Tuesday
Today was another great day on trip back to the future. It started off with a great breakfast and great conversation with Jason a preacher from the North Metro Church of Christ here in
I decided to detour from my journey to 
I made my first stop in the area the Sonoma Plaza in the heart of Sonoma. It was a nice time walking around looking into shop windows and watch the people scurry about. In the middle of the plaza sits City Hall. A historic old building. Today, they were setting up for music and food on the plaza. This was one of those events where you could bring your own wine and enjoy it with friends and family. No open liquer laws here. Great little place to enjoy.
Ravenswood winery sits off one of the long winding roads in the 
I was just intrigued by these guys. I wish I had the guts, discipline or even the will to travel like that. They had tents and stayed at camp grounds as well as even sleeping in their mini van. They also had their bikes on top of the car to explore even deeper into woods and all. We talked for a good while and my friend Cathleen invited us to stay for a private barrel tasting.
We were also given a pass to another winery and we all loaded up and headed that way. The next and final stop on our short tour was at the Bartholomew Park Winery. This was a nice small place that houses a museum next to the tasting room. The ladies pouring the wine were very nice to everyone there. They explained a lot about their wines as well as the property which was once a hospital.
I found my hotel easily enough. The Holiday Inn Express is really y favorite chain of hotels. They are not expensive and they are always clean, serve a great free breakfast and I accumulate those all important free future stays. This location is great as well. I will have a review posted on it as well. I found a great little place to eat next door to the hotel called Ono Hawaiian BBQ. It was great. When I finished eating, I returned back to the room and immediately went to the internet to find the song, “somewhere over the rainbow” by Israel Kamkawakiwo, I am not sure of the spelling, but that really was a great treat after the BBQ.
Well, it is off to the hot tub for a few minutes to unwind.
This only some of the history you get when you visit. We were also told that this place used to be a hospital. It has some really unique features including the craftsmanship of the wooden beans. The museum included some pretty cool exhibits including soil samples, a topographical map and pictures illustrating present-day vineyard practices throughout the Sonoma Valley. It was really interesting
The wine was pretty good with each varietal having its own story. I seemed to enjoy most of them. They were reasonably priced from $20-$40.
The vines at the estate were replanted a few years ago to make the vineyards all organic. They also received an organic certification in 2005. There wines are sold exclusively through their tasting room and wine club, so have them ship you a few bottles home.
I guess as long as the winery has been here or maybe for as long as anybody cares to remember, this has been the credo (calling card? Battle cry? Team yell? Coat of arms?) of Ravenswood Winery. This tag line really Expresses their commitment to full-flavored varietal wine — notably Zinfandel. I think this is why I fell in love with the wines and Cathleen who is the wine club manager. You can call her directly at 1-866-568-3946 and she can hook you up. She is also the traveling face of the winery. No wimpy wines sums up their mission to capture everything a vineyard has to offer, and to promote it in a way that won't put people to sleep. Wine is, after all, one of the most fascinating and fun things in life, right? They are friendly and very accommodating with a wide selection of great taste. I actually stepped out of my red zone and tried the 2007 Moscato which was really good. Usually they charge $15 for taste of all the wines they make, which can be more than 10, and you get to keep the glass. It’s a fun time and the tasting room is very inviting. They ship and give you a free gift if you sign up to get on there mailing list. It’s worth it.
Take a little time to enjoy all the wines, but savor those reds. There is so much to do here at Gundlach like take tours, enjoy a cave meal, celebrate a special event or even have your wedding. It a great place to also bring your own lunch. They have a very nice picnic area with clean restrooms.
