Ramazzotti Wines

Ramazzotti Wines, adjacent to the home of mad scientist Mercury Wine, on the main drag in downtown Geyserville, presents a cool, friendly, modern vibe, where their motto is evident: “From ground to glass, we strive for excellence the old fashioned way.”  Friendly staff and owners, Joe & Norma Ramazzotti, make you feel like family; growers for over 10 years, Joe, winemaker and grower, and Norma, Queen Of All Else, make it ALL happen in small, intense, estate grown lots of wine.  They supply their premium Alexander and Dry Creek Valley designated fruit to 15 nearby premium wineries.  Starting out in wine production, Ramazzotti chose some traditional Italian field blend recipes, pulling from their own family traditions, as well as classic Sonoma...

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Michel-Schlumberger

At the amazingly enhanced  Michel-Schlumberger three words come to mind on my recent visit: New!  New!  New!  All the former words still apply- sustainable, Benchland, island of pinot in DCV, terroir-driven estate varietals, the layered  Wine Bench Wine Club (New: Member’s ONLY Tasting Salon & Terrace looking over the western vineyards), informative and delicious tours & tastings, peaceful, romantic grounds, lovely central courtyard fountain, great architecture, friendly staff- but now it all seems brand new.  A new owner and  a sassy, fun, outgoing attitude are evident- from new plantings to bright paint and building renovations, to the new motorized vehicle for touring the vineyards and grounds- this is Michel-Schlumberger 2.0, The Enhanced...

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Thomas George Estates: Daybreak Summer 2012

Thomas George Estates, tucked away out Westside Road in the RRV, is a magical place, made up of guest cottages, gardens, stone-walled winery and TR, caves and the high, dreamy Baker Ridge Vineyard, also home to an amazing, new outdoor event location and breath-taking views.  They even have live web cam views!   I am lucky enough to be invited up, by Flirty Blogger Stacie Tamaki, to shoot the sunrise, on the very first day of Summer 2012 from this amazing site.  Click here to read Stacie’s blog on our adventurous time.  This is also the day that Stacie is going to train me on the use of my new Wine Road Camera, the Panasonic Lumix.  Trial by fire and in darkness! I travel from Healdsburg out to Thomas George at 4:30AM to make sure that I am parked and...

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Quivira Vineyards & Winery

Quivira Vineyards & Winery,  a Dry Creek Valley icon, where you can, like Robert Frost, choose “the road less traveled”, has a fascinating  history and multi-layered conservation background, producing wines very evocative of place,  and farming green- from bees, to chickens to sweet Guernsey cows-think “great animals!“- solar-propelled and water conserving- and loved by Trout Unlimited . Food and wine, estate tours and tastings, Queue Wine Club to make you a member of the family, gardens of great beauty in terms of flowers, fruit and vegetables, sweeping Dry Creek Valley vistas of vineyards cared for with impeccable Quivira stewardship, make this a full on, fun wine destination, where the visitor can experience first-hand the...

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