Wine Touring
Q) For my 21st b-day I want to plan a trip to a couple of wineries in California, which would you suggest?
A) I can not recommend wine touring enough. It is the best way to learn about wine (outside of reading my book of course). While the info I am giving is specific to California, much of it is general enough advice for wine touring anywhere in the world.
Deciding which part of California to visit is your first decision.
Napa is the best known location in California for wine touring, and there is plenty to see there. Expect more of a tourist experience here than elsewhere. Look to the Silverado trail for a less congested experience.
Sonoma is spread out, but worth the effort. I really enjoy the wines of the Santa Barbara region and if you are that far south, make sure to spend some time there. Between Sonoma and Santa Barbara are the costal mountain areas, and Monterey, all well worth visiting, and if you don't know the wines of the region, you will be surprised at the quality.
North of Napa is Lake County, and far to the East, Amador. In fact almost all of California is wine country, and it is all worth exploring.
The key is to get maps of the regions, and plan your days before you set out. Make an appointment or two a day (you will get to see more of the winery that way, and get to visit wineries that are not open to walk ins). In between appointments look for wineries that are close by, and that you have never heard of. This is a great way to discover new favorites.
Above all, have a budget for buying wines. Many fun wines, especially dessert wines, are only available at the winery, and you are going to want to take some home. In you live in a state that allows shipping, have the winery send the wine to you ( to arrive after after you get home) so you don't have to lug it around with you.
Beware of drinking and driving. if you do not have a designated driver, make a point of spitting out the wine you are tasting, instead of swallowing it. Some of you will blanch at this, but not only will it make driving safer, it will keep you fresher for the overwhelming number of wines you are likely to taste.
A) I can not recommend wine touring enough. It is the best way to learn about wine (outside of reading my book of course). While the info I am giving is specific to California, much of it is general enough advice for wine touring anywhere in the world.
Deciding which part of California to visit is your first decision.
Napa is the best known location in California for wine touring, and there is plenty to see there. Expect more of a tourist experience here than elsewhere. Look to the Silverado trail for a less congested experience.
Sonoma is spread out, but worth the effort. I really enjoy the wines of the Santa Barbara region and if you are that far south, make sure to spend some time there. Between Sonoma and Santa Barbara are the costal mountain areas, and Monterey, all well worth visiting, and if you don't know the wines of the region, you will be surprised at the quality.
North of Napa is Lake County, and far to the East, Amador. In fact almost all of California is wine country, and it is all worth exploring.
The key is to get maps of the regions, and plan your days before you set out. Make an appointment or two a day (you will get to see more of the winery that way, and get to visit wineries that are not open to walk ins). In between appointments look for wineries that are close by, and that you have never heard of. This is a great way to discover new favorites.
Above all, have a budget for buying wines. Many fun wines, especially dessert wines, are only available at the winery, and you are going to want to take some home. In you live in a state that allows shipping, have the winery send the wine to you ( to arrive after after you get home) so you don't have to lug it around with you.
Beware of drinking and driving. if you do not have a designated driver, make a point of spitting out the wine you are tasting, instead of swallowing it. Some of you will blanch at this, but not only will it make driving safer, it will keep you fresher for the overwhelming number of wines you are likely to taste.
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