Sonoma Valley Wine Country Restaurants

Sonoma Valley is one of the most beautiful locations in all of California. Nestled next to the equally - wonderous Napa Valley, these two locations create the epicenter for California's thriving wine business and boast some of the most ruggedly beautiful natural features in the state. Taking its name from the Native American word Sonoma, Sonoma Valley is often translated to mean the Valley of the Moon, a phrase that hints at this location's mystery and natural splendor.

Sonoma has a rich historical tradition dating back to a time when Native Americans controlled California's coastal regions. Once, the Miwok, Pomo, and Wintun peoples dominated this territory, thriving off of the fertility of the soil and its temperate weather, as well as its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Not much is known about the lifestyle of these peoples, but their involvement in the conquest of the area by Spanish monks has been widely-documented and researched. Under the leadership of Father Joseph Altimira and Father Junipero Serra, Christian monks set out to venture northward from Mexico up through the then-unexplored California coast in order to convert the native peoples to Christianity and claim the land for Spain. In order to do this, the monks set up a series of 21 missions throughout California, which integrated the monks and Native peoples in a kind of farm and religious collective. One of these was set up in Sonoma Valley at the center of what is now Sonoma, California's modern town square.

Mission San Francisco Solano, as it is called, formed the foundation for the later expansion of the town and county of Sonoma out from the city center it created. The mission was typical in style, with long and low walls as well as a large church built into it, which was necessary for their daily worship. Soon after it was established, however, the mission was secularized by a Mexican general, at which point the El Presidio de Sonoma, or the military barracks, were constructed. Much of these structures, too, still stand in the quaint Sonoma town square, which ranks in at the largest town square in California.

Today, the plaza is still the center of Sonoma's activity, boasting many cute shops and restaurants that pay homage to its location in the center of California's incredible viticulture industry. Wine shops abound here, with many offering tastings at certain times of their encyclopedia list of local, domestic, and international wines. Also, be sure not to miss the extensive wine selection at many of the cute restaurants that line the edges of Sonoma's town square, which will surely compliment the sophisticated yet comfortable fare that characterizes this town.

Sonoma Valley itself also has multiple vineyards within its borders, which make for exciting and interesting trips back into the birthplace of wines rich history. The first grapes introduced to the region were allegedly from the Mission San Francisco Solano itself, dating back to when the monks experimented with their gardens and grew grapes. But soon after California gained its independence - which actually happened in the Sonoma town square itself, so be sure not to miss the statue of California rebel John C. Fremont in the town square - the wine industry flourished, with many new United States residents flocking to the area in order to take advantage of the incredible opportunities. Following the invention of the Zinfandel wine variety, which is intrinsic to the Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley areas, Sonoma California zoomed toward its future in international acclaim - all while still retaining its small town charm.