JWM - Volume 3, Issue 3 - (Page 49)

T he problem with napa Valley isn’t the wine, or the food, or the scenery. all are impeccable, as advertised. napa’s downfall is its renown. the line of rental cars snaking up Highway 29, the thirsty masses jostling for a pour, the 40-minute wait for a lunch table—it can all seem like a grown-up version of disneyland, crowds included. if you’re looking for an alternative, it isn’t far away. Sonoma county is separated from napa by one small set of hills and, some would say, a few decades. this is wine country as it used to be: lonely country roads, cow pastures and oak meadows interspersed with vineyards and winemakers taking a break from the barrel room to share a taste with customers. napa Valley veterans may scarcely believe it, but a lot of Sonoma wineries don’t even charge for tasting. Sonoma’s challenge is a fun one: figuring out how much of it you can see in a weekend. “Because of its geographical location—meaning coastal—the diversity you get through Sonoma is a much bigger diversity across varieties than napa,” says nicole carter of treasury wine Estates, which owns some of Sonoma’s best wineries. You have no hope of “doing Sonoma” in a day, any more than you could watch every alfred Hitchcock film (as opposed to just those shot here, like The Birds and Shadow of a Doubt) in 24 hours. we might, however, suggest a few epic day trips. courtesy of riDge vineyarDs Sonoma Valley the town of Sonoma is built around a central eight-acre grassy plaza, the perfect place to enjoy your morning victuals from Three Dog Bakery (526 Broadway; 707-933-9780). just across the street from the plaza is Mission San Francisco Solano, northernmost of the Spanish california missions. a state historic park, it’s well worth the visit. for lunch, drive just north of town to Boyes Hot Springs and choose your side of the street for a comfort-food lunch—Hot Box Grill (18350 calif. Hwy. 12; 707-939-8383) on the west side of Highway 12, or El Molino Central (11 central ave.; 707-939-1010) on the east side. there are dozens of wineries in the area. one of the best is Chateau St. Jean (8555 Sonoma Hwy.; 707-833-4134), at the foot of Sugarloaf ridge, near kenwood. You’ll have the opportunity to sample several Pinots and Syrahs, chardonnays and fume Blancs. Historic Buena Vista Winery (18000 old winery rd; 800-926-1266) is another great choice, or break open some sparkling wine at Gloria Ferrer (23555 arnold dr.; 707-996-7256). dinner? The Girl and the Fig (110 w. Spain St.; 707-938-3634) in downtown Sonoma is legendary among locals. Sonoma Coast Beach day, anyone? You can have an amazing one along the Sonoma coast, which runs from the town of Gualala in the north to just north of tomales Bay in the south. along the way, you’ll find the Salt Point marine reserve, fort ross State Historic Park (the last remnant of czarist russia’s foothold in california), Sonoma coast State Beach and numerous other publicly accessible strips of sand. Stop for oysters somewhere along the way, and finish up at Bodega Bay Lodge for a sumptuous, fireplacewarmed dinner at the Duck Club Restaurant (103 calif. Hwy. 1; 707-875-3525). Dry Creek Valley if all this recreation-and-education stuff is just beating around the bush and it’s really wine you’re after, cut to the chase and drive up to this valley tucked parallel to Highway 101 in northern Sonoma county. this is real Sonoma wine country, off the beaten path but on the must-see lists of true aficionados. You and your liver will never be able to sample every winery here, so pick and choose. follow your nose along dry creek road, though be on the lookout for Sbragia Family Vineyards (9990 dry creek rd.; 707-473-2992), Ridge Lytton Springs (650 Lytton Springs rd.; 707-433-7721) and Preston Vineyards (9282 w. dry creek rd.; 707-433-3372). reserve a table at Scopa (109 Plaza St.; 707-433-5282) in Healdsburg for dinner, and stop by Dry Creek Olive Co. (4791 dry creek rd.; 707-431-7200) for a take-home care package. there is way more to Sonoma, of course, like beautiful music at the Green Music Center (1801 E. cotati ave., rohnert Park; 866-955-6040) on the Sonoma State University campus or beautifully tuned engines at Sonoma Raceway (29355 arnold dr., Sonoma; 707-938-8448), home to naScar and indycar events. try soaks and massages at Osmosis Day Spa (209 Bohemian Hwy., freestone; 707-823-8231), treats from Viva Cocolat (110 Petaluma Blvd. n.; 707-778-9888) in Petaluma or world-famous goat cheese from the likes of Laura Chenel’s Chevre (22085 carneros Vineyard way; 707-996-4477). Yep, from the mountains to the dairies to the ocean white with foam, Sonoma has a little something for everybody. and fortunately, everybody won’t be there to enjoy it with you. [ J WM MAGAZINE 49 j w m a r r i o t t. c o m A Day (or Two) in the Life. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Green Music Center, Dry Creek Olive Co., Osmosis Day Spa and El Molino. This page: Ridge Lytton Springs. http://www.JWMARRIOTT.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JWM - Volume 3, Issue 3

JWM - Summer 2013
Table of Contents
JW Experts
Contributors
Editor’s Letter
Distinctive Products, People, Ideas & Style
A Quiet Place
Powering Down
Sonoma
Industrial Arts
The Portal
Downtown Dreaming
Sky High
Greens Revolution
Rethinking the Bored Room
JW Experience
My Passion

JWM - Volume 3, Issue 3