When it comes to Sonoma wine, you have no shortage of options. Whether you’re taking a trip to wine country or sipping from glasses at home, we want to ensure you can try some of the most well-known bottles. Explore our list of the best Sonoma wines to try.

Best Wines From Sonoma to Try

From full-bodied to well-balanced whites and everything in between, you have many opportunities to find a new favorite or explore variations of your current one. No matter where you’re doing your tasting, give these famous Sonoma County wines a try:

• Chardonnay: A delightful glass of Chardonnay appears in many wineries in Sonoma. Sonoma Chardonnays often have delicate floral and juicy apple or pear flavors. They pair well with chicken, shellfish and white-sauce pastas.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: Of all the areas in Sonoma County, Alexander Valley is well-known for its Cabernet Sauvignons. Alexander Valley Cab Sauvs are rich and fruity, frequently highlighting flavors of dark cherry, currants, chocolate and cedar. These wines generally pair well with hard cheese, red meat and red-sauce pastas.
• Pinot Noir: Pinot Noir grapes have accumulated quite the following since they are some of the oldest around. Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs have a wide breadth, and you can find an extensive range of pairings to complement your glass.
• Sauvignon Blanc: Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc typically encompasses fruity flavors like peach, mango and citrus. Sauv Blancs pair well with soft cheese, fresh vegetables, seafood and chicken.
• Zinfandel: Wine drinkers can experience spice and jammy characteristics with black cherry and raspberry flavors in the best Sonoma Zinfandel wine. These rich, medium- to full-bodied wines pair best with red meat, including barbecue and hamburgers.
• Merlot: Rich red wines, Merlots feature fruity flavors of blackberry, cherry and currants accented with red licorice and coffee notes. Sonoma County Merlots pair well with grilled vegetables, chicken and red meat.

How to Host an At-Home Wine Tasting

Just because you’re drinking at home doesn’t mean it can’t be a big event with your friends and family. You can host an at-home wine tasting to impress your loved ones and discover your favorite food pairings. Here’s how you can host a wine tasting from home:

1. Keep your tasting on the simple side with 11 guests or fewer. This way, you can pour each guest and yourself a 2-ounce pour of each bottle and ensure everyone gets to sample the wines you’ve selected.
2. Choose an exciting theme for your tasting. In this case, encourage your guests to bring a bottle of Sonoma wine or select the ones you most want to try for an at-home visit to wine country.
3. Make a checklist to ensure you’re ready to host. You’ll need enough wine glasses for all your guests, chilling buckets and ice, a corkscrew, small napkins and plates, food pairings and, of course, wine. You should also set out some water or plain crackers to serve as palate cleansers. You might also want to give your guests a paper and pen to record their thoughts on the wines they try.
4. Taste your wine and discuss what you enjoyed and didn’t. Ask for everyone’s thoughts and enjoy exploring Sonoma County.

You want to ensure you have a balanced plate when it comes to your food pairings. You don’t want any of your snacks to overpower your drinks. If you decide to have a potluck-type tasting, you may want to hold off on eating until after you’ve finished sampling. This way, you can ensure every sip is genuine, and you know whether you like it. A mix of lighter and bolder cheeses could be your best bet while you drink. Choose less intense flavors for crisp white wines and stronger cheeses for those bold Sonoma red wines.

Order the Best Sonoma County Wines Right to Your Door

Start your wine tasting on the right foot with Marketview Liquor. Whether you’re looking to make it a family and friend affair or just want to enjoy a glass by yourself, we’ve got you covered. With Marketview Liquor, you can browse Sonoma wines without leaving your home. Browse Sonoma County wines and bring the coast to your doorstep.