1. Murphy’S Irish Pub
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 935-0660
Address: 464 First Street E.
Description: This pub keeps sleepy Sonoma awake, usually every Thursday through Sunday night. The genre is hard to predict. It could be blues one night, traditional Celtic the next. Or it might be folk ballads followed by a melodious string ensemble. There is no cover, but expect a two-pint minimum.
2. Sebastiani Theatre
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 996-2020
Address: 476 First Street E.
3. Sonoma Cinemas 6
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 935-1234
Address: 200 Siesta Way
4. Bartholomew Park Winery
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 935-9511
Address: 1000 Vineyard Lane
Description: Once called Hacienda Winery, the winery and adjacent park were renamed for Frank Bartholomew, former foreign correspondent with United Press International (later its president). The winery’s picnic sites, set among native oaks, are unequaled, with tables overlooking vistas of vineyards. A fascinating first-class museum next to the tasting room is dedicated to the property’s colorful history. Look for a large display of Victorian-era photographs that document viticultural practices from that period. Wall murals, a display of soil samples, and a topographical map explain present-day vineyard practices. The winery is known for its vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc.
5. Buena Vista Winery
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 926-1266, (800) 926-1266
Address: 18000 Old Winery Road
Description: Huge shade trees surround Buena Vista, the oldest premium winery in California, which celebrated 150 years of operation in 2007. It was established in 1857 by Count Agoston Haraszthy (see the close-up “The Father of California Viticulture,” in the History chapter). Two of the winery’s stone buildings are registered as state historic landmarks. Chinese laborers dug long tunnels into the hillside for wine aging, and Buena Vista’s buildings are made from the salvaged rock. The Press House, built in 1862, houses a gift shop and displays a fine collection of art. Three levels of tasting are offered; fees range from $5 to $20. The winery’s “Carneros quartet” of grapes are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Merlot. A Pinot Gris is also produced.
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 25200 Highway 121 (Arnold Drive)
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 24737 Highway 121 (Arnold Drive)
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 24724 Highway 121 (Arnold Drive)
9. Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 996-7256
Address: 23555 Highway 121 (Arnold Drive)
Description: The vineyards stretch across the hills, and from the hillock above, the Spanish-style winery overlooks the estate vineyards and the rolling Carneros appellation. Grab a glass of bubbly and soak up the vistas from the large veranda outside the tasting room. This is one of several wineries owned and operated by the Ferrer family of Barcelona, which has produced méthode champenoise sparkling wine for more than 100 years. You can tour the facility with its state-of-the-art caves and learn the secrets of the méthode champenoise process. In addition to sparkling wine, Gloria Ferrer produces still wines such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, including a limited amount of Pinot Noir Rosé.
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 2000 Denmark Street
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 18701 Gehricke Road
12. Schug Carneros Estate Winery
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 939-9363, (800) 966-9365
Address: 602 Bonneau Road
Description: This lifelong dream of owner-winemaster Walter Schug spans four decades and two continents. A native of Germany’s Rhine River valley and a graduate of a prestigious German wine institute, Walter left for California determined to find success with his Pinot Noir, which has since been proclaimed no less than world class by critics in both the United States and Europe. The winery, built in 1990 of post-and-beam architecture, reflects the Schug family’s German heritage. A daily cave tour is offered at 11:00 a.m., and picnic tables are available for visitors. The winery produces sparkling wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Address: 21901 Bonness Road
14. Sebastiani Vineyards
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 933-3230, (800) 888-5532
Address: 389 Fourth Street E.
Description: One of the few original family wineries still remaining, Sebastiani is extremely proud of its wines and its Italian heritage. Founder Samuele Sebastiani learned winemaking from the monks in Farneta, Italy, before he came to America in 1894 at the age of 19 and went to work hauling cobblestones. In 1904 he bought the old Sonoma Mission vineyard, where the padres had been making altar wines for 80 years. The winery is 3 blocks east of Sonoma Plaza, set amid the vineyards from which Sebastiani produces its special Cherryblock Cabernet wines. A great convenience for visitors is the winery’s trolley (seasonal), which allows you to park at the winery and catch a shuttle to the plaza, or vice versa.
15. The Wine Exchange Of Sonoma
City: Sonoma, CA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (707) 938-1794, (800) 938-1794
Address: 452 First Street E.
Description: Interested in a place that carries hard-to-find wines and will even ship them anywhere allowed by law? The Wine Exchange is the place for you, with some 800 premium wines and 280 beers in stock. It’s opposite the Sonoma Plaza, with a tasting bar that features 18 wines and 6 draft beers.