The last time I was in Califonia's wine country I was 12. I complained about touring wineries and tasting grape juice. Now, it is a completely different story. Chris and I raced from Albuquerque to Sonoma to spend the end of our vacation exploring wine country. The first day was walked around the plaza in Sonoma and then went out to a few wineries off Highway 12. Our stops included Imagery Estate, Kunde, Chateau St. Jean, St. Francis and Paradise Ridge. I was not a fan of any of the Imagery Estate wines, in fact I tasted tire rubber in all the reds. But, the art they showcase on the labels is so creative that I wanted to buy the bottles just for decor.
On the first day I was so much more of a fan of the atmosphere and design of the wineries than the wines (I am just a biased Oregon varietal girl)! Kunde had a beautiful patio and water feature in front of the tasting room (think garden party).
But, my favorite winery look was Chateau St. Jean. I am the biggest fan of Mediterriean inspired design, but they winery went over the top with its French villa infusion. This would be the most perfect wedding location ever.
Chateau Carneros:
Then we made our way to Ledson. Ledson was over the top for me. A little gaudy, don't you think?
Once we made our way out of Sonoma and into the Russian River Valley and Healdsburg, I was much more in my element. I enjoyed the more laid back feel after visiting all these more pretentious places. We checked out Foppiano, Merriam and Sapphire Hill. We ate lunch outside at the Healdsburg Grill, which I would 100% recommend. Healdsburg has great shops and tasting rooms to check out in the downtown area.
We left that evening and made our way up the 101 in the fog. We were so closed in, I never even saw the ocean. We got back to Grants Pass that night and our road trip was officially over. It was such an eventful and unforgettable trip. Chris is the best travel companion I could ever ask for. I loved spending all my moments with him! What a great close to summer!
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