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.

Winetasting on New Year's Day

If you wake up on New Year's Day still wanting some wine, you can visit wine country to do a little tasting.  Most wineries are closed on New Year's Day but enough are open that you can still do a day of tasting.  Before heading up you might want to contact a few of your favorites to see if they are open.  Otherwise, just head down Route 29 or the Silverado Trail in Napa or Route 12 in the Sonoma Valley and see what's open.  I know that Nicholson Ranch in Sonoma Valley, Domaine Carneros in the Napa side of Carneros, and Elizabeth Spencer, V. Sattui, and Castello di Amorosa in Napa Valley are open.  However, I'm sure there are more.

You won't be able to take a wine country tour on New Year's Day with Blue Heron Custom Tours and Travel as we are closed for the day.  However, we are open for tours on January 2.  For more information or to book a tour, please phone (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail 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.

Too Much Wine to Taste in Carneros

The Mondavi family is no longer involved in the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville. However, Robert's son, Michael, is still in the wine business through his company, Folio Wine Partners. The company imports a number of wines and produces wine at its Folio Winemakers Studio in the Napa portion of Carneros

Folio also lets other winemakers use the Studio's facilities to produce their own wines. As a result, the list of wines available for tasting is quite extensive. At Folio you can taste Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and other wines.

When you arrive you'll be greeted by the friendly staff and given two lists of wines available for tasting. Decide which tasting you'd like to do, check off the wines you want to taste, and the staff will begin to walk you through your tasting. Take your wine to the deck overlooking the vineyard and you may never leave.

Folio is open daily from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. If you would like to take a private wine country tour that includes a visit to Folio, 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.

Bubbly in Sonoma County

The Russian River Valley is the place for sparkling wine in Sonoma County. This wine region produces world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, two of the three grapes used in Champagne. (The other is Pinot Meunier.)

The three principal producers of sparkling wine in the Russian River Valley are Iron Horse Vineyards, J Vineyards and Winery, and Korbel. All three are well worth visiting.

Iron Horse has a simple, outdoor tasting area atop a hill covered with vineyards. Tasting bubbly on a sunny day while gazing out over the rolling hills of vineyards is an only-in-California experience. Don't expect any fancy dump buckets here. Just throw whatever you don't want to drink onto the grass. The winery offers flights of still or sparkling wines at various prices from 10:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Tours are offered by prior appointments on weekdays. Iron Horse can get crowded on weekends, so try to visit on a weekday when you will get more personal attention.

J Winery provides a nice contrast to Iron Horse. The tasting is much more upscale looking. A flight of four still and sparkling wines is offered daily. In addition, J recently started a tasting of their small-production wines in their main tasting room. For a special experience, visit the Bubble Room on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. With a prior appointment, you can taste J's white, red, and/or sparkling wine paired with delicious foods.

Korbel is the westernmost tasting room in the Russian River Valley. It's not near other wineries, so make sure you want to invest the driving time to get to Korbel. When you arrive, you'll find beautiful brick buildings, a nice cafe with indoor and outside dining, a large gift shop, and more types of sparkling wine than any other producer in Sonoma or Napa County. Korbel also offers regularly scheduled tours.

Carneros, which lies in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, also produces excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Gloria Ferrer, the American outpost of the Catalan cava house - Freixenet, produces high quality bubbly in the Sonoma side of Carneros. The tasting is pretty simple at Gloria Ferrer. Walk up to the counter, order a glass of bubbly, and take it to a table in the tasting room or on the terrace overlooking the vineyards. Gloria Ferrer offers tours, but call first to make sure they will be offered on the day you plan to visit.

If you would like to take a private tour of Sonoma County's sparkling wine producers, please feel free to call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Bubbly in the Napa Valley

While the Napa Valley is best known for Cabernet, some world-class sparkling wine is produced there. Three of the French Champagne producers have long had outposts in Napa. The first was Domaine Chandon, part of the Moet Chandon empire. This was followed by Mumm Napa, a sister winery to GH Mumm and Perrier Jouet in Champagne and part of the Pernod Ricard group, and Domaine Carneros, which was founded by Champagne Taittinger in 1987.

Of the three, my favorite to visit is Domaine Carneros in the Carneros Region of Napa County. Table service is provided on the terrace in front of the Chateau, a wonderful spot to enjoy bubbly on a sunny day. You can also pair cheese, caviar, and other foods with your wine.

Mumm Napa also offers table service on a sunny terrace overlooking the vineyards. They also have a photography gallery with rotating exhibits and photos by Ansel Adams. Mumm does not offer food pairings, but does have a free tour of the winery. Domaine Chandon tends to get crowded. While you can enjoy your wine at a table, you need to take your glass back to the bar when you are ready to move on to the next wine.

Two wineries best known for Cabernet also offer bubbly. Frank Family in St. Helena is one of the last wineries in Napa not to charge a tasting fee. However, that does not mean the wine is not good. Your visit to Frank Family will start with a tasting of their current release sparkling wines, followed by a tasting of their still wines. Frank Family has one of the friendliest tasting rooms in the Valley. Try to avoid Saturdays as they do get crowded. When Cliff Lede bought S. Anderson to open his eponymous winery, he inherited about 10 years' supply of S. Anderson's bubbly. If you visit Cliff Lede within the next year or two, they should still have some S. Anderson sparkling wine available for tasting.

Schramsberg is one of the premier producers of California sparkling wine. The winery is at the far northern end of the Napa Valley, near Calistoga. Your tasting comes with a tour of the winery that includes a visit to caves built by Chinese laborers in the 19th century. Schramsberg is very popular and tastings, which require advance appointments, tend to fill up early on summer weekends. So plan ahead if you want to see this historic property.

If you'd like to take a private Napa tour that focuses on sparkling wine, please 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.

Wine Country with Kids

Touring wine country is not much fun for children. After all, watching one's parents drink is not a great spectator sport. A great compromise is to devote part of the day to a child-friendly activity and the balance to visiting wine country.

Blue Heron has long offered a tour called Red Trees and Red Wine, which combines a visit to Muir Woods with a tour of the town of Sonoma and the Carneros wine region. During this full-day tour, we start with a visit to Muir Woods, home to the coastal redwoods - the tallest trees in the world. Afterward, we head up to the Carneros wine region for an afternoon of winetasting. The charming town of Sonoma, with its Mexican-era plaza and old mission, is a great place to stop for lunch. A visit to Mission San Francisco de Solano, the last of the 21 missions built in California, can be included.

Another fun day for families is to start with a tour of the Jelly Belly Factory to learn how these delicious candies are made. Then its off to Carneros or the southern Napa Valley for lunch and an afternoon of winetasting. This tour allows every family member to come home with treats they will enjoy.

If you would like to take one of these tours, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Taking a Winery Tour

If you have never taken a tour of a winery, I recommend doing so when you visit wine country. Most of the tours focus on the winemaking process; although, a few focus on other areas such as biodynamic farming and the history of the winery. Once you have done one tour, you are probably set for life unless you are really into making wine. After all, one can only see so many stainless steel fermentation tanks and oak barrels.

Many wineries do not offer tours. Still more offer tours only by appointment. If you arrive in the Napa or Sonoma Valleys or Carneros without having scheduled a tour, here are a few options for you:

Sonoma Valley:

Benziger offers one of the more unique wine country tours. You can visit their biodynamic vineyards in a tractor-pulled tram and then walk through their production facilities. The schedule varies, but tours are usually offered hourly if not more frequently. The tour lasts about one hour and includes tasting some of their wines.

Sebastiani's Historical Tour covers the history of Sebastiani as well as the winemaking process. Tours are usually offered at 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00; however, they may be cancelled due to special events so call before you arrive to make sure the tour is being offered. The tour lasts 40 minutes.

Carneros:

Artesa provides free tours of their production facilities at 11:00 and 2:00. There is no charge for the 45 minute tour.

Napa Valley:

Mondavi offers hourly tours that include tastes of some of their current releases. The tour is advertised as 75 minutes in length but frequently takes longer. During the summer and fall, more frequent tours may be offered. Children are allowed only on the noon tour.

Rutherford Hill's tours include a visit to their caves and tastings of some of their current releases. Tours are offered at 11:30, 1:30, and 3:30. During the busy summer and fall seasons, arrive early to make sure you get a ticket.

Mumm Napa has free hourly tours of their production facilities and photography gallery. You can just show up at the winery a few minutes before the start of the tour.

Beringer offers an array of tours. Some tours require advance reservations. For other tours, you just buy a ticket when you arrive at the winery. Most focus on some aspect of the history of Beringer, the oldest continuously operated winery in the Napa Valley.

Other wineries offer quality tours. If you have taken one, post a comment. If you would like to take a private wine country tour that includes a winery tour, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

The Tasting Room Experience

Just because a winery produces good wine does not mean you will have a good time in their tasting room. Schug Carneros Estate Winery has been producing excellent Pinot Noir and other wines since 1980. However, I seldom take guests into the tasting room because of the attitude of one of their regular staffers. He never engages visitors and can be quite off putting.

Yesterday, I was showing Pinot lovers around Carneros and decided to take a chance and visit Schug. What a difference! The three staff were friendly and the one serving my guests was very funny and attentive. This quality customer service coupled with the good wine made for an enjoyable experience for my guests.

I learned that the staff member lacking customer service skills does not work on Sundays and Mondays, so I'll put Schug back on my list of wineries to visit but just on the two days he's not there.

This one person I am criticizing is not the only tasting room staff member who does not have adequate customer service skills. I was recently at Chateau Montelena where a friendly staffer took good care of my guests. However, her colleague left a lot to be desired. I was the only visitor in the tasting room when others walked in the front door. The sole staff member in the room was doing some paperwork and never looked up to great the people after they walked in. If I was in their group, I would have walked out the door after standing around for a few minutes with no one even saying, "Hello," to them.

Wineries need to remember that many visitors have never been to a tasting room. They may be a little intimidated or not know how tastings are conducted. A warm greeting will go a long way to making their visit a pleasant one.

If you would like to take a private wine country tour where you will meet friendly tasting room staff, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Sandwiches and Salads on Sonoma Plaza

If you are winetasting in Carneros or Sonoma Valley and just want a quick sandwich or salad for lunch, the Sunflower Caffe on Sonoma Plaza is the place to go. (The sign on the restaurant says, "Caffe," but all the internet listings say, "Cafe.") Using the freshest of ingredients, this pleasant bistro prepares a variety of light meals. On summer weekends, the Sunflower also offers sandwiches with freshly barbecued meats.

After placing your order at the counter, you will be given your drink and a number. Find a table and then wait for your meal to be brought to you. You can lunch inside on a rainy day, but on warm days you will want to sit out back in their sunny garden or at one of the tables in front facing the plaza.

The cafe is also a good spot to stop for coffee, espresso, and/or pastry.

Sunflower Caffe is located on the west side of Sonoma Plaza at 421 First Street West.

If you would like to take a private wine country tour in Sonoma County that includes lunch at the Sunflower Caffe, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Winetasting for Non-Drinkers

Sometimes my tour groups include one or two people who do not drink. Since watching others taste wine is not much fun, I try to visit wineries that would also be enjoyable for the non-drinkers.

Wineries that are interesting to visit for both tasters and obstainers are those with art galleries. The Hess Collection, on Mount Veeder in the Napa Valley, has a large gallery of contemporary art. Three floors of modern art will give the nondrinkers plenty to do while their friends taste Hess' wines in the pretty tasting room. Mumm Napa Valley, producer or quality sparkling wines, has a photography gallery with a regular exhibit of works by Anselm Adams as well as rotating exhibits. Turnbull Wine Cellars, also in the Napa Valley, produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and other wines and has a gallery of excellent black and white photographs. Imagery Estate Winery, in the Sonoma Valley, has an on-going exhibit of the original works of art used for their wine labels. Lastly, Clos Pegase Estate Winery, in the northern end of the Napa Valley, has a sculpture garden with works by some of the twentieth century's best known sculptors.

Non-drinkers also enjoy visiting architecturally interesting wineries. Sterling Vineyards sits on a knoll overlooking the Napa Valley. Visitors travel to the winery in a gondola and upon arrival are treated to beautiful views of the valley. In the Carneros Region, Artesa Winery is an architecturally stunning building atop a hill. Great views may be had from the entry way to the winery as well as from the deck outside the tasting room. The winery is also home to a resident sculptor and a small museum on the history of Carneros.

If you are planning a trip to San Francisco with a group that contains both folks who enjoy wine as well as those who do not, I'd be happy to plan a Wine Country tour that includes stops at wineries that all will find interesting. To schedule a tour, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Winetasting Overlooking The Vineyards

Bouchaine Vineyards in the Carneros Region of Napa County provides a lovely spot to taste some quality wine. On a sunny day, sitting on Bouchaine's deck overlooking the vineyards and tasting excellent Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other varietals provides the perfect wine country experience. If the weather isn't cooperating, the friendly staff will make sure you still have an enjoyable time at the counter in the tasting room.

If you plan ahead, Bouchaine can provide you with a picnic lunch on the deck. Their "Table for Two" provides a picnic basked with lunch for two adults and a bottle of wine. You may order as many baskets as you need for your group, but must call (800) 654-9463) at least 24 hours in advance to arrange your wine country lunch.

Bouchaine is located a little off the beaten track in Carneros at 1075 Buchli Station Road. Be sure to take a map with you (available on Bouchaine's website) as Buchli Station Road is not well marked and Bouchaine's sign at the intersection of Las Amigas and Buchli Station is easy to miss. Bouchaine is open daily from 10:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. During the winter, their hours are reduced so check before you visit if traveling between November and April.

Better yet, let Blue Heron Custom Tours take you a private tour of Carneros that includes a visit to Bouchaine and other great wineries. To book your custom tour, call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Relax and Enjoy California Sparkling Wine

One of my favorite settings in all of wine country is the patio at Domaine Carneros. Life doesn't get much better than sitting outside on a sunny afternoon, gazing out over the vineyards, and drinking sparkling wine.

Domaine Carneros is best known for it's three sparkling wines. (While it is legal to call sparkling wine "Champagne" in the United States, to the rest of the world "Champagne" is sparkling wine produced only in the Champagne region of France.) However, it also produces some pretty good Pinot Noir.

When you visit the winery, I recommend ordering a sampler of the three sparkling wines or three red wines (usually three different Pinot Noirs or two Pinots and a Merlot). Domaine Carneros is one of the few wineries that serves food, so you may want to pair your wine with a cheese or caviar plate.

Domaine Carneros is open later than most wineries -- until 6:00 p.m. -- so it's a perfect spot to end your day of winetasting. The winery also offers a 45-minute tour to explain how sparkling wine is produced. Domaine Carneros is located on Highway 121 in the Carneros Region of Napa County.

If you would like to take a tour that includes a stop at Domaine Carneros, feel free to call me to book our 4.5-hour Taste of Wine Country Tour or our 8-hour tour to the Napa or Sonoma Valley. You can reach me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or by clicking here.

Friendly Tasting Room in Carneros

Carneros is the wine growing region (American Viticulture Area (AVA)) that spans the top of San Francisco Bay. The nearby Bay provides for cooler temperatures; thus, making Carneros (sheep or ram in Spanish) an ideal locale to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Growers have also been experimenting with other varietals, such as Syrah.

Carneros' beautiful rolling hills and proximity to San Francisco (approximately one hour by car) make this a great place to taste wine. One of the friendliest tasting rooms to visit is Nicholson Ranch, a small, family-owned winery that produces about 6,500 cases of Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and a very small amount of Merlot. The land is owned by Socrates Nicholson. (Ellis Island officials Anglicized the family's Greek surname.) Soc's daughter, Ramona, owns the winery. Both are frequently in the tasting room and available to answer your questions.

More likely you'll encounter the regular tasting room staff, which includes Bruce, Bill, Charles, Donna, Mark, and Susan. All are enthusiastic about Nicholson's wines; extremely knowledgeable about wine in general; and, most importantly, welcoming to all visitors.

Nicholson charges $10 for a flight of six wines, which you may keep to yourself or share with your companion. It's fun to compare and contract Nicholson's various Chardonnays, Pinots, and Syrahs. The staff will help you select wines that will appeal to your palate. Nicholson is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Tours of their caves may be arranged by prior appointment.

If you want to take a private, custom wine country tour that includes a visit to Nicholson Ranch, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.