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2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 37 ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY, Kalon Vineyard entrance, with statue of St. Francis of Assisi by sculptor Beniamino Bufano in the foreground, right; Santa Rosa Vineyard, bottom; Hot air balloon trip in Napa Valley, opposite. Trail. While the majority of visitors go to the big-name wineries such as Robert Mondavi, Beringer and Sterling, those in the know are heading for Coombsville. For serious wine collectors, Auction Napa Valley has been the premier charity event of the season for over 40 years. Love music and wine? Make plans to attend BottleRock in May; it's the hipster festival of the year. Prefer something more pastoral? Wind your way up Highway 128 in Mendocino County to Anderson Valley for two exceptional festi- vals: the highly regarded Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival in May; and the Winter White Wine Weekend in February, focusing on Alsace-style white wines. In Sonoma County, Healdsburg reigns as the king of the tasting rooms in California. The three most popular annual events in the area include Winter Wineland in January, Barrel Tasting in March, and foodie favorite Wine and Food Affair in November. One of the oldest regions, Livermore, is just 30 miles east of San Francisco and best known for its Chardonnay production and the well-established winery estates of Wente and Concannon. SIERRA FOOTHILLS El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras The mining towns of the Sierra foothills— Placerville, Amador City and Sutter Creek—used to draw prospectors in search of gold, but now wine lovers come in search of riches in liquid form. The main street of Murphys is lined with Gold Rush-era build- ings and over two dozen tasting rooms equal parts rustic and sophisticated. The El Dorado Hills Art, Beer & Wine Festival is the perfect place to view fine art from over 80 artists along the town center boulevard while enjoying food, live music and tast- ings from local wineries and breweries. CENTRAL COAST Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands, Chalone, Carmel Valley, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande, Santa Clara Valley The Central Coast is one of the largest and most diverse wine growing regions, and Monterey is home to the Winemakers' Celebration in Carmel-by-the-Sea where you can stroll the charming streets, sample some of the area's best wines and enjoy light-bites from popular local restaurant chefs. If you are a Pinot or Syrah fan, head for the highlands, the Santa Lucia Highlands, an appellation with many noteworthy wineries such as Morgan, Mer Soleil and Hahn. Santa Clara Valley, one of the oldest wine regions in California, was founded by Italian immigrants in the early 1800s and has now grown to more than two dozen wineries. Looking to meet the next great wine- maker? The Garagiste Wine Festival in Paso Robles will introduce you to the small guys with bright futures. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA & CENTRAL VALLEY Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, Los Olivos, Temecula, Lodi, Madera, Clarksburg The Southern California coastal region vineyards in Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills and Santa Ynez Valley produce primarily Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Santa Ynez Valley became the poster child for wine tourism when the 2004 film Sideways confirmed its status as a Pinot Noir hot spot (or cool spot, as Pinot grapes don't like too much heat). But the ghosts of Sideways' Miles and Jack are long gone and it's safe to drink Merlot again. The end of September brings the annual Celebration of Harvest, ARNIEBY/SHUTTERSTOCK ; VISIT SANTA ROSA . OPPOSITE: CHENG CHENG/SHUTTERSTOCK