Whether you're staying for a week or cruising in as a day tripper, taking a tour is a good way to get a crash course on Sonoma. That's because unlike Napa where the wineries are lined up one after another, Sonoma makes you work a bit. Up a dusty road, down a country lane, Sonoma is best experienced with someone who knows their way around. That's where the tour guides come in, and the best are my friends at Platypus Tours. It's comfortable, it's affordable, and it's tons of fun!
What's cool about Platypus Tours is that they'll take you to the less obvious wineries, secret gems where you'll find great wines and friendly hospitality. And don't worry if you're not a wine expert or a bit shy, by the time you're leaving the first winery everyone is having a great time!
Our tour started in a warehouse, a sharp contrast to some of the palatial wineries found in Napa. Ty Caton, the winemaker himself, greeted us and began pouring us his wines - straight from the barrels! He even encouraged us to ask if there was something we wanted to taste or a barrel we wanted to sample. Most Sonoma visitors going solo miss this type of stop, but Platypus knows the good stuff.
Winery tours are big bucks at many of the Napa wineries. Its not unusual to plop down $25 or more per person to tour the grounds and see where the wine is made. Not at Loxton Cellars, where we not only got to see the latest wines being made but were treated to a tour and tasting by the winemaker himself - for free!
Afterwards we were served lunch amongst the barrels. Seriously, you can't duplicate this experience on your own, which is why I give this tour such high marks.
The tour also gives you some Sonoma history and fun facts along the way and though we stopped at smaller wineries, they'll do the big names as well if you ask. Most of the wineries didn't charge a tasting fee and for those who did, Platypus pre-negotiated a special rate for their guests so you get the most wine for your buck. Look, this darn tour pays for itself and you don't have to drive!
After lunch the tour took us to the top of a mountain via a narrow one lane road to Petroni Vineyards where we tasted in the owners private getaway. Then it was off to Figone's Olive Oil Company to taste rows of infused olive oils and 20 year old Balsamic vinegars. What? You've never tasted oil and vinegar from a sipping cup? Well then you have to try this!
But you can't end a day of wine tasting with oil and vinegar so we hightailed it to the Paradise Ridge tasting room where we tried more and more and even more wines before heading back to the hotel.
Four wineries and 8 hours later, we had sampled over 25 wines, bought a few bottles and had quite a few laughs. The entire experience was fun and educational, a unique way to get a fast overview on Sonoma and wine. The tour bus dropped us back at our hotel and everyone gave hugs and good byes, sad that the day was over. We started the day not knowing each other and ended as wine tasting BFF's.
So take my advice and take a tour on your first day in Sonoma. I'm not usually the sort of guy who likes tours, but Platypus has convinced me that it's the only way to go if you only have one day in Sonoma.
Visit Platypus Tours Website for more info.
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