One of the most exciting wine country regions in the world is the Russian River Valley. The Russian River Valley is the land of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other cool-climate grape varieties. If you like these wines, you must visit the Russian River Valley. You will be in some of the most beautiful wine country … Read more
Picnic and Hike at Riverfront Regional Park in Sonoma County Since the COVID pandemic, it has been difficult for wine travelers to find a winery where one can enjoy a picnic lunch with vineyard views. Many wineries have restrictions on their picnic areas. Often reservations are required. Some offer picnic tables to wine club members … Read more
Russian River Valley in Sonoma County The Coastal Redwoods depend upon the fog bank that forms along the Pacific Coast from the Monterey area to the Northern border of California. Fog equals cool climate temperatures. Wherever Redwood trees thrive, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Alsatian varieties of grapes also thrive. The Russian River Valley AVA is … Read more
Healdsburg, Sonoma, Windsor, and Santa Rosa are the hot wine towns of Sonoma County wine country. If you like less hubbub, more solitude, and less wine snobbery, try visiting the town of Occidental. Occidental is in the Russian River Valley wine appellation, about 30 minutes west of Santa Rosa, CA. Occidental is secluded, but in … Read more
On a recent trip to the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, we visited two wineries. These wineries could not be more different from one another. The only similarity in these wineries is that they are both located in the same AVA, the Russian River Valley. On a Wednesday, we visited the Battaglini Winery. The … Read more
Book Clubs are Meeting in Wine Country The Mills Book Club was established in 1989 by Librarian Kris, long before book clubs were as popular as they are now. Today, book clubs are flourishing among friends and neighbors all over the world. Perhaps it was the Mills Book Club that set the trend for book club … Read more
This week we recommend four wineries to visit in the Russian River area of Sonoma County, and very near the wonderful wine country town of Healdsburg.
Mix wine country with a picnic, hike, and more – Riverfront Regional Park It it always healthy to mix in some exercise among all the wine and food consumption during a wine country trip. The Riverfront Regional Park in the Russian River Valley provides just that with some easy hiking trails. The Coastal Redwood picnic … Read more
Gracianna Winery on Westside Road One of the most beautiful backroads in California wine country is Westside Road near Healdsburg CA. It winds through the Russian River Valley and along the banks of the Russian River. About halfway from Healdsburg on Westside Road is what many refer to as the Miracle Mile. This is where … Read more
MacRostie Winery and Vineyards on Westside Road After 28 years of making very fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Sonoma Valley, Steve MacRostie finally has his dream tasting room and Pinot Noir winemaking facility. It is a beautiful piece of vineyard property located on scenic Westside Road that runs along the Russian River. There are many beautiful … Read more