Wine Treks with Dan Berger:
Southern Sonoma County / Carneros

Visitors to San Francisco who have an interest in wine always figure they’ll just rent a car and pop across the Golden Gate Bridge, and there, within a few minutes, will be ``wine country.’’ Well, it looks sort of that way on maps, and maps made by those trying to tout the glories of the wine country usually are slightly more optimistic, and not as realistic. They are intended to lure the newcomer, when in fact planning a trip to "wine country," with its multitude of wineries, is not an easy thing to do.

For one thing, Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino combined have nearly 500 wineries to choose from. That’s why I usually suggest a tour of one of the southernmost regions, southern Sonoma Valley, a charming place with a history as long as fine wine in California.

Start by driving north across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco on Highway 101, then head east along Highway 37 and turn north onto Highway 121 at the signs that point to Sonoma County.

Wine country isn't immediately apparent yet. After you pass Sears Point Raceway and some open fields, you'll begin to see some of the vines that mark the start of "wine country."

This is part of the cool growing region known as Carneros, and it is here that a number of wineries have sprung up in the last 20 years. It is home primarily to the cool-climate grapes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and it is also a major place for sparkling wine grapes, which is why a number of California's top bubbly producers are located here.

Those who have read about the town of Sonoma know it is where California wine began. The town of Sonoma, still a quaint, modest sized community, was the real birthplace of wine in California 150 years ago. Just south of town, less than an hour's drive north of San Francisco, is a group of five relatively new wineries worth visiting.

The five wineries at the southern tip of the Sonoma Carneros region may be visited in one day because they are so close to one another and they make wines that are complementary. I love this region because the wines exhibit crispness from the cool climate and most have modest oak all five winemakers make stylish wines focusing on fruit.

Start with a stop at Roche, founded less than 15 years ago by Joe and Genevieve Roche. In this warm tasting room and gift shop you'll be able to try the rich Chardonnays, elegant Pinot Noirs and other small-production wines. (707) 935-7115.

Just up the road (which at this point begins to be called Arnold Drive as well as Highway 121) is Viansa, which is where Sam and Vicki Sebastiani developed a winery and turned it into a place that looks like a Tuscan village. The place features Italian food and cheeses to delight any wine lover.

The Sebastianis used to run the large Sebastiani winery in Sonoma until internal friction created a conflict with the matriarch of the family. Today Sam and Vicki specialize in wines from rare varieties such as Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, and also make some mainstream wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon. Eat here or picnic later on with sandwiches from one of the local delis. (707) 935-4700.

Just up the road on your left is Cline Cellars, where brothers Fred and Matt Cline make excellent wine from Rhone varieties. Many of the grapes for these wines are grown here, others on the family ranch in the Sacramento delta. (707) 935-4310.

As you continue driving north on Arnold Drive, a must-stop is Angelo's Wine Country Deli, with some of the best home-cured bacon, smoked meats (including a marvelous smoked chicken) and salsa. Don't miss the Italian garlic salsa. The sandwiches and jerky here are wonderful. Just across the road from Angelo's is the entrance to the spectacular Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves, home of one of California's finest sparkling wine producers. Owned by the same people who own the large Freixienet sparkling wine house in Spain's Penedes region, Gloria Ferrer's wine maker, Bob Iantosca, has made some of California's best bubbly.

There is a charge for tasting here, but you may sit at attractive tables and the fees are modest considering the high quality of the bubbly. And don't miss Iantosca's superb Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, a white and a red wine, respectively, that are relatively new to the winery's lineup, and which are now gaining acclaim nationally. (707) 996-7256.

The final winery in your tour is at Schug, where Walter Schug operates a modest, but very successful winery specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Schug, German-trained, is a real stylist who makes a wide array of fine wine, notably an exciting Sauvignon Blanc, and a sparkling wine that's an absolute joy. (707) 939 9363. In the nearby town of Sonoma, you may visit General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo's Home, a historic site where the former governor of Sonoma lived. (707) 938 1519. Also, for kids there is Train Town, which displays a collection of trains.

One charming thing to include on your trip is a walking tour of the Sonoma Town Square. The specialty shops could take a full day to see. Besides food, there are clothing shops, book stores, arts and crafts, and swings and slides for the kids in the park in the center.

The wineries can be done in one day, but that may be pushing it. For a two-day tour, you'll need a restaurant for dinner, and the towns of Sonoma and Glen Ellen have, between them, some of wine country's top restaurants. Italian restaurants abound, but one of my favorite spots is a place in Glen Ellen called the Girl and the Gaucho, with its dozen appetizer plates and eclectic food. A companion place, the Girl and the Fig, in Sonoma, is equally exciting.

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The above was excerpted from the writings of Dan Berger, a wine journalist and former Los Angeles Times wine columnist who now publishes a private newsletter on wine, Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences. For information or a sample copy of his weekly newsletter on wine, visit his web site at www.VintageExperiences.com.