I’ll be transparent up front and say I’m not a wine expert, but I do enjoy a good glass of Riesling every now and then.  It may not be common knowledge, but California has a number of places in the state where wineries flourish.  Two of them are Napa and Sonoma.  The others include Paso Robles along the Central Coast, Temecula Valley inland going south towards San Diego and Escondido which I mention here.

Napa and Sonoma are neighbors but they have a feel distinct from one another.  Having spent time in both, I find the major difference to be that Napa seems more touristy, congested and commercialized.  You’ll find Sonoma has smaller and more family owned wineries and isn’t as heavily developed.  That being said, let me break down each location.

Napa 

Napa will appeal to you:

• If you’re looking for tons of fine dining restaurants.  Napa has so many high end restaurants it’s crazy.  They have a culinary school that also has a restaurant which provides high end cuisine.
• If you’re looking for high end lodging.  There is simply more to choose from in Napa because of the area’s focus on tourism.
• Activities aside from wine tasting.  From the wine train, to shopping, to spas, to golf courses.  If you’re aiming for all the things, Napa has more variety of activities, again because it is really focused on drawing tourists.
• If you enjoy the wine types it’s known for: chardonnay, merlot and cabernet sauvignon

Sonoma

Sonoma will appeal to you:

• If you want less traffic.  Because it flies under the wine radar, there are less tourists.  Getting around the valley is easier because there are fewer drivers on the road.  In fact, Sonoma is quite larger in acreage (70,000) than Napa (43,000), so things are more spread out.
• Because it’s more affordable.  Wines won’t drain your bank account.  Tasting room fees won’t rival your monthly mortgage.  The hotels aren’t ridiculously expensive and you’ll find good restaurants for a decent price.  Sonoma is simply easier on your wallet.
• Because of its wine varietals.  Sonoma is known for its pinot noir, zinfandel and sparkling wines.  Due to its size, Sonoma grows all kinds of grapes, so you’ll be able to find a wide selection.

Neither area is better than the other.  They’re just different and will appeal to different folks for different reasons.  Should you check out both?  Definitely!!  If you’re trying to do them both in one trip, make sure you have enough time to do them both justice.  Aim for the fall when the summer madness dies down.  Next we’ll explore 3 specific wineries that I think might catch your attention.

Until next time…

May the road rise to meet you and the wind be at your back.