Sonoma Valley, one of the most popular weekend destinations in California wine country, is known for its rich history, delicious delicacies, world-renowned wines, and breathtaking landscapes. Due to these incredible and natural contributing factors, Sonoma Valley is often frequented by couples of all ages looking for a quick, romantic getaway. Here are a couple of options for dining, wine tasting, and relaxing on your own personal weekend voyage through Sonoma wine country.
Wake Up Rested
Wake up on a Saturday morning at the MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in the heart of Sonoma after staying in one of their Garden Spa Suites. These outdoor-meets-indoor guestrooms are exquisitely furnished with cathedral ceilings, a fireplace, private gardens, and hydrotherapy tubs with 40 jets. Don't miss out on the outdoor rain-simulating shower and wine-soaking tub either! With amenities like these, the MacArthur is the most popular hotel in the region and is perfect for couples seeking the height of luxury. If you're looking for less extravagance, there are plenty of other moderately priced hotel and bed and breakfast options in Sonoma.
Time for Tasting
After enjoying your complimentary continental breakfast, head to the Ferrari-Carano Winery in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley to sample your first wines of the day. Start out in a cozy, personal setting in the Prevail Room, where you can reserve private wine tastings for two. After sampling up to five wines of your choice, including their famous white wines, Pinots, and Cabernets, take a stroll through Ferrari's beautiful gardens. Beautiful sculptures, thousands of colorful tulips, sculpted shrubs, and natural formations resting on over five acres will certainly be a feast for all of your senses.
Exploring More Estates
Next, head just 12 miles down the road to visit the villa Chateau St Jean. This estate and vineyard will make you feel as though you've taken a step back in time. The Mediterranean scenery and early 20th century-style chateau are not to be missed on your romantic getaway to Sonoma. The winemaker at Chateau St Jean, Margo Van Staaveren, has worked in the vineyards for more than 30 years and thoroughly enjoys putting together final blends. The care and detail that go into the Chateau's wines is unmistakable; her 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon won Wine of the Year in Wine Spectator magazine in 1999. What could be more romantic than sampling critically acclaimed wine while standing under a terra cotta-roofed chateau overlooking a weekend sunset over Sonoma Valley?
Dreaming of Grapes
Finally, head a few more miles south to make your last stop at the Ledson Hotel & Centre du Vin located directly on Sonoma's historic plaza square. Decorated with grandeur, rich and regal tones, and a feeling of a time gone by, the Ledson Hotel will offer you nothing short of a fairytale ending to your romantic Sonoma getaway. If you and your loved one aren't completely full of wine, the Ledson Hotel will deliver a bottle or glass straight to your hotel room. Sip some more wine, put on your bathrobe, turn on your fireplace, snuggle into your king-size bed, and drift off into dreamland for the rest of the weekend.
