Free Wine Tasting in Sonoma County
I love living and working in California’s beautiful Wine Country, but it can be quite expensive. And whether you live here or are visiting for the first time I wanted to share some exceptional wineries that still offer free wine tastings! That’s right 100% FREE! All right here in Sonoma County.
Korbel has been a Sonoma County landmark from their beginning and is North America’s oldest continually operating Champagne House. They offer complimentary tours and tastings daily, except for major holidays. They also have a darling outside patio where you can enjoy a picnic or grab some food from their onsite deli and market. It’s a bit of a drive if you’re traveling from San Francisco but well worth it. Their Champagne is affordable and ranges from sweet to bone dry. They also make and sell a variety of brandy that are not available for tastings.
A. Rafanelli is an Italian family run winery on their fourth generation. They’re located in the heart of Dry Creek Valley and produce exceptional wines made by female winemaker, Rashell Rafanelli. During the tasting they’ll let you roam the vineyards and gardens, take you though the wine caves and pour you some delicious red wines.
My visit to A. Rafanelli was by far one of my favorite tasting experiences of 2019. The moment you step into the winery you can tell how much love and passion is put into their wine. It is one I always suggest for first time visitors to the area. They offer complimentary tastings 7 days a week by appointment only. Their wines can also be found in many restaurants nation wine.
Merry Edwards Winery had been on my list for quite some time before I discovered they offered free walk-in wine tastings. Merry is known in Sonoma County as being a pioneer for female wine makers and her Pinot Noirs are some of the best I’ve ever had. Their staff is kind and well educated to help you better understand where the grapes are grown and how that impacts a varietal. Located in Sebastapol, it is a great spot to stop in for their standing tasting or call ahead to make a reservation for their more in-depth sit-down experience.
Alexander Valley Vineyard’s story began in the 1960s and is one of the largest family run and operated wineries that haven’t been purchased by a larger company. They do two Cave Tours and Barrel Tastings per day and if you want to learn a lot about wine and the region’s history, this is the perfect place to do it. They also offer complimentary tastings in their tasting room 10am – 5pm daily. They’re best known for Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignon, but also have white wines and a Rosé of Sangiovese.
Williamson Wines offers a complimentary wine and food pairing experience daily! So, not only are you receiving free wine but also free food. They offer a variety of French style wines ranging from Rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux style blends. Williamson is located in central Healdsburg which is a perfect location for visiting multiple tasting rooms in a day!
While many think wine tasting means spending an arm and a leg, I always know there is an affordable way to live a boojee lifestyle and these five wineries are one way to do that! Also, note that even though these are free tasting it is still courteous to leave a tip! Hope you’re able to check them out and if you have any questions or suggestions let me know in the comments.
Also be sure to follow me on Instagram at @mikayla.winestyle for more Wine and Style fun!
Cover photo taken by @victoriabeardsleephoto
Mikayla Tencer
Welcome to The Wine Style, my name is Mikayla. I am a California born and North Carolina raised twenty-something with a passion for wine and style. After graduating college, I moved back to California and have been working in wine ever since. I hope my blog inspires you to step out of your comfort zone and try a new wine or different style you may never have thought of before. I also promise to keep my picks affordable because wine and fashion doesn’t have to break the bank. The Wine Style is also a place for your voice to be heard and to connect with others so always choose to be brave and post any comments or questions you may have and feel free to reach out with any inquiries.
