Wineries

Sonoma Vineyards With Free Walking Tours

Balletto Vineyards

Visit outstanding Sonoma Wine Country wineries while enjoying the outdoors with the free Sonoma County Vineyard Adventures program. Started in 2010 by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, the Vineyard Adventure allows you to take self-guided vineyard tours with the participating wineries mentioned below (you do not need an appointment, but to ensure availability, please schedule with each winery before visiting, as programs may change).

A sign depicts the vineyard adventure program at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, Santa Rosa — St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

These tours are available year-round. You can stroll among the vines and glimpse the different varietals. The walking tour is no more than a mile long, relatively easy to walk, and sites of interest are marked along the route. Once you’re done, visit the tasting room and enjoy a sampling of wines crafted from the vineyards you’ve recently explored.

Please note: The tour is free, but there may be wine-tasting fees.

From south to north, the participating wineries and their American Viticultural Area (AVA) locations are:

Matanzas Creek Winery, Santa Rosa, Bennett Valley AVA

Revel in the breathtaking views of the estate and learn about the harmonious relationship between winegrower and winemaker, who are committed to continuing their winemaking history of Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. Walk among the famous garden featuring hundreds of beautiful lavender flowers while enjoying the sustainably farmed estate vineyards.

A field of lavender grown next to the vines at Matanzas Creek Winery, Santa Rosa — Matanzas Creek Winery

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, Santa Rosa, Sonoma Valley AVA

Witness sustainable vineyard practice weather monitoring stations, wind machines, and solar systems that produce energy for this certified sustainable, family-owned winery. In the heart of the Sonoma Valley, this winery offers a mission-style tasting room surrounded by its estate vineyards and a bell tower that chimes every hour throughout the valley.

A sign for the walking tour at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, Sonoma County — St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

Balletto Vineyards, Santa Rosa, Russian River Valley AVA

Adjacent to a wildlife preservation, Baletto Vineyards grows cool-climate grape varieties such as Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris in the many Russian River Valley soil types. The 16-estate vineyard is located on 700 acres and uses the top ten percent of their fruit, creating 20 to 25,000 cases and selling the rest to other wineries. On this adventure, you will hear more about the Balletto family’s favorite pastime, baseball, as you walk the Field of Dreams on the property.

An oak tree grows at the edge of the vineyard at Balletto Vineyards, Santa Rosa — Balletto Vineyards

La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard, Windsor, Russian River Valley AVA

The La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard is the new home of La Crema, a hub of wine education and culinary exploration. This winery offers an engaging, interactive environment and a rich Sonoma County history. The agricultural heritage of the Kunde family lives on at this legacy winery, where they have produced eight varieties that are still a coveted source of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir throughout California.

The rustic, wooden tasting barn is next to vineyards and trees — La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard

Mauritson Wines, Healdsburg, Dry Creek Valley AVA

The Mauritson family settled in the hills of northern Sonoma County in 1868, established a farm in Alexander Valley, then expanded to the Dry Creek Valley. This tour will teach you about the Mauritson family’s six-generation journey from sheep ranching to grape-growing and winemaking. Planting their first wine grapes in 1884, their earliest wine was a Dry Creek Zinfandel, crafted by founder and winemaker Clay Mauritson.

Amista Vineyards, Healdsburg, Dry Creek Valley AVA

The sparkling wine is the forerunner of this Dry Creek Valley premier winery. Amista translates to “making friends” in Spanish, and their Rhone varietals, such as Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, are created as a source of “endless discovery and rich friendships.” In addition to their gorgeous vineyards, you’ll find one of the largest fish and wildlife habitat restoration projects steps away from the tasting room.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Geyserville, Alexander Valley AVA

This winery is “a wine wonderland” with breathtaking grounds. It boasts a museum/library of the famous director’s artifacts and a terrace overlooking the vineyards with a pool and restaurant. You will learn how Francis and Eleanor Coppola support sustainability in their lives and their many business endeavors while walking along the creeks and vineyards, exploring how this winery nurtures and sustains wine-growing production.