Tag: vineyards

It's not the easiest thing in the world to produce great wine. In fact, it's as much art as it is science. These three California wineries have embraced the challenge and not only produce spectacular wines, but offer accessible environments for visitors to enjoy them in.

The name Hope appears in every chapter of the 30-plus year wine industry history of Paso Robles. Chuck Hope planted one of the first vineyards just east of the Salinas River in 1978, and was instrumental in establishing the region’s solid reputation for high quality grape growing. He helped other vineyards get their start and was a founding member of what is now the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.

Nestled an hour east of San Francisco, the Livermore Valley is one of California’s oldest wine growing regions. Surrounded by lush vineyards, picturesque hills and quaint suburbs, the Livermore Valley has a rich history of wine making. Fifth generation winemakers, new winemakers and vineyardists all work in unison to usher the Livermore wine region into a new era of wine renaissance.

There's so much to do in California’s Gold Country! Just 45 miles east of Sacramento, Amador County beckons with beautiful rustic vistas, historic downtowns, and rolling scenic vineyards. Here’s a sneak peek at the itinerary for my next visit.

Day One: I’ll start with a walking tour of Sutter Creek’s Main Street where 62 historic buildings remind us of the county’s intriguing past. Then I’ll brunch at Hanford House Inn’s Element Restaurant (I’ve been told to try the Miners Hash).

A bit more than two hours southeast of Seattle in Central Washington, Yakima Valley has an average of 300 days of sunshine and a bounty of just about everything. If it grows in the Pacific Northwest, there’s a good chance it grows in abundance in the Yakima Valley, which is home to four American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), more than 70 wineries, and over one-third of the state’s vineyard acres. Yakima Valley also grows more than 40 commercial crops, including 78 percent of the hops harvested in the entire United States! It’s almost impossible to not eat local, with fields, farms, and orchards in every direction. With so many vineyards in the area, it seems only natural to stroll through one and see how the grapes are grown. Here, you can walk through most every vineyard with the winemakers themselves. Many of the wineries serve as venues for up-and-coming musicians, and the valley is fast becoming a hub for great live music.

Whistle Punk, TriUmph, and Devil’s Smoke Stack are fanciful names for just three of the extraordinary wines crafted by Ray Sandidge, a renowned Washington State winemaking pioneer. Ray has devoted 30 years to making beautiful, superbly balanced red and white wines. Aside from short stints on Long Island, New York, and in the Rheingau region of Germany, Ray has spent 23 years making wines in Washington State.

On the western shore of California’s massive Clear Lake, a magnificent 4,300-foot volcano casts a majestic presence against the sky. Its core samples tell us it began to form 480,000 years ago as part of a volcanic field that experienced serious eruptions until around 38,000 B.C. When the first humans—tribal members of the Pomo Nation—settled nearby, they named it Mount Konocti, roughly translated to "Mountain Woman." Through the centuries, Mount Konocti has been a source of spiritual inspiration, legends, and wonder.