Two Valleys, Six Wineries, New Rules

New rules: 
1.  When offered a choice between the "classic" tasting menu and the "reserve" tasting menu, always choose the reserve.  (Except if you are visiting your 4th winery of the day - in that case, it doesn't matter what you drink).
2.  Always "accidentally" leave your credit card at home when wine tasting.  This serves as a blessing in disguise when you have had too much to drink and have been nearly talked into joining the wine club.
3.  Always have something diplomatic to say about the winery you visited previously.  This way you don't self-select as either a snob or an idiot.


Since our last winery blog, we have been to six wineries (and doubled our taste count on the tasting meter ->).  While we aren't in the business of writing advertisements for wineries, we had good experiences at all six of these and thought we'd give a brief description of each and why we enjoyed them.


Lambert Bridge Winery - if you want a single stop that presents gorgeous grounds, exquisite wines and true wine experts in the tasting room, you must visit at this lovely winery and you will probably join their club, like we did.  Better start saving those pennies.


Arista Winery - a uniquely designed winery with Japanese garden and pond, providing a lovely place to stroll while sipping some really nice wines.  If you are lucky, the winemaker will be in the tasting room pouring wines himself.


Porter Creek Vineyards - after feeling a bit like a trespasser on a hippie farm, brave souls (who have made it past the 14 year-old shepherd guard dog) can enjoy some fantastically made organic, biodynamic wines in a casual and intimate tasting cottage.


Rosenblum Cellars - recommended to us for their famous Zinfandels, the tasting room is a stone's throw from Healdsburg plaza, full of eager tasters and knowledgeable winery staff, and if you look closely and ignore the store signs, you might recognize the exterior as the police station in 'Scream' (the original).

Dry Creek Vineyard - one the post-prohibition pioneers of Dry Creek Valley, DCVineyard offers a wide range of varietals and gives the option of tasting a representative selection or a flight of a single varietal.  We tasted the Sauvignon Blanc flight, which was surprisingly diverse, including a great Musqué! 


Quivira Vineyards - home to pigs, goats, and other farm-y things, the winery manages to present a tasting atmosphere that is lovely, sophisticated and garden-like.  It is evident in the style of the wines, grounds and conversation, that Quivira is committed to preserving the farming roots of the region. That's not to say that they aren't also committed to (and successful at) creating great wine!