San Francisco to Wine Country

From the Gregangelo Museum to Wine Country:

A San Francisco to Sonoma Day Trip of Art, Culture, and Hidden Gems

Photo by Yvonne Lin

My name is Élodie and I work as a wine consultant and boutique vintner in the Champagne region of France. Though I spend most of my days immersed in the crisp, mineral whispers of Chardonnay and the age old rituals of méthode champenoise, I recently found myself pulled westward to Northern California, a place I knew only from labels and lectures. I came for the wine, of course. But what I stumbled upon first was a surreal, immersive arts destination tucked into a historic San Francisco home that was nothing short of alchemy.

It began with a recommendation from a Bay Area local.

“Before you head up to Sonoma,” she said,

you must visit the Gregangelo Museum.

It’s not a museum, really. It’s a portal.”

She wasn’t wrong. Perched in an off the beaten path, part of San Francisco, this historic landmark, once a brothel and a private home, now shape-shifts daily into one of the city’s most unusual attractions. It’s a maximalist wonderland of time-bending rooms, kaleidoscopic mosaics, and hand-carved details that flirt with the cosmos. On my guided experience, we passed through secret passageways, interdimensional bedrooms, and even a mythical forest shrine, all guided by artists who inhabit the space like living characters. It’s easily one of the best cultural stops en route to Sonoma, and a glorious Bay Area hidden gem.

One room stopped me in my tracks. An immersive Mosaic Jeweled portico draped in velvets and glass vine, a half-human, half-myth god presided over an arch leading to the north.

“That’s Bacchus said our guide and his Greek counterpart Dionysus shows up elsewhere. Perhaps you are one of his ecstatic Maenads?”

These Greek and Roman gods of wine and revelry, who are divine patrons of my own profession, appear throughout the house as art installations, spiritual mascots, and metaphors for liberation and bacchanalia sensation. The connection to Sonoma’s vineyards was already budding in my mind.

On the drive north across the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, the mist broke open to reveal the rolling hills of wine country. The landscape shifted from city sprawl to vineyard patchwork, and I thought about the conversations that had begun in the museum, the questions about wonder, memory, time, and self. I would carry them into the next half of the day and beyond. 

I headed first to Donum Estate, one of the most beautifully unusual Sonoma wineries I’ve visited. Located in the Carneros wine region, Donum is not just a winery; it’s a sprawling open-air museum filled with monumental public art. Sculptures by Ai Weiwei, Keith Haring, and Yayoi Kusama rise like deities among Pinot Noir vines. The tasting room is a glass temple, where art, nature, and wine intersect like a perfectly blended cuvée. For lovers of Sonoma wine tours, this place is a revelation, a fusion of aesthetics and terroir that echoes the immersive creativity of the Gregangelo Museum.

Then, on a local’s suggestion, I made a short detour to the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, another hidden gem just outside the town of Napa. Formerly a private residence, this eclectic center now houses one of the largest collections of Northern California art, some of it reflecting the artistry of Burning Man, with sculptures, installations, and paintings nestled into both indoor galleries and wild open landscapes. It felt like a cousin to Gregangelo’s surrealist dream, though more formal, perhaps, but equally enchanted.

From there, the afternoon unraveled like a ribbon of ripe fruit and sun warmed stone. I passed through Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, where olive oil and Sangiovese mingle like old friends; Gloria Ferrer, which offered sweeping vineyard views and delicate bubbles reminiscent of home; and St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, with food pairings so thoughtful they bordered on poetry.

Somehow, it was all one extended experience, an itinerary of sensation beginning with art and ending with wine, all within a 45-minute drive of the city. For anyone looking for the perfect San Francisco to Sonoma day trip, or simply things to do between San Francisco and Napa, this is my love letter to the route: Begin with a cosmic art immersion at the Gregangelo Museum. Let your mind stretch and your questions multiply. Then follow the sun north, over the scenic drive from SF to Sonoma, toward the vineyards and sculpture gardens of Carneros and beyond.

And if you’re lucky, if the wine is just right and the wind listens, you’ll find the Maenads waiting still, their songs rising in the vines.

Photos by Hiromi Yoshida

And while I could only sip the surface of what Sonoma and Napa have to offer, my next visit is already steeping with anticipation. Still on my bucket list? A scenic stop at Chateau Montelena, whose Paris-winning vintages made Napa Valley a global star. I am also eager to explore the sculptural grandeur of Opus One, and the legacy of Robert Mondavi Winery, a cornerstone of Bay Area wine country culture. Sonoma’s Reeve Wines and Peay Vineyards call to me with their commitment to biodynamic practices and design forward tasting rooms nestled into the natural landscape. And I can’t resist the allure of Iron Horse Vineyards, where sparkling wines meet panoramic skies, or Silver Oak’s architectural precision and Cabernet mastery. With so many of California’s best wineries still ahead, from hidden gems to iconic estates, I will gladly take the scenic route again.

I look forward to returning and implementing all that I learned.

- Élodie -

Exploring the vineyards of wine country is its own delight, but why not weave in an extra layer of adventure by going horseback riding? From lush valleys to rolling hills, the landscapes open in ways that feel timeless and cinematic. Whether you choose a spirited canter across the countryside or a gentle trot through vineyard rows, there’s something unforgettable about experiencing Sonoma’s beauty from the saddle. For those ready to add this magical dimension to their day, Sonoma Valley Trail Rides offers just the ride.