San Francisco Wine Tasting Tour - 8 Reasons To Go

While visiting Northern California recently, we went on a San Francisco Wine Tasting Tour. Actually, we went on two! They were both full day tours each visiting different wineries and some unexpected places too. We had so much fun I just had to share my 8 reasons why you should take a San Francisco Wine Tasting Tour to California's Wine Country!

#1 The Wine - Obviously. Where else can you sip on a variety of wine while relaxing in the beautiful Northern California sunshine?

I was never an organized tour type of person until this trip to San Francisco and now I'm all about the tour groups! Quite frankly, when going wine tasting, it's best to have a designated driver, I'm sure you agree.

The wine tasting tours we took with Incredible Adventures were very well planned. They thought of everything from the comfy ride to visiting the most beautiful wineries, and even making time to detour on a picturesque mountain road and going out of the way to a unique overlook of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

All we had to do was relax and enjoy the libations with our new friends surrounded by the stunning views that make up California's wine country. It is the best way to enjoy a visit to wine country from San Francisco.

#2 The View - Northern California is spectacular! It was our first time in the area and we were surprised by all the wide open, beautiful green space. 

The colors are vibrant and the views breathtaking! I could spend the rest of my life here and be blissfully happy just looking at the stunning scenery (while drinking wine, of course) Although, I don't think I'd get much work done...

#3 The Vineyards - They are everywhere! There is just something about being in a vineyard...

It might be the romanticism or all the greenery, or maybe it's the wine. I'm not sure, but vineyards make me smile. Because they are absolutely everywhere in California's wine country, I was smiling a lot! Click here for more information on the Napa Valley Wine Tour with Sonoma Wine Country

Here are a few more sights we enjoyed while on our wine tasting tours...

#4 Wine Caves - This wine cave is found at Benziger Family Winery and houses their wine barrels. Every family should have a wine cave don't ya think? Contrary to what SnapChat says, it is definitely colder than 72° in the cave year round. 

When our tour guide mentioned the temperature varies between 60-65° year round in the cave, every single person on the tour filled the cave with laughter when one of the millennials held up her phone and exclaimed, "But SnapChat says it's 72 degrees in here!"
NOTE: SnapChat is not a good source for temperature readings.

#5 The Craft Beer - Beer? On a wine Tasting Tour from San Francisco?

YES! It's true! You can even enjoy flights of hand crafted beer on a wine tasting tour in California! Click here for more information on the Redwoods, Wine, & Beer Tour

#6 Muir Woods - Muir Woods was our first stop on the Redwoods, Wine, and Beer tour. This gem of nature is full of beauty around every corner! 

Here you can take a stroll beneath a thick canopy of trees, including Redwoods, as streams of light sneak in to create interesting effects everywhere! It is so peaceful and a must see!

#7 Hummingbirds - Okay, so you don't have to take a San Francisco wine tasting tour to see a hummingbird, but it was the first time in all my years I ever saw one in person, so naturally, I had to mention it. Living in FL does not give you many opportunities to see these little wonders.

We were enjoying our picnic lunch at the winery when a beautiful hummingbird flew right up next to us and hovered there just long enough for me to realize what it was and snap a quick picture. I was tickled!

#8 That Bridge - The always beautiful and breathtaking Golden Gate Bridge 

Our tour guides took us to different overlooks to drink in the stunning views of this spectacular bridge. You don't always get to see the bridge with San Francisco behind it, and I think it is one of the more interesting vantage points. I'm thankful to have gotten to see this. Thank goodness for tour guides that know the best places to go!

After a San Francisco Wine Tasting tour I suggest catching a Lyft over to First Crush for dinner. First Crush is a restaurant and wine bar with a casual vibe making it the perfect spot to relax after a day of touring California's wine country. They offer hand-crafted, quality food with fresh, local ingredients just the way I like it! First Crush's extensive wine list has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2001! Now that's impressive!

The restaurant is located in the heart of Union Square and it was bustling with locals and full of energy. We were seated in a cozy corner where we could take in the entire scene, but still enjoy our privacy as we munched on fresh baked bread and perused the menu trying to decide what to order.

We started with the Pan Roasted Scallops and didn't regret it. You can't go wrong with scallops and a curry emulsion put this plate over the top!

I settled on one of the night's specials, Lobster Risotto, and it was a delicious choice! The risotto was cooked perfectly and the lobster sweet and succulent. Such a beautiful presentation too.

Madison ordered the Seafood Fettuccine and Don dived into the Airline Chicken with Butternut Squash Risotto. Anyone who knows me, knows how in love I am with butternut squash. I wanted to face-plant into his dish! It was soooo good! Yes, I sneaked a bite off both of their plates when they weren't looking (heehee) and everything was delicious.

We finished the evening with the dessert flight. The White Chocolate Bread Pudding was everyone's fave! Definitely treat yo'self! It's totally worth the calories <smile>.

Disclosure: I'd like to thank Incredible Adventures for inviting us on the complimentary San Francisco Wine Tasting Tours. No further compensation was provided, and I was under no obligation to write this article. As always, all opinions are my own.

For more tips on what to see and do while in the San Francisco area, be sure to visit San Francisco Travel - the place to find out about all things San Francisco.

While visiting San Francisco add Safari West and Yosemite in a Day to your list of must-see things to do. Click on the pictures to learn more...