Wineries and Wine Tours

Arrowood
http://www.arrowoodvineyards.com/
Richard and Alis Arrowood were already accomplished winemakers before they opened Arrowood in 1986. Several of Arrowood’s wines have scored more than 90 points with critics. Wine tastings are held at the vineyard’s Hospitality House, which is a New England-style farmhouse that has wrap-around porches. Tastings are held from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. You can only tour the vineyard if you make an appointment between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Arrowood is located in Glen Ellen.

Beringer Vineyards
http://www.beringer.com/index.jsp
Beringer Vineyards is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest continuously running winery in Napa Valley. Guests can taste three wines for $5. Wine tastings are also included on Beringer’s winery tour. Visitors can also sample and buy wines from Beringer’s Private Reserve Room, which includes limited released and hard- to-find wines. The vineyard is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Benziger Family Winery
http://www.benziger.com/index.shtml
Visitors to this winery will see three generations of the Benziger family working together. The Benziger Family Winery features a self-guided tour, gardens, and a tasting room. The winery also has a 40-minute tram tour, but this is offered on a first-come first-serve basis. Previous guests say tram tour tickets are popular during the summer, so it’s recommended that visitors pick up their tickets in the morning for afternoon tours. Tours are given daily, weather permitting, at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. Tastings of Benziger standard-released wines are free. The tasting room is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located in Glen Ellen.

Buena Vista
http://www.buenavistawinery.com/
Agoston Haraszthy, who is considered to be the father of the California wine industry, founded Buena Vista. The winery has a complimentary tasting room that is inside the Press House, which is a stone-crafted room. Buena Vista wine tastings are free, but it costs $3 to sample the high-end wines. The winery offers a self-guided tour with a historical presentation about Haraszthy at 2 p.m. daily. Buena Vista is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located in Sonoma.

Glen Ellen Winery
Glen Ellen Winery makes one of the top-selling cabernet sauvignons in the country. Glen Ellen makes its wines by using a variety of grape growers across the region. The winery has a tasting room and a history center. Glen Ellen also offers special discounts to visitors. The winery is located in Glen Ellen and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kenwood Vineyards
http://www.kenwoodvineyards.com/
Kenwood Vineyards doesn’t just offer free tastings of up to four wines. The winery even provides food and wine pairings – giving customers the pleasure of eating food with the perfect wine. Kenwood will also provide guests with recipes. Kenwood is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located in the town of Kenwood.

Ravenswood Winery
http://www.ravenswood-wine.com/
Ravenswood Winery is a relatively new business in Sonoma Valley in comparison with other area winemakers, but it does have one note of distinction. The winery is the first in the United States to make mostly zinfandels, which make up 75 percent of Ravenswood’s production. The winery also produces merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and chardonnay. Ravenswood tours demonstrate the wine making process from the vineyard to the glass. Guests also have the opportunity to visit the oak-barrel aging rooms. Wine tastings are free and the winery holds a gourmet barbeque from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Memorial Day to the end of September. Ravenswood is in Sonoma.

Sebastiani Vineyards Winery
http://www.sebastiani.com/home.asp
Sebastiani Vineyards Winery is the largest winery in Sonoma County, producing six million cases a year. Sebastiani offers a 25-minute tour, but you should call in advance if you want to see the company’s turn-of-the-century grape crusher and press. The winery also has the world’s largest collection of oak-barrel carvings, which are crafted by a local artist. Sebastiani offers free wine tastings and has reasonably priced wines ranging from $8 to $60 a bottle. The winery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and tours are offered from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. every 30 minutes in the summer and every 45 minutes in the winter.

Valley of the Moon
http://www.valleyofthemoonwinery.com/
Valley of the Moon offers an alternative to wine drinkers. The winery doesn’t use any preservatives and makes a wine with a low percentage of sulfites – chemicals that can trigger headaches. Valley of the Moon is in Glen Ellen.

Wellington Vineyards
Wellington Vineyards guests receive a panoramic view of the winery’s vineyards and the Mayacamas Mountains when they come to a wine tasting. Visitors also have the opportunity to see how the wine is made and aged while sampling different wines. The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Wellington offers tours by appointment only and the tours are given before noon.