California Visitors Guide 2014 - (Page 45)

California's classic wine roads Under-the-radar is good, but a tour of the state's wine regions wouldn't be complete without hitting this trio of celebrated grande dames of winemaking. RUSSIAN RIVER WINE ROAD This Robert Goodman Wines, Arcata Temecula Valley brandy"-one of the first gins in the West made from grape must. Take a guided sip trip of Rhône-style wines at Tablas Creek, then hit Cypher. Its in-your-face attitude shows up in wine labels that read "Heretic" and "Anarchy," but talent lies under the 'tude. Nearby, L'Aventure, the dream of a Frenchman who chose Paso over Bordeaux, is a regional cornerstone with its intense, avant-garde red blends. West of town, Daou combines old California with high design, like a modern mission in the sky. As for dinner back in Paso Robles, will it be spinach gnocchi at Il Cortile, or local abalone on fried green tomatoes at Artisan? Either way, you'll be toasting a memorable day. pasowine.com northern Sonoma County route, about 2 hours north of San Francisco, leads to more than 150 wineries tucked in redwood forests and coastal hills. Cruising along West Dry Creek Road, pop in to taste A. Raffanelli's legendary Zinfandels. wineroad.com SILVERADO TRAIL This lovely tangle of country roads on the east side of the Napa Valley leads to dozens of prestigious wineries, like Mumm Napa Valley, Joseph Phelps, and ZD Wines. A tour of the barrel-lined caves at Rutherford Hill gives an outstanding overview (in a drop-dead gorgeous star setting) of the winemaking process. silveradotrail.com SANTA RITA HILLS WINE TRAIL Just northeast of Santa Barbara, follow winding hill roads to boutique wineries and horse ranches surrounding picturesque Western towns. Taste your way through Pinots poured at Melville Vineyards and Winery, then picnic among the vines. santaritahillswinetrail.com art gallery, wine bar, and cafe. The vineyards at Riverbend Cellars are almost completely encircled by the Eel River, but Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah are all ripening on this GOLD COUNTRY and when you need a break from tasting, chilly flat. (Take note: The restaurant end Shenandoah Valley/Calaveras County Alchemy is a stylish café with airy patios. The of this complex serves some of the best A drive along curvy and beautiful Highway Victoria Inn puts you within strolling disdinners in the county.) And make an 49 through the Sierra Foottance of all the tasting rooms and restaurants appointment to visit Elk hills shows you, yes, plenty in town. amadorwine.com, calaveraswines.org Prairie Vineyard's tasting hut of Gold Rush history, but high above Humboldt INLAND EMPIRE also the region's newfound Redwoods State Park for Temecula Valley sophistication: An influx of wild views and concentrated Amount of AmericanIn the past 10 years, growers in Riverside creative new winemakers has Pinot Noir. made wines that come from California County's on-the-rise wine region have bemade the Gold Country one In Arcata, stop at Robert gun to focus on Mediterranean varietals- of the most fascinating wine Goodman Wines for local like Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Grenache, regions in the West. Pinot, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay. Moonand Viognier. Now, more than 40 wineries Starting in Plymouth and the Shenanstone Crossing in Trinidad has wines full of dot the sun-splashed region. Visit them by character, like Old Vine Zin, berried and pep- doah Valley, Terre Rouge gives Amador taking a drive on the wine loop anchored County Syrahs Rhône-style panache. At pery. Join locals around the bar at Moonstone by Rancho California Road. Andis, you sip supple reds in an industrialGrill for oysters, or claim the table in the corSip crisp Viognier at Bel Vino Winery, chic tasting room, and Helwig has a swoopner for a compelling ocean view. All tuckered "Tre Fratelli" Meritage in the tiny cottage out? Try Lost Whale Inn, above a cove with ing wine cave possibly designed by Batman. at Palumbo Family Vineyards, and SangioWind south through Sutter Creek and a colony of sea lions. humboldtwines.com vese accompanied by a retro Sinatra vibe Jackson, and you'll eventually find yourCENTRAL COAST at snap-your-fingers cool Robert Renzoni self in Murphys, which crams 21 tasting San Luis Obispo County Vineyards. For pizza alfresco, gather under rooms into its elm-shaded five-block-long Two decades ago, Paso Robles was a ranch- downtown. You can explore all of Calaveras the arbor at Ponte Winery's restaurant for ing town with just 30 wineries. Today, pizza made with wine-infused dough and County's wine country right from here with nearly 200 wineries are serving an unusual fired over grapevines. temeculawines.org a tasting stroll down Main Street. Don't -SARA SCHNEIDER & LISA TROTTIER diversity of wines that stand tall with the miss Newsome-Harlow's bold Big John Zin, world's best. For a pretty loop west of town, head first to Villicana for solid Cab and For more, go to visitcalifornia.com/wine-and-dine Syrah. Also taste its aromatic "botanical 90% VISITCALIFORNIA.COM | 45 http://www.wineroad.com http://www.silveradotrail.com http://www.santaritahillswinetrail.com http://www.pasowine.com http://www.amadorwine.com http://www.calaveraswines.org http://www.humboldtwines.com http://www.temeculawines.org http://www.visitcalifornia.com/wine-and-dine http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of California Visitors Guide 2014

California Vacation Guide 2014
Table of Contents
Travel Planning Info & Extras
Insider
The Years of Living Playfully
Down on the Farm
Califashionistas
Chef's Favorites
Live Tv Shows
Three Dream Days
Why We Love California Snow Resorts
Good Sports
Wine Country Discoveries
Theme Parks at Night
Urban Base Camp
Parks With Perks
Statewide Resources & California Welcome Centerssm
Free Advertisers’ Info
California City Index

California Visitors Guide 2014