Things You Might Not Know About Sonoma County

Discover Sonoma County!

Vineyards near the Sonoma Coast
You don't get that in Napa   :)

Sonoma County sits right next door to Napa County. Napa is to the east of Sonoma; the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Sonoma County has more acres of vineyards. Something like 60,000 to 43,000 for Napa.

Sonoma's grapes are less expensive for wineries to purchase compared to Napa's grapes.

Sonoma County isn't cheap compared to most of the country, but it's less expensive than Napa in tasting fees, wine prices, lodging, and eating. The food is very good, by the way.

"Sonoma" can mean one of several things. There is Sonoma the county, Sonoma the town in the southern part of the county, and Sonoma Valley, the grape-growing region running from the town of Sonoma up to Santa Rosa. 

In land mass, Sonoma County is bigger than Rhode Island.

Sonoma is the birthplace of the California wine industry. The Spanish missionaries planted the first grapes at the first mission in San Diego, but the first commercial wines came from the town of Sonoma. Buena Vista is the oldest commercial winery; Gundlach-Bundschu is the oldest family-run winery. Both date from the 1850s.

The town of Sonoma is also home to the northernmost Spanish mission, now a state park. The Republic of California was born here in 1846. You may not have heard of the Bear Flag Revolt, as it lasted only 46 days before it was absorbed by the Americans at Ft. Sutter.

Sonoma County is home to other adult beverages besides wine. Beer especially, but there's also cider and distilleries. Russian River Brewery is the most famous, Lagunitas the biggest, but there are a couple dozen other breweries.

There's a lot more besides alcohol. The Pacific Coast, the redwoods, many hiking and biking opportunities, the Russian River, lakes, the ocean, an African animal preserve, Snoopy's museum, a Russian fort, an air museum, spas, and golf courses.

Sonoma County has an airport, STS.

Pacific Coast Air Museum at STS