Sonoma Wine Tour

The Civilized Traveler’s Guide
By Mildred Howie
Published by The Wine Appreciation Guild

For wine lovers intending to visit the Sonoma wine region this book is a must. Even widely experienced travelers, like this reviewer, will benefit greatly by investing a mere $12.95, for ‘Sonoma Wine Tour’ is not just another wine book but a lucid and comprehensive guide to much that Sonoma wine country has to offer. The publishers made an excellent choice in author, Millie Howie, who has virtually a lifetime’s experience of Sonoma and its wine community, garnered at the very time of the region’s rapid rise to fame.


In July 2001, feeling a little pleased with myself, I booked a Friday night stay in an apparently folksy B&B in Sonoma. It promised charm and character and an attentive host. It delivered all it promised, but imagine my horror on arriving there to find its front door just 30 feet from Route 101: a simple fact that the web-site accidentally overlooked. As the hour was late I had little choice other than to continue with the booking, but had I possessed Millie’s informative guide the mistake could have been avoided.

I now, as they say, have to declare an interest. There are 3 regular contributors to www.winebookclub.org and they are the entertaining Darryl Beeson, the immaculate Millie Howie and the permanently jet-lagged Andrew Jones. Features Editor, Helen Austyn, occasionally keeps the two male writers in line by pointing out that she never has to correct Millie’s contributions. As one who considers himself more of a researcher than a writer, I can now see that Millie is both a fine researcher and an excellent writer.

‘Sonoma Wine Tour’ would be yet another guidebook without its structure. Its opening page gives so much information in so few words. Millie’s succinct writing makes points clearly and simply. An excellent example of her style comes with a visual comparison of Sonoma’s size with the neighboring Napa Valley. Sonoma County with its million-plus acres is more than twice as large and many times more complex. Physically its shape is rectangular, nearly as broad as it is long, encompassing within its boundaries a large part of the North Coast Ranges on its eastern side, and a long, rugged Pacific coastline on the west. She tells us, on page 16, that Healdsburg is a great walking town, with a numbered tree walk, and a tour of historic homes. A short walk from the Plaza is the world-recognized Sonoma County Wine Library. That claim can be supported by at least one wine writer from across the pond who has received the most generous help from that small but august institution.

The page on Guernville, Sebastopol, Russian River Valley gives an enlightening explanation of the origin of the name Russian River, an appellation which is rapidly gaining prominence for consistent Pinot Noir. Millie explains that originally, to the native Pomo Indian tribes, the Russian River was known as Shabaikai – the snake. The Russians, who established two communities on the Sonoma Coast in 1812, referred to the river as Slavianka – pretty Russian girl. Later Mexican settlers referred to it as El Rio Russo, giving it the name that finally stuck.

So much for Sonoma and its heritage. What about the restaurants? There are 28 pages full of a great variety of them from Chateau Souverain’s Café at the Winery, a truly inspiring restaurant with numerous opportunities for food and wine pairings, to a familiar favorite amongst locals called Equus. Millie advises that there probably is no more dazzling wine display in Sonoma County than the Wall of Wine at Equus with nearly 300 bottles ……kept current and exciting by sommelier Larry Van Aalst.

Accommodation is catered for with reviews of 45 hotels, inns and B&B’s. Amongst my preferences would be Fern Grove Cottages, walking distance from entrancing downtown Guernville, priced between $79-219, and Hotel Healdsburg which has every 21st century amenity possible, including 6 feet soaking tubs. Chef Charlie Palmer is a former winner of the James Beard award for the Best Chef in New York. Prices here vary from $205-450.

But we mustn’t forget Sonoma is about wine and 105 wineries are listed in simple, helpful terms. The list starts with Adler Fells where sometimes visitors are invited to drive a golf ball into the valley below. It also includes Raymond Burr Vineyards where you can outwit Perry Mason, for sadly he died before the first vintage was ready. Foppiano Vineyards with the world’s oldest winemaker, 92 year old Lou Foppiano, is an attractive alternative and Geyser Peak one that is producing consistently fine wines across the range.

On the other hand you could visit Family Wineries at 9200 Sonoma Highway and taste the superb Nelson Estate Cabernet Franc. Finally visit one of the larger wineries at St Francis where Merlot really is king.

The only downside to the book is the artwork, some of which indulges the popular misconception that wine is inextricably linked with bacchanalian carousing or gentlemen sporting Edwardian moustaches. I can’t sing and I don’t have a moustache.

back to Sonoma Wine Tour