Guide to Visiting Sonoma County for the First Time

Sonoma county is renowned for its breadth and depth of quality in both wine and tasting experiences.
It’s underrated when thought of beside our neighbor, the Napa Valley, but just as excellent (if not more so!), and just as family-friendly and oriented, rooted in a longstanding family history, including our own estate here at Bricoleur Vineyards,
If you’re visiting Sonoma County for the first time, it can be overwhelming – there’s so much to do and see, even if you’re just doing winery visits! So here’s our guide for visiting this great region, to help you pick the best route for you in your Sonoma adventure:
The Area: Sonoma County vs. Sonoma Downtown vs. Sonoma Wine Country & AVAs

Photo Credit: Woodfield Properties
When people say “Sonoma,” it can mean several different things.
First, there’s Sonoma County, which stretches all along the coast to the west of Napa, from Preston up in the north to San Pablo Bay in the South.
Then, there’s “Sonoma,” as in Sonoma’s historic downtown area, a quaint little town nestled in the heart of the Sonoma Valley with tasting rooms, locally sourced fare, and plenty of local artisans to visit.
Lastly, and most importantly, we think, is Sonoma wine country, with 19 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), including our own home AVA of the Russian River Valley.
So, when planning your trip, be sure to make these distinctions, and you’ll be set for whatever type of journey you plan!
The History: Haraszthy to Mondavi

Photo Credit: Sonoma State University Library
Napa has Mondavi, and Sonoma (and, all of California, really) has Baron Agoston Haraszthy as one of the founding fathers of California wine.
Haraszthy, of fame for his world-traveling and wine-spirited lifestyle, was one of the first to establish a long-standing tradition of California, and Sonoma, wine that really started the winemaking region.
In other words, Haraszthy established the California wine industry, and Mondavi, among others, put Napa and California more in the eye of international acclaim.
Sonoma’s history stretches from Sonoma in the south of the winemaking region, to Santa Rosa – and our hometown of Windsor in the north, each town with its own piece of history in the tapestry of the region.
Bricoleur Family History on the Scene

Our estate’s own family history is rooted in both the Italian and American wine industries. Beth Wall Hanson’s great-grandfather, Pietro Carlo Rossi, was the original oenologist at Sonoma County’s historic Italian Swiss colony. A trained Italian chemist, Rossi revolutionized 19th century California winemaking and crafted the Italian Swiss Colony into one of America’s leading wineries.
The Rossi family’s winemaking legacy was carried on, and many of Beth’s extended family members still work in California wine today. We love this region and are dedicated to continuing both the best wine and best winery hospitality from the heart of our own little family – touching on the deep roots of Sonoma’s winemaking history itself.
The Nature: Beaches to Mountains

You can’t visit Sonoma without seeing the plethora of natural trails, hiking spots, beaches and mountains that span this huge region, with some of the most beautiful places in the entire country.
Here’s a hit-list of some must-see spots as you journey through Sonoma’s great outdoors:
Redwoods
Coast and Beaches
Mountains
- Try the Hood Mountain Regional Park for some hiking among the rugged mountain ranges that frame Sonoma
- Sonoma Valley – you can hike around this beautiful valley starting right in the quaint town of Sonoma, from the Sonoma Overlook Trail
Rivers
- Forestville (check out the Farmhouse Inn!)
- Rio Nido Resort Area(river tubing, lodging, and more)
- Downtown Guerneville, with quaint shops and stops right along the Russian river
The Food: Local Cult-Followings to Michelin Star

Photo Credit: Dry Creek Kitchen
From authentic local spots to Michelin Star cuisine, Sonoma has a wide range and depth of food and restaurant scenes as well.
Some highlights , with its fresh, progressive local cuisine, and The Matheson and SingleThread Farms in downtown Healdsburg. We’re also big fans of Catelli’s and Diavola, both of which are located in the cute town of Geyserville.
Other Sonoma stops that aren’t to be missed? The Farmhouse Inn, a boutique, luxury resort right along the river with high-end cuisine, and the Sea Ranch Lodge, with a romantic restaurant setting right at the river’s end, overlooking the sea.
Wineries with food, however, are rare – and we at Bricoleur pride ourselves on three private, premium wine and food experiences open to all who love great wine and food – check out our in your foodie wanderings as you build your Sonoma itinerary.
The Wine: The Best California Wines from Sonoma

Sonoma is unique for its wide range of varietals. With cooling coastal influence, the region experiences cooler climatic effects overall that is perfect for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the two star grapes of the region. Zinfandel, especially from the Dry Creek and Rockpile AVAs, reaches an unparalleled richness in our region as well.
There are many microclimates however, due to the wide range of geography in the Sonoma wine region, from coast to the rolling, foggy hills (like the Russian River Valley AVA that we call home).
This can make any wine from the region, even if from the same varietal, utterly unique from one AVA to the next.
Check out our wines for some great examples of both the breadth and depth of great Sonoma wine, or our post on the best wineries in Windsor, our hometown, to get a good idea of some great offerings around us here in the Russian River Valley AVA.
Bricoleur: a Must-Try for a First Time Visit to Sonoma (and Staple for Future Visits!)
