If you are visiting San Francisco and you enjoy wine, you should consider taking a trip to some of the many vineyards close to the San Francisco area. Napa Valley and Sonoma, both known for being a major portion of California wine country, are located about an hour away from San Francisco. Many of these vineyards offer packages so that you can do San Francisco wine tasting and wine tours at the wineries.
Excellent wines can be found in Northern California wine country, such as Sonoma Valley and Napa Regions. Whether you consider yourself a wine enthusiast or not, you will gain valuable insight into the winemaking process and the wide varieties available.
San Francisco Wine Tasting: Should you book a tour guide?
Many tour companies offer tours to many different vineyards. Depending on your personal preference, you can choose a private tour, an SUV tour, or a larger bus tour. If bus tours aren't for you, you should consider a small SUV tour available. These tours are a little more costly, but the customization is well worth the extra money. Another great benefit of the small tours is that your group can be accommodated by smaller wineries that cannot accommodate visits from large bus tours.
Additionally, you can arrange a private tour for yourself and your guests, where you will experience a private wine tasting tailored to your preferences by an expert guide. These customized tours must be scheduled ahead of time, most requiring at least one-week advance notice for reservations, so they can't be as last minute as a larger bus tour which will generally have openings available. Everything is arranged by the tour company, and you will have a perfect day exploring the participating wineries.
While these tours depart from San Francisco, they all travel to the best wineries in Napa and Sonoma. While there are San Francisco wine tasting options that do not leave San Francisco, I would recommend the ride to Napa and Sonoma so you can get the best wine tasting experience that California wine country has to offer.
Our favorite wine tasting tours from San Francisco:
1. Private Sonoma and Napa Valley Wine Tours from San Francisco
This tour is a private wine tour with a private car and a personal chauffeur. While this tour has a predetermined list of wineries and wine tours to visit, it will be a customized experience based on the preferences of your small group.
The tour is an all-day, 8-hour tour that explores the specialty of 25 vineyards wine tastings and tours. In addition to San Francisco wine tours, the tour explores Sonoma and Napa Valley wineries. The different wineries produce award-winning California wines.
Highlights of this tour include scenic views of the Golden Gate bridge on the commute to the San Francisco wine tastings. Since this tour is private, visitors experience the wine tastings in an intimate setting. As a souvenir, you get a bottle of wine to take home.
This tour also provides free cancellation when canceled within 24 hours of the tour date.
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2. San Francisco Wine Tour with a Local Expert: 6 Tastings 100% Personalized
This tour features a sommelier well-versed in wine from Sonoma valley wineries, Napa, and some of the best San Francisco wineries. The guides responsible for this tour make personalized itineraries. You will discover how to pair wine with food, and you will get to try different red, white, and rose wine. Additionally, you will experience a lunch break with top-notch seafood and charcuterie.
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3. Private Napa Wine Train Glamorous Dining Experience from San Francisco
This experience takes you to Napa's top castle wineries during a 3-hour dining experience aboard the NAPA valley vintage train. This experience is popular amongst many visitors to the San Francisco area. You will experience a multi-course meal where you can take in the beautiful Napa Valley.
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4. Napa and Sonoma Wine Country Full-Day Tour from San Francisco
This fun-filled tour allows you to escape to Sonoma and Napa wine country. You will experience tours of vineyards and experience luxury barrel tasting. Additionally, you gain free time and get to have lunch in Sonoma square, and the drive includes picturesque views such as the rolling hills of the San Francisco bay area, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge. This tour is a full-day trip from San Francisco to Sonoma and Napa Valley tasting lounges.
Learn about the winemaking process and the wine regions through tours of vineyards and barrel rooms, and savor San Francisco's gourmet culture.
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If you don't want to book a tour:
If you decide not to pay for a tour and experience the operated wineries on your own accord, it is a short drive from downtown San Francisco to California wine country. It is quite beautiful, and there are many scenic landscapes along the way.
It would be best to decide which wineries you will visit before you depart for your trip, so you have a plan and don't waste time. It would help if you also were sure that the vineyard you are planning to visit doesn't require reservations. Be sure to schedule a designated driver for during and after your wine tasting experience.
In addition to wine tours, you can visit these wineries separately and experience some of California's best wines.
Jax Vineyards
Jax winery uses a modern winemaking approach with its chic aesthetic. They have vineyards in Calistoga, Ca but have tasting rooms in San Francisco. You can visit their wine tasting room and learn about their winemaking. Their tasting room is located on 326 Brannan street in San Francisco.
JCB Tasting Lounge
The JCB Tasting Lounge is located inside The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. Guests get to experience the expertise of Jean-Charles Boisset, a great wine-maker who has created some of the best wines in Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, and France. This is a elegant wine bar that is open to the public.
Tastings are available Sunday through Thursday from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
A few suggestions to ensure you have the best experience :
- Avoid wearing scents; the scents you wear will compete with the wine for both fragrance and taste. You want the wine to make its statement without competition from the perfumes, aftershaves, lotions, and potions that someone may have on.
- Be sure to hold the wine glass by the stem to avoid heating the wine.
- Eat something like saltine crackers or French bread between wines. They are bland and can help cleanse your palate in between tastings.
Even if you've never tried a glass of wine before in your life, you will receive an excellent education about the different wines, the regions the wines come from, and suggestions on pairing and serving the wines you're tasting. You will also receive information on how to store the wines properly. This is fundamental knowledge to maintain your chosen wines' best integrity and flavor.
From novices to experienced wine connoisseurs, there is a unique experience for everyone who takes one of these San Francisco wine tasting tours. Remember that only guests 21 and over can participate in the tasting of the available wines. Most importantly, have a day filled with good fun, good food, and great spirits.
Best hotels for your San Francisco Trip
Looking to book accommodation for your trip? Here are some of our top hotel picks for San Francisco:
Love this post! So many great ideas makes it hard to choose! You can’t go wrong there.
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