Wine Traveler at Foppiano Vineyards and J Vineyards

On Old Redwood Highway just off Highway 101 near Healdsburg is where Foppiano Vineyard and J Vineyards are located, just a couple of miles of each other. Even though they are very different from one another, we enjoyed our visits to both of them.

Read more

The Wine Traveler in the Russian River Wine Country

The Russian River area of Sonoma County is spectacular wine country. It remains largely undiscovered by the masses. Yes, the town of Healdsburg and the center of this wine region is very busy with its high-end restaurants, inns, and shops. But elsewhere, there are secret places and great discoveries to be made in the backroads of towns like Forestville, Geyserville, Graton, Sebastopol, Occidental, and Guerneville.

Read more

The Wine Traveler at Rockpile

Ever hear of the Rockpile AVA? This wine appellation is one hot AVA. Ever since the Wine Spectator named Rosenblum 2003 Rockpile Zinfandel as the number three-rated wine of the year in 2005, wines from this region have been in huge demand. When a winery puts the Rockpile name on its label, it almost an instant sellout. So is this AVA worthy of all this attention?

Read more

Wine Traveler Visits Michel-Schlumberger

What we most enjoy about visiting the Dry Creek Valley near Healdsburg is investigating the backroads of this area in search of secret and hidden wineries. Michel-Schlumberger Wines is one those hidden wineries that is tucked away on secluded Wine Creek Road. Michel-Schlumgberger is open to visitors by appointment only and most visitors book the … Read more

Wine Traveler visits the Dry Creek Inn – Healdsburg

Healdsburg’s Best Western Dry Creek Inn recently opened a completely new section to its inn. The section is Tuscan style and has 60 rooms that are quite a step up from the older rooms. The room we stayed in was spacious and equipped with a gas fireplace, flat screen TV, jetted tub, and wireless Internet access. Outside our sliding door were a patio, spa, and an outdoor fireplace. The weather was so cold we could not take advantage of the outdoors but we sure did love the gas fireplace.

The new section contains the Krug Event Center, a fitness room, and a large room where breakfast is served to guests. The Krug Event Center (no relation to the Charles Krug Winery) is a facility for business conferences, weddings, and the like.

Read more

Wine Traveler Visits Stryker-Sonoma Winery


Stryker is fairly new winery in the Alexander Valley of Sonoma County. The first impression when you walk toward the entrance is the elegance. The owners obviously spared no expenses. The building is a beauty nestled among the vineyards of the Alexander Valley. The tasting room is a large and spacious open room. Picture windows behind the tasting counter fill the tasting room with light and gorgeous views of the vineyards.

Read more

The Wine Traveler Visits Mauritson Wines

You can’t miss the big olive green barn structure as you drive along Dry Creek Road near Healdsburg. This is where the Mauritson Family makes their wines. Although one of the newer wineries on the Dry Creek Road, the family has been around for as long as anyone in the Dry Creek Valley. Before becoming a winery, the family farmed vast acres of vineyards and sold grapes to many a vintner in the Dry Creek and elsewhere. All of this started back in 1884. In the 1990’s the Mauritson family decide to make their own wines. Clay Mauritson is the wine maker while the rest of the family tends to the vines and other winery business.

Read more

The Wine Traveler Visit Organically Certified Preston Vineyards

Preston Vineyards is a lovely tasting room to visit. It is located at the very end of one of California wine country’s most beautiful backroads, West Dry Creek Road. A few years back, Preston was a quiet winery, a secret and hidden gem. However, in recent years Preston Vineyards has been featured in some well-known wine publications. I’m sure the publicity has been good for owners Lou and Sue Preston but for some of us long-time visitors, we prefer the old days where it was one of Dry Creek’s best kept secrets.

Read more

The Wine Traveler at Lambert Bridge Winery – Best Picnic Spot

Bar none, the Lambert Bridge Winery, near Healdsburg CA. has the one of the prettiest picnic areas in California wine country. As we mentioned in our last blog post, the Dry Creek area is no longer a secret and hidden area. On weekends tourists flock to the Dry Creek Valley so much so that often all accommodation in nearby Healdsburg are booked solid. A better choice is to visit the Dry Creek area and Lambert Bridge during the week. From San Francisco, you can get to Lambert Bridge in about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic through Santa Rosa.

Read more

Wine Traveler in Dry Creek Valley – Zichichi Family Vineyards

The Dry Creek Valley near the town of Healdsburg is one of my favorite places to visit. Sad to say, but in recent years it has been discovered not only by tourists but by wineries as well. It seems that each time we visit, we discover a new winery that has recently opened. It is hard to keep up. About a year ago the Zichichi Family Vineyards opened its tasting room and last week was our first chance to visit. Zichichi is located on what I think is the most wonderful backroad in wine country, West Dry Creek Road. This is a pretty little road that winds along Dry Creek Valley and ends at Bella Vineyards. You have to drive slowly because around each bend it’s likely you will meet up with bicyclists.

Read more