The Natural Bounty of California Wine Country

A weekend in California Wine Country is a must for any wine lover. We’ll take you to some of our favorite wineries in Napa and Sonoma — and also help you figure out where to eat between tastings. We’ve put together a five day itinerary that will take you to spots classic and new. In Napa, we’ll be stopping at Model Bakery for buttery English muffins for breakfast, heading to Bistro Jeanty for a classic French lunch, and sampling the forward-thinking vegetable dishes (and the delicious burger) at the Charter Oak for dinner. On the Sonoma side, we’re talking a seasonal scramble to start the day, superb Mexican dishes for lunch, and a natural-wine focused restaurant that taps the best of the region for dinner. A couple tips: You may want to consider staying a few days each in Napa and Sonoma to cut down on driving around the region, and make sure not to overbook your winery visits — one to two a day is our sweet spot and keeps it fun while leaving time for relaxing outside or grabbing ice cream.

Join American Weekender today by becoming a subscriber to the American Weekender newsletter. Paid subscribers receive a free download of our Field Guide to California Wine Country. Just use the discount codes found at the end of our most recent Weekend Getaway newsletter. This mobile-optimized dining guide includes dozens of vetted recommendations organized into daily itineraries. And, as usual, paid newsletter subscribers can also download any additional Field Guides free of charge. Let’s go!