Sonoma County wineries are not special in at least this one detail: Every other tasting room has a “Winery Dogs” book for sale or on display, featuring a big portrait of their faithful pooch in coffee-table style. There’s Wine Dogs (including Robert Parker winery dog rating system), Winery Dogs of Sonoma, and Winery Dogs Gone Wild. Just kidding on that {…}
If you want to start the weekend off right, head out tonight to Santa Rosa Vintners Square. From 5 to 9 p.m., celebrate Wine Down Thursdays. Through Dec. 15, this block party features wine from D’Argenzio, Sheldon, Krutz, and Squires. Food options include Street-eatz Flavors of the World, Matchbox, Charlie Bruno’s Chuck Wagon, Karma Indian, and Ultra Crepes. The party {…}
It was a sad day when Roche Winery closed, after years of welcoming visitors to its hillside perch along Hwy. 121 across from Infineon Raceway in Carneros/Sonoma. Then, construction began on the site last winter, and curiosity grew as passersby watched a dramatic new building take shape. The hammering and landscaping is now finished, and it’s happy times again: Ram’s {…}
Why not Zin Guerrilla? Good question, because winemaker Bruce Patch created this brand with a single-minded focus on Zinfandel grown in Sonoma County. But when this label first appeared on local shelves, it was hard to know what to make of it. Each release bears novel artwork, at first depicting a cadre of lithe and wan revolutionaries, vaguely in the {…}
For many of us, myself included, a great winery visit is as much about the overall experience as it is about the wine. Set back along a remote, windy road in the Dry Creek Valley, Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate has quickly become one of my favorite tasting stops because of its passionate staff, ethereal setting, and striking architecture. The winery also {…}
I first became aware of one of the best sources of wine and travel information in Sonoma, Wine Road, several years ago when I used one of the company’s handy maps to plan a day of visiting vineyards along Westside Road. Since then, the WineRoad.com site has become a standard “go to” for me when I’m seeking information on wineries, {…}
It’s just as well that Dennis Mitchell isn’t behind the bar when I drop by this afternoon, because I’m empty-handed. The low-key, affable Mitchell, who manages the tasting room with wife Diane, won’t ask for a bottle of homemade wine from everyone who walks in the door, but if I’ve recently corked a new vintage, I’d do better to stay {…}
One of my favorite wineries either for kicking off or wrapping up an afternoon of touring and tasting is Rodney Strong Vineyards. The spacious, elegant tasting room is surrounded gardens and evergreens, and it fronts a small pond with two gurgling fountains. Although it’s one of central Sonoma County’s larger-scale winemakers, the staff is always low-keyed and friendly, the tastings {…}
I have a friend who hates goat cheese. No matter how fresh, subtle and “ungoaty” it is to my senses, it’s always “goaty-goat, smelly old goat!” to this super-smeller. With similar passion, many people profess a dislike of Chardonnay, the nation’s most popular wine. Last week, we took at look at a Chardonnay that simply takes the “goat” out of {…}
Orzo Pasta with Dry Fruit, Nuts, Asiago and Tangerine Vinaigrette Pair with Korbel Brut Rosé 2 pounds Orzo or Rosamarino pasta, cooked, cooled ½ cup dry apricots, chopped ½ cup golden raisins ½ cup dry cranberries 1 bunch fresh mint, chiffonade 1 T fresh chopped garlic 4 ozs. Grated asiago cheese ½ cup toasted pinenuts ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts {…}
