Just 32 miles from San Francisco, Petaluma is ideally situated as a starting point for a full tour of the Sonoma wine country. Guided tours are available through various outfitters, or you can create your own tour by choosing from any of the noteworthy vintners in the area. The Petaluma Gap area is well known as a location for grapes that produce remarkable Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and Merlot.
The Petaluma Winegrowers Alliance helps bring the grape growers and winemakers in this special region together in an effort to share resources and support one another's winemaking efforts. A number of Sonoma County winemakers use Gap-grown grapes and are members of the alliance.
There are over 250 wineries and 13 different viticulture areas in Sonoma County, and as locals will tell you, you don’t have to go far from Petaluma to experience the best this winemaking region has to offer. You can choose which wineries to visit based on varietals offered, proximity to town or the coast, or maybe you have a favorite Sonoma County wine and just want to see where it comes from.
Grapes were first planted in Sonoma County in the early 1800s. Grapes became Sonoma County’s top revenue-generating agricultural crop in 1989. As of 1999 there were over 49,000 acres of vineyards owned by more than 750 growers in Sonoma County. Today Sonoma County has 13 unique appellations and more than 50 grape varieties are grown. The wine industry and related tourism is estimated to contribute over $8 billion to the local economy each year, or about 40% of the county’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product.
If you are visiting the Petaluma area of Sonoma County, you won’t want to miss visiting at least one winery to experience the age-old tradition of wine-making and to get a taste of one of California’s main industries.
