A few decades back, the hottest travelling trend is to tiptoe your way through tulip-filled fields in New Zealand. These days, however, you can walk, eat and sip your way through a wonderful journey of winemaking without even getting out of the country.
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In Healdsburg, California, walking tours of vineyards where you will have a behind-the-scenes look at how precious reds and bubbly whites are made.
Many Travel Opportunities Provided by Healdsburg
Healdsburg is a quaint town in Sonoma County, the Bay Area of California which is popular for the many agricultural delights that it brings to both locals and tourists. As you venture out into the town plaza, you will find plenty of boutiques, bed and breakfasts, restaurants and wineries.
The town is famous for its product which is Pinot Noir, as well as sparkling whites and the PetiteSirah bottles from Foppiano’s. The best way to get to Healdsburg is to drive through the town – it’s more than an hour away from San Francisco.
In addition to wine tasking, you can eat gourmet food to go along with it; stroll along the Plaza; have kayak and canoe adventures; or bike along the many beautiful roads leading to the wineries.
Top Tips when Booking for Winemaking Tours
Now, if you are heading out to Healdsburg specifically to go on a wine-tasting tour, what options do you have and what are the things that you should keep in mind?
Book early.
Since taking vineyard tours is one of the most popular activities for both the locals and the tourists in this part of California, it does pay to book as early as you can. Reservations fill up early and if you want to have the best vineyard tours, it pays to make reservations way in advance.
Check out the package inclusions when going on a wine tour.
Depending on your budget and what the vineyard owner offers, you will have different package inclusions for the vineyard tour. For example, there are some tours which include wine tasting only – while other tours include lunch.
Decide whether you want to have a simple and short tour of the winery, or if your feet are ready for serious hikes which could last up to four hours.
If you booked a vineyard tour as a group, decide whether you simply want to have a short tour of the vineyard – or if you are willing to hike, an activity which can take the better part of four hours. In most cases, hiking trips through wineries usually include wine tasting and lunch at the end of the tour.
There are plenty of family estates and local vineyards in Healdsburg that you can choose from, including:
- Balletto Vineyards
- Kunde Famly Estate
- Mauritson
- Matanzas Creek Winery
- Paradise Ridge Winery
- Rubicon Estate
- Sonoma Country Self-guided Tour
All in all, these wine tours will give you a glimpse at how grapes are grown, harvested and processed to turn them into the oh-so-fine wines that we enjoy at our dinner table.