Sonoma Valley Wineries: Where to Taste, From Carneros to Kenwood

The best Sonoma Valley wineries for a first visit are the ones that show the valley’s range: historic estates like Buena Vista and Gundlach Bundschu, Carneros stops like Ram’s Gate and Schug, and mountain-grown wine from Kunde and Repris. Almost all of them now work on reservations, so book ahead and plan two or three stops a day, not five.

Sonoma Valley runs from the Carneros edge of San Pablo Bay north through the town of Sonoma, Glen Ellen and Kenwood. Cool air comes in from the bay in the south and from the Pacific to the north, which is why you can taste crisp Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at one winery and ripe Zinfandel and Cabernet a few miles up the road.

Every winery below was checked against its own website in October 2026. Hours and booking rules change often, so confirm before you drive out.

How Sonoma Valley is laid out

Sonoma Valley is the largest appellation in the region, according to Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers. Inside it sit four smaller appellations, each with its own character:

• Los Carneros (shared with Napa): cool, windy, known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine.
• Sonoma Mountain: hillside vineyards above Glen Ellen.
• Bennett Valley: a small, cooler pocket toward Santa Rosa.
• Moon Mountain District: steep Mayacamas slopes on the east side, known for Cabernet and Zinfandel.

If you are thinking about land here, our guide to Sonoma County wine appellations covers how each area farms and sells.

Historic estates near the town of Sonoma

Buena Vista Winery

Buena Vista, at 18000 Old Winery Road, dates itself to 1857. Its Press House was built in 1862 and is described by the winery as California’s first gravity-flow winery, and some of its caves were hand-dug in the late 1850s. Tastings run daily (10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, from 10 a.m. on weekends), with barrel and cave experiences bookable online. It is a good first stop if you want history with your wine.

Gundlach Bundschu

Gundlach Bundschu, at 2000 Denmark Street, has been making wine since 1858 and has been run by the same family for six generations. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the last seating at 4 p.m., and reservations go through Tock. Expect a relaxed setting on the Rhinefarm estate and a long list of reds.

Three Sticks at the Adobe

Three Sticks pours in the 1842 Vallejo-Casteñada Adobe, a block off the Plaza at 143 West Spain Street. Visits are by appointment only. The focus is single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in a quiet, seated format. It pairs well with a walk around the Plaza and its historic buildings.

Carneros: Chardonnay, Pinot and bay views

Ram’s Gate Winery

Ram’s Gate sits at 28700 Arnold Drive, the first winery many people pass driving up from the Bay Area. It is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The setting is polished and the wines lean toward Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Schug Carneros Estate

Schug, at 602 Bonneau Road, offers tastings and cave tours you can book on its website. The winery does not post hours on its home page, so call or text (707-939-9363) before going. It is a calmer, smaller stop compared with the larger estates on Highway 121.

Viansa

Viansa was founded by the Sebastiani family in 1990 and sits on a hilltop above the Carneros with wide valley views and a 97-acre wetland preserve below. Its website currently promotes weekday and Friday tastings, so check what is open on the day you plan to visit.

Glen Ellen and Kenwood: the north end of the valley

Kunde Family Winery

Kunde, at 9825 Sonoma Highway in Kenwood, farms a large family estate that has been planted since 1879. It is open daily, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. A walk-in tour and tasting runs at 11 a.m., and the Mountain Top Tour & Tasting (two hours, ending on a deck about 1,400 feet up) costs $100 per person in fall 2026 and needs a reservation. Note that the mountaintop tour is seasonal.

VJB Cellars

VJB, at 60 Shaw Avenue in Kenwood, is the stop for Italian varieties and food. Tasting requests are confirmed by staff within about 24 hours, and the property has an Italian kitchen and gelato counter. It works well as a lunch stop in the middle of a day of tasting.

St. Francis Winery

St. Francis, at 100 Pythian Road at Highway 12 (technically a Santa Rosa address at the top of the valley), is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is best known for its seated wine and food pairings, including a multi-course pairing and a more casual mezze tasting on the portico. Book the pairings ahead.

Mountain wine on the Plaza: Repris

Repris grows Bordeaux varieties in the Moon Mountain District, but most visitors now taste it in town. Repris shares a tasting lounge with Pangloss Cellars and Texture at 35 East Napa Street, in a restored 1902 building on the Sonoma Plaza. Lounge and bar seating can be reserved on Tock, and parking is on the street.

Which wineries fit which kind of day

Planning tips that save a wasted trip

• Book first, drive second. Most wineries here use Tock or their own booking pages. Walk-in space is limited, especially on fall weekends during harvest.
• Group by area. Carneros, the Plaza and Kenwood are each 15 to 25 minutes apart. Two or three stops in one area makes for a better day.
• Plan a driver. Highway 12 and Arnold Drive are two-lane country roads. Use a driver or a car service if you plan to taste.
• Check the format. Some visits are seated and last 60 to 90 minutes. Leave time between appointments.
• Bring ID. Every winery listed requires guests to be 21 or older to taste.

Living near the vineyards

A lot of people who come for a tasting weekend start looking at homes in Sonoma, Glen Ellen or Kenwood. Daily life next to a working vineyard includes early-morning tractors, harvest traffic and seasonal spraying, and it is worth understanding before you buy. We wrote about it in what it is really like to live next to a vineyard. If you want a few rows of your own, start with how much land a hobby vineyard needs, or browse vineyards and wineries for sale.

Questions people ask

Do I need reservations at Sonoma Valley wineries?

Usually, yes. Most wineries listed here take bookings online, and some (Three Sticks, the Kunde Mountain Top tour) are appointment only. A few, like Kunde’s daily 11 a.m. tour, accept walk-ins.

How many wineries can I visit in one day?

Two or three is comfortable. Many tastings are seated and run an hour or more, and the valley’s towns are spread out along two-lane roads.

Can I visit Scribe?

As of October 2026, Scribe’s website says estate visits are only for members of the Scribe Viticultural Society. Check its visit page for current rules.

Is Sonoma Valley the same as Sonoma County?

No. Sonoma Valley is one appellation in the southeast part of the county. Sonoma County also includes the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek, Alexander Valley and the coast.

If a weekend of tasting has you thinking about a place of your own here, get in touch and we can talk through towns, property types and what is on the market now.

Sources & notes

• Sonoma Valley region and appellations — Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers
• Visit Buena Vista — Buena Vista Winery
• Gundlach Bundschu — Gundlach Bundschu Winery
• Three Sticks Wines — Three Sticks
• Ram’s Gate Winery — Ram’s Gate
• Schug Carneros Estate Winery — Schug
• Viansa Winery — Viansa
• Visit Kunde — Kunde Family Winery
• VJB Cellars — VJB
• St. Francis Winery & Vineyards — St. Francis
• Repris, Pangloss Cellars, Texture tasting lounge — Tock booking page
• Visit Scribe — Scribe Winery

Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.