Day Trips in Wine Country--a review

Been obsessing over Google Analytics lately, and noticed that the most frequently clicked tag is "Day Trips". I guess a lot of people from the Bay Area have been coming up just for the day. It makes sense given the complete tanking of the economy--hotels are expensive here. Anyhow, I thought I'd write a little summary of my relevant "Day Trip" posts so you can browse at your leisure

Avoiding the Corny side of Napa. I think this one speaks for itself.
Picknicking in style. We're running out of time this year for outdoor picnics, but it's been pretty nice in the last couple of weeks.
Scenic Drives. Works for cycling too!
Drinking and Driving. How to avoid that pesky little problem.
Day Trip vs. Overnighter. Some stats and suggestions.
Free Tastings with Visa Signature. I believe you only have until December 2008 for this one...

The Crush has arrived--it's harvest season in wine country. Here's how you can participate as well!

This is definitely the best time of year (although it's been quite cool the last few days). Generally starting in the early evening winery workers begin to head out into the field to cut the grapes off the vine and prepare them for the aptly-named Crush. I just signed up with some work colleagues to crush some Syrah next weekend...and then we'll pick up the finished cases of wine in January 2010. It's quite exciting, really!

Anyhow, you're probably wondering, as a visitor, how to participate in the Crush as well. Here's the best solution: a couple of the major wineries have "Crush camps" where you can come pick some grapes and learn a lot about the wine as well. I would recommend the Sonoma County Grape Camp, but it looks like they're sold out for 2008. They do post cancellations on their website, so check back (they have two spots up right now, 8pm on Sept 12). Although the badly-updated website at St. Supery doesn't tell the whole tale, they generally have a one-day camp as well. Call them for details, I have heard good things. As well: according to Fodor's online, Ravenswood has a course as well. Email Peter.griffith@ravenswood-wine.com to make some Zinfandel.

Avoiding the corny side of Napa: finding the hidden gems of the Napa Valley

A few tips to help you see the real, authentic beauty of Napa Valley and avoid those cliche moments. This blog post is culled from my own experience and those of other bloggers.

1. Come in the middle of the week. I almost feel like this piece of advice is like Barack Obama's suggestion that we should all keep our tires inflated to save on gas. It's so obvious, and works so effectively to avoid the crowds. People living and working in the Bay Area may not be able to get away from Monday-Friday, but out of town visitors should be able to swing it. Plan your San Francisco itinerary so that you visit wine country during the week.


2. Avoid the Wine Train at all costs. Yes, there are benefits, including not having to drink and drive. But if you're drinking that much wine you're not tasting it anymore, are you? The Napa Valley Wine Train is incredibly overpriced and skips all the little interesting wineries along the way. Hilariously, their website says that "numerous wineries can be seen through the large picture windows on board the Wine Train." Trust me, that isn't the way you want to see Napa Valley. Instead, try cycling with a company like Napa Valley Bike Tours . A one day hybrid bike rental is only $30.
   
   For those who haven't been here before--wineries are literally one next to the other on roads like Silverado Trail and Highway 28. So cycling from winery to winery isn't just beautiful, it's incredibly easy. The roads are largely flat, especially if you wanted to take the same route as the Wine Train. Honestly, no matter what your fitness level, cycling is more enjoyable than the Wine Train.


3. After you've done the wine thing, try out some other natural product the region has to offer, like visiting an olive or apple orchard. Take a look at this New York Times article about olive oil, for example. McEvoy Ranch is probably the largest olive grower, but there are definitely others. If you're here in the summer or early fall, you'll definitely want to sample fresh produce at a local farmer's market.
   


4. Have a picnic (with your farmer's market goodies). All the instructions are here.

Good luck, and have a great time in Napa County!

Picnicking in Style: a how-to guide for visitors who want to eat on-the-go in Napa or Sonoma

As a wine country resident, people frequently ask me for advice about picnicking (mostly for lunch) while they're visiting wine country. It's no secret that even for lunch the restaurants in the area are fairly pricey--you're paying a premium for the ambiance. That's evident in Healdsburg and Napa more than anywhere else. But never fear--picnicking is a viable option, can save you a chunk of cash, and will allow you to enjoy the beautiful scenery. To do it well, you'll need (1) a healthy and delicious food shop, and (2) a comfortable place to eat.

Buying picnic food

A whole bunch of wineries have food stores where you can buy the prototypical wine country foods--wine, cheese, meats, baguettes, olives and fresh veggies. My favorites are:

• Chateau St. Jean (Sonoma)
• V. Sattui (Napa)
• Oakville Grocery (not a winery, but a great store in both counties)
• Whole Foods (delicious deli takeout, very wide selection)
• Ledson Winery (Sonoma)

Eating Comfortably
If you're sitting on the grounds of a winery to eat lunch, it is generally proper etiquette to have purchased a bottle of their wine to complement the food. Of the wineries listed above with excellent delis, I most enjoy the wine at Chateau St. Jean (I have also posted to this effect on the TripAdvisor Sonoma forum, a great local resource). The wineries listed above also have space to sit and eat, although watch out for the loud and annoying Wine Train driving by V. Sattui. A picture of the picnic area at V. Sattui is shown at right. There are also beautiful town greens in Santa Rosa, Napa and Sonoma, although this doesn't give you the "eating amongst the vines" feel.

Good luck, and happy picnicking!

What are the most scenic drives in California wine country?

Highway 29 is definitely the most legendary road, and the one most frequently traveled by visitors. It has excellent access to many famous wineries, and for much of the route, parallels the Wine Train route. The road can certainly get congested on weekends, and slows considerably when passing through Napa and St. Helena. Most people only take 29 up to Calistoga, although it continues up to exceedingly beautiful Clear Lake.

I think there are several other stunning routes in wine country. Here are some recommendations to help you beat the traffic. Note: with $5 gas well on the way, you may want to pick up a hybrid!

Silverado Trail. This road runs parallel to Hwy 29, so it's a better option if you're traveling the route between Napa and St. Helena. There's less traffic here, and the views are just as sweeping. There are also a couple of major wineries along this road, including Clos du Val, Stags Leap, Mumm (sparkling) and Clos Pegase (a perennial favorite). I've found that driving just under the speed limit on Cruise Control gives the perfect balance between covering ground and taking in the scenery. Silverado Trail does skip Yountville, however, so you'll need to take a left at Yountville Cross Rd. in time to make your reservation at French Laundry.

Dry Creek Rd. Take a look at the map below. Starting from historic and bustling Healdsburg, this road winds north through the beautiful Dry Creek Valley. The wineries here, famous for their Zinfandel, are as picturesque as any other. This route is a bit of the beaten path, and you're more likely to meet locals in the tasting rooms. You can take Dry Creek Rd. north out of Healdsburg, then make a right on Canyon Rd., go under the highway, and take another beautiful drive, Highway 128 to Calistoga. There are plenty of great wineries along the way.


View Larger Map

Chalk Hill Road. This is definitely one that most people miss. There are a bunch of wonderful wineries on this windy road--they're all quite small and generally require you to call ahead for an appointment (free tasting with Visa Signature card). This is also an excellent connecting road between Highway 101 and Highway 128. Don't expect it to be a quick trip, though.

Drinking and Driving

Now let's be honest--people come up to wine country primarily to taste wines. And wine+driving can definitely be a issue. Most wineries will have you sampling approximately 0.5oz of 4-6 different wines. So you'll be drinking about 3oz of wine (about 1 glass) at each winery. Don't let this stop you from tasting, however. It just means that you need to have a more deliberately planned trip that includes some time between winery visits to 'sober up'. Here are some tips to help you make it through a day of wine tasting:

1. Spend at least 1 hour at each winery. There's no need to rush through the tasting menu just to fit additional stops into your schedule. Take a walk outside the tasting room and enjoy the scenery. Mill Creek Winery, for example, has an idyllic outside seating area that's perfect for relaxing. The more time you take, the less tipsy you'll feel.
2. Take advantage of the water provided by the tasting room. Don't worry that you look like an amateur if you pour yourself a glass of water--that's what the professionals do to prolong their tasting day
3. Pour it out! Pretty much every tasting room has a jug to help you dispose of unfinished wine. If you're served a wine not to your liking, you don't need to drink the whole thing. Preserve your alcohol intake for the wines you actually enjoy!
4. Nothing goes better with wine than cheese and crackers! Pick some up at a local store and layer your tastings with cheese nibblings.
   

Day trip or Overnighter?

There's no doubt that California's wine country is one of America's most exclusive destinations. I get the feeling that many people struggle with the question of whether to stay overnight in the area or to drive up for the day. Let's take a look at the driving distances from various spots in the Bay Area. These numbers reflect typical times, expect quite a bit longer during rush hour. Notably, for people planning to come up for a weekend, coming in on a Friday afternoon and leaving on a Sunday afternoon is certain to be a longer trip.

From	To Napa	To Sonoma	To Santa Rosa
San Francisco	1h	1h	1h
Oakland/Berkeley	50m	1h	1h
Palo Alto	1h30	1h40	1h40
San Jose	1h35	1h45	2h
Sacramento	1h10	1h20	1h50
SFO	1h10	1h15	1h20

The Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport serves wine country and is located just Northwest of the city of Santa Rosa (pop. 160,000). As of Summer 2008, the only airline that flies there is Horizon Air. You can catch flights from Vegas, LA, Portland and Seattle. This isn't a good option for most people, and I don't know a single person who has ever flown in. But it's an possibility.

Hotel prices? My only recommendation here is Priceline.com. Hotels in the whole region are definitely pricey, and can be in excess of $200/night for the simplest of accommodations. If you'll have a car with you, don't be shy about staying outside of the Napa-Calistoga axis and the town of Sonoma. Instead, you'll likely find cheaper prices in towns like Rohnert Park or Petaluma. And from there, it'll only be a 20 minute drive to the choicest wineries. Of course, if you want the true wine country experience and are willing to shell out a little extra, try The Vintage Inn in Yountville, where you'll also be steps away from triple-michelin-starred French Laundry (if you're on a graduate student income, you'd be more likely to visit the Compadres across the street).

Bottom line? If you're on a restricted budget, make your visit to wine country a day trip...