WINEland 2013 Wine Road Adventure #2: Acorn/Alegria

  Here I am at Acorn Winery & Alegria Vineyards.  Wineland2013 continues.  Lots of great winter decorations.  Designated Drivers, our Wine Road Rock Stars are embraced!  ZIN is catering- need I say more? Here’s looking at you,...

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WINEland2013 Wine Road Adventure #1: Simi Winery

  Winter WINEland 2013 could not have had better weather; amazing blue, clear skies and warm temperatures- with days starting with frost to melt to harbingers of incipient springtime so many months away.  I hit the road to adventure: Alfred Hitchcock was a frequent visitor back in the ’40′s- had a penchant for their port- so the theme today is Hitchcock films, playing on a big screen, and delicious popcorn paired up with yummy Simi wines.  The joint is jumping.  Perfect for me with my love of Hitchcock and his local bent with Santa Rosa and Sonoma county for his films. Click here for the new film HITCHCOCK. The wonderful scoop. Here’s looking at you,...

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I Got 2 Tickets to Paradise (Ridge)- Stealing from Eddie Money & APOLOGIES to the Grammar Police….

On a recent jaunt to Paradise Ridge Winery, with my Wine Road & Blue Heron Concierge Entourage right behind me, I not only meet the Poster Boy (Dan Barwick) for Wine Road Barrel Tasting 2013, but have a guided tour of the  Marijke’s Grove and Spirit of the Man Exhibition with Walter Byck, who makes Keats come alive, and his son, Rene, who takes us through the Nagasawa Exhibit.  Sonia Byck-Barwick is there too, graciously welcoming us “to Paradise”….   Click here for “Ode on a Grecian Urn.”  Click here for film, BRIGHT STAR, about Keats.  Such a magical afternoon with Walter making Keats come to life in the sculpture gardens along the greening hillsides. Here’s looking at you,...

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VML: Winter Garden, Warm Fireplace, Wine & Cheese Pairings

My Wine Road/Blue Heron Custom Tours & Travel Concierge FAM tour continues to VML, offering us a tour of the garden, lovely even in the depth of winter, ending with a warm up by the fireplace and a VIP room wine and cheese tasting.  Gracious and knowledgeable staff make this a treat for all; the Cowgirl Creamery cheeses are gorgeously paired with just the “right” VML wines…. Hospitality whiz Deney warms the concierges with VML bubbles (collaboration with Iron Horse) to quaff on the garden tour- he explains the garden order and the flavor affinities found there. Here’s looking at you,...

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HANNA, Russian River Valley

It is Winter along Wine Road and yet our wineries and tasting rooms remain warm.  Our weather has frosty mornings and clear and sunny afternoons, leading to picnicking with a bottle of wine even this time of year.  We are blessed along Wine Road with our weather! Visiting HANNA, Russian River Valley, sister to HANNA, Alexander Valley, where I have visited many times before, I am struck by the beauty of the area even in the middle of winter.  No blossoms and greenery needed to make this a spectacular winery visit, in the lovely, rolling vineyards of RRV, near Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. Here’s looking at you,...

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