Sonoma | California’s Underrated Wine Country Gem

🍷While everyone flocks to Napa, I quietly slipped into Sonoma—a place that feels more authentic, more relaxed, and deeply rooted in history. This is where California wine truly began. ☀️ Morning: A Slow Start in Sonoma Plaza Begin your day at Sonoma Cheese Factory Coffee Bar, where sunlight spills over brick walls and wooden tables. Sip a pour-over and feel time slow down. Then, step into The Girl & The Fig—a French-inspired garden restaurant tucked in a corner of the plaza. With its rustic charm and Provençal flavors, it’s a local legend. 🍽 Must-tries: pan-seared duck leg, lentil stew, handmade pasta, steak frites… So delicious, I forgot to take photos! 🍇 Afternoon: Historic Wineries & Vineyard Dreams Head to Buena Vista Winery, founded in 1857—the oldest commercial winery in California. Walk through its stone cellars and underground barrel rooms, where the scent of aging wine tells stories spanning 160+ years. Next, visit Gundlach Bundschu Winery (est. 1858). Sixth-generation family-owned, it blends rustic cabins, old oak barrels, and sprawling vineyards—like a scene from a European countryside film. In spring, the vines are just budding, but you can already imagine the harvest to come. Standing among the vines, with sun on your skin and birdsong in the air, you’ll feel deeply connected to the land. 📸 Why Sonoma > Napa? History: Home to California’s first wineries—this is where it all started. Vibe: Less crowded, more rustic. Vineyards roll across hills and valleys, framed by stone buildings and country lanes. Authenticity: No tour buses or flashy tasting rooms—just genuine local restaurants, family-run wineries, and a slow, soulful rhythm. 🧭 My Sonoma Shortlist: Gundlach Bundschu Winery Perfect for laid-back tasting + vineyard lounging. Buena Vista Winery Stone cellars, vintage chandeliers—a photogenic step back in time. 🌿 The Sonoma Feeling: Napa may have the fame, but Sonoma has the soul. It’s not about ticking boxes—it’s about sipping wine under an oak tree, chatting with winemakers, and remembering that the best journeys are the ones you feel, not just see. #US #CA #Sonoma