Looking for a nice day trip to Sonoma with white wines

We are traveling this weekend (one day trip) or early next week to Sonoma and I am wanting a couple of must see wineries that have mostly white or sparkling wines. I have been having a hard time finding a nice place that has a large selection of not too pricy wines. Let me know if I am not in the right area for this. We are novices needless to say and don%26#39;t know much about wine. I also would appreciate some advice on 2 decently priced casual places to stop for lunch and dinner. My husband has a sensitive stomach and is picky, so we do not need a restaurant that has fancy entrees. Normal American fare is great. Thanks so much!! Erica

Looking for a nice day trip to Sonoma with white wines

For a larger selection of wines to taste, try some of the tasting rooms around the Sonoma Plaza that have offerings from multiple wineries (you can easily walk around the perimeter of the Plaza). There%26#39;s Sonoma Wine Shop, the Wine Exchange and Sonoma Enoteca. You can get some helpful info. from the following Website: sonomavalley.com/sonomamembers/wineries2.asp. Also, if you advise what your price range is and which white varietals you prefer, we can offer more specific info. For lunch I%26#39;d recommend the Swiss Hotel and for dinner, Sonoma-Meritage. Both are casual, reasonably priced and offer good, basic cuisine.

Looking for a nice day trip to Sonoma with white wines

Thanks Forestvillian for the wonderful advice! I will sure check into these and let you know how our trip went! I would like to tour a winery also while in Sonoma. Any suggestions?

A constantly acclaimed and recommended winery and tasting tour is given at Benziger Family Winery (www.benziger.com). I believe the tour cost is $10 and you should make advance reserv%26#39;s. Inc%26#39;d in their array of wines are a Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The winery and estate is located in a beautiful setting north of the charming town of Glen Ellen (a short, very picturesque drive north on either Arnold Dr. or Hwy. 12 from the town of Sonoma). If you go to Benziger, you may want to have lunch in Glen Ellen. If so, the Wolf House restaurant would be a great place to stop. Chateau St. Jean, a bit further no. along Hwy. 12 in the Kenwood area also has a good tour and lovely estate gardens and buildings.

Sebastiani has a nice tour with carved wine barrels to see. Not far from the center of Sonoma.

I%26#39;d also go to Glen Ellen and see the Valley of the Moon area near Jack London State Park - you can visit his house there too.

Sonoma-Cutrer is a very fine vineyard that occasionally hosts world champion croquet matches.

One place that is really nice is the Ferrari-Carano winery and also Chateau St Jean - they are both lovely places further up the Sonoma Valley towards the petrified forest.

You might want to visit that on the way to Calistoga and come back down the Napa Valley.

Glen Ellen wines can be purchased in Costco or Safeway at good prices I would check out the supermarkets and wine stores they may cost less than a winery.