This trip to Sonoma was filled with great food, phenomenal
wine and quality family time. It was the latter two I got to concentrate on my
final day.
We all enjoyed every moment of the Mayacama house in Santa Rosa
that Inspirato has available to its members. The hot tub was especially popular
with the kids. I was happy just soaking up the views and I explored the
community a bit before we left.
I loved to watch the deer frolicking through the wooded
areas before I checked out the tennis courts and swimming pool. There was still time to head to the very large country club. It was quite impressive inside and out, complete with a gym, spa
and restaurants. There was even a concierge available for those unlike me who
didn’t have all of their plans made for the stay.
Unfortunately, our time in Santa Rosa was running out. We
were heading to one of my favorite wineries and I was excited about taking the family
there. Michel-Schlumberger
offers something for everyone and I knew my brother and his family would be
especially interested in their green practices.
The always welcoming Jim
Morris, Michel-Schlumberger’s Vice President of Marketing, took us around on a
private tour. We stopped first at the bee hives, where he talked about the
importance of their pollination. Next to the hive is the stream where local
fifth graders helped bring in fingerlings from the dam to help rebuild the
dried out creek.
The kids were also fascinated hearing about the Monarch
Butterfly Waystation and the importation of owls to help keep the gophers away.
(The geese, ducks, chickens and bass in the lake are more than welcome to call
this winery home, however.)
We went past the various pepper and onion plants in the “Salsa
Garden” to the top of the vineyard. The rolling hills were even more beautiful
than I had remembered as we looked out at the 100 acres of land, 87 of which
are planted with 16 varieties of grapes.
After a tour of the winery, where we got to taste a bit of
the grape juice before it is actually wine, we (at least the grownups) got to
sample some of the latest Michel-Schlumberger offerings and were not
disappointed. The 2010 Pinot Blanc is a perfect mix of lemon and grapefruit,
light enough to complement any food. I
loved the 2010 La Nue Unoaked Chardonnay, with enough butter and vanilla to
make you feel like you were drinking pound cake.
In the reds, not to be missed at Michel-Schlumberger is the
2009 La Source Syrah, with a bit of viognier to keep it from being as dry and spicey
as most, and the 2009 Zinfandel, a fruity blend with a hint of black pepper,
yet retaining its light body. I also
enjoyed the 2007 Le Sage Merlot, blended with malbec and cabernet franc, with
fruit in the front and spice behind.
We chatted with Jim a bit longer
before it was time to bid him and Sonoma farewell. I’m sure I won’t be gone for long.
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I’d like to take a moment to wish my readers a very happy new
year. It’s been quite a year for me, from Australia to California, and many places in between. It looks
like 2012 is going to be just as exciting. I’ll be starting my stories in the new year with a new hotel in
Chicago, my first beer (you’ll have to keep reading to find out about that
one), a trip to the island of St. Maarten and a visit to a ski resort in the
Sierra Madre Mountains. I’m also planning a few overseas trips in the new year
and, of course, lots of wine and spirits!
I leave you with my favorite photo of 2011, from Kangaroo Island, Australia, where I got to sit right next to these frolicking sea lions.
3 comments:
very good post.. i would love to visit there
Great picture - we just loved Kangaroo Island when we visited (although it's a little unsettling to see the pilot put the plane on auto-pilot and focus on his paperwork while you are in mid-air).
If you need any suggestions on your next trip back to Sonoma, please check out our site.
Happy travels,
Thanks, Craig. I will take a look. I'm there every few months. (Sonoma. Wish I could go to Kangaroo Island every few months!)
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