Golly- I NEVER Thought that I Could Fill-In-The-Blank at a Winery!
Beyond Bocce, Petanque & Caves...beyond wine (not that there is anything wrong with them)....you are entering...The TR Zone.
The unexpected, the unusual, the unique, the surprise that makes your day and your trip along Wine Road special and part of a million memories to be cherished and discussed and remembered. Here is my short list:
I never thought that I could take a swim- taking the plunge at Francis Ford Coppola Winery.
Frances himself is often seen at the pool....
I never thought that I could arrive by airplane or helicopter and then walk to taste- but here I come Mazzocco Winery! Within walking distance of the Healdsburg Municipal Airport, fly your own plane in or call Captain Barry at Sonoma Helicopter to accommodate.
The plane, the plane!!!- or helicopter.
Never thought that I could play with a rather surly llama, misleadingly named Felix; he lives and rules at Robert Young Estate Winery.
Perhaps "UnFelix" would be a better name- but he is endearing- and rarely spits. Though he can....
November salmon swimming against the current.
I never thought that I could fill a jug with a field blend of wine from a tank- and yet I can at Martin Ray Winery inside their incredibly huge facility with enormous casks and historic (no longer used but cool to look at) concrete fermentation tanks.
The famous Martin Ray Water Tower- tallest structure around these parts.
And I can fill a jug at Preston of Dry Creek, surrounded by the organic farm, vineyards, cats and munch on amazing freshly-baked bread.
Organic all the way- TR at Preston.
I never thought that I could actually explore a kiln used to dry hops- but at Hop Kiln Winery I climbed right on in:
Historic Hop Kiln Winery. It DOES take a lot of beer to make good wine.
Similar hop gig over at Martinelli Winery where graffiti from the past workers there haunts the walls of the current TR.
The past is felt in the present.
I never thought that I could watch a movie, outdoors, in the summertime, with wine and popcorn on a crush pad- it just does not get much better than this-wait until dark and head to DeLoach Vineyards
and Moshin Vineyards and their Moshin Pictures:
Moshin THE movie connection!
I never thought that I could watch the CDF practice putting out a huge controlled fire on the earthen dam at Lake Sonoma (it also clears the weeds and brush as a fire prevention measure) and yet I can at Sbragia Family Vineyards- from their gorgeous terrace, safely and for a good cause.
Cannot look away....
I never thought that I could find a winery that turns into a bar at night, but here it is: Medlock-Ames turns into the Alexander Valley Bar at 5pm. Gems!
Two separate identities- like Clark and Superman....
I never thought that I could find, hidden in the vineyards, a full-sized baseball diamond- a true Field of Dreams- but I did at Balletto Vineyards.
Part of the self-guided tour at Balletto; they did build it and I did come- used on Sundays for employee games complete with all the baseball-trimmings. I am watching for Kevin Costner or perhaps Shoeless Joe Jackson.
I never thought that I could see and hear a 1924 Theatre Pipe Organ but at Johnson’s Alexander Valley Wines, I did.
Still impressive, still amazing, still entertaining!
I never knew that I could learn all about bees, but at Michel-Schlumberger, I can. All part of their amazing sustainable farming.
Bee Day; Queen Bee for a Day? Truly the bees' knees.
Speaking of awash in a sea of bees, I never thought that I could taste in an Above Ground Cave with an extreme sense of humor covered in blossoming rosemary- but at Nalle Winery, I can and I did:
Awash in blooms and bees, the Above Ground Cave at Nalle.
Medieval Mayan Croquet, anyone?? I never thought that I could find it a winery, but I did at Sonoma-Cutrer.
Intriguingly British and Mayan- the sunken, formal tended grasses and stone-work around the croquet courts are impressive and look like a page out of Alice In Wonderland on a Yucatan Vacation.
And I never thought that I could ever find That Little Old Winemaker, Me again, but there he is, still channeling the Italian-Swiss Colony at Souverain.
"That little old winemaker, me!" now at Souverain.
Here’s looking at you, kids.
TR
And this whole thing started out as things I NEVER thought I could find- yet ALL CAN be found along my magical Wine Road.
