Criteria for Tasting Room Reviews

I've been commenting on tasting rooms for over 4 years now and thought I should provide a little background on how I come to talk about a particular winery or tasting room.

First, I only comment on tasting rooms or wineries that I have personally visited.  Half of the wineries in Napa and Sonoma are not open to the public.  Of those that welcome visitors either by advance appointment or by dropping in,  I have visited about 125 of Sonoma's 270 wineries and tasting rooms and 145 of Napa's 335 wineries and tasting rooms.  The vast majority of those I have yet to get to require an appointment to visit.

Second, I operate under the assumption that the wine is good at nearly all of the tasting rooms in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties.  Not every winery has wine that is going to be to your or my taste but the wines are generally good.  There are many people far more qualified than me who review wines.  Besides visiting wine country to taste wine is more about the experience than the quality of the wine.

Third, I generally only post positive reviews.  I want to give my readers information on wineries and tasting rooms to seek out.  Most tasting rooms are neither good nor bad; they're much like every other tasting room.  However some tasting rooms are special and are worth visiting.  Many factors contribute to a positive review including friendly tasting room staff, unique architecture, good value, an opportunity to meet the owner and/or winemaker, pretty scenery, an unusual tasting experience, and/or an interesting tour.  On the rare occasion when I say something negative about a winery or tasting room, it's because I think the visitor is not getting a quality experience.

Fourth, I do not get compensated for my reviews.  Many guests on my tours ask if the wineries give me anything to thank me for bringing visitors to their tasting rooms.  At the end of the year, a couple wineries may give me a bottle or two, but that's it.  I've never received anything for a positive review other than an e-mail thanking me.

I hope this background is helpful.  Let me know what you think.

New Sonoma County IPhone Application

Yesterday, the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau released an application (app.) for the IPhone to help visitors to the county.  As soon as I found out this morning, I immediately downloaded it.  The coolest feature is the wine section where you can search the wineries by varietal (type of grape).  So next time you are in Kenwood in search of a Barbera, you can use the app. to find out which wineries produce one, their distances from your current location, and how to drive to each one.  For me this is the best feature in the app.

The app. also lets you find lodging, sorted by "Hotel/Motel/Lodge,"  "Inn/Bed & Breakfast," "RV/Camping,", and "Vacation Rentals."  This too is a helpful feature but the listing is not complete for the county.  I assume this is because some businesses choose not to be a member of the Bureau.

Other features include Breweries, spas, restaurants, museums, events, nightlife, and spas.  These you can sort alphabetically or by distance from your current location.  A great improvement for the next release would be to be able to sort the restaurants by cuisine.  To find the app., visit the IPhone Applications Store and select iVisit Sonoma County.

All in all, this is a great app. for wine lovers.  The tourism folks in Sonoma County really do a terrific job, whether they work for the Tourism Bureau, the Wine Road Northern Sonoma County, or the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau.  Their neighbors to the east could learn something!

If you want to take a private tour of Sonoma County wine country, please contact Blue Heron Custom Tours at (866) 326-4237 or Rick@BlueHeronTours.com.

Special Events in Wine Country

Nary a week goes by without individual wineries or groups of wineries having special events to entice folks to visit.  It's hard to keep track of all of the festivals, special tastings, and food pairings being offered.  Some of the more fun events are offered by the associations that represent wineries in particular regions.

The Wine Road Northern Sonoma County represents the wineries in the Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valleys of Sonoma County.  Its website has a good listing of events in this part of wine country.  The Wine Road offers three major events each year, Winter Wineland (1/16 & 17), Barrel Tasting (3/6, 7, 13, & 14), and A Wine and Food Affair (11/6 & 7).  In addition, Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley offers Passport to Dry Creek Valley on April 24 and 25.  Russian River Valley Winegrowers has its annual Grape to Glass on August 20 - 22.  Finally, the Alexander Valley Winegrowers has an annual Taste of the Alexander Valley, usually during the first weekend in June.  (2010 dates have yet to be announced.)

The Anderson Valley Winegrowers has two annual events.  The first is the International Alsace Varietals Festival on February 20 and 21.  Later in the year, they celebrate Pinot Noir at the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival from May 14 to 16.

The Lodi Wine and Visitor Center sponsors a Wine and Chocolate Weekend on February 13 and 14 and celebrates Zinfandel at the ZinFest from May 14 to 16.

The 20th annual Savor Sonoma Valley is being held on March 20 and 21 by the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance.  The Alliance also sponsors Passport to Sonoma Valley on May 15 and 16, 2010.

Hospitality de Los Carneros offers two events each year:  April in Carneros on April 17 and 18 and Holidays in Carneros on November 20 and 21.

The wineries along the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley have their own association, the Silverado Trail Wineries Association, which sponsors an annual Silver Pass Weekend.  The 2010 date has yet to be announced.

This is just a small sample of wine-related events in Northern California.  Monterey wineries sponsor events, as do those in Paso Robles and the Sierra Foothills.  It's tough to keep track of all the fun things to do in wine country.  The best resource I have found is Local Wine Events.  Visit the website for listings of wine events throughout the country.  You can also subscribe to the free, weekly newsletter of events in the regions of your choice.

If you would like to have a private tour of wine country during one of these events, please contact Blue Heron Custom Tours and Travel at (866) 326-4237 or Rick@BlueHeronTours.com.

Blue Heron Custom Tours Featured on "Wine Time with Tracy"

Check my friend Tracy Logan-Immordino's blog, "Wine Time with Tracy," to learn about our recent tour of the Alexander Valley with concierges from some of San Francisco's best hotels. Look at the December 1 posting entitled "Holidays Along Wine Road." (I'm the guy with the beard on the far left of the photo. Tracy's to my right in the red jacket.)

The Wine Road Northern Sonoma County is an association of wineries and inns in and near the Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valleys. It publishes the best wine country map in Northern California. If you like small, family-run wineries that produce great wine, then you'll want to visit the Wine Road. If you like friendly inns, bed and breakfasts, and hotels, then stay at one of their members. For more information visit www.wineroad.com.

Better yet, take a private tour of the Wine Road that is customized to your tastes and interests and wine. For more information contact Blue Heron Custom Tours and Travel at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or at Rick@BlueHeronTours.com.

Wine Clubs

When visiting wineries, many of my guests are invited to join the winery's wine club. Few tasters have heard of such clubs prior to their first time winetasting. Most winery's have wine clubs as they provide the winery with a steady source of customers. Small wineries, in particular, are dependent on successful wine clubs in order to stay in business.

The clubs vary slightly but usually do not require a fee to join. Most clubs send their members one case (12 bottles) of wine per year. Some wineries ship two bottles six times per year, others three bottles four times per year, still others four bottle three times a year, and many send six bottles twice a year. Some clubs let you pick the wines you want; others send you a mix of wines selected by the winery. Most wineries include wines in their club shipments that are not available to the general public. Most clubs give you a discount on the wine. The savings on the wine may cover the cost of shipping. If you join the club, most wineries will give you an immediate discount on purchases while you are visiting the winery and will waive your tasting fees. In return you agree to receive a minimum of one or two shipments. After receiving the minimum, you can usually cancel at any time. Most clubs offer discounts on all wine purchases. Many wine clubs have special parties and events for members.

I am a member of three wine clubs and think they are good deal in certain circumstances. The first issue to consider is whether you like the winemaker's style and the variety of wines produced by the winery. If the winery produces six different types of wine and you only like the Cab, the wine club is probably not for you.

Another issue is whether your drinking will keep up with the wine you receive. Be careful about joining too many clubs. If you end up with too much wine that cannot be stored properly, you could end up with a lot of spoiled wine.

Be sure you have your wine sent to an address where someone 21 or over will be physically present to sign for the wine. FedEx and UPS will not just leave the wine on your porch or give you a note to sign. The shippers are required to hand the wine to someone who is of legal age. The best bet is to ship the wine to your business, provided you trust your receptionist not to drink the wine.

I think receiving six bottles twice a year is far better than receiving two bottles six time per year. The fewer shipments, the more you save on shipping. Also, make sure the club does not ship during your hot weather months. You don't want your wine cooking in the shipper's truck as it travels through Arizona in the summer. Most wineries do not ship to club members in the summer but a few do. If you are scheduled to receive a shipment when it's still hot, ask the winery to hold the wine until cooler weather arrives. Most are glad to do so.

A few wineries push their clubs pretty hard. Most use a soft sell. Some don't mention their club unless asked. When you visit a winery, you are under no obligation to join the club or to buy any wine. Only join the club if you will enjoy getting the regular shipments of wine. If you do join the club, have fun. It's fun to get good wine that you won't find in your local wine shop.

If you would like to take a private wine country tour, contact Blue Heron Custom Tours at (866) 326-4237 or Rick@BlueHeronTours.com.

2009 Harvest is Underway

We're now approaching the end of the 2nd week of harvesting in Sonoma and Napa Counties. The first winery to harvest appears to have been Gloria Ferrer, which picked some grapes in the Sonoma Valley on August 10.

The principal grapes being picked now are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for sparkling wine, a little Pinot Noir for still wine, and Sauvignon Blanc. Harvest seems to be running about a week behind last year. While weather is unpredictable, harvest is likely to run through the end of October. Usually Cabernet is the last grape to be picked.

Harvest is a fun time to visit wine country as good smells abound, sweet grapes can be sampled, and the wineries are abuzz with activity. As a result, September and October see many tourists in wine country especially on Saturdays -- the busiest day of the week. If you must winetaste on a Saturday, visit wineries that require advance appointments as they tend to be less crowded.

If you would like to take a private wine country tour and avoid some of the crowds, contact Blue Heron Custom Tours and Travel at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or at Rick@BlueHeronTours.com.

Northern California: An Explorer's Guide

This new guidebook, written by San Francisco resident, Michele Bigley, was just released on June 1. It's a great resource for travel in San Francisco, the Bay Area, and all of Northern California - from Big Sur to the Oregon border.

Here's what Michele had to say about Blue Heron Custom Tours and Travel, "A wealth of knowledge, Rick takes folks on customized tours of the Bay Area, Wine Country, Central Coast, Mendocino, and even the Sierra Foothills. You tell him what you want and he'll create the ideal trip. He knows more about wine and food than most."

Many thanks to Michelle for the nice review. If you're planning a trip to San Francisco, you can pick up "Northern California: An Explorer's Guide" at most good bookstores.

If you'd like to take a tour with a guide who "knows more about wine and food than most," please phone me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me at Rick@BlueHeronTours.com.

Dining at a Winery

Most visitors to wine country are surprised to learn that it is nearly impossible to dine at a winery. To protect the agricultural nature of Sonoma and Napa Counties, the areas outside of the towns and cities are zoned agricultural. As a result, restaurants are prohibited in the agricultural parts of the counties.

Some wineries do wine and cheese pairings. V.Sattui, in the Napa Valley, has a delicatessen where you can pick up food to take to the winery's picnic area. However, in Napa County, only one winery has a full restaurant.

Domaine Chandon has had a restaurant since its visitor center opened in 1977. Its restaurant was allowed to continue when the zoning restrictions where enacted. Etoile serves upscale California/French cuisine in a refined dining room. On a nice day, enjoy the garden view while lunching on their terrace. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner from Thursday - Monday, except in November in December when it is open from Thursday - Sunday and in January when the restaurant is closed.

Only two wineries have restaurant permits in Sonoma County. Francis Ford Coppola bought the old Chateau Souverain winery a few years ago. Along with the winery came a restaurant permit. The winery is now Rosso and Bianco, where Coppola produces his mid-priced wines. When Coppola took over ownership, he started serving very good Italian food in the winery's restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurant, still unnamed, is closed for remodeling. Hopefully, when the restaurant reopens, the food still will be good and diners will once again be able to enjoy a meal on the terrace overlooking the vineyards.

In the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, the old Topolos winery had a restaurant. The winery, along with the restaurant, closed a few years ago. The property was sold and is now called Russian River Vineyards. The tasting room is open, but the restaurant has not yet reopened.

Many wineries have permits for private events. If you are coming to wine country with a large group, you can arrange a private meal at many wineries, some of which have spectacular settings.

If you want recommendations for wineries to host your private meal or wish to take a private tour of wine country, please feel free to call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Winetasting During the Holidays

Many tasting rooms operate on different schedules during the weeks of Christmas and New Year's. If you are planning on doing some winetasting in Northern California during the holidays, you might want to call your favorite wineries in advance to make sure their tasting rooms will be open. If that's too much work, here's some general guidance.

Most wineries will open and close at their regular times each day from December 21 through January 3, except on December 24, 25, and 31 and on January 1. A few of the small wineries will close for a few days during this period.

Most wineries will close early on Christmas Eve and a few will be closed entirely. After 2:00 p.m., there are very few tasting rooms open on December 24. Wineries also may decide to close earlier than planned if business is slow.

All tasting rooms are closed on Christmas Day.

Most wineries will close early on New Year's Eve; although some will stay open until their regular closing times. After 2:00 p.m., definitely call prior to visiting a tasting room to see if it is open.

Only a handful of wineries are open on New Year's Day. I know that Nicholson Ranch near Carneros and V. Sattui in Napa are open, but I am sure there are a few more. Phone ahead of your visit to confirm if the tasting room will be open.

If you would like to take a private wine country during the holidays or in 2009, please feel free to phone me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here. Blue Heron will be closed on both Christmas and New Year's Day.

Old Vine Zin in the Alexander Valley

Sausal Vineyard in the Alexander Valley is a Zinfandel lovers' paradise. They make four different Zins: Cellar Cats, a non-vintage estate Zin named after the winery's two cats; Family Zinfandel, which is made from estate vines averaging 50 years in age; Private Reserve Zinfandel, another estate wine but made from vines over 90 years old; and, finally, Century Vines Zinfandel, made from vines planted on the estate in 1877.

Labeling a wine as "old vines" does not mean anything legally, but all of Sausal's Zins, except for the Cellar Cats , meet anyone's definition of old vine. If you have never tasted old vine Zin, I highly recommend doing so, regardless of whether you taste some at a visit to Sausal or by purchasing a bottle at your local wine shop.

Sausal's tasting room is small and the staff friendly. There's no guarantee that all of the Zins will be available when you visit. However, in addition to tasting some of the Zins, you are likely to be able to taste one or two of Sausal's other reds, which include a Cabernet, Sangiovese, and two blends.

If you are a fan of wine from old vines and would like to taste some on a private, wine country tour, please contact me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or by clicking here. Nearby Stryker and White Oak both have old vine Zin and Field Stone has old vine Petite Sirah.

Zin and Bordeaux Varietals in the Alexander Valley

When I take guests on tours of the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, one of my regular stops is Stryker Sonoma Winery. This small winery produces about 7,000 cases a year. However, winemaker Tim Hardin is a creative soul and likes to make small lots of wine. Thus, the 7,000 cases of wine are divided among approximately 22 red wines and 4 whites, with lots as small as 100 cases. One of Tim's specialties is wine from Bordeaux varietals, including a good number of Cabernet Sauvignons, a few Merlots, and small amounts of Petite Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Semillon. Tim also loves Zinfandel, so he produces at least eight different wines from this varietal.

The winery is a sleek, modern building with floor to ceiling windows in the tasting room. Thus, you can gaze out at the vineyards while tasting Stryker's many wines. The tasting room staff are friendly and eager to tell you about Stryker's wines and the various wine regions from which Stryker sources its fruit.

The winery is located on Hwy. 128, north and west of the city of Healdsburg. The tasting room is open daily from 10:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. You may just drop in for tasting. Tours can be arranged by prior appointment. Stryker offers more than one tasting menu, so fees vary.

If you would like to take a private tour of the Alexander Valley that includes a stop at Stryker, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Healdsburg Garagista

Most people have a romantic vision of Wine Country. They picture the vineyards and beautiful tasting rooms. Seldom do they expect to visit a funky warehouse in an office park. Yet many wines are not made anywhere near where the grapes are grown. Some of the most famous wines in the State are made in industrial sections of Wine Country's towns and cities.

This week I had the pleasure of visiting one such winery: Manzanita Creek. This small producer of Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah and Petite Syrah is located amongst the warehouses and office parks of Healdsburg. When you walk in the door, you will be greeted by one of the owners, either William or Jack Salerno. My group had the pleasure of meeting Jack, who told us a few good wine country stories.

Normally I do not taste when I take customers to wineries. However, my guests said to me, "Rick, you have got to taste this wine." So I did. I like wines with a lot of fruit, and Manzanita Creek's wines were a perfect match for my palate.

I highly recommend a visit to Manzanita Creek if you want to taste good wine and don't care about a fancy tasting room. You will enjoy the wine and meeting one of the Salerno brothers. You might want to call before stopping by to make sure someone will be there. The winery's phone number is (707) 433-4052.

Manzanita Creek is a little hard to find. The address is 1441-B Grove Street in Healdsburg. Exit US101 at Dry Creek Road and turn right. Then turn left on Grove and keep an eye out for the small sign on the left a few hundred yards down the road. Better yet, let me include a stop at Manzanita Creek on your private wine country tour. To book a tour or to get more information, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Picnicking Along the Russian River Wine Rd. - Part II

Now that you have your picnic supplies, it's time to find a nice spot to enjoy your lunch.

In the Alexander Valley, two wineries have nice picnic areas. Field Stone Winery, at the southern end of the Valley (10075 Hwy. 128), has picnic tables under the trees near the winery. This shaded area provides a perfect respite to lunch with one of Field Stone's wines. More information on Field Stone is available in my June 21, 2006 post.

In the northern half of the Alexander Valley sits Stryker Sonoma (5110 Hwy. 128). This winery is best known for small lots of Bordeaux varietals and Zinfandel. The friendly tasting room staff will help you find the perfect wine to accompany your lunch. The picnic tables are just outside of the beautiful tasting room. Some tables are partially shaded, while others receive direct sunlight. So this may not be the best spot on the hottest of days. The rest of the year, you will enjoy your view of the nearby vineyards while eating your lunch and drinking a Stryker wine. Stryker is very close to the Jim Town Store (mentioned in my last post), where you can purchase your picnic supplies.

Two of my favorite picnic spots are both in the Dry Creek Valley - Lambert Bridge Winery and Passalacqua Winery. Both of these wineries have lovely picnic areas overlooking their gardens and the surrounding vineyards. Picnic tables are situated so you can sit in the sun or shade. I previously wrote about Passalacqua in my May 30, 2006. So you can check this post out for more details on this small winery.

Lambert Bridge is located at 4085 W. Dry Creek Road and sells its wine exclusively from the winery. If you want to taste Lambert Bridge's Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Viognier, Chardonnay, and other varietals, you will have to visit. If you visit on a weekend, I recommend tasting the reserve wines in the barrel room.

In the Russian River Valley, I recommend picnicking at either Arista Winery or Hop Kiln Winery. Arista has one of the most beautiful gardens in all of wine country. While tasting Arista's Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, you can sit in a formal Japanese garden and enjoy your lunch. The sound of the nearby waterfall only adds to the tranquility. Arista is located at 7015 Westside Road.

Hop Kiln Winery is, not surprisingly, located in an old hop kiln. Prior to Prohibition, hops were widely grown in both Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. At Hop Kiln you can have a lovely picnic beside the duck pond or in the old fig garden. Hop Kiln is located at 6050 Westside Road.

If you would like to take a private, custom wine country tour that includes a picnic at one of these lovely wineries, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Picnicking Along the Russian River Wine Rd. - Part I

Like my recent posts on the Napa Valley, I'll divide my recommendations for the Healdsburg area into two parts. This posting will feature places to pick up picnic supplies.

The town of Healdsburg is where the Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valleys meet. On the southeast corner of the plaza (Matheson and Center Streets) is a branch of the Oakville Grocery, which I wrote about in the first part of my Napa picnicking post. Like the original in Oakville, this outlet is an excellent place to buy cheeses, deli meats, sandwiches, and salads.

In the Alexander Valley, the Jimtown Store, has wonderful sandwiches that you can either eat at picnic tables in the back of the store or take with you to one of the wineries. The store is located on Route 128, just west of the intersection with Pine Flat Road.

Not as upscale at the Jimtown Store is the Dry Creek General Store at the intersection of Dry Creek and Lambert Bridge Roads. Here you can pick up good sandwiches to eat at the picnic tables out front or take with you to your next winery stop.

Unfortunately, the Russian River Valley does not have a place in the heart of the wine region to pick up supplies. If you are heading that way, you may want to stop at the Whole Foods Market at 6910 McKinley Street in Sebastopol to get your food before you head further north.

In the next post I will recommend some wineries with beautiful picnic areas. Meanwhile, if you would like to take a private wine country tour that includes a picnic in the Healdsburg area, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Old Vine Petite Sirah in the Alexander Valley

Field Stone Winery is one of my favorite wineries in the Alexander Valley. This small winery produces around 8,000 cases of wine per year and has a wide selection of varietals available. There is sure to be at least one wine to suit your taste.

My favorite white wine is Field stone's Viognier. The winery produces a very small quantity of this Rhone varietal and reserves most of each year's production for the winery's wine club. As a result, the wine is not often available for tasting. If it is, try it. If you are a Viognier fan and it is not being offered for tasting, ask if they have some for sale. You might be able to sneak a taste if they have an open bottle.

The Field Stone wine that really grabs me is their Petite Sirah. Produced from vines that are 109 years old, this luscious wine may be too big for those who like lighter reds. But it is a favorite of mine as well as of the Sonoma County Harvest Fair's judges, where it frequently wins a medal. If you want to see the gnarled vines that produce this luscious wine, ask in the tasting room if it is ok to walk behind the winery to visit the vineyard.

Not only is there a lot of good wine at Field Stone, but the tasting room staff is among the most hospitable and friendly in Northern California Wine Country. Nancy, Kevin, and the rest of the staff will welcome you to the winery. Field Stone is located at 10075 Hwy. 28, southeast of Healdsburg.

If you would like to take a private Wine Country tour that includes a visit to Field Stone, call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Beautiful Day In Wine Country

Yesterday I took a family to the Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys for a day of winetasting. What a gorgeous day it was. I've always said the most beautiful days are between winter storms, and yesterday proved that to be true. After our abundant rain, the hillsides are a lush green and the yellow mustard is blossoming in the vineyards. With the nearly cloudless blue sky and temperature in the 60s, it was a perfect day to visit wine country.

My guests visited seven wineries, tying the Blue Heron the record for most wineries visited in an eight-hour tour. Yet the day was not rushed. Being a Saturday, we visited one of my favorite small wineries. Deux Amis (two friends) is the perfect example of a great boutique winery. Winemaker Phyllis Zouzounis and co-owner Jim Penpraze produce about 1,500 cases of luscious, full-bodied Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. The winery and tasting room fit into a small warehouse at 1960 Dry Creek Road, outside of Healdsburg. When you stop by, not only will you get to taste great wine, but you'll always get to meet at least one of the owners. Yesterday, my guests met both Phyllis and Jim, tasted four great wines for free, and learned about winemaking as Phyllis topped off the barrels. Deux Amis is usually open on Saturday afternoons. If you want to visit at another time, call (707) 431-7945 to make an appointment.

If you would like to take a custom, private tour to visit Deux Amis and other wonderful boutique wineries, call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.