1 Week in Wine Country - Itinerary Critique

Hello to everyone!!

Ok...I think I%26#39;ve got most of our itinerary ready for our upcoming trip to wine country May 9 - 16, 2009. I%26#39;m listing our itinerary below for your ideas, suggestions, criticism...anything you can think of. We don%26#39;t want it to be too rigid; would like some room for spontaneity and somewhat of a balance between wine-tasting, sightseeing and enjoying the great outdoors that wine country has to offer. Thanks once again for all of your great ideas and suggestions thus far...it has been a huge help!!!

Sat. May 9

- Arrive SFO

- Rent car

- 1:00pm lunch at Hog Island Oyster Co.(Ferry Building)

- Drive towards Sonoma stopping at Crissy Field shoreline for pics of Golden Gate Bridge

- Sonoma Market for groceries/supplies

- Drive to cottage. Dinner at cottage.

Sun. May 10

- 10:30am Buena Vista Winery, self-tour %26amp; tasting

- 1pm Chateau St. Jean tasting

- 2:30pm Ledson Winery tour %26amp; picnic lunch

- 4:15pm St. Francis Winery tasting

- 8:00pm Dinner at The Girl and The Fig

Mon. May 11

- 9:30am Depart cottage (3.3 miles from downtown Sonoma plaza)

- 11:am Jordan Winery private tour %26amp; tasting

- 1:00pm Dry Creek General Store for picnic supplies

- 1:45pm Bella Vineyards - cave tasting %26amp; picnic

- 3:30pm Passalacqua Winery tasting

- 4:3opm Mauritson Winery tasting

- Walk around downtown Healdsburg

- 7:00pm Willi%26#39;s Seafood %26amp; Raw Bar dinner

Tues. May 12

- 9:00am Leave cottage for drive to Bodega Bay

- Bodega Bay, Bodega Head

- Spud Point Crab Co. lunch

- Drive to Jenner

- 2:30pm Visit Armstrong Redwoods Reserve (how long?)

- 6:30pm Sonoma Plaza Farmer%26#39;s Market

- 8:30pm Cafe La Haye dinner

Wed. May 13

- 10:00am Rubicon Estate tasting %26amp; tour

- 12:00pm 25 Brix Restaurant lunch

- 2:00pm Franciscan Estates Sensory Evaluation Seminar (1 hour)

- 3:30pm Joseph Phelps Terrace Tasting

- 5:30pm Auberge Du Soleil appetizers/drinks

- Evening open

Thurs. May 14

- 10:30am Jack London State Park hike

- 2:00pm Della Santina%26#39;s Trattoria lunch

- Walk around downtown Sonoma

- 5:00pm The Cellar Door, wine %26amp; cheese tasting of Mayo Family Winery, Richardson Vineyards, Chandelle Winery and Sunset Cellars.

- Evening open

Fri. May 15

- 10:00am Depart cottage

- 11:45am Kuleto Estate tasting

- Afternoon open (Suggestions)? Not necessarily wine related.

- 8:00pm Farm at Carneros Inn dinner

Sat. May 16

- 12:50pm - Depart SFO

1 Week in Wine Country - Itinerary Critique

Looks very well-planned, for your open night on the 13th, consider Terra or The Restaurant @ Meadowood for great meals in St. Helena, if you want casual, Cindy%26#39;s Backstreet Kitchen is very, very good. :)

1 Week in Wine Country - Itinerary Critique

I am not sure your itinerary goes to Calistoga (???)

I think you have done a great job of planning. You are going to be busy, but it sounds like fun.

Hi Puter,

No, I haven%26#39;t made any arrangements to go to Calistoga. I think the closest I get is when we%26#39;re visiting the Kuleto Estate. Should I go for the open afternoon? If so, what non-wine related activities are there? I think by then my bofriend will have had enough of that.

Stick with your original plan. It%26#39;s a good one.

There is Sterling Vineyards there, even if you don%26#39;t wine taste here, the ride up to the top in the enclosed gondola is fun. There is also the Petrified Forest in this area and the Old Faithful Geyser, if you want to try the mud baths, Indian Springs Resort would be a great place to try them. :)

The time you need to alot for Armstrong Woods depends on several factors. You can park outside of the park and walk in for free and if you walk all the way up to the picnic grounds (.75 miles) via the trail that takes you by the Armstrong tree etc. it will take you more time than if you drive into the park to get to those locations.

I%26#39;d allow at least an hour so that you don%26#39;t feel rushed and can enjoy the peace and beauty of the location. If you plan on taking advantage of some of their hiking trails then allow more time.

Wed - For your open evening - since your will be having apps at Auberge and have to go back to the town of Sonoma, I would suggest dinner in downtown Napa - Uva, Zuzu%26#39;s or Ristorante Allegria.

BTW- just wanted to say well done on choosing the sensory seminar at Franciscan! While there, be sure to try the Cuvee Sauvage Chardonny - it%26#39;s made with wild yeast.

Vingale,

Just curious, have you taken the Sensory Seminar at Franciscan? It sounded interesting to me. We love wines but are by no means connoisseurs, and many times, when reading the wine labels, we%26#39;re amazed at all the aromas that can make up a wine. Most of the time we don%26#39;t get but a few so I thought it may help. Any other suggestions? I see you%26#39;re from Napa so you must definitely know! Thanks again.

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