Took an early break from work yesterday and went on a winery tour with my buddy, S. We went to a town called Healdsburg in Northern California, about 75 to 80 miles north of San Francisco. The town is right in Sonoma County, one of at least two counties (the other one being neighboring Napa) in that part of California that are famed for their wines and vineyards.
Our first stop was the Sapphire Hill Winery.
We got to taste at least five of their wine products. A few of the wines we sampled are shown below:
I am very partial to red wine and thus, except for one, the rest of the varieties I tasted were "reds". I ended up buying a bottle of wine, a Sapphire Hill 2003 Pinot Noir, the one in the middle above. The second and last stop was at the Seghesio Family Vineyards, the leading vineyard in Healdsburg:
Behind the glass window in the photo above, are the wine barrels as shown in the photo below. I apologize for the quality of the picture for I was behind a glass window at the time. It also did not help that I am a man with an awful camphone and equally awful photo-shooting skills.
I tasted about six of the red wine varieties at this place. Yours truly had to admit that I was a bit "buzzed" by the time I left this place. It didn't help that while in that "buzzed" state, I ended up buying two bottles of red wine, a Sangiovese Vintage 2005 and a 2004 San Lorenzo Petite Sirah, and also ended up applying for membership at their wine club.
After the winery tour, S and I had a couple of rounds of the Red Rocket Ale at the Bear Republic microbrewery. Actually, a couple of rounds is quite an understatement because each round came in a 22 ounce glass. Plus, the ale had a kick to it.
Anyway, five glasses of wine at Sapphire Hill, six glasses at Seghesio, and two 22-ounce glasses of red ale at the Bear Republic were bound to take their toll sooner or later. I didn't realize the cumulative effects those drinks had on me until this morning when my loved one told me that I fell asleep on her last night, right in the middle of a phone conversation. (Yikes!) That also explained why as soon as I woke up this morning, I found my cellphone right next to me on the bed and all the lights in my room were still on. (Another yikes!) When I got up from bed, I found that my hotel room door was not locked . (Oops!)
Needless to say, I had to apologize profusely to my lady love this morning for falling asleep on her last night. In addition, the planned sequel and conclusion to my little story did not materialize due to my inebriated state. Sigh.
Original Photos by: Panaderos
22 responses:
Ohh it sounds like you had fun tho. I'm sure she'll forgive you at least it was on the phone and not in person. :D
rdl,
I had fun, way too much fun for my own good. Hahaha I'm just glad that she forgave me. She has a heart of gold. :)
I don't know why, I am one of those who never had the liking for wine =)
My mom-in-law always do and she is here now with lots of 'em--=D Perhaps its the age? My friend's mom too, she is now notorious when it comes to red wine, whenever we visit, we carry a red wine wiht us! I think I'd like a trip to see the making but not the tasting! =D
Hi Gizelle,
I didn't have a liking for it too until last year when a friend reintroduced me to it by citing its health benefits. It is an acquired taste.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the making of the wine because both wineries close at 5 p.m. We were limited to wine tasting but it was still fun. Maybe next time.
Man, that was some trip you had. A cousin once told me they drove all the way from Sanfo to Napa Valley for a tour of the vineyards and some, ehem... wine tasting. They ended up pissed-drunk that day, and had to stay overnight sleeping inside the car. :-D
Oi! You left your cellphone on hold all night? Man, I'd hate to see your next phone bill, haha. :-D
Rudy,
True, I am quite nervous about my cellphone bill. Hahaha
Napa Valley is a pretty area with vineyards all around. This was my first time to go wine tasting and I must say that it was indeed fun. I'm lucky to have made it back to my hotel though. Hehe :D
That sounds like the movie "Sideways".
We women are a forgiving lot. We have no choice really we will just end up being stressed. he he he
Well hopefully you took some aspirin to take care of that hangover so you can write the 2nd installment of your story. :)
Hi Daphne,
It does sound like "Sideways". Yup, I'm glad I was forgiven. Otherwise, my little story would have had an abrupt ending. Hehe
Enjoy the long weekend! :)
nakakalasing din pala ang red wine?
i am a fundador lover. red wine has no 'high' effect on me. i only get a little sleepy but not drunk.
that trip, anyway, sounded fun!
a blessed holy week to you...
res ipsa loquitur... the thing speaks for itself... you're an easy sell when it comes to wine... hahaha (I just had to say it :D)
I like wine tasting excursions. We've done that once here, up in Sta. Barbara, in Kalaira, where they filmed the movie Sideways and that's how we formed the Kalaira club with several friends from Papa's work... hehe.
I especially like the one we did in New Zealand, in an island called Waiheke, which you reached by boat, and where every estate was a vineyard. By far, it was the most beautiful place on earth that I have seen. The wine that they produce is their pride and joy.
what's the best red wine you've tasted? californian, australian or spanish?
Hi Bing,
Yes, red wine can have that effect too, especially with the amount I consumed. Hehehe
Have a Blessed Holy Week too. Thanks.
Jet,
So true. I almost signed my whole life away there. Hahaha Now that I'm a member of their wine club, they said that they'll ship 2 bottles to me every quarter and bill me afterwards! Hahaha
Wow, from how you described it, the place in NZ must really be beautiful and worth a visit. It's beautiful up here in Sonoma Valley too with vineyards all around. I'm hearing that a lot of vineyards are now sprouting in a lot of areas in California.
Mari,
I'm still pretty new to red wines, having started only last year. I really can't say that I'm an expert. Not yet anyway.
The varieties I've tried have so far have been limited to American brands and a few Brazilian and Spanish brands. The best one I've tasted so far is a wine from Brazil the name of which escapes me right now. I had it in a restaurant in Atlanta a few months ago.
man,
i hope you have shaken off all the alcohol. i'm sure lady love understands. i am amazed you were even ableto dial her phone number at your state! i am a feather weigh when it comes to drinking. 2 cockails and i'm done!
so when is the next installment?
have a blessed holy week,mr baker.
Looks like you ou nearly drank a bottle of fine vintage wine for free - hehe :)
Sleeping on someone during a phone conversation - hope you didn't snore haha :)
Mulahontas!!
Thanks, I have fully recovered from all that alcohol. Hehe I had her number on speed dial and thus was still able to reach her successfully.
Working on the next installment na. :) Have a Blessed Holy Week, too, Jane. Take care.
bw,
Bro, spot on! The feeling that I was drinking vintage wine for free kept me going. Hahaha
As for snoring on her while she was still on the phone.... no comment. :)
I'm not really a wine drinker, though I take a few sips here and there at parties. It's an acquired taste, I know, but my indio taste buds are more into tequila, vodka, brandy and SMB. he he.
Mon,
I'm more of a beer drinker myself. I'm a late bloomer when it comes to wines, having started only last year at the urging of a close friend.
In those rare moments when I feel like I need a drink, my impulse is to have a beer instead of liquor.
I miss the microbrew scene in the US I wonder if anyone's ever thought of something like that here in Da Pinas.
Calif wine country is a favorite destination of ours (me and hubby) too. It helps that I have relatives in nearby Solano cty.
Hi MegaMom,
The microbreweries do offer a lot of "varieties" to the beer drinker. They give us more choices and make beer drinking a more interesting experience. I make it a point to try the microbreweries in each area I visit.
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