This last weekend we did something very grown-up and went wine-tasting in the Russian River area. We'd never been wine tasting before, so it was fun to learn the customs and culture and pretend to know what we were talking about.
I made sure to bring my camera and double-checked that I had it in my purse. Unfortunately, the memory card decided to stay behind with a cosy weekend alone with the laptop. Sigh... The camera phone didn't do much for me, either so the photo above was found here. (Thanks Mark S!)
Gary Farrell Winery, sited at the top of a hill, overlooked the valley below and was the only winery we saw planted conspicuously with California native plants. Good job! While the Manzanitas were a tidge unkempt for my taste, the choice of plants made for a dramatic effect with a uniquely Californian palette. The Muhlenbergia rigens were out in full force and looked fabulous! Oh yeah, and the wines were tasty, too.
We also checked out Armstrong woods, an old-growth redwood forest with backpacking trails and short walks. A lovely walk, although early in the brisk morning under the cover of the trees I couldn't feel my increasingly chilled toes and we practically raced back to bask in the heat in the car! Brr!
Apparently this is the ideal time to go wine tasting as the crowds have bundled up for the winter and the vines are still turning colors.
We are sooooo fortunate to live in this area. To be able to go wine-tasting whenever we choose to drive not so very far!
ReplyDeleteI'm like a broken record every time we set out for a winery visit...."People from all over the world travel here to experience the beauty of Northern California wine country." But it's true. A bit of Tuscany in our own back yard ;~]
I can't imagine living anywhere else. I mean. . . people live where it snows! Snow! Imagine that! We get so caught up in our lives, sometimes it's hard to remember all the amazing things Nor Cal has to offer, like wine tasting!
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