There has always been a friendly rivalry between Napa and Sonoma, California's two premier wine-growing regions. We think of Napa as Kyoto -- containing stunning vistas, but marred by a tour-bus mentality. To paraphrase Gertrude Stein, we sometimes feel "there's no there there." Sonoma, on the other hand, is similar to Nara -- replete with beauty, but on a more genuine, human scale.

We've previously discussed the secrets of southern Sonoma (see The Japan Times, Sept. 19), but the jewel in Sonoma County's crown undoubtedly lies in the north, in the bucolic town of Healdsburg.

Established in 1867, Healdsburg's founders laid out the town around a central, Spanish-style plaza that remains unchanged to this day, although the original redwood saplings are now approaching 40 meters in height.

In addition to its historic charm, Healdsburg has become a mecca for wine-lovers due to its location at the confluence of three valleys, each with its own distinct wine specialty.

The hot Dry Creek Valley is considered the world's premier Zinfandel growing region. The Russian River Valley, on the other hand, is achieving renown for its cooler-climate grapes (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), while the Alexander Valley is best known for its supple Cabernets and Merlots.

All three appellations can be reached within minutes of Healdsburg, and at last count there were more than 60 wineries within 15 km of the plaza, making this a vinous explorer's paradise.

Three of the most beautiful wine-country drives are in this area, one through each of the three valleys, and none should missed, regardless of whether you're a hard-core oenophile or just a budding wine-lover.

For the first, take Dry Creek Road north out of Healdsburg toward Lake Sonoma, and then loop back on West Dry Creek Road. Many of the wineries along the way offer beautiful picnic areas, and we always pick up great sandwiches at the Dry Creek General Store just across from Dry Creek Winery.

The second recommended drive is to take Westside Road down the Russian River Valley toward Gurneville. Each kilometer closer to the ocean brings a drop in temperature and a further shift in vegetation from Dry Creek's oak and high-country chaparral to the coast's fog-loving redwoods.

But for expansive vineyard vistas, a day spent traversing Alexander Valley is hard to beat. Start in Geyserville and follow Route 128 all the way out to Fieldstone Winery before looping back to Healdsburg on Alexander Valley Road.

These routes pass by most of the major wineries in the area, so mark a few "must-sees" on your map beforehand, but otherwise just let the muse guide you, stopping wherever looks interesting. (You'll need to designate a driver, but we've found that by religiously using the tasting room spit buckets and keeping a large bottle of mineral water in the car, everyone will have the energy to cover a lot more ground.)

Twenty years ago, Healdsburg was still something of a "cow town," with a hardware store and a bikers' bar on the square. Today, though, it has become a cornucopia of fine dining, ensuring that no one will go hungry after a day of tasting.

Two modern classics are Bistro Ralph (109 Plaza St.; [707] 433-1380) and Zin (344 Center St.; [707] 473-0946), with the latter being famous for its extensive Zinfandel list as well as its cult-favorite tempura green beans and grilled lamb in Zinfandel sauce.

On a more relaxed note, in a refurbished house two minutes from the plaza is Ravenous (420 Center St.; [707] 431-1302), a country kitchen with a table for eight in the front and garden seating in the back. There's no pretension here, but the food is always great and they sometimes feature live music in the garden, or even the occasional performance by Healdsburg's poet laureate, Penelope La Montagne.

Diner fans, meanwhile, shouldn't miss a stop at Adel's (198 Dry Creek Rd.; [707] 433-6422), an institution known for its hearty food and impossibly cute waitresses from the local high school.

The Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce ( www.healdsburg.org ) publishes a list of 50 hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns in the area. For unrepentant romantics, the Madronna Manor is a classic Victorian hostelry set on a quiet, 16-hectare estate a few minutes from town (1001 Westside Rd.; [707] 433-4231). The inn is highly rated by Zagats and Conde Naste, almost all the rooms have fireplaces and their elegant restaurant attracts visitors from all over the county.

A controversial new arrival on the lodging scene is the Hotel Healdsburg, a luxury boutique on the plaza which opened in 2001. Locals feared that this upscale entry marked the "Napa-ization" of Healdsburg, but the hotel has gone out of its way to support the local area, going so far as to dedicate its entire 22-page wine list to Sonoma County wines. They have even taken the unprecedented step of waiving corkage fees altogether for the first two bottles of local wines brought in by each table (corkage for non-Sonoma bottles is $15).

The hotel itself is one of the jewels of the wine country, with rooms and service reminiscent of Asia's luxury Aman resorts. The attached Dry Creek Kitchen restaurant, a joint venture between renowned restaurateur Charlie Palmer and the hotel, has quickly shot to the top of the list for fine dining in the area.

For those who'd prefer to spend their money on food and wine rather than luxury digs, the Best Western Dry Creek (148 Dry Creek; [707]. 433-0300) is favored by economical members of the wine trade, and has served us well on many occasions.

A final piece of advice for travelers: Prices in San Francisco are highest midweek, while wine-country prices (and crowds) increase dramatically on weekends. Traffic back to the city has also become a major problem, causing us at one point a few years ago to miss our return flight to Tokyo. We now make it a habit to spend a last weekend night in San Francisco after an enjoyable (and crowd-free) mid-week sortie into wine country.

Of all the San Francisco hotels that we've tried, the Mandarin Oriental has by far the most spectacular views, as it occupies the top 11 floors of one of the tallest buildings in the city (think Park Hyatt Tokyo views with Oriental Bangkok service). Be sure to ask for a room with a view of the Golden Gate, or if you're feeling particularly romantic, a "Bridge-to-Bridge" corner room with views that run from the Bay bridge all the way across to the Golden Gate. Have a chilled bottle of Champagne ready for sunset -- and pray for no fog!