We’re going to Napa for the first time!

While you are in Sonoma, I highly recommend a stop at Mauritson Winery. The family has been in business for six generations, and their passion for the industry shows in both their products and service. It's our favorite in the valley. https://mauritsonwines.com/

I live in the SF Bay Area and visit Napa and Sonoma frequently. Not sure what type of food and wine you like, budget. I will provide some general recommendations. If you provide more details about your preferences, I can make different recommendations.

Day 1: Napa

• Start your day with breakfast at Model Bakery (near Oxbow market). They are famous for their english muffins and have a wonderful egg/sausage breakfast sandwich. Outdoor seating only and lines get crazy midmorning, but they move quickly. Alternatively, you can try a favorite local restaurant, Winston's, again downtown on 3rd street.
• Yountville is a cute town with local tasting rooms, outdoor artwork, the renowned French Laundry, and many local restaurants. My favorites are Bouchon Bistro (a taste of Thomas Keller's culinary empire without the French Laundry prices), Bouchon Bakery for classic french pastries and sandwiches (take away only), Bistro Jeanty (more country French). If you want to eat outside of town at again a local's favorite, my go to is Bistro Don Giovanni. They have an outdoor patio. Mustards Grill is also a good option, again off 29.
• Beringer's is a beautiful property and if you are going to take a tour, it is one of the best. Pricey, but worth it. If you want to eat closer to Beringer, there are a few great options. Two of my favorites are Charter Oak run by Christopher Kostow (3-star Michelin Chef from Inn at Meadowood prior to the restaurant burning down). Hyper fresh, seasonal, wood fire. The courtyard is beautiful. I always get the bread and wood fire cooked Avocado. Menu changes with the seasons. A bit more casual option is Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch right across the street. Ranch-style cooking. They have an amazing weekday happy hour. If you want an amazing desserts that look like works of art, you can try Understudy next to the 1-Michelin Star Press right off highway 29.
• If you want to try a completely different experience than wine tasting, I highly recommend Raymond Vineyard's Winemaker for the Day. It is a half-day experience in which you learn about the art of blending, then blend and bottle your own wine. They do an amazing job of creating a label based on your photos and then keep them on file for future orders.
• Dinner in Napa in the evening, so many choices. For something casual with wonderful burgers (my favorite is the Ahi burger, my husband's is the green chili burger). It is right next to Oxbow market, no reservations. Also in Downtown for a taste of the Amalfi Coast is Scala (owned by the same family that owns Bistro Don Giovanni). A16 or Oenotri for Italian, especially pizza. Angele for French food overlooking the Napa River. Zuzu for Spanish Tapa. Napa is also nice for a stroll after dinner and many of the shops are still open in early evening.

Sonoma:
I am assuming you want to visit the Sonoma Plaza and wine taste. There are a lot of different options. The Sonoma Square is super cute. There are wonderful tasting rooms on or near the square, including Walt (we are members) that highlight 1000 miles of Pinot, Sojourn (Pinot and Chardonnay) and Three Sticks (in an old adobe) of our favorites. Places to eat downtown include Tasca Tasca for Portuguese tapas, Girl and the Fig (french bistro) are two of our favorites. They also have a cheese shop and bakery for something lighter. If you want a break from wine tasting, Prohibition Distillery has a super fun tastings of spirits and retro candies. There is something about trying a Melon and Mint gin with Pop Rocks that makes me smile. Also in Sonoma near downtown is Chateau Buena Vista, California's first premium winery. Also near Sonoma is great hiking trails in Glen Ellen at Jack London Park and if you want to stay for dinner, Glen Ellen Star is a local favorite. If you are there on Wednesday, they have a neighborhood night, pre-fix menu for $49 and free corkage.

These are all wonderful suggestions! Thank you all very much!

We like Bistro Jeanty in Yountville for lunch or dinner.

For a unique wine tasting experience you might enjoy Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga. You take a tram to the top for some fabulous views of the Napa Valley. Close to there is Castello di Amorosa. It is a winery that they describe as authentically styled after a 14th-century Tuscan castle.

St. Helena is a cute town that’s nice to just walk around.

SandyO and Sandancisco gave you great options. I'd like to add some moderate priced places to eat.

• Lucy restaurant in Yountville for a tasty lunch.
• Eikos in downtown Napa is a fun Japanese option.
• Kitchen Door in downtown Napa for lunch (and several GF options)
• Oxbow Market in Napa will also give you many options.
• Sunflower Cafe in Sonoma for lunch.

For wineries, we love Domaine Carneros which is in between Napa and Sonoma, and focused on sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. Also great view and you feel like in a French chateau.

If you are a foodie or like to cook, CIA (Culinary Institute of America) has some day classes and fun experiences, next to Oxbow Market.

Which time of the year will this be? Lots of great hiking options.

Those Model Bakery english muffins are absolute crack. I made them once at home. It was quite a process.

There are a couple tasting rooms right in Sonoma that I'd recommend. Absolutely visit Bedrock. Kevin is really doing great things with heritage varieties, field blends and alternative packaging. His price points are very approachable, and more than fair given the quality.
If you have absolute wine geeks with jaded palates, I'd recommend Extradimensional Wine Co, Yeah! Hardy is making really interesting and elegant wines. Fair warning: These wines are the opposite of "flavor bombs" so a lot of people who prefer bigger wines won't like them. Our group was absolutely split along those lines.

If you get a chance, in Sonoma county are Cline Cellars for wine tasting,and they have a museum with fantastic models of all 21 California missions. They were constructed for the 1939 Golden Gate Expo in San Francisco. They had been separated and dispersed afterwards, but he owners of the winery searched them out and gathered them together again. Quite ibnteresting and the cellars have a nice setting for a picnic.
I am more a fan of Sonoma county than Napa county....less pricey and less snobby, but all throughout the area you will find great places to sip wine and eat well. (Try some olive oil tastings too, if you come across any of the options in the area.)
Korbel Champagne Cellars (Guerneville) offer free tastings and often offer a tour of the cellars with descriptions of champagne production. It is in a nice Sylvan location. I believe you now have to reserve a time (not so in the past). Check their website if you are interested.
Happy tasting!

Lulu,
Other things to do in Sonoma county....Jack London State Historic Park. His home is there; the old Sonoma mission, northernmost of the 21 missions, part of state parks system, not as beautiful as Santa Barbara or others, but interesting for the history, right at the downtown plaza in Sonoma; in Glen Ellen, the Sonoma Botanical Gardens are quite nice and worth an hour's stroll.

Those Model Bakery english muffins are absolute crack.

Mouth watering just to think about it. I heard they are fully dipped in butter which makes it so good. Well, can't think about the caloric count when visiting that bakery.

Another thought! Gundlach-Bundschu winery, right on the edge of Sonoma town, is the oldest family-owned winery in the region, over 150 years. Excellent wines, now organic certified. They are hard to find outside this wine area. They often have good concerts there as well.

What do you all think about Gloria Ferrer Winery?

What do you all think about Gloria Ferrer Winery?<<

People go to wineries for lots of different reasons. Some folks want to enjoy the view/vibes, some want to learn about wine, some want to find places that match their palate, some want to say they've been to XXXXX, and some want to geek out on particular wines that are hard to find back home.

I'm a mix of geek out and vibes; heavy on the geek. My previous recommendations are low on the view rating, high on the geek.

Gloria Ferrer is gonna have great vibes and a beautiful setting. They have a wide range of affordable wines and the place is super easy and lovely to visit. I do think their extended tirage sparklers are on a par with some really good champagnes so they definitely make great wine. My problem is that those used to cost $50 and now they cost $140. But hey, drop $125 per person Reserve tasting fee and you can see for yourself. (they do have plenty of cheaper tastings, too)

Thanks Chris! I was wanting to go somewhere with beautiful views, and close to Sonoma Square. I read they also had a tapas pairing which sounds fun. I appreciate your input.

What do you all think about Gloria Ferrer Winery?

Gloria Ferrer was the first winery I ever visited, and I enjoyed it very much - especially learning the correct pronunciation of "Freixenet". But I really wish we had gone to Cline Family Cellars instead - one of my very favorite labels. The two wineries are about 5 minutes apart.

https://clinecellars.com

Estimated, why did you like Cline better. I guess my goal is to sit and partake looking at beautiful views.

Lulu348,
I can't answer for Estimated, but I like Cline Cellars for their lovely garden settings and for the friendliness of the staff there. It is popular for weddings because of its loveliness. Also, the collection of models of the missions is worth seeing. The wines are good, the ambience is good, and we like it well enough to stop in whenever we are in the area (the three countries that popularized wine-tasting visits...Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino). Re the scenic views you are envisioning...what do you have in mind about them? What are you envisioning? I ask because Napa is a valley, so there are no "majestic" mountains around. Are you thinking of the forests nearby? State route 116 is a beautiful drive through Sonoma county that ends at the ocean with a gorgeous view of the coast. Actually, you can find some lovely views throughout the counties. And there are so many wineries to visit I can't begin to narrow them down. Do visit the websites for tourism/wineries for each county. You will have a memorable trip wherever you decide to stop. Enjoy!

I envision being on an open patio or deck looking out at the vineyards.

I envision being on an open patio or deck looking out at the vineyards.

I'm not as familiar with Sonoma wineries, but Mumm in Napa has a beautiful tasting patio with vineyard views. But it's sparkling wine only. Domaine Carneros (sparkling and Pinot Noir) also has beautiful views of the hills, but there is a main road on the view.

I never made it to the Cline winery, but I love their wine way more than any champagne.

Also, agree that Mumm is well worth a visit.