Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Should I Choose Napa or Sonoma?
First of all, it's not a choice—you should visit both. They're right next to
each other, after all, and linked by plenty of safe roads. But when it comes
to affordability, especially in lodging and in food, Sonoma wins. Napa long
ago caught wise to the value of wine tourism—in fact, many of its biggest
successes have been modeled on imitations of the European gentry—and
it's tough to find a hamburger for less than $11, let alone a hotel that
won't break you if you stay more than 3 nights. Even the nightly bed tax
is 3% higher in Napa.
So why does Napa have a great cachet (and higher prices) than
Sonoma? Much of it has to do with the rules of appellation. It was a col-
lection of Napa wineries, eager to make a name for Northern California
wines, that beat French wines at a blind tasting contest in Paris in 1976.
Locals still talk about the so-called “Judgment of Paris,” in which Napa
wines won against European ones in a blind taste test by French judges,
and in 2006, they even reenacted it on its 30th anniversary. Sonoma was
left out of the prestige . . . that time.
More of a problem is the fact that each county guards its turf jealously,
and almost all the maps, brochures, and even reservations agencies you'll
find cover either one or the other despite the fact that most visitors want
to see both. So the counties will tempt you into sticking to one or the
other by withholding information from you, but in fact, you can travel
between the great sights of both in about 40 or 50 minutes.
Lastly, picnicking is against the law at most, but not all, wineries in
Napa (really—blame the restaurant lobby), while in Sonoma, it's more eas-
ily done. And since picnicking is one of the essential pleasures of a Wine
Country sojourn, why go without it?
All that said, I generally prefer to stay in Sonoma, because I find I get
the full Wine County experience there—great food, nuanced wine—but
without the feeling that I'm getting squeezed for every last dollar. And I
just love to veg out with the redwoods.
cars and endless traffic on the counties' two-lane roads can truly try your patience.
Still, the land is simply gorgeous in summer with the grapes sprouting on the
vine; it's the season for garden tours, as well. Fall, when the grapes are harvested
and squeezed, can also be maddening, because so many people want to witness
some of the rare action involved in winemaking. I'm a fan of visiting in winter:
Tourists tend to stay away then, and prices are at their best. You'll get much more
attention and education from the vintners—in summer, the line at the tasting
counter can be three-deep—although the vineyards will be in their annual woody
brambly stage. Spring, in my mind is a close second in terms of seasons, because
the area bursts with green. It's never terribly cold—Wine Country everywhere, by
definition, is mostly mild, because that's what makes it good for grape growing.
