A (Russian) River Runs Through It
When I was a kid, growing up in Berkeley, CA, the Russian River and Healdsburg were annual destinations, followed by dinner at the Union Hotel in Occidental, CA. This was quite a long day for my parents after the sun-filled float from the Alexander Valley Bridge to Memorial Bridge- to drive all the way to Occidental and then home to Berkeley- what a circuitous route, but that is what we always did. My father, born in Oakland, CA in 1918, loved especially his carefree teenage years at such river hot-spots as Monte Rio and Rio Nido, where water fun and big bands mingled on the weekends. The warm weather and amiable river are magnets for family fun, then as now, and picnics, swimming, togetherness and summer memories burgeoned. We brought our own boat- a...
Read MoreBlogger Fam(iliarization) Tour May 2012
We recently hosted nine bloggers here along Wine Road for a Fam. Tour extraordinaire. One of the days, I was the lucky escort; such a fantastic time with a panoply of stars with varied interests- food, food & wine, lodging, cooking- well, check out Stacie Tamaki’s The Flirty Blog, for a run-down of the who’s who. Suffice it to say that I have never seen so many cameras pointed at wine and food as I did this day. Here we go! Five of us started with breakfast at the Honor Mansion: A potpourri of images from fabulous Honor Mansion: Now heading over to Thomas George Estates in the RRV. Our transportation is with Platypus Tours. Stacie provided some photos, as did Frank diMarco: Look how Frank can shoot-...
Read MoreGreen Valley Pass
Green Valley AVA, Sonoma County (not to be confused with the similarly named AVA over near Suisun) has the perfect tag line: How green is my valley…this AVA is noted for its Goldridge and Fox Den soils and the cooling affect of the maritime influences of the close Pacific Ocean- cool climate grapes excel here, especially pinot noir and chardonnay. Place is crawling with micro-climates…. The Green Valley Pass, $120 per person, gives the bearer the opportunity to explore six participating wineries as a VIP on any Friday of the year…I visited four in one day- but that may be too many for some folks…each winery offers up an unusual and different experience. I am the guest of Wine Road members participating in this only-on-Fridays Green...
Read MoredeLorimier Winery
deLorimier Winery, spectacular location for tasting, weddings and, also, presenting a blank canvas with ample white walls for the local art displayed there, is part of the ever-growing family of Wilson Family Wineries, epitomizing hospitality, fine winemaking, and presenting great special events, on-site guest houses, specializing here in artisan cabs from the Alexander Valley, lovely venues and even more award winning varietals, as well as incredible Alexander Valley vistas and panoramic views. This is THE place for ” Serious wine, serious fun, seriously.” Here you will have a smile on your face, about wine, about life and you will be creating memories. (I learned this from the very attentive TR staff.) Check out the Club deLo-...
Read MoreInspiration Vineyards and Winery
Inspiration Vineyards and Winery, convenient along the Santa Rosa Wine Trail and also part of Follow the Olivet Road, hand-crafts delicious, food-friendly, affordable wines from respected and well-known AVA’s, proving that A little inspiration makes every day a celebration. With inspiration going back to family roots close to the turn of the last century, Barbara and Jon Phillips have been producing wines since 1999, and also are winegrowers, knowing that it all begins in the vineyard. Inspiration Wine Club Members receive guaranteed allotments of these wines and other perks, especially ease of purchase! Their Tasting Room/Production facility is well-designed for both purposes, and the warmth of hospitality is echoed in the cool design, modern colors,...
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