Nor-Cal Wine Trip Inspirations
 

I'm looking for inspiration in the planning of wine trips to the Northern California wine regions. My main interests are Sonoma and Napa, because I'm most familiar with them, but the up-and-coming areas like Suisun Valley and Sierra Foothills are on my radar as well.
My (previous) main internet reference no longer exists, so I'm hoping that friends here can fill that void for me. Would you share the details of your recent trips? I am feeling 'in a rut' and hope to find some new and different perspectives-planning ideas: itineraries; events to watch for and plan around; resources; tours that may not be well-known; things to skip altogether; servers who are worth asking for.... anything you feel is noteworthy for enhancing a wine country trip would be appreciated.

Thanks

otherfootloose,

I really enjoy wine and over the last 5 years have been visiting other well-known wine regions in the northwest.

The last time I visited Napa I swore I would never go back.

The other wine producing areas are still financially within reach and are making some very incredible, fabulous wine. Look around.....

The Anderson valley produces some fine wines.

https://www.google.com/#q=Anderson+Valley+wineries

I live in the Sierra Foothills of CA. My dad lives in Napa. I have visited Napa wineries twice in the past two months. Too expensive and you usually do not get to meet the owners or wine makers. I remember visiting many in the 1970's and it was totally different.

There are many, many small wineries in El Dorado, Placer, Calaveras and Amador Counties. The most I pay for tasting is $5 per person (and many are free). Much of this area is along Hwy 49, known for small Gold country towns. This area is known for their reds (Zinfandel in particular), but grow many varietals. I love talking to the owners and winemakers while tasting their wines. Some of the wines surpass the Napa/Sonoma wines IMHO. I can list some of my favorites in the area should you want to visit the area.

Recently I had friends from the midwest visit. We spent four days visiting wineries in the Sierra Foothills. We also visited a former gold mine and Coloma, where gold was discovered in CA in 1849.

Loads of other wine appellations in CA. I have visited many. I also love the Los Olivos area (near Solvang) also.

So many wineries, so little time....

Have to agree with BarbAnn, love those wineries near Placerville and in Amador county.

I have to also agree with BarbAnn. We have been to Napa, Sonoma, Paso and Amador County. Far prefer Amador County over all the others. Much more down to earth IMO. Tons of wineries, fantastic wines and beautiful scenery also.

Well this is all very interesting, and thanks! I have a limited knowledge of those areas, but will definitely do more research. If any of you have good resources to suggest, please share!
The vast majority of our experience is in Sonoma, and it really is my favorite between the two biggies...
Do any of you know much about the western part of the county- where the new "coastal" AVA has been designated?
And there seems to be a slew of new wineries in Sonoma County in the last 5 years...I'm always wanting to learn more about the new places.

http://www.amador360.com/winery-map.html
http://www.amadorwine.com/wineries/
http://www.suttercreek.org/amador-co...e-tasting.html
http://www.touramador.com/wineries

Just look at the map..there are sooo many wineries in this area, plus cute little towns to wander around.

Not sure which new AVA, but here is a list:

http://www.sonomawine.com/about-sono...y-appellations

This is a high elevation vineyard west of Dry Creek. Nice.

http://www.gfvineyard.com/index.php

There are also nice wineries in the Delta, Clarksburg AVA,
http://www.clarksburgwinecountry.com
http://www.oldsugarmill.com

And Lodi : http://www.lodiwine.com

In the SF Bay Area:

http://www.livermorewinemap.com/
https://www.lvwine.org/itinerary-planner.php

This looks like a good resource
http://www.livermorewinemap.com/?p=wineregions

Utahtea

WOW!!! thanks for all the quick replies!

I will check out these resources. Does anyone have specific winery recommendations? We like most anything that's red except pinot noirs and petite sirahs ( we drink those but don't prefer them), and like dry whites- unoaked Chards and citrusy Sauv. Blanc in particular. We've enjoyed looking into Rhone and Italian varietals as well.

Depends where you end up. Foothills and Lodi are known for Zinfandel. Clarksburg for Chenin, Petite Sirah and has nice whites.

The Delta/Clarksburgh and foothills are IMO much more enjoyable 'nowadays' than Napa. The traffic along hwy 29 through the Napa Valley is often HORRIBLE and so many of the wineries are just 'too precious' by half. Some great wines to be sure -- but just so much 'stuff' to deal with.

I especially love exploring the Shenandoah Valley area just outside Plymouth in Amador County. It is like Napa/Sonoma were 30 years ago. Mostly free tasting (some charge but only nominal), drive up and taste -- no appointments necessary, often you are talking to the winemaker him/herself, beautiful scenery.

Just nicer/easier all around. And a really wonderful restaurant - Taste, in Plymouth.

http://www.restauranttaste.com/newtaste/pages/index.cgi

We recently did a short trip to the Dry Creek area.

Many of the wineries are on the Visa Signature program.

I covered the wineries we were able to try in the first part of my trip report.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...eport-back.cfm

Hi Otherfootloose,

Hope this will help. But as someone mentioned, you may want to try the Anderson Valley to get out of your rut. We used to be big Sonoma and Napa people, but both just became so prohibitively expensive, that it was ridiculous. We gravitated north to Mendocino. There are some great wineries with excellent wines - Maple Creek, for example. Also, while they are gravitating toward the bigger "industrial" side, Navarro and Edmeades also produce quality wines.

Of course, there are not a lot of options for lodging! We discovered the new "Heritage House" in Mendocino - while they are still working on it, it is nice and you can get some good deals. Further inland in Philo, we found "The Madrones" which is like an Italian Villa.

Good luck in planning your trip!

Russian River and Anderson Valley are much like Napa and Sonoma were 30 years ago. There is distance between wineries and you can find tasting rooms that are run by people who actually make wine rather than the hired hand salespeople.

As for your varietal preferences, try some new tastes. I bet you'll like viognier, and there are many others.

Actually, I love viognier! Do You have vendors to suggest?

Sister wineries: Villa Toscano and Bella Piazza out of Plymouth, CA. The owners went out of their way to welcome us and even sat at a table with us for several hours sharing their knowledge about the industry. As new vineyard owners, that spoke volumes to us about the type of owners we aspire to be.

WOW...isn't that what makes wine such a great industry? The attitude of "share and share alike" is so prevalent among winery owners! Lucky you to have such an experience.