You Say Tomato – Harvest Festivals Take Root in Bay Area

Posted on 30. Aug, 2010 by Carey Sweet in Blog, Food & Wine, Sonoma County Events

Summer may have come late this year, but there’s proof positive that it’s finally here. The Bay area is awash in tomato festivals, with numerous heirloom harvest celebrations taking place across the North Bay in September. Crazy weather, yes? It’s been the coldest summer on record since 1975, and tomatoes simply didn’t get the heat [...]

San Francisco in the fall: Take your mini-vacation now

Posted on 27. Aug, 2010 by Carey Sweet in Blog, Holidays, San Francisco

San Francisco is the city of sights, though often enough, peered at through fog. But last weekend, I saw something remarkable: women in sundresses. These carefree gals were practically prancing down the sidewalks, lavishing in the uncommonly warm temperatures and a particularly bright, clear day. I was there on a mini-vacation, treating myself to a [...]

Cellars of Sonoma in Santa Rosa

Posted on 26. Aug, 2010 by gina in Blog, Sonoma wineries

Whether visiting Sonoma County or lucky enough to live here, a favorite place to experience Sonoma spirit and wine is Cellars of Sonoma. Located in Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square (conveniently located nearby hotels for those of you visiting), Cellars of Sonoma offers award-winning wines from eight Sonoma County wineries. This is the perfect place [...]

Wine Country Weekend Winds Up – Hurry for Tickets

Posted on 23. Aug, 2010 by Carey Sweet in Blog, Food & Wine, Sonoma County Events

From down-home Hopmonk Tavern, to uptown Cyrus Restaurant. From funky legendary Joseph Swan, to high-end classic Jordan. With more than 150 wineries pouring thousands of wines, and over 60 local chefs whipping up divine pairings, you never know who you might see under the culinary tents on the sprawling grassy meadows at Healdsburg’s MacMurray Ranch [...]

Grape to Glass in Russian River Valley

Posted on 19. Aug, 2010 by gina in Blog, Sonoma County Events

Touring Northern California Wine Country in Sonoma County is easy when special events are presented by organizations like the Russian River Valley Winegrowers who know the area best. The 15th annual Grape to Glass weekend begins this Friday, August 20, 2010. Friday kicks off with the Cellarpass Winery Sensations Passport. Your passport allows you to [...]

Stomp with Cowboys, or Party with Rob Schneider – Pick Your Favorite Napa Winery Event

Posted on 16. Aug, 2010 by Carey Sweet in Blog, Food & Wine, Napa wineries, Special Wine Events

It is perhaps the best name ever for a wine celebration. Stomp. Because besides being a Napa Valley harvest party (Stomp those grapes), and playing as a cowboy theme (Stomp those cowboy boots), the 3rd annual Stomp event is the epitome of what every wine-oriented gala should be. There’s food. There’s wine. There’s live music, [...]

Hop Kiln Winery’s New Glen Ellen Tasting Room

Posted on 11. Aug, 2010 by gina in Blog, Sonoma wineries

A good, red, full-bodied wine too dark to see through and tasting of dark fruit and chewy tannins is not for everyone – but it is for me. Whenever I’m out wine tasting with a group of friends that includes white wine drinkers, I always include a stop at Hop Kiln Winery. Hop Kiln makes [...]

High-End Fast Food Calls for High-End Groceries

Posted on 09. Aug, 2010 by Carey Sweet in Blog, Food & Wine, New in California Wine Country, New in the Wine Country, Sonoma restaurants

You know you’re in Northern California’s Wine Country when even fast food takes a Slow Food approach. It’s true: that’s fresh-picked lettuce atop your hamburgers, and those heirloom tomatoes are still warm from the sun on your BLT, when you dine at Gott’s Roadside these days. In a very un-McDonald’s move, restaurant co-founder Joel Gott [...]

Blend Your Own “No Wimpy Wine” at Ravenswood Winery

Posted on 05. Aug, 2010 by gina in Blog, Sonoma wineries

A while back at my 21st birthday, one of my aunts gave me a bottle of Ravenswood Winery Zinfandel. Not knowing anything about wine, what attracted my attention most was the dark bottle and hypnotic logo of three ravens. My young palate, used to drinking shamefully cheap beer, was in for quite a surprise. For [...]

Swanson Vineyards Opens “Candy Store” for Adults — Serious Wine with a Dash of Decadence

Posted on 02. Aug, 2010 by Carey Sweet in Blog, Food & Wine, Napa wineries, New in California Wine Country, New in the Wine Country

Pinot Grigio poured in clear glass Dixie cups and paired with potato chips topped with dollops of domestic caviar? That’s just a taste of what visitors to Swanson Vineyards’ new Sip Shoppe have in store. The tasting room debuted late July, heralded this weekend by a party at the Swanson family’s private estate in Oakville, [...]