Sonoma S I M P L Y

the way it was meant to. Sonoma is full of winemakers and restaurateurs, farmers and bakers, all living off the land, helping to create a kind of DIY gourmet paradise. Overall Sonoma has kept its original low key charm. Some wineries are now charging a nominal tasting fee, but are happy to refund it if you buy a bottle of their wine.

Our second day we continued north through Santa Rosa into the Russian River Valley, considered among the top appellations for growing and bottling cool climate grapes. Sitting high on a ridge top among native redwoods, oak and madrone trees is the Gary Farrell Winery, where turning out top chardonnay and world class pinot noir is their specialty. The setting is nothing short of magical as you taste their wines high above the tree tops and listen to the wine maker explain how one wine goes through malolactic fermentation and the other ages in stainless steel barrels. From there we worked our way back down to Rochioli Vineyards and Winery, which has earned the reputation as one of Sonoma County’s finest wineries. Situated in a pastoral setting overlooking a rose garden and seductive vineyards, Rochioli Winery’s tasting room is classy yet unpretentious. The small charming space has a rotating art gallery devoted to local artists.

Heading even further north up US-101, we were happy to find that the town square of Healdsburg has emerged into a cosmopolitan hub with a mix of chic hotels, creative chefs, and stylish boutiques. We stopped on our third day to visit with Zin Master, Doug Nalle. Nalle Winery is still making incredible wines inside a makeshift bunker covered with fresh rosemary. Instead of a fancy tasting room they have a basket ball court at one end and a few folding tables that serve as their front counter. The Nalle family opens by appointment, or just when they feel like it. However, there are plenty of charming family-owned wineries that open daily to the public. Charlie Palmer’s restaurant, Dry Creek Kitchen, is a great example of drawing from the region’s natural ingredients to create some of Sonoma’s five star dining. The restaurant also waives their corkage fee if you want to bring in your own bottle from a Sonoma winery.

On our last day, we headed west towards Dry Creek, a beautiful valley sixteen miles long and two miles wide, with just under 9,000 vineyard acres. We enjoyed visiting some old favorites like Fritz Winery, Lambert Bridge, and Ridge/Lytton Springs Winery. We ordered a picnic lunch at the Dry Creek General Store, while contemplating our next stop. We chose a wine cave tucked into a steep hillside on West Dry Creek Road, called Bella Vineyards. After tasting a flight of their zinfandels, we enjoyed a great picnic on Bella’s beautiful grounds and cooled down, from the afternoon sun, in their chic Bohemian cave. Another charming discovery was Preston of Dry Creek. Once there, it was clear this wasn’t just any winery and tasting room. Preston is a working farm with fresh vegetables and just-baked bread they sample with their homemade olive oil and goat cheese. A true example of how these Northern California farmers use their land as a source of inspiration, still paying homage to its rural Sonoma roots.

We had a great time in Sonoma. We realized how much we truly missed our wine country excursions. Sonoma has managed to flourish, producing as fine of wines as Napa, without losing their organic charm. For wine and cheese makers, chefs, farmers, and idealists of all kinds, Sonoma is a place for growth and creation, for cooking and eating, for life’s essential pleasures. For travelers it’s a place to unwind, enjoy Sonoma’s culinary wonders and experience life as it should be---simple, laidback and true to its roots.