A return to Sonoma's Wine Road: Merriam Vineyards, Soda Rock & Hanna Winery

You may recall last month I spent three days in Sonoma County's wine country as the invited guest on a Blogger's press tour of the Wine Road. The Wine Road isn't an actual road but the ultimate visitor's guide through the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys. They are some of the country's most versatile, renowned and prolific wine growing regions or, as the locals call them, American Viticultural Areas or AVAs. Not only do they offer a free map that lists their 150+ participating winery members, they also offer supreme values with their "Ticket to the Wine Road" one and three day wine tasting tickets. With a ticket, many of the wineries waive their tasting fees and some offer additional perks and discounts as well.

After I published my posts in May, Tracy Logan (the Wine Road's official blogger) contacted me and asked what kind of camera was I shooting with? They loved my pics and she was thinking about upgarding her camera to the same as mine. I replied I use a Panasonic Lumix GF2, micro four thirds, digital camera and if she got one to let me know. I thought to myself helping Tracy learn how to use her new camera would be a fun reason to return to Healdsburg for a day. When she emailed me that the Wine Road had purchased the camera I was thrilled for her.

So, imagine my surprise when she told me that to return the favor of helping her with her new camera, the Wine Road wanted to offer me a one night stay at the B&B of my choice!

It was such a coincidence that I had already planned a one night stay at Thomas George Estates! So, Tracy met me at 5:00 AM the next morning to photograph the sunrise on Baker Ridge. After, we dropped my car off at the Haydon Street Inn and headed out for a wine industry luncheon hosted by Merriam Vineyards in Healdsburg's Russian River Valley.

I would describe the interior of Merriam's tasting room as modern with a coastal-country feel to it. The warm golden color of the walls creates a cozy environment that softens the large space and high ceiling. The tasting room is inviting and airy with a loft on the second floor.

The Loft

Guests were treated to a Merriam Vineyards' Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé wines.

All you had to do was reach for a glass.

Hand passed hors d'oeuvres by ZiN Restaurant (now closed) included this Gulf Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Ceviche.

And their House Cured Ham on ZiN Biscuits.

After some meet and greet time we headed to the winery for a barrel tasting and lunch.

Being a foodie, I was sidetracked when I saw ZiN's co-owner and Executive Chef Jeff Mall out in the parking lot with his mobile, wood-fired, rotisserie oven. It's his own invention named "The Wall of Fire." He was cooking up the pork loins that would be served for lunch just a few minutes later.

The rest of the group had moved on and were in the winery enjoying the barrel tasting with wine maker David Herzberg.

Leading the way was Merriam's Hospitality Manager Roberd Conard.

Robert confirmed what I had already suspected, Sonoma's winery hospitality managers are some of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. Anywhere. They always make you feel welcomed and typically their personalities are down to earth and very friendly. I don't think you can "teach" someone how to have a genuine hospitality personality. You're either born with "it" or you're not.

After the barrel tasting we moved on to lunch. Three long tables had been set up for us.

Even with my annoying supertaster status that keeps me from being able to enjoy probably 98% of wines, I was still game to try the wines that afternoon.

Our first course was Grilled Local Goat Cheese Stuffed Grape Leaves served on a Farro Salad. It was so good. The farro and vegetables were perfectly prepared and the goat cheese was mild, creamy and warm. It was paired with a 2007 Windacre Merlot. It was my favorite of the three wines I sampled that day.

Because I don't eat pork (or beef, or poultry, or shellfish, or mollusks, or lamb or goat or bison, or game meat, and all fish except wild, and preferably line caught, Alaskan and Pacific salmon and Pacific sardines LOL) I discreetly asked the server when she brought my first course if my entrée could be no meat with just a bit more of the side dishes in its place.

So here, instead of pork loin, you see the Farro Salad with a Fresh Plum Chutney, Sweet Corn Grits and Sauteed Swiss Chard (mine was minus ZiN's own bacon which I wanted to share with you because for you meat and bacon lovers I don't want to give the impression that ZiN is a vegetarian restaurant). The chard was topped with a few fresh, and very sweet, corn kernels. It was paired with a 2007 Windacre Cabernet Franc. I cleaned the plate. Every bite was delicious. I especially loved the plum chutney. I suspect it would be excellent alongside any poultry or pork dish.

And then came dessert, a Chocolate Pound Cake with Brandied Cherries paired with a Late Harvest Cabernet Franc. I should have taken an after picture of my plate. It looked like I licked it clean. But I swear, I didn't :)

And that's ZiN's Chef Susan Mall and Executive Chef Jeff Mall who came out to receive our appreciative applause for the delightful lunch. Sadly the picture quality isn't as good as it could have been because my macro lens was still on the camera from shooting the chocolate cake so I had to hurriedly change back to my zoom and get the camera up in a jiffy to get any shot at all.

This is ZiN Restaurant and Wine Bar in downtown Healdsburg. I almost went there for dinner that night, I literally stood in front of the restaurant and contemplated going in and ordering three deserts for dinner. I especially wanted the Chocolate Pound Cake again. But it didn't seem like the most nutritious or healthful course of action so I forced myself to walk away. LOL

Just one last thing I wanted to point out. Back in the tasting room there are souvenir and gift items along with Merriam's wines. I couldn't help but notice one of the gift items is my beloved Truffle Salt. So far the most perfect use I've found for it is on freshly popped popcorn with a little butter. The way the essence of truffle and salt meld with the butter is just YUM! It's so good!

After lunch Tracy took me on a few mini site tours. We made a quick stop at what would be our destination the following day then moved on to Soda Rock.

Soda Rock has a unique Old meets New World appearance.

The history of the site that was once Alexander Valley's original General Store and Post Office is both long and rich. It first became a winery in 1880. In 1904 a new owner made improvements to the winery before he sold it when prohibition passed. The third owners took possession of the property in 1923 and grew grapes until prohibition was repealed at which time they revived wine production until 1973 when they moved to a new location, closing Soda Rock in the process. Another new owner revived the winery in the 1980's but then moved on. In 2000 the winery's current owners, Ken and Diane Wilson, purchased the property and for the past decade have worked to restore Soda Rock to its former glory.

As you walk into the tasting room the first thing you'll notice is the almost floor to ceiling portrait of a beautiful woman on the side wall.

As you break her gaze you'll notice one of two things next: The long, dark wood bar with stained glass, wine country motifs or the stuffed, white and black spotted pig (with no name) standing in the front window. In a strange way he looks as if he's greeting you as you walk in the door.

Soda Rock's wine tasting room has a cool and eclectic vibe. The bar was given a new life when it was brought here after its career at a local tavern had come to an end.

In the expansive tasting room one can sit at the elegant bar, in a cozy modern living room style lounge or at the rustic high table, an old basket press. There was also what appeared to be an antique bottling machine on display.

The winery offers both indoor and outdoor event areas so it makes sense that at the end of the row of connected buildings the former water tower is now known as "The Honeymoon Suite." Newlywed couples will find a full kitchen and bath on the ground level. Ascend the spiraling staircase and they'll arrive on the third floor to find an elegantly appointed bedroom surrounded by a 360º view of the vineyards and valley below.

Beside the Water Tower is a ground level guest house called the "Artist's Suite." Immediately I noticed the paintings within. They were serene, almost meditative, and set a vibe that this is a place to clear your head and relax. Tracy told me the artist has a studio at Soda Rock. We even took a little peek inside. I Googled painter+soda+rock+healdsburg and learned the artist's name is Wade Hoefer. I love the tranquility his pictures evoke.

Our final stop that day was Hanna Winery. My favorite part? The long lavender bordered driveway. It made me wish we had a long driveway so that I could do the same thing at my house. Hm, I could tear out some of our lawn to create a similar border along our front walk. It was so lovely and smelled so good. Everywhere we went that day were lavender plants. I told Tracy if it isn't the official city flower of Healdsburg it should be!

We stopped in for just a few minutes as the tasting room was busy. But it gave me time to get a few shots just to show you a bit of the property.

I couldn't help but notice there were owl boxes around Hanna's vineyards. Perhaps someday I can try to photograph their owls which are welcome predators at many of the wineries as they help to keep the vineyards free of rodents that could damage the vines and crops.

Hanna also has an outdoor, white rose arbor that can be used for weddings. For now their vineyard makes for a classic, wine country backdrop. In the future, the small redwoods behind the arbor will grow to create a more dramatic ceremony area.

5:00 PM was approaching and with that our 12 hour day of shooting was coming to an end. Tracy took me back to the Haydon Street Inn where we continued on with her day of camera 101 coaching just a bit longer. Tomorrow I'll blog about my stay where I had fun meeting the other guests, wandered around Healdsburg looking for dinner, then enjoyed a restorative night of rest.

To be continued. . .

Wine Road - Northern Sonoma County
"Founded more than 30 years ago, Wine Road is an association of wineries and lodgings in the Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valleys of Northern Sonoma County. From its modest beginning as an organization of nine wineries, it has grown into a spirited constellation of more than 150 wineries and 50 lodgings." Read more. . .

WINERIES

Merriam Vineyards Winery
11650-11654 Los Amigos Rd.
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-433 4034

Soda Rock Winery
8015 Highway 128
Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-433-3303

HANNA Winery
9280 Highway 128
Healdsburg, CA 95448
(707) 431-4310

FOOD

ZiN Restaurant and Wine Bar (now closed)
707.473.0946
344 Center Street
Healdsburg , CA 95448

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Past posts from Healdsburg include:

Wineries, tasting rooms and the beauty of nature in Dry Creek Valley

The Wine Road Russian River Valley Wine Tour

Touring the Alexander Valley with the Wine Road

The B&B to stay at while touring Sonoma's Wine Road Featuring the Haydon Street Inn

I went on a Sonoma County Wine Country Adventure! Includes the list of bloggers I was on the Wine Road with for three days.

Wine Country Weddings: Say I Do on Baker Ridge at Thomas George Estates

This was sunrise a week ago on Baker Ridge in the Russian River Valley. *Sigh* It was so gorgeous. I was blissed out to the max. I felt like I was standing in the center of a little slice of heaven on earth.

Mt. Saint Helena at dawn from Baker Ridge, Healdsburg, CA

Being there made me want to listen to John Denver songs, eat brie cheese with bread, fruit and olives, and write poetry. Keep in mind I've never written poetry before. Nor do I read poetry. LOL. I guess I could have written a haiku. The whole 5-7-5 format is, for some reason, seared into my memory from childhood. Had I written one for the picture above I think it would have gone like this:

reaching for the sun

here I find serenity

too soon it will end

The first day I was there it was just me communing with nature and, of course, my cameras.

There were Pinot noir grapes everywhere! I should have held a cluster in my hand to show you the scale. Right now they're tiny, like the size of frozen green peas.

But why was I there? Baker Ridge is part of Thomas George Estates. You may recall I visited the winery last month while on a three day Wine Road blogging tour. After I published my post the winery contacted me to see if it would be ok to use some of the pictures I'd taken for their marketing purposes. I said sure. All I ever ask in return is for a photo credit and a link back to the post the photos were used in if the images are used online.

You'll know you're at TGE when you see these signs out on Westside Road.

Then they asked if Jeremy Baker, the winery's President, had been able to show us their new wedding and event area while we were there in May. Unfortunately we were on such a tight schedule he wasn't able to. So, they invited me back for a site tour!

And they graciously invited me to stay in one of their four guest houses if I was able to make the two and a half hour drive up. They didn't have to ask or offer twice! I was so excited to be able to visit Thomas George Estates, Healdsburg and the Russian River Valley again.

Upon my arrival at 3:00 PM I got my first peek of the event area driving up with Adrienne Donnelly, TGE's Tasting Room & Wine Club Manager, just to learn where it was. After that I was given the keys to a guest house and was on my own, free to wander and enjoy the property until checkout the following morning.

When I arrived there was a bottle of Chardonnay wine waiting for me in the Chardonnay guest house.

The master bedroom was gorgeous! I almost had to pinch myself! I definitely didn't feel worthy to stay in such a beautiful room.

But there was more. . . The living room had seating, a fireplace, and Direct TV! The bathroom had a neat glass door shower and there was a second guest bedroom and bathroom.

There was also a fully equipped kitchen. I just needed to bring food to cook. I didn't bring any with me but there was a bowl of eggs, laid fresh that morning, in the fridge along with spring and sparkling water. Three of my favorite things to eat and drink :)

After settling in I went out to explore the winery grounds and wanted to spend more time in the event areas at the top of Baker Ridge. The first thing I found across the driveway and just past the guest houses were the chickens that laid the eggs in the fridge!

"The Source" sculpture symbolizes Life, Love and Beauty.

As I walked up the main drive there was a bronze sculpture/fountain of a robed woman holding a crystal sphere. It's called "The Source" and was made by American sculptor Frederick Hart. I really like the way the soft way the metal undulates around her face. And I loved the colors of the patina along the front of her robe.

At the top of the drive you'll find the winery, tasting room, and a welcoming lawn area complete with patio and deck seating and another free standing fountain.

I passed the wine caves and tasting room and headed up the trail at the far end of the parking lot.

There are two ways to get to Baker Ridge. One is to get in your car, drive down Westside Road, enter a private driveway, pass through a security gate and continue driving up to the top of the ridge.

Or you can hike up (note the emphasis on the word up) using a foot trail. Since I had nothing but time on my hands I decided to have a go at hiking up to be able to take pictures of the spaces that will soon be available for weddings, private parties and special events.

As I began up the path there were wood and dirt steps cut into the earth. About two thirds of the way up the trail became a dirt path. Along the sides of the trail are bushes, trees and ferns. I was shocked to see maiden hair fern growing wild along the trail.

At the top of the trail I entered the vineyard through a gated fence. Thomas George Estates has three vineyards: Baker Ridge, Starr Ridge and Cresta Ridge. Baker Ridge consists of 26.5 planted acres comprised of: Pinot Noir (21 acres), Chardonnay (4 acres), Grenache (1.5 acres), and Viognier (1 acre).

This is one of my favorite shots I took the first day.

I had fun shooting the clusters of new grapes from every angle. I thought back lit with a short depth of field, softly out of focus on the sides, with the sun softly glowing through the leaves behind them made the grapes look sublime. They have no idea of the grand and elegant future that awaits them.

After a short hike through the vineyards I made my way to the event area. There are actually two event areas. This one is the Upper Terrace. Perched at the top of the road with a view of vineyards on three sides and the valley below on one. The entrance is a petite arbor with newly planted grape vines that in no time will grow up and over the arbor.

It's quite spacious, paved, and is surrounded by a hand-laid stone wall. The wooden structure towards the back can be used as a ceremony or bar area. If you'd like a site tour contact Adrienne Donnelly at (707) 431- 8031. The spaces opened for events on July 1, 2012.

Around both terraces are newly planted flowering plants that the butterflies and honeybees can't seem to get enough of. I even spotted some hummingbirds flitting to and fro. There are tables and chairs (with seating for up to 50) beneath a canopy of trees that come as part of the space. For a larger event you'll need to rent additional table and chairs.

One of the neat things about having a wedding at Thomas George Estates is on the off chance it rains you can either rent a tent from a rental company or move your wedding into the wine caves at no additional charge. The first thing I thought when I saw the wine caves last month was they would be a fantastic place for a wedding or dinner party.

The garden structure, moveable bar, paved surface and hand-laid stone wall.

Here are some details I can share with you. The rustic garden structure complements the vineyard perfectly. It can be used as a ceremony site or, as seen here, it can be the bar area during your cocktail hour or reception. Or it can be both! Use it for your ceremony, have your cocktail hour on the lower terrace then have your dinner reception back in the upper terrace with the bar in place. Or it could be a great place to display your wedding cake during your reception.

The wood and granite bar has a built in sink and is on casters so it can be moved out of the way if you opt to use the space for another purpose. It comes included with the space.

A mobile, professional kitchen is also included in the site rental fee.

The ground may look like loose dirt but it's paved so that women don't have to worry about their heels sinking in.

And the hand-laid stone wall is almost complete. There was just one small section along the entryway that's in its finishing stages.

I thought this was a small guest cottage. I was wrong. Can you believe it's the bathrooms? So cute!

The lower terrace, named "The Lookout," is a large, open, flat area. When I saw it I thought to myself: Anything's possible with this space. The rock retaining wall creates a backdrop looking back towards the Upper Terrace and new landscaping is being planted to soften the borders around the sweeping view of the valley below. It's sure to be a hit.

The entry to The Lookout is lined with hand-laid stone walls. The view is of the Russian River Valley, Mt. Saint Helena, and an area about to be replanted with new grape vines.

In both areas amplified music is allowed until 10:00 PM. However if you're staying past dark you will need to consider renting additional lighting as there currently is no lighting at the top of the ridge, save for the sun :)

Can you picture a bride and groom posing for their photos here? I can.

After photographing the event areas I literally walked through the vineyard. One might think there isn't much to see other than grapes. But they would be wrong.

Nature's party streamers.

For starters I loved how the delicate, new tendrils of the vines create natural filigree shapes and patterns.

There was also a surprising amount of wildlife on the ridge. I saw hummingbirds, at least five different kinds of butterflies, honeybees, bumblebees, dragonflies, over a dozen little lizards, and beautiful turkey vultures with their amazing five foot wingspans. One didn't realize I was there sitting quietly and flew so close to me as it came over the lavender plants I could hear its wings flap! It was gorgeous.

There were many Swallowtail butterflies, both yellow and white, but they would only fly by and never land. I tried to get a shot of them in motion but they flew so fast it was impossible. I finally gave up in frustration and that's when I noticed a rather non-descript little grey and brown butterfly alongside the honeybees on a nearby lavender plant.

Upon closer inspection I realized that this wasn't an ordinary butterfly! It had a tiny tail like a Swallowtail only it was much more petite and dainty. The underside of its wings was a soft grey with orange, black, and white patterning with tiny tails stood out delicately from the bottom of its wings. It's antennae were striped black and white with tiny black and orange tips. And it had a bright orange spot on its head.

When it spred it's wings I was able to see the topside of its wings was a rich brown streaked with a metallic blue. A little research online and I was able to identify it as a female, Eastern Long-tailed Blue Butterfly. So though it wasn't the butterfly I'd hoped for, it turned out to be even more special.

Lining the road to reach the top of the ridge are olive trees. As I meandered between the vines and the road I realized there were baby olives on the branches!

And I found some unharvested artichoke plants that had gone to bloom. This flower was around 5" in diameter.

Part of the reason I decided to go spend the day on the ridge was I was hoping to be able to photograph a beautiful sunset. Alas, there were no colors in the sky. But all was not lost.

Sunset in the vineyard on Baker Ridge, Healdsburg, CA

Why did being in the vineyard make me want to write poems? It's like I tapped into another part of me:

the sun must set now

a slow dance of leaves and light

ethereal calm

I've decided haiku is like the twitter of poetry :)

I LOVE this photo of a grape vine, shadowy and back lit, with the leaves showing just enough transparency that you can just barely make out their green color in the fading light. It turned out to be my favorite photo of the day.

With the light ebbing I decided to head back down the hiking trail before it got too dark. Can you imagine accident prone me, walking down any trail in the dark? I'm sure that scenario would not end well. With my luck I'd break my ankle (or something) and would have to crawl and drag myself through the darkness back to my elegant guest house. LOL

If there had been any stress left in me after spending five hours in the vineyards it would have vaporized at the sight of the Chardonnay guest house with its porch light aglow.

At 5:15 there was finally enough light in the sky to snap a picture of the trees.

The next morning I woke up at 4:15 AM. Tracy from the WIne Road was coming to meet me at 5:00 AM and we were going to hike back up to Baker Ridge to photograph the sunrise. CLICK HERE to read her blog post of our shared adventure.

Before she arrived I went outside to take a picture for you. At 4:30 AM the air smelled a-m-a-z-i-n-g. It was a wet grass (like a field, not lawn clippings) smell that was dewy, sweet, fresh, and earthy. It was a scent you can never recreate in the city. Kind of like the way horses smell. I LOOOOOOVE the way horses smell. They smell of sweetness and hay and sun shine. I literally stood in the darkness just to be able to breathe in the fresh country air. I probably even said "ah" out loud after each breath. LOL. Thankfully no one was there to hear me save for the owl hooting in a nearby tree.

The sun rising from Baker Ridge

The reason Tracy came to hang out with me was because after I went on the Wine Road tours last month she asked what camera did I use? I told her the Panasonic Lumix GF2 and that if she got one too I'd be happy to come back up to show her how the camera works.

A few weeks later she sent me an email that the Wine Road had purchased the camera for her to use on their blog Wine Time with Tracy. So up on Baker Ridge, right at dawn, I began showing her the ins and outs of her new camera. I love this picture she took and posted on Pinterest.

And we weren't alone. Gobble, gobble. I spotted this lone wild turkey standing along the side of the road. We also noticed three hot air balloons. And a Black Locust tree looked particularly striking with the sun backlighting a single seed pod.

Thomas George Estates and Baker Ridge may be the most beautiful, serene and peaceful place I've ever visited. If you're ever tempted to go wine tasting, a drive through the Russian River Valley would be a great day trip from just about anywhere in the Bay Area. If you're a Thomas George Pioneer Wine Club member you can enjoy a 50% discount off their standard guest house rates. Be sure to contact the estate for availability.

My thanks to Denise Sanders, Adrienne Donnelly and Thomas George Estates for inviting me on the site tour. The guest house stay was a lovely treat and very much appreciated. One thing I've learned in my two visits to Thomas George: There is no such thing as an overlooked detail. From the way they craft their world class wines to a guest's overall experience when visiting the winery, they think of everything, then tend to each detail with care.

The new event areas are sure to be a hit with brides and grooms whose hearts are set on a wine country wedding beneath the sky, in the vineyards, surrounded by the beauty of nature.

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Here's all you need to know to visit Thomas George Estates:

Thomas George Estates - Website
8075 Westside Rd.
Healdsburg, Sonoma County, CA 95448 - Map
707-431-8031

Tasting Room Hours: 11-5, seven days a week
Tasting Fee: $10.00, refundable with wine purchase

If you're interested in a wedding site tour contact Adrienne Donnelly at (707) 431- 8031

To join the Thomas George Wine Club just click here.

My hat laid an egg!

I'd noticed my straw gardening hat wasn't on our patio table but I didn't bother really looking for it until I was going to spend an entire day out in the yard trimming back branches before the house painters arrived. I looked in the house but it wasn't there. Finally I noticed it had blown off the table and landed on one of the patio chairs.

When I picked it up I was shocked to see a small, blush colored egg sitting on the chair.

Just like that!

It only took me moments to realize that I must have left my hat on the table upside down and a Mourning Dove, notorious for being poor nest builders and very opportunistic layers, must have sat in my hat and laid her egg. Then the wind blew the hat over and the egg and hat fell onto the padded chair, protecting the egg from damage.

The sad thing is the nights have been pretty chilly and the egg must have been without its mother's warmth for days so if it was a viable egg, I was certain it wasn't any longer :(

See the second baby's face behind the first one?

But later that same day I discovered another dove had built a nest under the eave of our house and she had two babies that had hatched!

I'd have been happier about them if we weren't having our house painted this week. I even made a sign to remind our painters they were there. It has too much tape on it because I first taped it to the garbage can I put under the hummingbird nest when I thought I was hanging the hummingbird warning sign. LOL

So the house painter had to avoid power washing that section of the back of the house and will have to come back and finish that area after the babies have fledged.

Mama's back!

He's a really nice guy though. As soon as I told him there was a nest with babies he offered to work around them. 

Still on the lookout for baby hummingbirds. I'll keep you posted if they start peeking their heads out of their nest any time soon. ETA: They hatched!