Sonoma Valley is one of the prettiest and most diverse wine country regions in the United States. From rolling hills to the scenic Pacific Coast to redwood forests, and quaint towns surrounded by vineyards, Wine Enthusiast rated Sonoma a top USA wine region in 2019.
A paradise for foodies, Sonoma is not only a wine-growing region; it’s also known for organic farms and dairies, and fresh catch from the coast. Wine and food pairing is just part of the experience in Sonoma, and can range from farm-to-table to Michelin guide restaurants
With over 400 wineries to choose from, Sonoma is the perfect destination for food and wine lovers on a cruise along the Pacific Coast.
Here are 7 wine and food experiences to consider in Sonoma County.
Pan seared halibut at Valette.
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Valette
A Michelin-star destination restaurant, Valette is a favorite with locals and tourists alike. The menu sources from the bounty of Sonoma County. The wine list features small boutique wineries and has been on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list. Chef-owner Dustin Valette earned his chops working with the best of the best in the hospitality and restaurant industry. He was most recently at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen and Acqua in San Francisco before opening Valette with his brother Aaron Garzini in the space that was once their grandfather’s bakery.
It’s been a minute since I was at Valette, but I still remember the Day Boat Scallops en croûte, moist and rich. You can get the recipe here.
Valette is always full and best with friends although there is bar seating and a fun cocktail menu. Corkage fees are $25 if you bring your own bottle.
You will want to make reservations well in advance and bring your checkbook.
Food is art. Gravenstein apple dish at Single Thread.
Single Thread
Single Thread is a three Michelin-star restaurant serving a 10-course fixed menu. The owners also have a biodynamic farm, an inn, and a concierge service. I haven’t been to Single Thread yet but wow, I’m ready to book now. Here’s what the website says:
In the heart of downtown Healdsburg, one of the country’s most accomplished chefs, Kyle Connaughton, along with Head Farmer Katina Connaughton, bring you SingleThread—a 3 Michelin-star restaurant with five luxurious guest rooms.
SingleThread’s focus is to provide its guests with an unparalleled hospitality experience in the center of Sonoma Wine Country.
And here’s what the Michelin guide says about the inn: It’s obvious how a farmer’s ethos manifests itself in the restaurant. But farm-to-table finds its way to the guest rooms, too, with cut flowers straight from the farm arranged daily, complimenting high-ceiling rooms made with redwood beams and exposed brick.
Kyle and Katina spent some time traveling the world, living and working in the English countryside, and Japan. Single Thread combines their experience abroad with the bounty of Sonoma County.
Interior of the adobe at Three Sticks, Sonoma
Three Sticks
Three Sticks is located in the Vallejo Castendada Adobe built in 1842. Located off the square in the city of Sonoma you are immersed in the history of Sonoma County.
Three Sticks specializes in chardonnay and pinot noir and offers several tasting options. For something different, I recommend the Rosé experience that includes their seasonal release wine: a field blend of Rhone varietals; a rosé sorbet, and a strawberry tart made by their chef. Sounds lovely doesn’t it?
St. Francis Winery
St Francis is known for phenomenal food and wine pairings and always voted the best experience in Sonoma. Reviews often compare the food to Michelin-star restaurants in the area. Wines are fruit-forward and balanced. Varietals include chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot. If you are a philanthropic sort you can feel good that a portion of dollars spent at St. Francis is donated to one of the many charities they support.
Donum Estate
Donum Estate focuses on producing elegant wines with minimal intervention. Organic and sustainable farming practices are at the heart of their wines. They are hyper-focused on the growing season in the vineyard and use native yeasts for fermentation.
Located in the Carneros AVA, Donum produces no less than eighteen bottlings of pinot noir! I say go and do a vertical tasting. This tasting experience also caught my attention:
Donum Experience: The experience begins with a refreshing splash of one of our award-winning wines, followed by a guided walking tour of our open-air art sculpture collection, working farm, and picturesque landscape. After the tour, enjoy a tasting featuring seasonal wines, based on availability, from our Estate vineyards. As you savor our wines, indulge in a selection of carefully paired canapés made with fresh ingredients from our Estate gardens.
Outdoor dining at Flowers Winery, Sonoma.
Flowers Vineyard and Winery
For elegant pinot noir and chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast, a visit to the Flowers Vineyard tasting room in Healdsburg is a must. Yes, you will find a lot of good pinot noir and chardonnay in Sonoma but not many wineries have estate vineyards within a stone’s throw of the Pacific Ocean. A wine-tasting experience is a chance to taste the unique terroir of the Sonoma Coast. Flowers also offers a tasting with small bites paired arranged by their house chef. This is a small boutique winery and reservations are a must.
Flowers chardonnay.
Viansa
You can’t miss Viansa—styled after a Tuscan villa it sits atop a hillside overlooking the Sonoma landscape. It’s one of the first wineries you’ll see when you enter Sonoma Country from the south.
It’s the first winery I visited in Sonoma over 20 years ago. What I liked about Viansa then, and now, is the many options for food and wine pairing and guided tastings. Viansa is responsible for my interest in food and wine pairing today!
Something Viansa offers that other wineries do not is Italian varietals. The fruit is grown in California but the varietals are Italian: nebbiolo, dolcetto, primitivo, barbera, pinot grigio. Food at Viansa is casual: Think wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, cheese and charcuterie. For a day outside with great views and good food and wine, I think Viansa is a good choice. Viansa is very touristy but if you are new to wine as I was then, it’s perfect.