Share Your Wine Country Trip

Upon the suggestion of Kwilk, I decided to start this tread for those who want to sahre pics and stories of their trips to vineyards and wineries around the world. So, here it goes...I'll start with the third of three vineyards I visited in Napa and Sonoma last weekend:


The Highlight of the weekend for us, hands down, was Fog Crest, sitting on the hill off Occidental Road in the Russian River Valley! After being stopped by a fill-in postal worker wanting a signature for a package, we continued down a gravel drive that wound its way through the vineyards.




There we were greeted by Jim Manoogian, one half of the husband/wife owner/vintners team! It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the 70's and barely a cloud in the sky! He started us of with the first of two Chards and then walked us down to the vines where the chard grapes are grown and bud break was in full force.





We tasted both the 2007 Laguna West and 2007 Estate Vineyard Chardonnay. The Laguna West was a richer and rounder chard with lush pear falvours intermingled with hints of peach and baking spices that led into a nice mild and toasty hazelnut finish with a pleasant touch of crisp acidity. The Estate Vineyard chard was a bit more old world in style exhibiting lemon floral and soft hazelnut aromas on the nose that led into a palate of crisp apple and citrus notes on a cool base of minerality and nuanced oak flavours. The finish was warm and bright with just the right amount of cool acidity

We then headed back to the barrel room to taste the pinots. With glasses in hand Jim lead us over to the upper estate pinot vines, where he talked about their pruning process and how they will eventually drop double buds.





Here we tasted the 2008 Laguna West Pinot Noir that welcomed you in with a warm and spicy nose with notes of dark and bright cherry cola. The palate was rich and smooth with a base of silky smooth tannins supporting a chorus of ripe red berry fruit flavours accompanied by nuances of anise and lush plum. The finish added more dark fruit and cola flavours that tapered slowly off with light acidity.

Once we were hooked Jim then capped off our tour with a barrel tasting, or thieving as he called it! My very first! He treated us to a preview of their 2010 Upper Estate Pinot Noir that was barreled last October. Though it was still young with lots of green notes you could tell that this was going to develop into a very lush and complex wine as it was already exhibiting the signature berry flavours and soft structure of the 08 Laguna West.











After all was said and done we walked away with two bottles each of the 07 Estate Chard and the 08 Laguna West Pinot and I guarantee we will be ordering more! If you get a chance I highly recommend that you try to visit them! http://www.fogcrestvineyard.com/

For some reason, tasting out of the barrel makes me feel like a total badass.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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For some reason, tasting out of the barrel makes me feel like a total badass.

The wine is usually pretty terrible at that stage.

Originally Posted by Manton

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The wine is usually pretty terrible at that stage.

Not in my limited experience. Certainly different, but I wouldn't say terrible.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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For some reason, tasting out of the barrel makes me feel like a total badass.

That's the feeling I got

Originally Posted by Manton

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The wine is usually pretty terrible at that stage.

Well, this was my first barrel tasting so I can't comment on that. However, we "thieved" from the barrel after we had tasted the 2008 bottling of the same vineyard and though it was young and green I could still get a sense of where it could be once it's all grown up. It certainly was displaying the beginnings of a lot of the character of the 2008.

Our trip to Wine Country began early Friday morning as we checked out of our hotel in Fisherman’s Wharf and into an estate car back to the airport to pick up the rental car (one of the limitations of booking with United Miles). From there it was a fairly easy drive over the Bay Bridge and up I80 through Oakland, with a quick job over to 29. We stayed at the new Best Western Ivy Hotel at the northern end of Napa. After we checked in and got settled we headed to our first winery of the trip: Failla. This a beautiful little winery nestled at the base of the mountains in the Northeastern corner of St. Helena off the Silverado Trail.

When we arrived we were greeted like old friends. On the walls of the entry way stood proud but empty reminders of festive holiday parties past, including old Failla Jordan labels (would have loved to have been able try one of those Syrahs!). We were taken into what will eventually be the living room of the family home once the new caves and tasting rooms are completed just up the hill. The feeling was very warm and cozy with a large river rock fireplace and a decidedly Adirondack feel!


The river rock fire place.



A view if the porch.


We were to be joined by one other couple, so while we waited we were poured some of their 2009 Sonoma Coast Chard, which was just lovely with nice pear notes and a lovely and crisp acidic finish. Since Erhen Jordan spent quite a bit of time making wine in Rhone, his wines are decidedly Old World in personality with a nice balance of New World terroir. We were also treated to a taste of their very limited production (185 cases) 2009 Edna Valley Viognier, Alban Vineyard, of which the French Laundry gets but one case! It had a wonderfully floral nose and bright yet round palate and clean finish. I would have bought a bottle if they had any! Once the other couple arrived we got to revisit the Chard and tasted two Pinots and a Syrah.


The Chard and Viognier.


Both of the Pinots were exceptional. The first to be tasted was the 2009 Sonoma Stage that had a nose of autumn leaf and spice, with a rich, lush and spicy palate. The tannins were silky smooth and the finish lingered on like a fond memory of camping on a brisk fall weekend. The second Pinot we tasted (and the one we brought home) was the 2007 Peay Vineyard, which hails from the Sonoma Coast near Mendocino. The nose was ripe with spiced cherries and hints of leafy smoke. The mouth was treated to a lush palate of red fruits and velvety tannins and a finish that brings tart cranberry and crisp strawberry flavours. The last wine we tasted was the 2009 Phoenix Ranch Syrah, which I absolutely loved with it’s big warm nose of spiced dark fruits and sweet tobacco leaf and rich palate of plum and blackberries, aggressive tannins and velvety chocolate finish.


The tasting line up.



The spoils of tasting.



Sipping the Peay Vineyard pool side.



The Estate Chardonnay enjoyed at home.



If ever there was a way to kick off a weekend in wine country this was definitely it and we can’t wait to return. Not only to taste more of Failla’s wonderful wines but also see the new caves and perhaps sit on the inviting porch and sip some vino in the crisp and clean St. Helena air.

just a few shots from the Finger Lakes (these are old pics I dug up):

Nice, guys. Here's a few reposts from when I hit Sonoma last year:

DUDE! You went into the Timbercrest complex but didn't hit up Kokomo??!?!?

Are the wineries very stringent about displaying proof of ID? I'll be in California for a while this summer, and would really enjoy taking a trip through wine country, but obviously don't want to be unable to taste the actual wine itself (still a year away from legal age).

For what it's worth, I'm almost always served alcohol in restaurants without any problem.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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DUDE! You went into the Timbercrest complex but didn't hit up Kokomo??!?!?

If I remember right, it wasn't open. I'll head up into that compound again next year.

Originally Posted by mm84321

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Are the wineries very stringent about displaying proof of ID? I'll be in California for a while this summer, and would really enjoy taking a trip through wine country, but obviously don't want to be unable to taste the actual wine itself (still a year away from legal age).

For what it's worth, I'm almost always served alcohol in restaurants without any problem.
I've never been carded, and I kind of have the face of a chubby baby. But I imagine going into a winery, being asked for ID, and not being able to show it would be really embarrassing.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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If I remember right, it wasn't open. I'll head up into that compound again next year.

Kokomo is great. I think they'd fit your palate well. And the guy is super cool too, let my parents and I taste out of the barrel since they were racking that day. Their dogs run around the building and stuff. Cool place.

^^mm8121241341, I don't believe I've ever been ID'd in a couple of trips to Paso Robles/Santa Maria.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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But I imagine going into a winery, being asked for ID, and not being able to show it would be really embarrassing.

Yeah, such is my concern.

Great pics guys! Thanks for contributions seeing other wine counties is why zip I started this thread.
As for visiting wineries without an ID try ones that take appointments only as they will assume if you are calling to set up one then you are of age. I say this as all my winery visits have been by appointment and none of them have ever asked for ID.