Page 41 - 2022-2023 Travel Guide to California

WINE TASTING in Saint Helena, right; Yorkville
Cellars Winery, Mendocino County, bottom;
California grapes harvest, opposite.
here, with more than 400 wineries open for
tastings along Highway 29 and the Silverado
Trail. While the majority of visitors go to the
big-name wineries such as Robert Mondavi,
Beringer and Sterling, those in the know are
heading for Coombsville.
For serious wine collectors, Auction
Napa Valley has been the premier charity
event of the season for over 40 years. Love
music and wine? Make plans to attend
BottleRock in May; it’s the hipster festival
of the year. Prefer something more pas-
toral? Wind your way up Highway 128
in Mendocino County to Anderson Valley
for two exceptional festivals: the highly
regarded Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Fes-
tival in May; and the Winter White Wine
Festival in February, focusing on Alsace-
style white wines.
In Sonoma County, Healdsburg reigns as
the king of the tasting rooms in California.
The three most popular annual events in the
area include Winter Wineland in January,
Barrel Tasting in March, and foodie favorite
Wine and Food Affair in November.
One of the oldest regions, Livermore, is
just 30 miles east of San Francisco and best
known for its Chardonnay production and
the well-established winery estates of
Wente and Concannon.
SIERRA FOOTHILLS
El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras
The mining towns of the Sierra foothills—
Placerville, Amador City and Sutter
Creek—used to draw prospectors in search
of gold, but now wine lovers come in
search of riches in liquid form. The main
street of Murphys is lined with Gold Rush-
era buildings and more than 20 tasting
rooms equal parts rustic and sophisticated.
The Barbera Festival is the perfect place
to sample Barbera alongside other
Italian varietals including Montepulciano,
Sangiovese, Vermentino, Pinot Grigio, Neb-
biolo and Aglianico.
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands,
Chalone, Carmel Valley,
Paso Robles, Edna Valley,
Arroyo Grande, Santa Clara Valley
The Central Coast is one of the largest and
most diverse wine growing regions, and
Monterey is home to the Winemakers’ Cele-
bration in Carmel-by-the-Sea where you can
stroll the charming streets, sample some of
the area’s best wines and enjoy light-bites
from popular local restaurant chefs.
If you are a Pinot or Syrah fan, head for the
highlands, the Santa Lucia Highlands, an
appellation with many noteworthy wineries
such as Morgan, Mer Soleil and Hahn.
Santa Clara Valley, one of the oldest wine
regions in California, was founded by Italian
immigrants in the early 1800s and has now
grown to more than two dozen wineries.
Looking to meet the next great wine-
maker? The Garagiste Wine Festival in Paso
Robles will introduce you to the small guys
with bright futures.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA &
CENTRAL VALLEY
Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills,
Santa Ynez Valley, Los Olivos,
Temecula, Lodi, Madera, Clarksburg
The Southern California coastal region
vineyards in Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills
2022-23 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 39