The Sonoma Wine Mixer

September marks my one-year anniversary at Taste of Home. And what better way to celebrate this milestone than traveling to California wine country for work?

There is no better way, let me tell you. I spent a few days in Sonoma County and had the time of my life sipping wines, wandering through vineyards and eating amazing meals. I have Taste of Home and Sonoma-Cutrer to thank for this inspiring vacation disguised as a work trip.

Getting to California

Arriving in California felt a bit like a dream. I hopped off the plane only to find a driver waiting for me with a sign. I felt like a very fancy person. He took me over to Hotel Zeppelin, which I loved with all it’s Led Zeppelin and Grateful Dead swag. As beautiful and funky as the hotel was, I knew I had to take in a little bit of San Francisco. With just a few hours before dinner, I took a lap around Union Square and then walked through Chinatown. I haggled for a jade necklace there. The woman who sold it to me said it’d bring me luck. I already felt super lucky being in California, so I just figured this would put me over the top.

That night, I met the four other writers participating in this tour as well as reps from the winery. They were all really kind and charming – perfect company for our dinner at Bluestem Brasserie. I had a few glasses of Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay and Pinot Noir along with my dinner. It was a great way to ease into the trip.

The Vineyards

While San Francisco was nice, it wasn’t quite for me (though I only saw the smallest sliver of it!); Sonoma County was definitely more my speed. As we headed north, the city disappeared and soon all there was to see were vineyards and farms. This was the California I was hoping for.

For the better part of a day, I got to check out the vineyards and winery. Let me tell you, it was the perfect time to be in Sonoma County. It was the middle of the harvest season, so as we toured the winery, we got to see the grapes being brought in, sorted and then sent to press. Though what I enjoyed most was being able to walk through the vineyards and see the grapes on the vine (and try a few, too!). It was like being at an apple orchard in September or visiting a tree farm at Christmas – just the right place at the perfect time to take it all in.

The Tasting

Of course, the trip wasn’t all tours. The other writers and I got to enjoy a fantastic wine tasting with Sonoma-Cutrer’s winemaking director. We sipped a few different Chardonnays, a Pinot Noir, a rosé and – my favorite – a Grand Cuveé that I dream about. I wouldn’t normally say I’m a Chardonnay gal, but these were so unlike the common buttery and oaky varieties you normally find. Some were so clean and refreshing, others almost creamy. They definitely made me rethink this wine.

Overall, though, being led through the tasting was a fabulous treat. On my own, I do OK with tastings (just ask the Taste of Home crew that had to listen to me explain how flaxseed milk tasted like the coating of those pink and white animal crackers), but having a guide really helped me understand the finer points of each variety. Plus, tasting wine is hard! I just read about this study that says wine tasting is akin to doing complex math. Really!

The Sonoma Wine (and Croquet) Mixer

Before I left, I kept referring to this trip as the Catalina Wine Mixer. This is only funny for Stepbrothers fans. But the trip did entail a mixer of sorts – just in Sonoma County.

See, after a full day of touring the property (and a quick nap back at Vintners Inn), we returned for a small mixer: wine, cheese, a game of croquet and dinner. I foolishly bragged to everyone that I was a croquet master earlier in the day. I am not. I own the game and like to play from time to time – this does not mean I am any good.

Once we hit the regulation croquet court, I realized I was 100% out of my league. I realized I was 150% out of my league when the winery’s hospitality manager explained rules and techniques that were totally foreign to me. Any expertise I may have had was irrelevant.

But I was determined to do my best. I grabbed a red ball (I’m always red), a mallet and a glass of wine and headed to the court with my teammate. The game was pretty darn close, but in the end we won! I have Ashlee to thank for this. Thanks to her we won and I got to retain my very limited croquet cred.

The game was followed up with a lovely dinner with great pairings for each course. I could drink Les Pierres Chardonnay every day if I had to. It was the highlight of the evening for me. Well, and the Grand Cuveé. And pretending like I knew anything about croquet.