There are a million ways to go with wine tasting in Sonoma County, but starting in the Russian River Valley is a great bet. This list of Best Sonoma Wineries for First Time Visitors narrows the list down a bit to some newbie-proof wine tasting choices, and we can refine even further by calling out the Russian River Valley tasting rooms closest to...you guessed it...the Russian River (and Guerneville)!
Iron Horse is one of our staff favorites...grand entry, great views, and, oh yeah, truly tasty wines. Sundays April-Oct, the OysterGirls are on site, pairing with our local Sonoma County bounty, and there are other events worth checking out as well.
Joseph Jewell offers exceptional wines with one-of-a-kind experiences, from their tasting room in the heart of the Russian River Valley to wine-tasting helicoptor tours!
Preston Farm and Winery is just up the creek from the Russian River at Dry Creek, but we included it because it is a completely unique experience, well worth traveling a bit further.
The iconic Kendall-Jackson hosts tours, tastings, farm-to-table dinners, and more at their grand estate and gardens, just off River Road, along with some awesome events such as the annual Heirloom Tomato Festival every September.
These four wineries are very different and represent the range of the hundreds of wineries. The others on Sonoma Magazine's list will take you all over the county. If you want to stay closer to home, check out RRG's list of favorite Russian River-centric wineries:
Salut!