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Banshee Wines, Healdsburg: Banshee offers one of the hippest tasting room experiences in wine country. Its casual and relaxed atmosphere is welcoming, not intimidating, and will make you feel right at home. Sip on "single designate" (meaning the grapes come from one vineyard) Pinot Noirs by the communal table while playing vinyl records and sampling bites from nearby SHED. 325 Center St, Healdsburg, 707-395-0915, bansheewines.com
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Banshee tasting room manager John Brandau gives advice to aspiring wine connoisseurs: "When visiting a wine growing region start by asking what the champion grape is in that particular area. For example, Banshee focuses on the cooler coastal regions of Sonoma County. Pinot Noir is the majority grape of that viticulture area, so that’s our specialty. If you head up to Alexander Valley just north east of Healdsburg, you'll find Cabernet Sauvignon is the highlight of that region. By trying the specialties of each wine growing area you'll learn about the wine, and the region at the same time." (Photo by John Brandau)
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Bergamot Alley, Healdsburg: John Brandau of Banshee Wines recommends the wine education classes at Bergamot Alley, another Healdsburg hotspot. Both amateur consumers and industry professionals show up to talk about and sample wine here. "Everyone is at a different level of wine education, and there is all sorts of discussion after the classes to help further our knowledge in a fun social environment," says Brandau. 328 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, 707-433-8720, bergamotalley.com (Photo by Erik Castro)
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Pair wine with boardgames at Bergamot Alley in Healdsburg. (Photo by Erik Castro)
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Corner 103, Sonoma: Corner 103 in Sonoma offers fun, casual and educational tasting experiences. A one-on-one tasting with a staff member is $40 and will let you sip on six wines - all from different AVAs (American Viticultural Areas/wine growing regions) in Sonoma County - paired with small bites of locally sourced foods. This is a great opportunity to get geeky by learning about how each particular region’s (AVA's) climate and soil (terroir) affect the taste of the wine. You will also learn how the wines are made, and how to pair them with food. W. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-931-6141, corner103.com (reservations required). (Courtesy photo)
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Scribe Winery, Sonoma: Founded in 2007 by brothers Andrew and Adam Mariani, Scribe Winery produces unusual wines such as Sylvaner, Riesling and skin-fermented Chardonnay (they also make Pinot, Rosé and Cabernet Sauvignon). The tasting room, located on a property that pioneered pre-prohibition Sonoma Valley winemaking, is housed in a restored 19th century hacienda. Outside, there are Scandinavian-style picnic tables made by local artisans from redwood trees. The winery hosts popular pickup parties for wine club members. 2100 Denmark St, Sonoma, 707-939-1858, scribewinery.com (reservations are required) (Photo facebook.com/scribewinery)
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Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma: If you'd like to pair your wine with some history, head to Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma. Founded in 1857 by Agoston Haraszthy, Buena Vista is California’s first commercial winery. Tour the property, including the Historic Wine Museum, and then head to the JCB Bubble Lounge for sparkling wine made by Buena Vista Winery owner Jean-Charles Boisset, or current release wines by the bar - you can even splurge and try your hand at blending your own wine. 18000 Old Winery Rd, Sonoma, 800-926-1266, buenavistawinery.com (Photo by Crista Jeremiason)
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The Bubble Lounge at Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma. (Courtesy photo)
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Kendall-Jackson Winery, Fulton: Kendall-Jackson is an iconic Sonoma County winery - you can find their sustainably produced wines on dinner tables across the country, including Lady Gaga's! Taste the hype at their Fulton tasting room (just north of Santa Rosa) where they offer tastings at different price points and serve a variety of wines. The estate gardens are also worth a visit. 5007 Fulton Rd., Fulton, 707-571-7500, kj.com. (Courtesy photo)
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Wind Gap Wines, Sebastopol: The Barlow in Sebastopol is a great place for watching local makers in action at restaurants, breweries, art studios and, of course, tasting rooms. At Wind Gap Wines, sample seasonal wine flights of current releases as well as wines-by-the-glass and bottle. Relax, throw on a record, try the wines on tap - or take a growler to go! The winery is named after the wind gaps, or breaks in coastal ridgelines, that draw fog and ocean air inland, creating ideal circumstances for producing wine. 6780 McKinley St, Suite 170, Sebastopol, 707-331-1393, windgapwines.com (Photo facebook.com/windgapwines)
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Porter Creek Vineyards, Healdsburg: Porter Creek, owned and operated by a father and son team, makes intriguing and unique wines from organically grown grapes from hillside vineyards. In addition to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, try Viognier, Carignane, Syrah and Zinfandel in the old-school tasting room; all wines express the true taste of the Russian River Valley. 8779 Westside Rd, Healdsburg, 707-433-6321, portercreekvineyards.com
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If you really want to nerd out over gorgeous grapes, visit vinepair.com. Drinking wine is an art to the creators of and contributors to this website. They cover all things wine in a thought provoking way and will blow you away with their knowledge. Another great read, geared toward millennials, is a book called Wine Folly, written by Justin Hammack and Madeline Puckette. Packed with wine information, minus the confusing jargon, this book will help you make educated wine choices - there are pretty pictures, too. (Courtesy photo)
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Before you head out to the tasting rooms, here are some tips for the wine road from Hardy Wallace of Dirty and Rowdy Family Wines: "Get out and taste far and wide. Have fun. Keep in mind that part of the enjoyment is that your palate is constantly evolving. What you like today, you might not like in five years, and what you like in 20 years will be different as well. Also, choose wines the same way you choose anything else you put in your body. If you don’t eat food grown a certain way, don’t drink wine grown that way. If you don’t like heavily processed food, keep clear of heavily processed wine." (Photo by Conner Jay)
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Hardy Wallace also recommends that new (and seasoned) wine tasters take photos of the bottles they love, and save and share on Instagram or Delectable. And finally, when tasting, ask questions and question answers. Not knowing anything about wine is where you start, and that’s a wonderful place to be.” We couldn't agree more. (Photo by John Burgess)
