15 Beautiful Sonoma Wineries to Visit Right Now

From regal to rustic, modern to classic, and grand to intimate, wineries in California's Sonoma Valley, spread across 18 appellations, are as diverse as the surrounding area is beautiful. And since after taste and smell, sight is the most important sense to satiate while wine tasting, here are 15 of the most beautiful Sonoma wineries where you can sip acclaimed chardonnay or pinot noir.

Copain Wines

The natural splendor of Copain's hilltop winery is apparent the moment you start meandering up the driveway, but it's best appreciated from an Adirondack chair overlooking the serene Russian River Valley below. Private tastings are available by appointment at this Healdsburg winery.

Jordan Vineyard and Winery

You'll feel like you're in Alsace rather than the Alexander Valley at Jordan Winery's grand, ivy-covered chateau that looks over 1,200 acres of picturesque vineyards, orchards, and pastures. Consider booking an estate tour that kicks off with a continental breakfast and bubbly.

Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate

With its white stucco, terra-cotta roof, and classic bell tower, Michel-Schlumberger's Spanish Mission-style winery provides not only a light and airy tasting room to sample estate and small-production wines, but also spectacular views of the Dry Creek Valley.

Hamel Family Wines

Hamel Family Wines' modern tasting room and hillside terrace are the arresting centerpiece of an all-around impressive estate, which is the perfect place to gaze at Sonoma Mountain and the valley below. Small-group winery tours and tastings are available to book online.

Chateau St. Jean

A sprawling green lawn with towering palm trees, manicured gardens, and a regal 1920s chateau create the feeling of a faraway escape, right off Sonoma's Highway 12. Chateau St. Jean offers seated tastings, or you can reserve the bocce court to sample wines by the bottle with friends.

Ledson Winery and Vineyards

Originally designed as a family home, the 16,000-square-foot French-inspired "castle" at Ledson Winery features turrets, fountains, marble fireplaces, and lots of wood inlays and mosaics, and it houses multiple tasting bars for sipping and socializing.

Fort Ross Vineyard and Winery

While the rest of Sonoma soaks up the sun inland, Fort Ross Vineyard floats over the chill of coastal fog, affording a bird's-eye view of the property's vines, forests, meadows, and the spectacular Pacific Ocean in the distance. Wine tastings are by reservation only and include chef-prepared, locally sourced small bites.

Foley Sonoma

The floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor perches of Foley Sonoma's dramatic tasting room make it the perfect spot to admire the Alexander Valley and the Mayacamas Mountains — with a glass of sauvignon blanc or zinfandel in hand, of course.

Robert Young Winery

This 448-acre winery has been operating since 1858, but its new tasting room, the Scion House, built on the Young family's favorite hilltop, offers 360-degree views of the Alexander Valley. Fans of cabernet sauvignon might like the Ultimate Cabernet Lovers Experience, featuring five samples of the varietal.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Entertainment abounds at Francis Ford Coppola's scenic winery in Geyserville, where a tasting on the terrace affords sweeping views of the Alexander Valley. You can also see movie memorabilia, dine on Italian favorites at Rustic restaurant, or book a private cabana at the swimming pool on the picturesque grounds.

Lambert Bridge Winery

The charming tasting room of this rustic Dry Creek Valley winery sits nestled within redwood-forested hills. If that's not alluring enough, there are manicured gardens and intimate tastings available by appointment.

Lynmar Estate Winery

Bordering a 22-mile wildlife preserve, Lynmar Estate's views might include a mountain lion or bald eagle — but you'll have to pull yourself away from the elegant terrace and gardens surrounding the tasting room to spot them.

Cline Family Cellars

This vineyard packs on the charm with thousands of rose bushes surrounding the wraparound veranda of Cline Family Cellars' 1850s farmhouse tasting room. Experiences include tastings by the pond and garden cabanas with bottle service.

Matanzas Creek Winery

Step into a French fantasy when you visit the vast and fragrant fields of lavender on Matanzas Creek's property. Book a tasting experience or indulge in bottle service on the bocce ball court for a perfect afternoon.

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards in Healdsburg stands out with five acres of formal gardens that pop each spring with more than 10,000 colorful tulips and daffodils. Sample wines in the pale pink, Italian-style Villa Fiore tasting room before strolling along the garden's meandering paths and footbridges.