Well, as Chicago moves from Polar Vortex number two and into yet another Winter Storm Warning, I think we're all channeling the Mamas and the Papas, just a little bit...
Lucky for me (and thanks to an abundance of airline miles to redeem,) I managed a little escape last week to the Bay Area- not long enough, but it'll get me by. It was a great trip out to visit an old pal from high school- we ate lots of great food, spent an afternoon in The Haight, and best of all, took a little trip up to Sonoma! The highlights included a stay in lovely Petaluma, dinner on the square in downtown Sonoma, and, of course, wine tasting! Though it was my first trip to Sonoma, I was lucky enough to have a relatively seasoned tour guide, along with some recommendations from friends and colleagues (thanks, Mindy and Mark!)
The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful with sunshine and rolling hills- just what the doctor ordered to combat the winter blahs. Our three stops were pretty spread out, which allowed for lots of sightseeing, and moderate tasting. We started the day at Lambert Bridge Winery where we tasted a pretty wide variety of reds. We saw lots of Zinfandel growing on the way up, which I'm usually not a fan of- but I have to say, their Zin was balanced and tasty- not the fruit bomb I was expecting! The wines were pretty good (though I thought the prices were inflated for the quality) and the tasting room was gorgeous!
Next we headed out into the absolute middle of nowhere (dirt one-way road) to Iron Horse Vineyards. We carry some of Iron Horse's wines at the store, and my boss wholeheartedly recommended we visit. I decided to not let myself be put off by the fact that Reagan commissioned their wines for the summit with Russia. They are known for their sparklings, and they were very tasty. Though I was really surprisingly impressed by their Pinots! Though I'm not normally the biggest fan of pinot, several of theirs were medium-bodied and spicy. Yum! If they hadn't been a little out of my budget, I'd have brought one home with me. As was, I brought home a bottle of Blanc de Blancs made for National Geographic. $4 went toward coastal reef preservation- how could I resist? Also, it tasted good.
The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful with sunshine and rolling hills- just what the doctor ordered to combat the winter blahs. Our three stops were pretty spread out, which allowed for lots of sightseeing, and moderate tasting. We started the day at Lambert Bridge Winery where we tasted a pretty wide variety of reds. We saw lots of Zinfandel growing on the way up, which I'm usually not a fan of- but I have to say, their Zin was balanced and tasty- not the fruit bomb I was expecting! The wines were pretty good (though I thought the prices were inflated for the quality) and the tasting room was gorgeous!
Next we headed out into the absolute middle of nowhere (dirt one-way road) to Iron Horse Vineyards. We carry some of Iron Horse's wines at the store, and my boss wholeheartedly recommended we visit. I decided to not let myself be put off by the fact that Reagan commissioned their wines for the summit with Russia. They are known for their sparklings, and they were very tasty. Though I was really surprisingly impressed by their Pinots! Though I'm not normally the biggest fan of pinot, several of theirs were medium-bodied and spicy. Yum! If they hadn't been a little out of my budget, I'd have brought one home with me. As was, I brought home a bottle of Blanc de Blancs made for National Geographic. $4 went toward coastal reef preservation- how could I resist? Also, it tasted good.
Next, we headed towards downtown Sonoma to hit up Gundlach Bundschu. Their grounds were gorgeous and many of their wines quite tasty! They were much more affordable, and hoppin' at the end of the day. If I'd had more room in my suitcase, a bottle of their Tempranillo would've come home with me. It was priced perfectly, spicy, but with a really great tannin/acid balance. Me likey!
All in all, I wish I'd had five more days to laze around the region, eating and drinking wine. The temps in the low 70s were AMAZING. But, it's nice to have a place to dream on going back to! Plans for the future!
And, if any of y'all have any recommendations for other Sonoma gems, let me know in the comments! You know, for next time! (Brewery recommendations also accepted!)
Cheers- stay warm out there!
All in all, I wish I'd had five more days to laze around the region, eating and drinking wine. The temps in the low 70s were AMAZING. But, it's nice to have a place to dream on going back to! Plans for the future!
And, if any of y'all have any recommendations for other Sonoma gems, let me know in the comments! You know, for next time! (Brewery recommendations also accepted!)
Cheers- stay warm out there!
RSS Feed