Vineyard Walks Offer Exciting New Way to See Sonoma Wine Country

Healdsburg, Ca. – Increasingly, visitors to Sonoma County, California’s renowned wine country, are discovering what locals here have known for years: There is no substitute for getting out into the vineyard if you want to experience wine country living. Enter Vineyard Walks, adventures organized by active wine tourism company Zephyr Wine Adventures. The company has recently expanded its program to offer tours of Sonoma County vineyards to the public, either as a day trip or as part of a three-day or five-day package.  Program offerings are based around guided walks in and around Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys, two world-class grape growing and wine producing areas. Here, gentle hills of bucolic vineyards nestle up against the foothills of the nearby mountains, creating stunning, wide open vistas tailor-made for a walking excursion.

Zephyr Adventures Owner Allan Wright believes the program is right in step with what tourists are looking for these days. “Many visitors to the wine country are folks who would love the chance to get outside, do something healthy, and get back in touch with nature a bit,” notes Wright. “And visitors are interested doing something new—in finding a new way to share experiences with friends and family. Our newly expanded program for the public allows people to sign up for a Vineyard Walk on any date they choose.” 

A typical Vineyard Walk lasts about 1.5 hours, includes a local guide who knows about grape growing and wine, and can be tailored to any activity level and wine interest.  For those who wish, the walks can be a real workout as participants explore vineyard rows on a hillside setting. For those who want to take it easier, the experience can be more about enjoying a leisurely walk while talking and learning about wine.

“We love the program”, says Judd Wallenbrock, General Manager of participating winery Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate.  “As people walk through our vineyards, seeing and even touching the soils of Dry Creek Valley that make our wines unique, they remember so much more about what we do here than if they simply taste our wine.” 

Nancy Bailey, General Manager of nearby Quivira Vineyards, agrees. “While we love to have visitors at our winery, it opens up a whole other perspective when they can get out into the vineyards, see the magnificent scenery, and learn about our Biodynamic winemaking processes,” says Bailey. “The Sonoma Vineyard Walks program is a fantastic way to bring our vineyard practices to life for visitors.”

Wright has hired five local guides to escort people on the walks, teaching tourists about grape growing and wines as they go. “This is a crucial part of the program,” says Wright.  “From the visitor’s viewpoint, it is an amazing experience to spend a day with a local getting the inside scoop on Sonoma County’s wine country.  And, participating wineries know they can trust our guides, which means participants are permitted to walk through private lands most visitors to Sonoma County would never see.” 

The Vineyard Walks range from $120 per person for a one-day, two-vineyard walk with a group of five to $1800 for an all-inclusive, five-day vacation. Walks take place on five vineyards including Michel-Schlumberger (www.michelschlumberger.com) and Quivira (www.quivirawine.com). See www.SonomaVineyardWalks.com for more details.

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