Something about studying wine in a classroom doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t take much to pack up your wanderlust and head to the wine country. As a San Franciscan, heading to the wine country for the day or even lunch is way too easy. It’s also terribly hard to get tired of your options because there are so many different wine regions within reach. Even if you are the adventurous type, you’ll find plenty of unique characteristics in wine regions just an hour outside the Bay Area.
My sense of adventure got me to venture beyond the well known wine regions in search of trailblazer winemaking folks, smiles that outnumber attitudes, and that farm fresh food that goes with great wine. The further I got from the beaten path, the more I learned. Most water cooler conversations about my wine roadtripping went like this:
“What did you do this weekend?”
“Visited the wine country” I’d say.
“Napa?”
“Nope” I’d say.
“Ah, Sonoma…” was pretty typical from friends or colleagues who know a thing or two about wine, some even California natives who have driven past vineyards on the way to Santa Barbara or Sacramento. After shaking my head again, the most common response was, “What else is there in California?”
The next 24 months of my life might just make them drink those words. Rented out my San Francisco apartment and I’m spending a month or two at a time in one of California’s wine pockets. Some are new and undiscovered while others are this wine scout’s favorites.
October 4th, 2012 at 4:06 AM
Cheers ! – JJ
February 1st, 2013 at 5:27 AM
Hi Carolyn thanks for the fun wine tasting had a lot of fun! Have a safe journey can’t wait to see your updates. Hope to see you when you come back to Murphy’s.
February 1st, 2013 at 5:34 PM
You too!
March 27th, 2013 at 10:41 PM
It was great meeting and hanging with you, Carolyn! I”ve enjoyed this blog, and shared it all around. One correction: Aquarelle is the little slice of heaven in Boonville with the awesome truffle fries (sorry you couldn’t have any 😦 Hoping to see Husch in the next days or so. Happy Trails!
Margaret
August 11th, 2013 at 12:32 AM
Love your concept! California’s many wine regions are worth exploring and exposing the world to. Cheers to you!
April 25th, 2014 at 6:38 AM
Thanks for telling me about your site this evening Carolyn! Can’t wait to see what’s to come. Will tell my friends.
– Thomas
April 25th, 2014 at 5:25 PM
Thanks, Thomas. I’m finishing up a few postings now on your area and they’ll be up soon.
Carolyn
July 8th, 2016 at 11:55 PM
Hi Carolyn
It was great to meet you today when you came to visit our home today. I’ve been working in the El Dorado wineries for the last 20 years and with Matricia about 17 years. We look forward to seeing and hearing from you. Hoping we can sit down and enjoy a bottle of wine. Please contact us when you can. CHEERS🍷🍷
July 9th, 2016 at 2:20 AM
Hey, Mike and Bev, great meeting you too and touring the man cave. El Dorado wine and your company sounds lovely any day!