The Wine Travelers

Linguine with Clam Sauce and Pancetta

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Joe

I adapted this recipe for Linguine with Clam Sauce and Pancetta from the book “Heat” by Bill Burford. If you like cooking, this is a must-read book. You can literally feel the heat of the kitchen as you read through the book. The original recipe is found on pages 129 to 131 in the softbound edition of “Heat.” This is a fairly easy and quick home-cooking recipe, but the results are spectacular.

You really need to get some fresh linguine for this recipe; it is the key. We have a couple of markets near us that carry packaged fresh linguine in the cold section, but we prefer heading off a few miles to buy it fresh at Pasta Pasta in San Mateo at 125 E. 4th Street. They make it there daily along with a variety of sauces.

Linguine with Clam Sauce and Pancetta Ingredients:

12 oz of fresh linguine
2 TBS of olive oil
2 oz of pancetta, diced into ¼ inch pieces
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ cup of red onion, diced small
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup of dry white wine
2 TBS of butter
1 and 1/2 dozen littleneck clams, or more if desired
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

Feeds 4

Boil water for pasta and add enough salt so it “tastes like the ocean.”

In a pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the pancetta for 3 minutes or so; then add garlic, onions and red pepper flakes. Cook fast at high heat until onions glisten.

Add the butter and the wine to stop the cooking. Add the clams and cover. Cook at high heat. In the meantime, add fresh pasta to the water and boil for the required time.

Use tongs to drip pasta over the open clams and sauce. Cook and stir a few more minutes, mixing the clams, sauce and pasta. Turn off the burner and drip olive oil over the pasta. Serve and add the fresh parsley to the dish.

Feeds four average eaters. Maybe have a salad beforehand. My wine recommendation is a lighter red wine, not big like a Zin or Cab, but a Pinot Noir or a Spanish Mencia or Grenache wine. It is the pancetta in my book that calls for the light red.

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Kenneth Volk Vineyards

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Joe

If you are touring the Santa Barbara wine country, make sure you give yourself time to visit the Kenneth Volk Vineyards. You’ll get a chance to taste some unique and delightful varietals of wine. Kenneth Volk Vineyards was our last stop on a daylong wine tasting adventure on the Foxen Canyon Road. We began at the Fess Parker Winery and made our way to four wineries. We had reached the end of the Foxen Canyon Road, but the winery road signs enticed us to go on. We are happy we did, because just a couple of miles away we discovered Kenneth Volk and his wines.

We were lucky that Kenneth Volk was in the tasting room and just happened to wait on us. What a treat! Previously, Kenneth owned and operated Wild Horse Winery in Paso Robles. During his tenure at Wild Horse, he established himself as one of the most respected winemakers in the state. Ten years ago, he sold the entire operation to the Jim Beam Corporation. He sat idle for a brief period, but got the bug to make wine again when he found this ideal location in the Santa Maria Valley at the foot of the Tepusquet Canyon on the Sisquoc River Bench. He purchased the old Byron Winery with the idea of fixing up the facility, and it is still a work in progress for him.

Winemaker and Owner Kenneth Volk

Kenneth’s current lineup of wines includes 18 different labels. The ones that caught our attention were these unusual varietals: Malvasia Bianca, Torrontes, Verdelho, Negrette, Aglianico and Tempranillo. By far and away, this is the most diverse lineup of wines I have seen at any winery we have visited in California and elsewhere. This diversity is because of Kenneth’s love to experiment and find new wines to produce. It is an adventure for him and that is what makes a visit to this winery so special. We tasted several wines and really enjoyed all of them. They are all well-made wines with great character. When you visit, be adventurous and try his obscure labels. You’re bound to find a few to your liking.

We like Pinot Noir, so we could not pass up tasting four of his Pinots. The tasting list has eight different Pinot Noirs. The ones we tasted were impressive, but in particular the Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot and the Sierra Madre Pinot. This is what Pinot should taste like!

Another treat for us was the 2009 Tempranillo from a vineyard on the west side of Paso Robles. We like Spanish Tempranillo wines, and this one has a uniqueness all its own. It’s a bit bigger and bolder than anything from Spain. Delicious!

The winery is open daily from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. To get there from Los Olivos, drive up Canyon Road to Tepusquet Road. Turn right onto Tepusquet Road and go straight over the bridge for about half a mile. Watch for the signs. Other wineries nearby are Rancho Sisquoc, Riverbench Vineyards, and Byron. More on Santa Barbara wine country trails.

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Santa Barbara Wine Country Travels

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Joe

Those of you who follow this blog know that we rented a house in the Los Olivos area for one week, so we could explore the Santa Barbara wine country. Last post we gave an overview of Santa Barbara wine region and now it is time to discuss specific wineries in the Santa Barbara wine country.

A Day on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail in Santa Barbara Wine Country

We spent the entire day traveling the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail and visiting five wineries on this route. The first very thing we did was purchase a picnic lunch in Los Olivos at the Panino Deli. Panino also has delis in five other Santa Barbara wine country towns and their sandwiches and salads are excellent.

Fess Parker Winery
Good old Fess Parker! When we were youngsters we watched on television with great enthusiasm, the Davy Crockett show starring Fess Parker. Little did we know that the man would go on to make some very good wines that we would also embrace with enthusiasm. The only trouble with the Fess Parker winery is that it is extremely popular. We prefer a quieter atmosphere, less party and more wine talk. We spent just a brief period of time there, side stepping a couple of bachelorette parties, and then left quickly to taste at the Zaca Mesa winery.

Zaca Mesa Winery

Vineyards at Zaca Mesa

Zaca Mesa in our opinion is the most under-rated winery in the Santa Barbara wine country. Why? Because they do not get enough credit for all the amazing wines they produce. Their flagship wine is their Syrah, which is a delicious value at under $20 and available widely in California. Unfortunately, many of their small- production wines are available only at the winery. We loved their Rousanne, Mouvedre, and Z Cuvée wines. Too bad we cannot get these at our local wine shop. Overall, this is great stop along the Foxen Canyon wine trail.

Rancho Sisquoc
The winery has a very cool tasting room and surrounding picnic area. Unfortunately, their vineyards are two miles north of the winery, so you don’t get that lovely vineyard atmosphere when visiting. The wines are produced from the Santa Maria wine appellation or AVA. Their entire lineup of wines is very good and we think they’re amazing values, priced under the $20 range. We sat with our friends and enjoyed our picnic lunch while sipping Rancho Sisquoc Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

Riverbench Vineyards and Winery

Tasting room at Riverbench

This is a relatively new winery. The family has been farming vineyards and selling their grapes since 1973. They finally said “enough is enough” and decided it was time to take their best grapes and focus on making fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The tasting room is in a beautifully-remodeled 1927 house. Whoever selected the design and color schemes in the rooms needs to be given a medal of honor. What a decorating touch they have!

Kenneth Volk Winery

We taste Kenneth’s wines

This last winery deserves its own blog post and that is just what we will do in our next post. We were fortunate that Kenneth Volk, the owner himself, waited on us. We spent a good hour tasting his wines and listening to his wisdom on winemaking. What an interesting guy! Stay tuned for more on Kenneth Volk.

All these wineries are on what is called the Foxen Canyon Road Trail. Get your Google map or GPS and you are sure to have a wonderful time. By the way, we decided that Riverbench Vineyards has the best picnic spot on this wine trail.

Posted in Santa Barbara Wine Country, Wine Information | Tagged Santa Barbara wine country travels | Leave a comment

Santa Barbara Wine Country

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Joe

It’s been too long since our last extended visit to the wonderful Santa Barbara wine county, so we decided to spend an entire week in this beautiful region. We rented a gorgeous home in the wine town of Los Olivos with two other couples who love wine and wine country just as much as we do. The home sits up on a hill with a lovely view of vineyards surrounding the property. What a delightful place to stay!

Exploring Santa Barbara wine country

There are just over 100 wineries and tasting rooms to visit in the area. The wineries are spread over five AVA or wine appellations. In addition, in the small towns of Los Olivos, Solvang, and Lompoc, there are many tasting rooms to visit. Los Olivos leads the way with at least 30 tasting rooms within a three square-block area. To my surprise the tasting rooms seem to be quite busy even during the week.

One of the many tasting rooms in Los Olivos

The five AVA’s are very different in climate and soil, and as a result there many different varietals that are grown in the Santa Barbara Wine country. The Pinot Noir and Rhone style wines garner the greatest attention in this area.

Santa Barbara wine country was somewhat of a sleepy wine tourist area until 2005 when the movie “Sideways” made its debut. The movie has almost a cult following. The two hapless characters portrayed in the movie, Miles and Jack, explore the Santa Barbara wine county on a bachelor excursion. Miles is a wine geek and wants his friend Jack to learn the nuances of wine, especially Pinot Noir. The movie featured several Santa Barbara area wines and wineries. The “Sideways” movie has made a tremendous impact on wine tourism in Santa Barbara, and especially in the increased popularity of Pinot Noir.

How fitting that we watched for the third time this movie the first night in our Los Olivos House. Now it is time for a week of exploring the area and revising the three Santa Barbara wine country trails on our WineCountryGetaways.com Website.

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Escape Napa Valley and Sonoma

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Joe

No doubt that the Napa Valley and Sonoma County are numbers one and two in wine country tourism. It’s surprising how many from out of state think this is where all California wine is produced, but there are many other terrific wine regions to visit in California. These regions are less touristy and perhaps, more importantly, less expensive. Here are three regions that will take you to wonderful wine country. Think different and escape Napa Valley and Sonoma.

Mendocino’s Anderson Valley
This wine region is about a two-hour drive from San Francisco, heading north on Highway 101 and taking Highway 128 West to Boonville. In this excursion you will be able to experience two wine AVA’s (appellations), the Yorkville Highlands, and the Anderson Valley. In Yorkville we recommend Meyer Family Cellars and Yorkville Cellars. Meyer has a Bocce Court and Yorkville produces some very fun and offbeat wines. In the Anderson Valley you will find tasting rooms and wineries galore. This is the land of Pinot Noir and Alsatian-style wine. A couple of our favorite wineries are Navarro Vineyards and Handley, but there are many other excellent wineries along Highway 128 from Boonville to the town of Navarro. Anderson Valley Wine Trail

Breggo in the Anderson Valley

There are restaurants and lodging in the Anderson Valley, but they are somewhat limited. We recommend the Boonville Hotel or The Madrones. Many travelers like to explore the wineries in the Anderson Valley and then continue on another hour to Highway 1 and the quaint and romantic town of Mendocino. Whatever you decide, your experience in this Mendocino County wine region will be tranquil and relaxing. Lodging in Anderson Valley. Restaurants in Anderson Valley.

Sutter Creek and the Shenandoah Valley
This region is about a two-and-a-half hour ride from San Francisco. In our opinion, Sutter Creek is the very best little town in gold country. It’s a charming town and the gateway to the wonderful wineries 15 minutes away in the spectacular Shenandoah Valley. We like several wineries in the area, and we have divided the wineries into two distinct wine trails: The Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail and the Shenandoah School Road Wine Trail. We like the Hanford House Inn for lodging, but there also several other good places to lodge in Sutter Creek. The best restaurant in the area is Taste Restaurant in Plymouth, and there are several restaurants in Sutter Creek where you can find decent dining.

Shenandoah Valley

Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains is a huge AVA stretching from Half Moon Bay in the north all the way to Watsonville in the South. It encompasses three counties: San Mateo, Santa Clara and Monterey. The Santa Cruz Mountain climate is ideal for growing the cool climate grapes, especially Pinot Noir. You can get a glimpse of this gigantic AVA with a visit to three very good wineries. Begin the trip at the Thomas Fogarty winery on Skyline Bvld (Highway 35) in Palo Alto. Thomas Fogarty wines are quite delicious and we love the Gerwurztraminer. The views are truly spectacular at Fogerty and on clear day you can see breathtaking views of the Bay Area.

View at Thomas Fogarty

Continue your journey on Highway 35 south about 20 miles and then a right turn onto Bear Creek Road. Among the beautiful Redwoods you will find the David Bruce Winery and Byington Winery. Byington is the ideal spot for a game of Bocce and a picnic lunch. At this juncture you have several options. You can head back the way you came or continue on Bear Creek Road past Highway 35 and it will eventually lead to Highway 17. Highway 17 will also take you to the city of Santa Cruz where you can explore more wineries and the Santa Cruz beach area.

Happy wine country travels!

Next article – Santa Barbara wine country here we come.

Posted in Amador County, Mendocino Wine Country, Santa Cruz Wine Country | Tagged Escaping Napa Valley and Sonoma | Leave a comment

Duxoup Wine Works in Dry Creek

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Joe

Ask around the Dry Creek Valley about Duxoup wines and chances are nobody will have ever heard of this winery. I asked at two different tasting rooms to test my theory. One person thought I probably had the wrong name. The other was shocked to learn that such a winery could exist without her knowing about it.

Winery directions on West Dry Creek Rd. No Duxoup!

And that’s the way Andy and Debbie Cutter like it. They love the slow, easy life of making wine the way it used to be before wine country tourism became the thing to do. They make their wine in a gravity-flow wine cellar just below their home in the hills of the Dry Creek Valley. You won’t spot a single sign on the roadway to indicate a winery exists there. The Cutters do not have a tasting room, nor do they have any wine to sell out of the winery. Once the Duxoup wine is bottled, it is shipped off to the Sonoma Vintners Wine Co-op. Andy and Debbie do not want any part of the wine scene. They like the anonymity of their hidden wine country abode.

The winery began in 1981 and it is fascinating that hardly anyone knows about it, except for the old-time winemakers who knew Andy and Deb during their early days. Andy began his wine career at Freemark Abbey and Deb at Franciscan Winery. Currently, they are making 1400 cases. They make some unusual wines for Dry Creek: Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Gamay Noir, and a Charbono. The only well-known varietal they produce is a Syrah, and it happens to be the only wine they sell that is over $20 a bottle. The Cutters source all their grapes except the Charbono from Ray and Lori Teldeschi, who have been farming their family vineyards for 50 years. The Charbono comes from the Friediani Vineyards in the Napa Valley in Calistoga.

We met up with Andy Cutter with our friends and fellow wine bloggers, Mike and Mary Beltran. Mike met Andy in the early 1980’s when Andy was peddling his wine to a Sausalito wine shop where Mike worked as wine buyer. Andy has some amazing wine stories to tell, especially the ones about his great friendship with famed winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff.

Andy Cutter tells wine tales to Mike Beltran

Duxoup Chardono 2011

While we sat and conversed, Andy opened a bottle of his 2010 Charbono. Two-thirds of the Charbono is new vine, averaging around 30 years old. The last third comes from old vine Charbono over 100 years old. The vineyard workers drop fruit in the new vines, but the old vines produce few clusters and in a sense thin themselves, so no need to physically drop the fruit. The Charbono was quite tasty and as Andy told stories, the wine just seemed to get better and better.

Andy and Deb make wine the old-fashioned way. The wines are on the lighter, less oaky side, and pair nicely with food. Just one example of Andy’s approach to making wine: Andy purchased an outdated wine bottle machine from Lava Cap winery in El Dorado County. The wine enters the bottle via gravity flow, but Andy thought that was too fast for the wine. He wanted it to be a much slower fill, very gentle on the wine. He and a friend invented some pressure adapters above the machine to slow the pace below gravity speed. Can you imagine!

If you want to try any of the Duxoup wines, they are best obtained through retailers and restaurants by way of their distributors. The distribution partner here in California is Springboard Wines.

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Battaglini Winery in Russian River Wine Country

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Joe

Our wine country getaway to Battaglini Winery

Battaglini Estate Winery

Battaglini Winery is a hidden gem in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. In this wine region there are many gorgeous wineries, fancy tasting rooms, and state-of-the art wine making facilities. At the Battaglini Winery, things are done the old-fashioned way. Italian native Joe Battaglini is the owner and winemaker. Joe and his wife Lucia purchased the then-abandoned winery in 1988 and produced their first vintage in 1994. Joe Battaglini learned how to make wine from his father as he was growing up in Lucca, Italy. Even the vines at Battaglini are old fashioned, and by that I mean 127 years old. There are 25 acres of these vines consisting of old Zinfandel and Petit Syrah. These 127-year-old vines are still producing, although the yields are small. The fruit is concentrated, with flavors that produce wonderful wine.

Owner and winemaker Joe Battaglini

127 year-old Petite Sirah

The tasting room is small and funky and adorned with memorabilia from Lucca. Joe usually pours in the tasting room, and if you ask you can get a quick tour of the old vineyards. The vines are fascinating to look at. Joe even has names for a few of them. What a kick to be out in the fields with Joe Battaglini.

Joe opened several Zinfandel wines for us dating from 2002 to 2009. We were amazed at how well the older vintages held up, rich and delicious. Yes, they had mellowed, but the fruit was still there to enjoy and savor. Joe also makes an unfiltered Chardonnay and an oaky Chardonnay. They were good but not as impressive as the Zin and Petite. Zinfandel and Petite Sirah wines are aged in a mix of new and old French barrels for 18 months. Once bottled, the wines sit for 2 years before being released.

Joe has recently begun to experiment with Pinot Noir. After all the Russian River Valley is famous for Pinot Noir, so why not try and see what he can do with this grape? The vines were recently planted, so we won’t be able to taste any Pinot Noir for a few years.

Other Nearby Wineries

For more wine tasting, leave Battaglini Winery, make a left turn and continue along Piner Road to Olivet Road. Here you’ll find DeLoach, Harvest Moon, Hook & Ladder and others. Olivet Lane Wine Trail

Lodging and Restaurants

For this wine country getaway, we stayed at the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa just a short hop from Battaglini Winery and the Olivet Road wineries. We ate dinner at the Jon Ash Restaurant that is located in the Vintners Inn. There is also plenty of other lodging in Santa Rosa and a little further north in Healdsburg.

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Santa Cruz Mountains wine country

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Joe

The Santa Cruz Mountains wine country is perhaps the most diverse of all the California wine appellations. This wine country stretches from Half Moon Bay in the north all the way to Watsonville in the South. It spans three counties: San Mateo, Santa Clara and Monterey. Visiting the Santa Cruz Mountains wine country is fun, interesting and adventurous. It will take you from breathtaking mountain tops to vineyards at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Here is an overnight trip that we took last week. We began at the La Nebbia Winery in Half Moon Bay and traveled to the area of Corralitos, high on a Santa Cruz Mountain top, to visit the Windy Oaks Winery. The distance from one to the other is 70 miles, all in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA.

Day One Adventures: The Highway 1 Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Country Trail

Our first stop was at La Nebbia Winery on Highway 92, a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean, and very close to the main drag in Half Moon Bay. La Nebbia is one of the few wineries that offer “bottle your own” events throughout the year. They also have a Bocce Court for your enjoyment. Check the La Nebbia Website for the remaining seven Saturdays for “Bottle and Cork Day.”

The town of Half Moon Bay is a nice stop for lunch or a quick look at some boutique shops. If you go, don’t miss the Half Moon Bay Wine and Cheese Shop, 421 Main Street. We like It’s Italia for lunch on the corner of Main and Mill Streets.

We then headed south on Highway 1. There are many beautiful and scenic beaches along the way and two tiny towns where you can stop for lunch. In Pescadero, there is the historic Duarte’s Tavern. It is a popular spot for lunch and dinner and a nice place to tack onto a trip. The tiny town of Davenport has two cafes where you can get a satisfying meal while enjoying a view of the Pacific Ocean.

Along HWY 1 Pigeon Pt. Lighthouse

Beauregard Vineyards
This was our second winery stop. About 1.5 miles south of Davenport, take a left turn and drive up Bonny Doon Road for almost 4 miles. The Beauregard tasting room will be on your right at Pine Flat Road. The Beauregard Family has been growing grapes since 1949 and recently began making their own label of wines. We liked the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines that we tasted. They are pricey but well made and delicious. There is a nice picnic area situated among the Redwoods and overlooking their vineyards. It is a very inviting spot.

Surf City Vintners
Next we headed back to Highway 1 from Beauregard and turned south and drove into Santa Cruz to the Swift Street Courtyard. Here is a cool warehouse area with several tasting rooms anchored by the famed Bonny Doon Winery. Bonny Doon has a spectacular tasting room and restaurant. The wineries in this location call themselves the Surf City Vintners. One can spend an entire day wine tasting in this location. Check this page for a complete list of wineries located in the Swift Street Courtyard.

Surf City Vintners

We stayed overnight in Santa Cruz at the Paradox Hotel on Ocean Avenue and ate dinner in their fine Solaire Restaurant.

Day Two Adventures: Corralitos Wine Trail

We decided to head south of Santa Cruz and take in two wineries that we had heard rave reviews about. You need a good map or GPS system; otherwise expect to get lost. That’s not a bad thing because the countryside is so pretty. You are in and out of the Redwoods on this trip. Watch out for cyclists; there are plenty of them on these windy roads.

Windy Oaks Estate Winery
It’s all about Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at Windy Oaks Estate Winery, plus the views are incredible. From the very top of the vineyards facing west one can see the entire Monterey Bay area. If you visit this winery, be sure to take a picnic lunch with you and head up to the top of the vineyards. There are not too many places like this in wine country anywhere. We tasted through a series of six different Pinot Noir wines. They were all quite outstanding. These Pinot Noir wines reflect the terroir of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains. These Pinot Noir wines are Burgundian in character and moderate and fruity in style.

Windy Oaks Pinot Noir lineup

Alfaro Family Vineyards and Winery
Alfaro winery ended up being our favorite winery on this trip for several reasons. Number one, the tasting room staff was friendly and cordial. They served cheese and fruit along with crunchy crackers. The wines were all delicious and well made and priced reasonably. The owner and winemaker Richard Alfaro was in the tasting room and was delighted that he could pour wine and talk to the visitors. There was nothing pretentious or snobby about this tasting room. The vines are farmed organically and the vineyard views are very pretty. This is another nice spot for a picnic lunch. Put this winery on your radar. It is a winner in our estimation. Alfaro Winery is in the town of Soquel, just south of Santa Cruz.

Winemaker Richard Alfaro

Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Country Map – Trip Route

View Santa Cruz Mt Wine Trip in a larger map

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Healdsburg to Guerneville best wine country backroad

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Joe

Scenic Westside Rd.

What is your favorite backroad in all of wine country? We have many that we like on our list, but we think this one certainly qualifies as one of the best. As you read about the points of interest along the route from Healdsburg to Guerneville, you surely will agree and want to give it a go yourself.

This lovely trip begins in the chic wine town of Healdsburg. If you have not been to Healdsburg, you’ll want to spend at least half a day. The town has many boutique shops, art galleries, restaurants and tasting rooms. See more on Healdsburg.

This drive will take you through breathtaking views of vineyards, Redwood trees, barns, and historic wineries. From the Healdsburg Plaza, go south on Healdsburg Avenue and turn right on Mill St. Take Mill St. under the freeway. Mill St. will lead you to Westside Road where your journey begins.

The first few miles will take you through the western edge of the Dry Creek Valley. The rest of the way you are in the Russian River Valley wine region or AVA. We will highlight a few of the best stops along the way but, if something else strikes your fancy, be sure to stop and take a look.

At Mill Creek Winery you’ll find a water wheel that will fascinate all age groups. The wine is great and so is the view. The next stop, just a short distance from Mill Creek, is the Armida Winery. Armida has one of the top scenic views in wine country, and a Bocce court to boot. A picnic lunch on the Armida deck, a game of Bocce with a glass of wine, and life can’t get much better.

Continue travels along Westside Road and stop at any winery that strikes your interest, but four miles after Armida are two wineries that should not be missed. Hop Kiln Winery is a hop kiln barn built in 1905. New owners have taken the wines up a couple of notches. Next door to Hop Kiln is Rochioli Vineyards, famous for its Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. The Pinot is so good, there is a long waiting list to buy their vineyard-designated wines.

The meandering road will take you past Porter Creek Vineyards and the MacMurray Ranch. You can visit Porter Creek and taste delicious Pinot Noir. MacMurray Ranch is not open to the public, but as you drive by, you can catch a glimpse of where movie and television star Fred MacMurray and his family would come for rest and relaxation.

In a few miles you will come to River Road at the end of Westside Road. Turn right on River Road and drive two miles to Korbel Cellars. Korbel Cellars is the home of sparkling wine and beautiful gardens. It is one of the oldest California wineries, with a starting date of 1872. Drop in to taste and, if you have time, take a tour of this amazing winery.

Korbel has a nice deli and terrace to enjoy a snack or lunch. A few miles ahead is the resort town of Guerneville. It is an interesting town that has changed little over the past 50 years. It is a very nice change of pace for wine country travelers.

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Winery Bocce – Just Play it!

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Joe

Winery Bocce

Several years ago I unofficially declared May as “Winery Bocce Month.” So with May just a few months away, it is now the time for you to start planning your own Bocce tournament at a winery. You and your wine friends will have an absolutely wonderful time in wine country, centered around a friendly Bocce competition. In May we will host our Ninth Annual WCG Bocce Tournament. We have 8 couples who play. We make it a two-night affair in wine country. We have so much fun that throughout the year we recall many happy moments from our Bocce games.

How to Organize a Winery Bocce Tournament

Select friends who like drinking wine, like to party, and are competitive. Bocce takes just five minutes of practice to learn how to play. At our level of play, most of it is luck anyhow.

Find a Bocce court to play on and start small
We started out playing at the Larson Family Winery in Carneros. There were just 4 teams the first year. We only needed one Bocce court to complete a double elimination tournament. We stayed over that night in the Napa Valley and had dinner together at Don Giovanni’s. Over the next few years our Bocce Tournament grew to eight couples, a round robin schedule, and the need for four Bocce Courts. We stay two nights and plan social activities around the Bocce tournament. Here is a complete listing of wineries in California that have one or more Bocce Courts. Find one to your liking and call to discuss your plans with the winery.

Single court at Armida Winery

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