of eating and drinking options including tasting rooms of some of the regions’s best wine producers, such as Berryessa Gap Winery & Brewing Company and Turkovich Family Wines. Winters is also the start of Highway 128 which travels 144 miles through Napa and Sonoma to Albion on the coast of Mendocino County and would make a fantastic road trip for wine-loving travellers.

Where to stay in Yolo County

Hotel Winters

Slap bang in the middle of Winters with comfortable, well-equipped rooms, a rooftop bar, excellent restaurant and a luxury spa, Hotel Winters offers small-town charm and warm hospitality with all mod cons.

Check rates and availability at booking.com or hotelwinters.com

Where to eat in Yolo County

Park Winters

Just 10 minutes' drive from Winters town and set in a charming eco-friendly flower farm that also grows its own organic food, Park Winters serves fabulous weekend brunches, as well as pizzas made in their outdoor wood-fired oven on Thursday-Sunday evenings. You can also stay at The Inn at Park Winters which has four lovely rooms in the beautifully restored main house on the site. parkwinters.com

Steady Eddy’s

A Winters institution, Steady Eddy’s is a terrific café and coffee roasters serving breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes using fabulous fresh local produce, including very generous salads, sandwiches and homemade cakes, as well as a range of their own coffees and smoothies, and local beers and wines. steady-eddys.com

L’Apero à Trois

Three women, all with backgrounds in food and/or farming, run this pretty bar and tasting room in the middle of Winters and produce their own delicious farmhouse-style aperitifs using local fruit and nuts. Take the tasting flight to sample the full range, alongside carefully matched and beautifully cooked snacks. They also have bi-monthly seasonal dinners which are well worth looking out for. laperolestrois.com

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