January and February is an excellent time of the year to visit the Alexander Valley and the surrounding communities. Why now? This is a particularly beautiful time of the year in these parts. The air is clean and clear. The traffic is less on the roads and in the tasting rooms. Most of all, the communities of Geyserville, Healdsburg and the Alexander Valley need your business.
The Kincade Fire and the evacuations are having a substantial financial impact on businesses and wineries. You probably know that the historic Jimtown Store on Highway 128 closed its doors on December 31, 2019. Soda Rock Winery down the road from the Jimtown Store felt the wrath of the Kincade fire, with the cellar and winery burning to the ground. This is still a beautiful area, far from the media images of the fire that we’ve seen.
It is time to spend a few days in the Alexander Valley, as we did a few weeks ago. Here are some ideas for your trip to the Alexander Valley.
Things to Do in the Alexander Valley
Geyserville – where to stay, dine, and taste wine
Geyserville is a terrific little wine town, living in the shadow of Healdsburg. Geyserville is just a few minutes north of Healdsburg. Currently, and through the end of March, the Geyserville Inn has a special for returning guests. A standard room midweek is less than $100. The Geyserville Inn was recently remodeled. It is a fantastic deal.
For dining in Geyserville, there are three options. We list them in the order of our preference.
- Diavola Pizzeria – locals love this place
- Catelli’s – an old family-run restaurant with an outdoor garden
- Geyserville Grill – next door to the Inn, serving breakfast and lunch. The Grill is also open for dinner Thursday through Monday.
Wine Tasting
There are many excellent wineries in and around Geyserville. In Geyserville, there are four tasting rooms to enjoy. Meeker Vineyard serves wine in a very old, former bank building. It is a lot of fun to visit. Locals Tasting Room is more a wine bar serving up “Local” wines. Checkout the Geyserville Wine Trail for the best wineries to visit.
Alexander Valley
Take a ride along Highway 128. We like the southern end of the Alexander Valley beginning at Healdsburg Avenue and running to the Hanna Winery to the south. You must visit the Soda Rock temporary tasting room. The old barn at Soda Rock survived the fire, and the owners, Ken and Diane Wilson, have set up a cozy and fun tasting room. Wine tasting at the barn is an excellent way to help bring the winery back to life.
We also like Medlock Ames, the Alexander Vineyard Winery, and Hanna Winery. If you are excited about Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, try Jordan Winery. Make a reservation for a tasting there. Check out our Alexander Valley Wine Trail for more information on the local wineries.
Healdsburg
There are plenty of excellent restaurants and boutique shops in Healdsburg. It is always fun to spend an afternoon walking around the Plaza. There are enough tasting rooms in downtown Healdsburg to make your head spin. There are many options for accommodations in Healdsburg.
One novel way to taste wine in Healdsburg is Bike Healdsburg. We have not done this as yet, but it looks like fantastic fun for a group of wine travelers. Peddle around the Plaza and stop off at various tasting rooms.
