Page 39 - 2024-2025 Travel Guide to California

ARNIEBY/SHUTTERSTOCK; VISIT SANTA ROSA. OPPOSITE: CHENG CHENG/SHUTTERSTOCK
ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY, Kalon Vineyard
entrance, with statue of St. Francis of Assisi by
sculptor Beniamino Bufano in the foreground,
right; Santa Rosa Vineyard, bottom; Hot air
balloon trip in Napa Valley, opposite.
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 pastoral? Wind your way up
Highway 128 in Mendocino County to
Anderson Valley for two exceptional festi-
vals: the highly regarded Anderson Valley
Pinot Noir Festival in May; and the Winter
White Wine Weekend 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 build-
ings and over two dozen tasting rooms
equal parts rustic and sophisticated. The
El Dorado Hills Art, Beer & Wine Festival is
the perfect place to view fine art from over
80 artists along the town center boulevard
while enjoying food, live music and tast-
ings from local wineries and breweries.
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’
Celebration 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
and Santa Ynez Valley produce primarily
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Santa
Ynez Valley became the poster child for
wine tourism when the 2004 film Sideways
confirmed its status as a Pinot Noir hot spot
(or cool spot, as Pinot grapes don’t like too
much heat). But the ghosts of Sideways’
Miles and Jack are long gone and it’s safe to
drink Merlot again. The end of September
brings the annual Celebration of Harvest,
2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 37