Geyserville Offers a Big Taste of Sonoma in a Tiny Downtown

Within the county of Sonoma, California you can find more than 150 wineries spread through the picturesque valleys and winding road. If you're short on time, but still anxious to do some sampling, there's a way to do lots of sampling without doing any driving.

Geyserville is within the Alexander Valley of Sonoma. If you head past the Geyserville Inn, a quaint family-run accommodation at the edge of town, The downtown area is small enough that you could blink and miss it so it's hard to believe how much is packed within these few blocks.

Start at the end of the block at the tasting room for Route 128 Winery. Chances are you will run into owners Pete and Lorna Opatz, who make their wines from grapes from Route 128, which runs through the counties of Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa and Solano. They have some tasty blends here, including the PeLu Rouge, a mixture of Syrah, Zinfandel and Viognier, and the Grenache based Rue Rose.

Terroirs Artisan Wines offers Goodwin Family, Palmeri and Pena Ridge wines, specializing in the reds like Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, but also offering some Chardonnay and a Gewürztraminer. From there head to Meeker Vineyards, where the décor (an old bank) and the beautiful bottles of the Meeker and Lucas wines will impress you as much as the wine. Mercury has also opened downtown with a small, but well-known collection of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Bordeaux.

Locals is the stop for wine tasting and you've probably seen nothing like it. Here you can taste 70 wines from 10 wineries - with just about every varietal you can imagine. There is no charge for the tastings so you are free to enjoy an assortment. Once you've narrowed it down, you can purchase all of the wines you loved right there.

Before you leave Geyersville, stop at Diavolo Pizzeria. This cozy restaurant cures their own salami and sausage and cooks their pizza in a wood burning oven. You will also find local fare like sardines and halibut on the menu, as well as beef and pork dishes. And, if you haven't had enough of those great Sonoma wines, you can even B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bottle) here!

For more information on the wines of Sonoma County, visit the Wine Road website.