Skewis Wines
Skewis Wines, one of our newest Wine Road members, just opened their doors to what they term “Healdsburg’s Tiniest Tasting Room”- the room may be small, but it is brimming over with their large Pinot Noir expertise, delicious small production (well under 1000 cases) wines and warm, inviting hospitality- and a gallery of art showcasing local talent plus whimsical wine-inspired glittery tiaras (tiarae?) by local artiste, Kathy Timberlake. The room is welcoming, great colors, attractive bar, nice attention to detail….I LOVE that they have pencils for guests to use- I love the tactile feel of taking tasting notes with a pencil. Maggie and Hank Skewis are there to tell you about their wines- fabulous connection (and Maggie is also a great...
Read MoreUnderground Wine Road
No, this is not a well-deserved salute to Harriet Tubman, but rather a compilation of our Wine Road wineries and a lodging who either have a subterranean cellar, facility or cave. In no particular order, though perhaps starting off first with the most readily apparent – check their name!-: Fritz Underground Winery. Robert Young Estate Winery. Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves. Alexander Valley Vineyards. Field Stone Winery & Vineyard. Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate. Thomas George Estates. Lynmar Estate. Seghesio Family Vineyards. Grape Leaf Inn. Simi Winery. A piece on their philosophy of barrel storage. I hope that I hear from my readers and Wine Road winery and lodging members if I have omitted anyone- I am only as good as what you...
Read MoreHilton Garden Inn, Sonoma Country Airport
Just a wee hop, skip and a jump from the Charles M. Shulz Sonoma County Airport, complete with handy shuttle, is the incredibly convenient, Arts & Crafts-styled, new, Hilton Garden Inn. The HGI, “Standing out from the Bunch”, is THE closest lodging to the airport, delivering not only a full breakfast, and on-site dining at The Great American Grill (watch for some great Wine Road Wines), but also conference facilities for up to 50 people, Happy Hour, Monday- Friday, a complete Business Center (look for the ergo- dynamic office furniture), Wi-Fi, Fitness Room, Indoor Pool and Hot Tub AND Garden Sleep System Beds! (Lindsay Wagner, eat your heart out!) An attractive lobby with over-sized chairs and couches, fireplace and adjacent outdoor areas add...
Read MoreStephen & Walker Winery
On my visit to Stephen & Walker Winery I learned about a winery led by a prominent female winemaker, Nancy Walker, where the lots are small and high-end, and the wines are pronounced to be “cult-like” with many devoted followers and admirers. Walker takes each bottle of wine she makes personally and she limits production to keep it special. The wines showcase the true flavors of the specific terroirs, pulling grapes from multiple AVA’s, such as Dry Creek Valley for zinfandel and Russian River Valley for pinot noir, to allow the best nature of the varietals to shine. Tony Stephen is Walker’s partner, bringing decades of experience in grapes and vineyard management, not to mention wine-making, to the winery. Together they make the...
Read MoreSome Fame, History & Mystery along Wine Road, #1
I recently realized that Santa Rosa, CA is the hometown of Charlie Brown- and his creator, Charles Shulz- where there are numerous Shulz-themed statues scattered all over, the Charles M. Shulz Museum as well as the Charles M. Shulz Airport and of course, Snoopy’s Home Ice. Such an amazing claim to fame! Many movies have been filmed on location in Santa Rosa- one of my favorites and Alfred Hitchcock’s too, is his 1942 SHADOW OF A DOUBT, introducing Hume Cronyn. And while in Santa Rosa, don’t forget to visit Luther Burbank and right around the corner from him, believe it or not, is the Ripley-noted Church of One Tree, where it is said that Robert Ripley, native-son, first experienced his thrill of the unusual. Of course, Healdsburg, CA has...
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