However many years you’ve lived in the Wine Country, there is always a new winery or tasting room to explore, or one stop that has somehow eluded you. The new beautifully illustrated “California Directory of Fine Wineries:Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino” helps you sift out  choice spots that make for quick and satisfying little breakaways.

Unlike so many Wine Country travel books penned by outsiders who parachute in on contract with no real clue, the book was co-written by Marty Olmstead, a travel writer and longtime resident of Sonoma. It was published by 28-year-Sonoma resident Tom Silberkleit’s Wine House Press and illustrated by Mill Valley travel photographer Robert Holmes, whose photos have appeared in high end publications like National Geographic. For more visit CaliforniaFineWineries.com.

The book retails for a reasonable $19.95 and can be found at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Whole Foods markets in Northern California and at independent book stores.

The hard cover book provides comprehensive profiles of 68 different wineries in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties, including 24 new ones.  And since many wineries have attractions that go well beyond what’s in the bottle, the book hones in on other amenities, from wine caves and art exhibitions to bocce ball courts, beautiful gardens, vineyard tours,  and culinary events.