With the 2009/2010 ski season quickly winding down, we're starting to think about what we want to do for our upcoming "mud season" getaway. That got us thinking about last year's spring vacation, part of which was a "business trip" to Napa and Sonoma. Since we didn't have a blog at that time, we thought we would take this opportunity to re-visit last year's discoveries in Cali Wineland.
Our home base for the trip was a very cool rental home in Sebastopol that had Martin Ray's vineyards in the backyard (literally...). From there, we spent a week exploring Sonoma and Napa wineries-of-choice, returning each evening with a selection of wines to pair with dinner, typically something we routinely serve in our restaurant (we told you, this was a business trip...).
Before presenting some of our favorite wine discoveries, here are some general learnings from our trip:
- Sonoma can be expensive and Napa can be REALLY expensive. We easily spent in one week what we would spend on a six week trip to Indonesia or Thailand (scuba diving expenses excluded...). However, if you are willing to rent a house and do your own cooking (which we happen to enjoy...), the price tag drops dramatically. Additionally, the quality of the local produce is amazing, so cooking becomes a pleasure! Stay in Sonoma and travel to Napa - that will definitely save you a few pesos...
- Wine tasting ain't cheap! While you will get the occasional freebie, most wineries now charge $5 - $25 per person for a flight of wines. If you're seeing a couple of wineries a day, do the math. Running a business, we got a few comps, but not always (not that we would expect it...). Many wineries will waive the tasting fee if you purchase a bottle or two. Since we were cooking in, we needed to purchase wine anyway, so that saved us some $.
- Many of Cali's finest wines never leave the state, because they don't have to. Most wineries have clubs, and many of the members are locals. We saw many cars driving back to San Fran loaded with expensive cases. Why ship out of state when you can sell your entire production to locals who will even pick-up at the winery?? Nice market if you can get it...Bottom line - Enjoy the "good stuff" while you're in Napa/Sonoma. You may not be able to get it again at home, and if you can, you may not enjoy the price!
- Most wineries have beautiful picnic areas (check in advance...). Pack yourself a gourmet lunch and purchase a bottle of wine to pair with your lunch fare. The winery will then usually waive your tasting fee, so you have saved twice!
- Do yourself a favor - spit! If you want to visit a few wineries each day, this practice will help to clear your palate and your head. It will also help you to see the person driving down the centerline who didn't spit at all throughout the day! It was amazing to see the number of people consuming every last drop - and yes, the cops are watching!
- There is plenty to do here beyond tasting wine! Break up the day with some extracurricular activities. More on that to follow...
Now for some of our favorite wineries on this trip:
- Gary Farrell Winery - Beautiful hillside location on the western side of the Russian River in Sonoma. Their Cresta Ridge Chardonnay is a lightly-oaked gem. Their vineyard-specific Pinot Noirs are also incredible, but pricey ($50-100/bottle - ouch...).
- Hop Kiln Winery - Just north of Gary Farrell on the same road. They work mainly with Grenache and Syrah, and we were delighted with their Grenache Rose, Rosa Bellissima, loaded with strawberry and guava aromas and flavors.
- St. Supery Winery - Located on the St. Helena Highway in the heart of Rutherford (Napa Valley). Very nice self-guided tour which includes their art gallery and demonstration vineyard. While we enjoyed virtually everything in their portfolio, we were blown away by their 2005 Limited Edition Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. This was the first wine we ever tasted that drove home the concept of "Rutherford Dust". Unfortunately, VERY expensive at $80 (you only live once...) and only available at the winery.
Mumm Napa - Located on the Silverado Trail just north of St. Supery. For those who want to understand the traditional method of making champagne, this is the tour for you. They also have a photo gallery with a tremendous collection of Ansel Adams originals. As for their sparkling wine, we carry their Brut Prestige on our wine list.- Summers Winery - A small family winery located north of downtown Calistoga (Napa). Loved their Charbono, a novel Italian varietal. They don't currently sell into Vermont, but we keep trying to get Vermont Wine Merchants interested. Any chances Joerg?
Bennett Lane - Located next to Summers Winery. We've always had their Meritage Blend, Maximus, on our wine list. We just wanted to see where it came from!- Lambert Bridge Winery - Located in the Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma), north of Healdsburg. This winery has one of the most beautifully landscaped picnic areas in Sonoma, and their Viognier is one of the best we have ever tasted! Unfortunately, they don't ship to Vermont.
- Ferrari-Carano Winery - A large, commercial producer, with one of the most elegant estates near Lake Sonoma. Their formal gardens are also spectacular. Skip the sampling in their regular tasting room (you can try that stuff at home for a reasonable price...). Rather, pay a little more and go down to their stunningly beautiful cellar for some limited release tastings. The Back 40 Cab, Treson Blend and Sangiovese are all memorable, and you can't get them outside the winery.
- Benziger Family Winery - Located close to downtown Glen Ellen (Sonoma). This winery runs an excellent tour, showing you what it truly means to be a biodynamic grower. While their generic wines are quite good, we were very impressed by the bold flavors and richness of their 2006 Reserve Chardonnay (Carneros) and their 2005 Oonapais Bordeaux Blend.
- Bartholomew Park Winery - A historic winery just east of downtown Sonoma, first planted in the 1830's. A foundation has been set up to manage this 37-acre estate vineyard in perpetuity. Their museum of California wine history is quite good. Of their portfolio, we enjoyed the Syrah which is rich and spicy and the Sauvignon Blanc which is wonderfully aromatic. They can only be purchased at the winery or through their wine club.
Pine Ridge Winery - Located on the Silverado Trail north of downtown Napa. Very helpful staff in the tasting room, and a beautifully landscaped picnic area (normally available to club members only, but they let us use it anyway...). We had their incredible rich Dijon Clone Chardonnay with lunch, and things only got better from there. We now carry several of their products on our wine list - Dijon Clone Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc-Viognier Blend, Crimson Creek Merlot and Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon - all of which have a signature Pine Ridge herbaciousness. This was one of the biggest "finds" of the trip.- Conn Creek Winery - Located on the Silverado Trail in Rutherford. This was our
last winery visit of the trip, and one of our biggest surprises. An outstanding selection of Bordeaux varietals at very reasonable prices (by Napa standards...) for the quality delivered. We now carry several of their products on a custom order basis - Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Hozhoni Vineyard "Rutherford AVA" Cabernet Sauvignon and Anthology (their superb Meritage blend).
So, what's there to do other than taste wine, you ask? Plenty:
- Armstrong Redwoods and Austin Creek Recreation Area - Walk in wonder amongst these towering giants. You can also spend several days hiking the trails through Austin Creek.
- Coastal drive from Bodega Bay to Gualala - The are plenty of places to stop and walk along the way including Doran Regional Park, Sonoma Coast State Park, Fort Ross Historic Park, Kruse Rhododendron State Park and Gualala Point Regional Park. Grab some fresh seafood along the way...
- The Charles M. Schulz Museum - Discover the genius that was "Sparky" Schulz and learn the history of his Peanuts gang.
- Downtown Sonoma - Go on a walking tour of the historic buildings that are museums. They are all part of Sonoma Valley State Historic Park and accessible on one ticket.
- Petrified Forest - West of Calistoga on the Napa/Sonoma border. A pleasant walk and quite interesting, even though the gift shop entrance is 1950's touristy.
- Just drive - There are beautiful views in any direction, and the winding roads up and over the hills between Sonoma and Napa are a special experience. To quote David Crosby: "When I die I don't want to go to heaven, I just wanna drive my beautiful machine up north on some Sonoma County road...". Enough said...
- There are several more options, but we ran out of time on this trip!
That's all for this issue. Until next time, may all your wine experiences be pleasant ones...
Cheers!
