Photo courtesy Sonoma County Tourism.

A guest asks me about EV Charging….for a moment, my mind strays to something delicious to do with charging up the bubbles in Evian…but then I realize that they were asking me about Electric Vehicle Charging along Wine Road.  Here you go:

Case Ranch Inn

Clos du Bois

Courtesy of Clos du Bois Facebook.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Inman Family Winery

We are active on Foursquare with lists and groupings of Wine Road amenities for you, the guest- click here for Wine Road Foursquare.

Click here for Foursquare EV Charging along Wine Road.

Click here for a general link for help locating an EV charge.  (Charge Point America)

Click here for Sonoma County Tourism information on EV charging.

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

And now for irreverence:

IT RUNS ON ITS CONVENTIONAL GASOLINE-POWERED ENGINE UNTIL IT SENSES GUILT, AT WHICH POINT IT SWITCHES OVER TO BATTERY POWER.

AS THEY SAY, ELECTRIC CARS AREN’T PRACTICAL.

Not PC:….MY BRAND NEW ELECTRIC CAR ALLOWS ME TO TRAVEL FREELY TO ALMOST ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE LIVING ROOM.

Tell Henry Ford and his pal Thomas Alva Edison: these cars are here to stay!

Our Wine Road Banner!

Twice per year, Spring and Fall, we have fabulous Wine Road Member Meet & Greet Mixers at our palatial  Wine Road World HQ in downtown Healdsburg.  Staff transforms our warehouse into a networking dream-space, decked out with little tables for each lodging member to set up camp and meet/greet the roving winery members- perfect time to interact and share the pertinent aspects of each winery and lodging property.  We are a winery organization of 187 wineries and 56 lodgings, and these events provide a valuable time for member interaction, sharing, and just plain fun.  Yesterday, we built our Wine Road Camaraderie even more!

Vintners Inn & Hilton Garden Inn.  (All captions read, of course, left to right as do the members identified….)

Vintners Inn and John Ash & Co.

Treats from Vintners Inn:

Hilton Garden Inn.

Madrona Manor and Jenner Inn & Cottages & Restaurant.

Madrona Manor Gatsby Garden Party; Michael Bauer S.F Chronicle Madrona Manor Restaurant Review 5.16.13.

Jenner Inn & Cottages & Restaurant…our Wine Road Board retreat there 2012.

Highlands Resort.

Highlands Resort…delicious granola samples for Wine Time TR:

Homemade Granola. We make our own and each day two of our special blends will be available. Flavors include: Highlands Original (almond/cranberry), Tropical (cashews, dried pineapple, mango and banana chips), Chocolate/Cherry, and Apricot/Pecan.

Hope-Merrill House.

Hope-Merrill House.

Northwood Lodge & Resort.

 Northwood Lodge & Resort.  Next door neighbor:  Northwood Golf Course.

Healdsburg Country Gardens.

Healdsburg Country Gardens.

Best Western Dry Creek Inn and Belle du Jour Inn.

 Best Western Dry Creek Inn.

Eric on Willi’s Wine Bar video: Check Please Bay Area.

Belle du Jour Inn.

Not pictured: Hampton Inn & Suites, Windsor- Sonoma Wine Country.

KR Catering.

 KR Catering.

Robert Rue Vineyards and Kelley & Young…..

Robert Rue Vineyards.

Kelley & Young Wines.

Lynn Thomas, Wine Road Office Manager & Martin Ray….

Martin Ray Winery.

Wine Road Stars….

I saw so many wineries- among the throng, a selection:

Hudson Street.

Skewis.

Bluenose.

Papapietro Perry.

Iron Horse.

Robert Young Estate.

J. Rickards.

Toad Hollow.

Nalle.

Acorn.

Passalacqua.

Murphy-Goode.

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

Whenever I think “mixer”, I think ** Catalina Wine Mixer…they gots nothing on our WR Member Meet & Greet Mixer….

Step-brothers were not available for musical accompaniment at Wine Road HQ this time….however, booking them for our next Wine Road Member Mixer!

Fabulous J Vineyards & Winery- The iconic J beckons throughout the year- here shot in wintry January….

Iconic J as Spring waxes.  Note growth on vines in background.

Gorgeous in winter…

Breathtaking with the burgeoning spring….

Winter….

Spring has sprung- did I mention burgeoning?

What a difference three months makes in these photos…. but J Vineyards & Winery, fabulous in every season, is a great destination, offering up The Bubble Room, bellwether of all wine & food pairings, so romantic, too…and don’t forget the casual visit.

Bubbles behind the main bar….

Or how about a tour?  Or the J Terrace?  And the J Wine Clubs?  Learn about the winemaking, the vineyards, the J story….Judy Jordan!

A spectacular destination perfect for the spectacular wines.  ALL my celebrations include a bottle of J Sparkling….and I am mighty partial to the J Pinotage.

Surrounded by vineyards.

California Poppies- our State Flower!

Event space!

Ditto.

Riddle me this, riddle me that….

A REAL Riddler….

Not so much….

Ditto- love those J bottles….

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

A winery for all seasons- so much better than a man for all seasons- so difficult to dress….

Healdsburg Plaza- Free Tuesday Concerts for the summer starting the end of May. Photo by Rick Tang.

Ah- some best kept secrets that really ARE that way- until Wine Time TR comes along to spread the locals’ skinny for not only in-the-dark locals, but also, for Wine Road guests….

One way I keep so au currant, is by subscribing to the Healdsburg Patch.  News is in my in box just as it occurs.

One amazing Healdsburg Happening is the FREE Tuesday Concerts on the Plaza- click here for that complete skinny.

• May 28: West African Highlife Band (High Life)
• June 4: Roger Glenn’s Latin Jazz Ensemble (Latin Rhythms)
• June 11: Uncle Wiggly (Blues, shuffles, boogies & funk)
• June 18: Slim Jenkins (Hot Jazz & Voodoo blues)
• June 25: Foxes in the Hen House (Country)
• July 2: Tommy Thomsen (Western Swing)
• July 9: Johnny Rawls (Soulful blues)
• July 16: Hot Club Sandwich (Gypsy Jazz)
• July 23: Texas Steve and the Tornados (Rockabilly)
• July 30: Dead Winter Carpenters (Americana, Roots Rock’n'Roll)
• August 6: North Mississippi Allstars (Southern Rock/blues)
• August 13: Danny Click (Rock – Blues)
• August 20: Lo Cura (Latin Hip-Hop)
• August 27: Nick Gravenites and the Blue Chips (Chicago Blues)

Well, not really Sir Rusty, but a famous bull for sure….

 

Hand-made Save Sir Rusty art by Annie….

In other dramatic news, Evita is coming back to town…just when you thought that Andrew Lloyd Webber might be taking a wee bit of a rest….so prolific!

Eva (“Evita”- Little Eva) Peron (Peron Peron)….

 

The Right Honorable Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Since Sarah Brightman and I are mates, sometimes I have a tad bit of trouble with her ex…I am in the minority, I know….ok, I know, Time to Say Good-bye, say goodnight Gracie….

Yes- it is the very ambitious and successful Raven Players!  “Evita” information.

Moving to the very jazzy, this year marks the 15th anniversary of the fabulous Healdsburg Jazz Festival!

And one more lovely Healdsburg Thought:

Click here for the scoop.

Here’s looking at you, kids

TR

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

George Burns and Gracie Allen….saying goodnight, Gracie.

A visit to wintertime Martorana finds all the gang ready to tour me about!

I head out West Dry Creek at the very end of January 2013 to visit Martorana Family Winery; I want to learn more about their plans for offering picnics by their bocce court near the Dry Creek with cool baskets and blankets, paired up with delicious Martorana wines.  And don’t forget Gio’s olive oil- I love it and the sweet ceramic bottle it comes in….have it right on my kitchen counter as we speak…. Click here for more Martorana information and to make a reservation to taste.

	Martorana Family Winery 707-433-1909 5956 West Dry Creek Road Healdsburg , CA 95448 Visit Our Website	Reserve a beautiful picnic basket for two, filled with sandwiches, salad, olives, dessert, a chilled bottle of water, a delicious bottle of Martorana wine, glasses and utensils; picnic blanket included to use in four new separate Dry Creek-side spots with picnic tables, or next to the Bocce court or among the vines. 24 hour advance reservation notice needed. $50 for two people. Romance included….

Gio himself gives me a personal walking tour of the dormant vines, the Green Living Roof, and shows off his tremendous views of Dry Creek Valley; Sunny, of course, accompanies.  Gio’s totally organic, green approach is also discussed.

Come along with us:

Dry Creek is just through the trees….

Inviting even in January….

Wendy Cox, Hospitality, and Gio Martorana, at the TR Bar…..

Sunny!

Green cover crops.

Gio explains the cover crops and the green methods he employs…up close and personal….

Gio and Sunny in their element…..

We are now up on the Green Roof, the Living Roof that provides the natural temperature controls for the winery as well as a great spot for the view and perhaps a picnic!

Hi, Gio!

Amazing view….up on the roof….remember that James Taylor song?

Ditto…as I was saying….

Over across the street from Quivira Winery, the new Martorana Vineyard Wind Machine in the Martorana Family Vineyard!  How green can you get!?

Oh yeah….

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

Sunny the Sweetest!

Jay Gatsby in Healdsburg? Daisy, too? Where else but Madrona Manor….

Visiting fabulous Madrona Manor, Wine Country Inn & Restaurant, just one mile off the Healdsburg Plaza, feels like a step back into the days described by F. Scott Fitzgerald in his  THE GREAT GATSBY; filmed years back with Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby, the Don Draper of his day, it is now coming again soon by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the enigmatic self-made and self-destroyed man, in a large, bright “Moulin Rouge”/”Australia”  style.  Playing Daisy Buchanan is like playing Betty Draper…you just gotta look good….

Farrow and Redford, 1974.

Jay Gatsby-LEONARDO DICAPRIO, Daisy Buchanan-CAREY MULLIGAN and Tom Buchanan-JOEL EDGERTON

Francis Scott Fitzgerald.

I and my Plus One (daughter) are at the Madrona Manor Garden Party celebrating all things Gatsby.  Food and drink are inspired by the novel (Mint Juleps and Gin Rickeys) and ditto the food.  The pace is relaxed, the band is hot, the knees are rouged, the stockings rolled; funny thing about fashion- though the women look out of a different era, the men would almost be A-OK today….:

In a nod to its rich history and to celebrate the reprise of the classic American tale, Madrona Manor invites you to travel back in time to The Jazz Age at its first ever “Great Gatsby Soiree” on Sunday, May 5 from 2:00-5:00pm. While film buffs and culture hounds alike eagerly await the release of Baz Luhrmann’s exciting cinematic version of The Great Gatsby (opening May 10) you can revel at this elegant Victorian mansion, which has played host to more than a few such parties. Madrona Manor will fete the film’s release with a ’20s-style lawn party replete with Gatsby-inspired food and drink, accompanied by swinging live music for you to dance their best version of the Shimmy, Charleston or Black Bottom. Come dressed in your best vintage threads! $65/pp includes five different gourmet appetizers inspired directly from passages in the book, two kinds of vintage cocktails, dessert, dancing and games.

True dat….

The Promised Rolled Stockings and Rouged Knees….gorgeous…..

1881…..

Are they REALLY bad luck? Come on…maybe bad luck for the peacock involved?

Not the right time period, but still quite evocative of a nostalgic feeling….

None of my four chances at getting the Chrysler logo right side up pan out….nice reflections here, though….

Mint Juleps in the Citrus Orchard….

Perfect Hens and Chicks; Gardens are beautiful and also provide the kitchen with all the fresh, delicious fodder….

Poppies….glowing….

Warm knowledgeable staff at Madrona Manor- and they put up with costumes in a jolly manner, too.

Ditto….

Shot by my Plus One while I was visiting the bar….we are at our private garden table for two….

Gatsby Waldorf Salad.

Oh So Nicely Done- my close up, Mr. DeMille….

Dessert!

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin West.

Annie Plus One and Maria Hadley-Maria is daughter of the owners of MM….and was at West Side School as Teacher Aide when my kids were there- Pretty Mrs. Hadley!

My rose….

Ditto….

Here I am- Hedda Hopper!  Or Louella Parsons….

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

 “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

from Fitzgerald- the over-quoted last line of his wonderful, lovely novel.

 Not a great era for clothing for women, with the low belts….

Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in SOME LIKE IT HOT- era of dress adds to the guys being gals….who does it look good on?

Colagrossi Wines- details, details, details- right down to the beautiful brass name-plates on their carefully selected barrels.

Small, personal, careful, hand-crafted, food-friendly, exquisite wine production- in a Santa Rosa hip urban garagiste setting- Rhones and more; welcome to Colagrossi Wines!

650 delicious cases annually: Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Cabernet Franc & more. Salute!  

Craig Colagrossi

I stop on in January on a cold, clear late afternoon, and Craig is working away at his labor of love, his wines.  He is newly setting up for visitors in his shared digs in Santa Rosa.  His enthusiasm is palpable and contagious, as he shows me different tanks and barrels, expertly and gracefully climbing up and over barrels to thieve me special tastes, ditto tank samples, describing intricately and passionately just how the fruit was sourced, how it was crushed, what sort of barrel was chosen, when it will be completely ready (by the by, the barrel samples were all delicious already….) and what sort of food it will complement and what sort of celebration it might enhance.  He has a way with words, wines and hospitality, looking forward to greeting visitors for the first time, now that he has a TR.

Colagrossi has years of experience on the wine scene in every capacity; he knows his stuff from every angle.  He tells me that he strives to keep wine tasting an enjoyable experience, helping guests find out the most important thing: what wines they like.  Even the wines have friendly names: “Gli Amici- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon- “The Friends”; and “L’Inizio”- a delicious white Rhone blend- “The Beginning”… and you do not merely join the “wine club”, you join the Wine Family.  Here’s to the opening of a new must visit destination!

Just off Coffey Lane in Santa Rosa- Urban Wine Trail, humble entrance belies the treasures within….

Anticipating the delicious future through hand-written labels on tanks and barrels….

The TR.

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

Colagrossi Facebook click here.

Shares space with Inspiration Vineyards and Desmond Wines.  Carol Shelton and Vinoteca  are in the same Santa Rosa business complex.

Partake by K-J: Flights + Bites.

Partake by K-J is here!

Let’s start with a wee bit of a dictionary visit- as do they, on the wall, where you enter:

Definition of PARTAKE

intransitive verb
1.  to take part in or experience something along with others.
2.  to have a portion (as of food or drink)
3.  to possess or share a certain nature or attribute-as in:

“The experience partakes of a mystical, special quality.”

And so it does….

Click here for pronunciation and complete definitive stuff.

The Approach.

The Gallery.

My Gallery:

Street scene, exterior.

Front and center.

Close up, Mr. DeMille.

 

Visiting on a very hot, muggy, slightly overcast spring day, I am amazed at the cool, crisp, comfortable oasis of the interior space:

Oasis….

Great lighting….

Ditto.

Lots of nooks and crannies, private spots and more public to, ahem, partake….

Nicely done bar area; informative, knowledgeable and warm hospitality staff.

Details….

 

Kendall-Jackson is all about taste – with the quality wines, sensory experiences, highlighted at their Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens with gardens, demonstrations, education, wine & food pairings, adding a foundation for this new sensory experience in Healdsburg, with the Jackson Estate Gardens & Orchards getting a spotlight on the freshest ingredients in these creative food pairings.

We do not need or have a reservation, but they are available.  We are greeted and have a great window table for two, comfy, padded chairs, spacious table-top.  The menu, organized into Bites and Flights, is copious and well-planned, letting us choose wine and  pair up food, or completely pairing up for us; we place a wine order prior to even looking at the food- being fans of Kendall-Jackson forever, we go with two favorite Grand Reserve wines, the  GR Chardonnay and the  GR Sauvignon Blanc.

Our staffer leaves us to discuss our next step.  Perusing the menu, we order the following bites- keeping with the white wine suggestion, but not the varietal- after all, taste IS personal so there are no “wrong” combos if you like it:

Challah, Bellwether Farms Carmody, Apple Butter, Prosciutto ( $7 )

Point Reyes Fresh Mozzarella, Preserved Lemon, Asparagus, Fava, Castelvetrano Olives ( $9 )

Water is offered and the table is set nicely.  Wine arrives, perfectly chilled.  We are well-tended but given ample privacy and space, never hurried….

An interesting “blind tasting” of a mystery wine arrives in black stems- it is said that when you are unable to see a wine, you cannot even tell if it is a red or a white- and this certainly proves true.  An amazing Amuse Bouche perfectly accompanies this wine- and I will not give away any secrets, but it turns out to be a wine that I have had and loved in the past, but neither of us identify it- we were all over pinot gris (I) or a riesling (companion) and off base.  Oh well.  Fun experience and perfect way to get started tasting.

The flagon with the dragon has the brew that is true…or at least, the Mystery Wine…

Mouth is mighty amused now….

The Challah….

Asparagus et al….

Delicious all around; we supplement with glasses of our favorite bellwether of chardonnays,  Kendall-Jackson VR Chardonnay.

We linger and enjoy; our staffer adds to the fun.

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

337 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA- Former home of the FIRST TR in town: Kendall-Jackson Healdsburg!  I was here from 1995 – 2000….memories, lightthecornersofmymindmisty….

Ah ha! Change in the wind….

Kendall-Jackson Healdsburg has moved just south of their former digs to 241 Healdsburg Avenue and is transformed into Partake by K-J.  Blog to follow with my detail on Friday.

So: whowhat will be moving into this now empty space?  Drum roll please:

Stonestreet will be moving into this space, targeting opening day near  1 July 2013.   Stonestreet will be welcoming guests at both at the Estate and here in town.

Moseying down the street, I turn west on Matheson to check in on Murphy-Goode.  Amazingly hot day today- for April- and though the outdoor area looks inviting, with flowers and comfy furniture, tasters are inside with A/C, seated at spiffy tables, enjoying the brand-new Wine and Cheese Pairing- so new, even Wine Time TR does not know all the details- well, not quite yet…..

Love the vibe here- very personal, very comfortable, no hurry, attentive host, delicious M-G wines paired with perfect bites….

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR

Partake blog on Friday!:

Update: 5.14.13:

Wine Road Continues to Give Back with a $28,000 Donation to Redwood Empire Food Bank

Funds Generated Through Wine Road Annual Events and Designated Driver Program

Redwood Empire Food Bank is a Wine Road absolute favorite.  Wine Road fund-raises and donates annually to REFB, most notably via a portion of all ticket sales for our three annual events- and now, with electronic ticketing, our guests have the chance at checkout to donate directly themselves.  Each year, our efforts grow, and each year the need grows.

Last year- May 2012:

In 2004, the Healdsburg-based Wine Road donated $3,500 to the Redwood Empire Food Bank, based on a pledge to give $1 per ticket from the annual November Wine & Food Affair event. That grew to include all three of the group’s annual events and allow customers to donate more, raising $314,000 for the food bank over the years.

Wine Road President Beth Costa recently delivered a $34,000 check to the food bank from this year’s Barrel Tasting donations.  Starting this year, $5 Designated Drivers tickets were sold for the March event, all of which went directly to the Food Bank.

Click here for complete article.

Soon we will see the Big  Check for our last year of fund-raising, May 2012 through Barrel Tasting March 2013.  (See above at start of post for update 5.14.13.)

Meanwhile, REFB has moved to their amazing new Brickway facility.

Last December 2012, our Wine Road Board of Directors and staff (we recently had elections so the link shows the new Board, but my photos will show the “old” Board, some still current, others now “retired”….) volunteered at the former location of REFB- and I was given a tour of the then-under-construction Brickway location- by ED Dave Goodman, rocking his hard hat….hope to update this post when I get the tour of the completed Brickway, just opened this month.

Wine Road presents a check for close to $10K- just a little something….

Cuties- we get up close and personal….

Great mix of perishable and non-perishables here, packed today by Wine Road, and other, volunteers….

We LISTEN to the instructions….

Our Wine Road pallets!

Time to clean up and recycle!

And now, Brickway, under construction! Efficient, large space, with kitchen and extensive cold storage,  offering many more daily and long-term services and assistance.

Can probably fit the former REFB building in here at least three times….

David Goodman, REFB ED.

Click here to volunteer.  Click here to donate.

I learned last December when my sweet, sweet ride, 1984 Datsun Pickup, “The Tiger”, bit the dust, that you can also donate your vehicle, running or not- I have NEVER had a smoother, kinder vehicle donation process- click here for details.

“The Tiger”- 1984 Datsun Pickup- as I said, our sweet, sweet ride….

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR