If you’re lucky enough to live in the area, events at Grand Cru Custom Crush are not to be missed. After attending their well-done event in June of 2019 I made sure to keep track of future events they were scheduling. Grand Cru is a crush facility in Windsor, California. 20 or more family wineries share the facility for the production and tasting of their … Continue reading Grand Cru’s Summer Event
You can’t visit a winery much older in Dry Creek than A. Rafanelli. Four generations have worked the land growing grapes and making wine here. Alberto and Letizia Rafanelli began planting and farming in the early 1900’s and today David Rafanelli and his daughter Shelly continue the farming and the production of truly excellent wine. The tasting room is as traditional as they get. Just … Continue reading Wine and a Story…..
We had the pleasure of being invited to a private dinner at the Skiptone Estate just outside of Geyserville. Patricia Smith was our host and met us with a pouring of Skipstone’s Rose de Constance Champagne. It’s produced in conjunction with Diebolt-Vallois and named after Skipstone’s owner’s wife. We had never been to Skipstone so this was a treat! A long private lane brings you … Continue reading Dinner at Skipstone
Joan and Walt Flowers made two trips each year to California to purchase seeds for their nursery in my home turf of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Those trips gave them more access to California wines, and most certainly fueled their growing passion for them. That passion got the best of them and they purchased land along the Pacific Coast on Camp Meeting Ridge thus beginning Flowers … Continue reading Flowers
When Governor Newsom gave the o.k. for wineries and tasting rooms to reopen we were quick to venture out. Yes, there were and continue to be limitations, rules, and masks of course, but it seemed worth abiding the rules to have a relaxing afternoon trying a new winery. We were met by Alice Hunter the winery’s manager who gave us a wonderfully in-depth background on … Continue reading Marimar Estate
Silver Cloud, a 160-acre property on Cavedale Road is up, and I mean up, a winding road nearly to the Sonoma – Napa County line. It’s an incredible vineyard on the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains that is part of the Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery. Silver Cloud, located outside Glen Ellen, is quite a destination. Once an old mountain cabin, it is … Continue reading Out of the way and special!
A favorite annual event in support of our premier center for the arts – Luther Burbank is being held online this year. Excellent wine lots and trips to get your hands on! For our eastern friends – 4 nights at the Four Seasons DC is a great choice! The auction runs May 3-9. It is definitely worth creating an account just to view the fantastic … Continue reading Bid for Wine and More
There is no excuse for your wine supply to dwindle. Thanks Wine Road! Salud! Continue reading 50 Ways to Get Your Wine!
Wineries are finding some interesting ways to bring tastings, winemaker interviews and terrific offerings to you while you shelter in place. We are posting them daily on John’s Wine Cellar Facebook page. Salud! Continue reading Postings on Facebook
It’s busy in Sonoma’s Wine Country during the summer months. The weather is exceptional and the landscape is gorgeous. Tasting rooms can get crowded this time of year, especially over the weekends. We’ve been making it a point to visit wineries mid-week. It gives us more of an opportunity to meet an owner or winemaker and talk more in depth with staff. We headed out … Continue reading Thursday winery visits…..
