Continuously producing exceptional wine – That’s Scherrer – Fred Scherrer to be exact. In the hills outside Sebastopol on a dead end road, in an old apple packing shed is Scherrer Winery. They don’t offer regular tastings. Three times a year Scherrer holds open houses to taste the new releases, pick up wines, and enjoy the comradery of his family and friends. It’s held in … Continue reading A Perfect Spring Release
Looking for something different to experience in Sonoma’s Wine Country? Just outside of Healdsburg, tucked away on a country road in the Alexander Valley there is a coffee roaster. Hand roasted, small batch coffee is made here that has quickly gained popularity in Sonoma County. We had been hearing and reading great reviews of the coffee and of the the tasting experience so we arranged … Continue reading Coffee Break!
Tucked in a corner in Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg is the tasting room of Smith Story. It’s a welcoming storefront with a beautiful garden patio. Ali Smith and Eric Story are the couple behind the wine. Katy Wilson is their consulting winemaker and Dusty Rhodes their hospitality director. And not to be left out in any way is Lord Sandwich, the canine behind it all. … Continue reading Picpoul & Bourboulenc?
As you plan your wine adventures, this column could be helpful……. 3 tips for navigating Wine Country without a reservation Here’s wine reporter Jess Lander: We published an article on 25 Sonoma County wineries that don’t require a reservation on Wednesday, a counterpart to our June list of walk-in-friendly Napa Valley wineries. These articles represent a major pendulum swing in Wine Country toward a reservation-only system. … Continue reading Esther Mobley’s San Francisco Chronicle column this week…….
This could quite possibly have been my favorite Sunday activity of all time – Iron Horse Vineyard’s Magnum Wine Tasting. Iron Horse Vineyards is high in the hills between Forestville and Graton, California. They offer a number of tasting opportunities and the added benefit of a spectacular view of Green Valley. You can read more about the winery in our previous post. The magnum tasting … Continue reading Exceptionally Fun Bubbly
On one of the hottest days this summer we visited Gary Farrell Vineyard & Winery. It’s located in one of the coolest regions in Sonoma’s wine country but we were experiencing a heat wave. The temperature was hitting 100 degrees. Tasting outdoors was not going to be an option. Their facility sits well above the river off Westside Road and on a normal day you’d … Continue reading Russian River Valley Winery
Hartford Family Winery is in the Russian River Valley just outside the town of Forestville. It’s rather an oasis tucked in the vineyards and surrounded by Redwood forests. We visited midweek during a summer hot spell which probably explains why we had the place nearly to ourselves. We’ve been here other times when its been extremely busy. This was a refreshing change! Ruthanne was our … Continue reading Hartford Family Winery
When we find a great restaurant we’re torn between wanting to tell the world and keeping it secret. That’s how we felt when we tried Goldfinch in Sebastopol, California. We’ve dined their twice. Great food, excellent cocktails, a nice wine list, smart wait staff, busy but not loud so you are able to enjoy the conversation at your table. On our second visit, our wait … Continue reading Food & Wine
Rhone Rangers is America’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines. They hold a number of events throughout the year. We headed to Sonoma for an afternoon wine tasting on the lawn at Cline Family Cellars with 30 Rhone Rangers from Sonoma, Napa, Lodi, El Dorado, Monterey County, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County, Oregon, and Texas pouring their wines. We tend to … Continue reading Rhone Rangers Event
We have been following Bedrock Winery’s work to help lower the carbon footprint of the wine industry. We wrote about their boxed rosé this spring (which incidentally we loved down to the last drop!). It was definitely a bold move. This month Morgan Twain-Peterson & Chris Cottrell announced in Bedrock’s newsletter the change they are making in glass bottling. Again a significant move but one … Continue reading The wine bottle………
John's Wine Cellar 