Recently, Sonoma County has been giving its southern neighbor, Napa Valley, a run for its money in the wine industry. Sonoma’s tasting rooms are welcoming a surge of visitors, ensuring that sommeliers have plenty of work to do.
The 2026 Tasting Room Survey Report, highlighted by Wine Business Monthly, reveals a less severe decline in visitor numbers at California wineries compared to previous years. This provides a flicker of optimism for the industry, particularly in Sonoma County.
While the overall picture for the wine industry remains challenging, this recent report suggests that the situation is not as dire as it appeared a year ago, at least for Sonoma. The survey analyzed visitation trends across more than 11,000 wineries in the region, revealing a decline in tasting room traffic in both Sonoma County and Napa Valley over the past year.
However, Sonoma County fared significantly better. Napa Valley experienced an 18% drop in visitors in 2025 compared to the previous year, whereas Sonoma County saw only an 8% decline.
Some wineries, such as Caddis Winery, have noticed an upswing in activity at their Sonoma Plaza tasting rooms, indicating a positive shift from previous years’ downturns.
Wineries like Caddis Winery have seen things improve at their Sonoma Plaza tasting room compared to the previous years.
Pointing to the rollercoaster the business has experienced since the debut of the tasting room right before the pandemic shut down the world in 2020, co-owner Chris Sorensen said dips aren’t as bad as they once were.
“I’ve put a lot of effort into learning how to build and maintain customer relationships, and that’s made a real difference for our business,” Chris Sorensen told the Press Democrat.
“The biggest challenge now is predicting when people will show up. That has become very unpredictable, which can make planning difficult.”
The number of American adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, according to an August 2025 Gallup poll, a challenge the wine industry continues to navigate.
Kim Stare Wallace, the president and second-generation owner at Dry Creek Vineyard, another winery in the county, said they are finding creative ways to bring people in.
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“People are being more selective in what they purchase, but they’re still willing to spend money on quality wine and experiences that feel special,” Wallace told the outlet.
“We’ve seen strong interest in our limited releases and programs that give them a reason to come back and try something new.”
Meanwhile things are more bleak for the wine industry in Napa, where foot traffic dropped sharply from the growth of 3% it reported in 2024, the outlet noted.
Despite fewer visitors to its tasting room, Mike Desilets, operations manager at Titus Vineyards in St. Helena, said business is good.
“Tasting room traffic has been fairly flat, but those who do visit spend more,” he told the outlet. “One new approach we’re trying is offering one-day wine club perks to partner wineries.”
“We’re not sure about the long-term gains, but customers are very excited about it.”
One of the reasons for different figures between the counties could be the massive cost for wine-lovers to sample the goods.
In Sonoma county, a median wine tasting flight will run a person $40 dollars a head, with speciality experiences jumping to $90, a jump of 44% compared to 2024, the report noted.
However, those out for a tasty wine experience in Napa Valley can expect to pay a median cost for a wine flight of $75, up 15% from a year ago. And experiences that offer specials can run a whopping average of $150 a head.
On top of the higher cost of living in the state, California wineries have to pay workers a whole lot more in order to run those tasting rooms.
The Wine report found that the median hourly wage for staff in Napa costs $26 in 2025, compared to the $20 national average.
The Post reached out to Sonoma and Napa Valley wine industry for further comment.
