Our Guides consist of fewer, better, and more thoughtful recommendations. We've had our focus on NYC but for this issue, we're heading just north of San Francisco to Sonoma. Sonoma County is home to amazing natural wine, although it's not always easy to find. The Napa wine culture and traditional wine tourism still dominate the area. Downtown Sonoma is a bit more low key and we're excited to feature some local spots that should be at the top of your list.

VALLEY BAR & BOTTLE

Valley is the newest restaurant on the Sonoma Plaza, and it's also the best restaurant on the Sonoma Plaza. The Sonoma area has great organic produce and the team at Valley takes advantage of it with simple but impressive dishes–think seasonal vegetables, sauces, and shareable plates. Some of our favorites have included their kumquat squash, octopus, and whatever salad they have on the menu. The wine list offers a wide selection of natural winemakers from the area (Scribe, Martha Stoumen, etc) but also a good variety from Australia and Europe, ( Jauma, Tschida, Occhipinti, etc). Between their very friendly staff, a cozy but spacious backyard (with outdoor heaters!), and incredible food and wine, it feels like this new restaurant already has it all figured out.

SCRIBE WINERY

To get to Scribe, you drive down a dirt road lined with 100ft tall palm trees. At the end of the road, you'll pull up to a beautifully renovated 19th-century Hacienda surrounded by olive trees and cacti. The hacienda-style ambiance and vibes may have been enough to get them recognition but they also do everything else well. They produce their own wine and olive oil, and make their wine naturally, though they won't advertise that. Their wine drinks pretty clean, it probably won't be super cloudy with sediment or smell like a barnyard. But they will use grape varieties that display the Sonoma terroir and style. We love their skin contact Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Don't pass up their food–we recommend looking out for their partnerships with restaurants, where every so often, they'll put on a special dinner event at their winery.

JACK’S FILLING STATION

Jack's is a place where you can fill up your gas tank, buy a vintage record and browse through a small but good natural wine selection. Their wine offering consists mostly of local producers like Methode Sauvage, Donkey & Goat, Martha Stoumen, Populis, etc. We'd recommend trying a cider from CA natural wine founding father Tony Coturri, and maybe grab one of their T-shirts.

LOU’ S LUNCHEONETTE

While most people come to Lou's for the BBQ, the wine selection is a hidden gem. Lou's is from the same owners as Jack's Filling Station so you'll see some good overlap in wine. It's a great place to hang out with friends – they've got an easy to-go counter with an extensive backyard area for picnic tables and a ping pong table.