We *finally* did it. We’ve been talking about a trip to California Wine Country with the Francos for 7+ years! We ultimately decided that since we were both celebrating our 20th wedding anniversaries in the same year, there was no better reason to make it happen.
We chose Sonoma, with the fantastic Barrel House in Healdsburg as our home base. We flew out on Wednesday morning, and despite a lengthy flight delay and quite a bit of traffic, we arrived in time for our dinner reservation at Barndiva. The pictures above don’t quite do the charming outdoor dining area justice - and the weather couldn’t have been better!
For our first full day, we hired a driver to give us tour of selected wineries in the area. We were pleasantly surprised when he showed up with this super cool convertible van, especially since it was such a glorious day!
Our day started at Medlock Ames, with a jovial host and lovely property. We moved on to Robert Young, whose elevated tasting rooms and grounds overlooking the valley were truly spectacular. From there we enjoyed sandwiches our guide picked up for us from Big John’s (local gourmet grocer) at J Rickard’s Winery, after which Jim Rickard himself gave us a tour that included Dixie cup tastings from the vats in different states of fermentation. Our final stop was yet another stunningly beautiful spot, Passalacqua - probably our favorite wine of the day (and definitely a tongue-twister for the remainder of the weekend).
The next day was devoted to what was initially referred to by us as the “expensive tasting,” but which wound up surpassing all expectations: Lynmar Estate. We began our Collector’s Flight sipping rosé in the breathtaking gardens, and then we headed up to the caves, passing row upon row of vines along the way. Katie, our Lynmar guide, was eager for us to experience everything- and since it was harvest time, there was a LOT to see. We witnessed the sorting process, peered into vats before and after the pour-over process, and chatted extensively with Pete, the winemaker.
And THEN we got to the caves, and our charming alcove awaiting our tasting. It. Was. Awesome. Best of all, the wines were exquisite! Suffice to say, we are in the family now.
After such an incomparable tour, we opted to cancel the second scheduled tasting of the day, and chose to chill by the Barrel House’s beautiful pool before our tapas dinner reservation. A rough afternoon.
For our final, full day, we mixed it up and drove to the coast, stopping to see the magnificent redwoods in Armstrong Woods. From there we stopped at Goat Rock State Beach, which was gorgeous, before heading into Bodega Bay for a seafood lunch by the sea.
We ended the day stopping at a forgettable winery near the house, and then enjoyed another relaxing afternoon/evening at home with take-out pizza, college football, and Euchre. It was bliss. The trip felt full of experiences, but also rest and relaxation - including morning cups of coffee by the fire in the Barrel Room.
We were so fortunate to have Donna and Larry man the ship for us, without which this truly memorable vacation wouldn’t have happened. Next up: Bordeaux in 2024!
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