Gracianna Winery

The winery is not a common wine-tasting tour destination, but you can visit it easily on your own from Healdsburg, Windsor, Forestville, and Guerneville—each town is 20-30 minutes away by car. You can book tastings and weekend estate tours directly on the winery's website. While tastings don't require reservations, it's best to make them during summer and holiday weekends. Winery tours of the vineyard tasting room and the owners' home—a custom-built affair with notable works of art—are held on weekends and need a booking.

• Wine tastings are outdoors—prepare for hot, sunny weather with hats and sunscreen.

• The winery sells pinot noir, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, chardonnay, rosé, and Sauvignon Blanc wines.

• You can book overnight stays at the winery vineyard loft.

• Wine tastings usually include 6-8 glasses of wine.

The winery is in the heart of Sonoma Country Wine Country about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of San Francisco. Private, custom wine-tasting tours let you visit the winery—and at least several others—without worrying about driving. Otherwise, from San Francisco, it's best to rent a car. Biking from towns nearby, such as Healdsburg, Windsor, and Guerneville, is another option.

The tasting room is open seven days a week from mid-morning to late afternoon, from April through November, and remains open on Independence Day, Labor Day, and the day after Thanksgiving. Tours are held on weekends only. Generally, Sonoma County is a year-round destination but it's best to visit during late spring or early fall to avoid the crowds and punishing heat of summer.

The Russian River flows through the Gracianna Winery and some of the most beautiful places in Sonoma County. It's a top swimming, canoeing, and kayaking destination—the most popular beaches and boat rental spots are near Guerneville and Forestville, respectively. When the summer weather hits, the locals traditionally head to Johnson's Beach in Guerneville to swim, but other beaches lie along the river as far north as Del Rio Woods Regional Park in Healdsburg and beyond.