The Wine Country Wind has been blowing these past two days, and it has me thinking: What are three places to go when the Wine Country Wind is blowing? (Creative? No. Contextual? Definitely.)
Here are my three:
1) Jack London Park. Hike through oak trees and past small creeks in Sonoma Valley to the remains of his dream house which burned down before it was finished. The ruins are awesome. And since this is where London wrote many of his books, when the wind is blowing and the leaves are rustling, it’s perfect to envision the “ferine strain” that Buck had in him on the ranch in Santa Clara before being sent to the Yukon.
2) The Sonoma Coast. Blowing wind? Check. Crashing waves? Check. Full-on Shakesperean drama? Oh yes- when the wind is blowing and the waves are crashing, standing on a bluff overlooking the not-so-Pacific Ocean is the place to be. It’s The Tempest meets King Lear meets Whitman’s barbaric yawp all in one. Sound too much like Sophomore lit? Sorry. But this is a great spot to watch and feel the wind. If you want to escape the wind, head to Gourmet-au-Bay in Bodega Bay for some wine surfing in a chillaxed way.
King Lear - time for some wine surfing?
3) Paradise Ridge Winery. Perched on a hill overlooking the Santa Rosa plain and into the Russian River Valley, Paradise Ridge’s tasting room has a fireplace with a cozy couch in front of it. Go outside and face the wind on their impressive deck that dangles over the vineyard, retreat to the fireplace with a glass of their Rockpile Zinfandel.
Those are mine. What are yours?
