Sonoma Valley Winery Directory
Top sonoma valley wineries
Sonoma Valley is often considered Napa’s historic neighbor, being the birthplace of California’s wine industry. People from all over the world are attracted to Sonoma Valley for its gorgeous scenery, authentic wines, and rich history. Sonoma wineries trace their story back to roughly 1823, when the first grapes were planted. With over 10,000 residents, Sonoma Valley retains its quaint but lively energy, fostering an appreciation for cuisine, the arts, and nature. It’s no wonder Sonoma is home to a population that appreciates its surroundings, preserving many historical sub towns as well as its state parks.
The town of Sonoma houses charming hotels, high end boutiques, restaurants, galleries, and multiple tasting rooms for Sonoma wineries. Sonoma Square or “the Plaza” features a wonderful park with the historic city hall in the center, hosting many community events throughout the year including the Valley of the Moon Vintage every September, California’s oldest tradition of celebrating the area’s wine since 1897. Wineries in Sonoma are often family-owned and small production. Traditions are alive in Sonoma and guests are always thrilled to see them come to life.
With well over 400 wineries located in the North Bay and over 40 Sonoma Valley wineries, we hand-pick from the best to create wine tours that avoid the crowds and find the more intimate side, and the real charm, of our beautiful wine country. We focus on smaller, family-owned wineries and Sonoma wineries of historical significance while trying to avoid larger, more heavily visited wineries, providing you with a memorable experience. We’re thrilled that Trip Avisor consistently ranks our Sonoma Wine Tours as top-rated activities in the region, giving guests access to some of the most amazing hidden gem Sonoma wineries.
Make a Platypus Wine Tour reservation online now or call (707) 253-2723.. Learn more about wineries in Sonoma Valley. Have any specific Sonoma wineries you would like to visit? Plan a private tour with us and let’s create the perfect trip for you!
Here is a handy directory of many of wine country’s best wineries. You can use this directory while creating a custom, Private Tour. Please note that Small Group Join-in Tour wineries are selected by our experienced guides.
Auburn James
Auburn James was founded in 2005 by two winemakers, James Frost and Matthew Ospeck. They are known for their Bordeaux red blends which are lush and silky with expressive aromatics. You can taste their wines on the deck overlooking the winery, vineyards, and bocce court or in the tasting cottage. Auburn James is a small, intimate winery with a rustic artistic feel that one must see and experience!
August Briggs Winery
You are welcome to enjoy their friendly and lively tasting room for a rotating selection of delicious wines. You will be guided through samplings of the currently released wines. While many of the wines sell out quickly, we will always do our best to hold back some of our finest for our Napa Valley tasting guests.
Axios Winery
A powerhouse collaboration between proprietor Gus Kalaris and winemaker Bob Egelhoff, Axios is a super premium Cabernet Sauvignon of Napa Valley “cult” status. Axios, meaning worthy in Greek, reflects Gus’ vision to craft a wine of Bordeaux influence that represents the richness of its’ Napa Valley origin. This wine was proudly served at a reception hosted by President Bush at The White House in March of 2002.
105 Zinfandel Ln, St. Helena, CA 94574
AXR Napa Valley
The history of our estate is compounded in layers; rooted in historic tales of fierce Native American hunting grounds, wild west pioneers and the first woman vintner of California in 1886. It has changed hands over the course of 134 years to become a brewery, restaurant, inn, winery and saloon. Tales of love, lust, heartbreak, murders and great fortune create an imaginative backdrop to our present-day vision of AXR. Today, we are a winery that pays homage to its history and blazes the trail of excitement and innovation in Napa Valley as the pioneers before us did.
B Cellars
Two partners, Borsack and Keys founded B Cellars in 2002 which sits in the heart of the Oakville AVA on Oakville Crossroads. Gorgeous grounds on a knoll overlooking a valley encompass the winery and hospitality buildings as you approach life-size human sculptures depicting everyday life. This is the only winery in the Napa Valley that features a full-service demonstration kitchen. You will enjoy a variety of food and wine pairings as you experience their white and red blends, a 15,000 plus square foot cave and outdoor tastings overlooking vines and olive trees. These wines can be found in some of America’s premium restaurants from Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. With superstar winemaker Kirk Venge at the helm (named one ot the top twenty young winemakers in the world by Food & Wine Magazine), grapes are sourced from some of finest vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Valleys.
B Wise Estate
Brion Wise founded B Wise Vineyards in 2002 seated on top of a ridge in the Moon Mountain District of the Sonoma Valley. A Mediterranean style mansion/bungalow estate and home to the owner has incredible views and is known specifically for their comfortable and tastefully decorated wine cave. While you are in the cave tasting and looking at fermenting and aging tunnels, you will learn about their red blend wines while taking in the décor from 1920’s Paris with wild-west themed bronzes and vintage furniture.
Backstage Winery
Experience the allure of Napa Valley with Backstage Winery. A family devoted to the art of winemaking, they specialize in producing premium-quality wines in small, limited-release batches. Utilizing grapes sourced from more than a dozen local micro-vineyards, their wines are meticulously crafted with passion and dedication, ensuring a taste of the finest Napa has to offer.
Baldacci
What started as a real estate investment turned into a lifestyle change for the Baldacci family as their love and commitment to this property deepened. Lovely, balanced supple wines are featured.
Ballentine
Owned and operated by four generations since 1906, the Ballentine Family Winery is considered a hidden gem of Napa Valley. Their goal is to share their story and passion with guests, make approachable, quality wine while being responsible and sustainable in their vineyards.
Barnett Vineyards
Our personal and curated tasting experience includes a discussion of our history, unique terroir, and winemaking methods. Guests will explore our current releases while enjoying a spectacular view of Napa Valley if weather permits.
Bartholomew Estate Winery
A charming estate steeped in history, Bartholomew had the first recorded vineyard in Sonoma and was part of California’s first commercial winery in 1857. Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, and red blends are made in extremely limited quantities and sell out quickly. Tastings can be outdoors beneath stunning mature oak trees or in the gorgeous, newly renovated historic Hacienda winery. Experience Sonoma history and natural beauty at this tucked away gem a few minutes from the Sonoma Plaza.
Beau Vigne
Beau Vigne has a great philosophy to winemaking that hasn’t changed since we began. Although we fly under the radar as a small boutique winery, we do so with impressive stature and enjoy our “hidden gem” status. We are world renown and recognized by wine critics as a winery that produces exceptional, intense, balanced, rich and multidimensional wines. Beau Vigne is home to family and extraordinary wines, where “great Cabernets are grown, not made.” Our family’s roots run deep in the Napa Valley. Martin Garzoli, Ed’s grandfather, arrived in the Valley in 1913. He was a Swiss Italian who, in Italy, was trained in winemaking. Martin would work the Hayfields of Napa and Sonoma during the day and make wine in an old barn at night. Nearly 100 years later the Beau Vigne Family is still making wine.
