California Wine Country Vacation

Well not exactly stomp, but stroll, saunter, maybe even run, on a self-guided tour through four different wineries. Every wanted to walk among the vines and learn about what it takes to get those puppies growing and producing the grapes.  Right now there are four participating wineries, Mantanzas Creek, Paradise Ridge, Balletto Vineyards and Mauritson Winery each route is less than a mile long and the self-guided tours emphasize sustainable farming.  Just show up at the tasting room, ask for a laminated vineyard guide and away you go. Make it a long slow informative jaunt or whip through it and end in the tasting room. With the weather being so agreeable now, there’s no better time to be outside and get your share of vitamin D, exercise and education . www.sonomavineyardadventures.com or 522-5860

For those of you who didn’t know, the Lagunitas IPA you’ve been drinking is manufactured in our little town of Petaluma. Yep, right here just down from our Quality Inn about a block or so. And they’ve just opened  their TapRoom and Beer Sanctuary, closed Monday and Tuesday, with live music. So forget about winetasting too foo foo, come check-out the brewskis, take a tour, have a bite to eat. Yo ho ho and a bottle of Pale Ale. . .

www.lagunitas.com

Lagunitas Brewing Company

Our little town of Petaluma is really lucky to have Cinnabar Theater as our own little slice of the cultural pie. Starting in August will be their Summer Music Festival and all cultures of music will be showcased, an Italian orchestra, Taiko drumming, jazz singing.  It’ll be San Francisco without the parking problem. www. cinnabar.2009-petaluma.summer.music.festival.htm

Petaluma's Cinnabar Theater Summer Music Festival

I love to read my Sunday SF Chronicle all spread out on the kitchen table, me in my jammies while slowly eating my nutritional breakfast. Anyway, this last weekend in the Pink Section there was a great article on a little known winery in Petaluma that specializes in port wines. They are located in the little cozy Petaluma Foundry Wharf where they do tastings, and in the future they will be doing dessert pairings. I’ve included the link to the article below.  Its one reason to plan a visit up to our area.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/17/PK5317FRR7.DTL&hw=sonoma+valley+portworks&sn=001&sc=1000

The Sonoma Valley’s Robledo Family Winery story begins in 1968 when Reynaldo Robledo, Sr., moved from Mexico to work Sonoma Valley vineyards. Today, the Robledo family owns approximately 200 acres of local vineyards. While most fruit is sold to area wineries, the Robledo Family Winery produces estate wines under its own label.

Graton Ridge Cellars has been a familiar Russian River Valley entity since 1945. The Paul family started their business in apples and fresh apple juice. Today, Graton Ridge Cellars is known for its oak-aged chardonnays and pinot noirs.

Hook & Ladder Winery is small, family-owned and operated winery with nearly four decades of winemaking experience. Hook & Ladder Winery produces a variety of Russian River Valley wines including pinot noir, zinfandel, merlot, and chardonnay.