Quote:
Originally posted by c2ed
Far be it from me to detour from Mr. Grinch's sage wine words, but I can't stand Napa just for the snootiness and traffic. The wineries in Sonoma/Russian River Valley may not be as prestigious as those to the East, but I've always had a fantastic time driving through the backroads and just following signs here and there to fun new places.
Boyfriend and I stayed at the Case Ranch Inn and had a great time - a lovely room, terrific hostess, and she knew all the local restaurants to go to and the better vineyards to hit.
For wineries, I humbly suggest Valley of the Moon, David Bynum, Dry Creek, Murphy Goode, Hop Kiln (though I haven't like their stuff the last 2 times I was there), and Rodney Strong. There are others that were a lot of fun, too - just follow the signs on the side of the road and try your luck.
For the love of Bacchus, do not go to Kendall Jackson or to Clos du Bois. Plus, depending on exactly when you're going, Kendall Jackson is a sponsor/host of a major triathlon in the area (end of July) and it gets shut down part of the time to host the athletes.
Here is also the Sonoma County Wine Ass'n site for events happening in Sonoma for the next few months.
C(waiting for my check from the Chamber of Commerce)deuced
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Actually, myself andd the crew I hit Valley of the Moon with agreed that the wine mostly sucked. But it was a very pretty place. I also bought some beautiful stemware there. Just don't go for the wine.
Rodney Strong is all right but certianly not a top choice. If you have limited time, skip it.
GO to Arvida if you can. There is also a fantastic place just up the road that begins with a B. Those two places are top flight.
