Ready to begin the first tasting at the Jordan Winery.
Today is a day for wine tastings and we begin by heading north to Healdsburg and the Jordan Winery. But first, we visit the town and do a bit of shopping at the Shed, a store/restaurant/function space that’s gotten a lot of great PR, including a recent spread in Bon Appetit.
Inside Shed.
Then, on to the beautiful Alexander Valley and elegant Jordan Winery for a Tour and Library Tasting. The Franco-inspired grand chateau is the centerpiece of the 1,200 acre estate that focuses on producing Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. My husband and I were first introduced to these wines by some good friends years ago and we have enjoyed them ever since. It was a great treat to see where they are produced and learn about the nuances between each year’s vintages. Better yet, it was a great experience to be able to taste the differences. Some of the better years are now only available through the winery.
I did not know they also made an olive oil – and it was delicious, but only available here; since I’m not flying back east with oil in my luggage, I’ll have to pass for now.
We started on one of the beautiful terrace patios and moved inside to the actual library, then through a “secret” passage into a private dining room. The food pairings were nicely done and complemented each wine. This tasting featured hors d’oeuvre-style food parings.
We headed back to charming Healdsburg for a Mexican lunch and then on to Calistoga for a tasting of sparkling wines in the Schramsberg caves. It was at the Schramsberg Vineyard we learned a little more history about the area and the Diamond Mountain District, since Jacob Schram was one of the early founders of wine growing in the Napa region. It was a fascinating history lesson topped off by entering part of the expansive man-made caves (Napa Valley’s oldest), carved in the mountain.
Our tasting consisted of four types of sparkling wines and one Cabernet Sauvignon made by the vineyard’s current owners, the Davies family. I was not a fan of the sparkling wines, but I’m not a big fan of sparkling wines in general. I did like the Cab, but it has not been released outside the Winery.
Outside the Schramsberg Vineyard.
The Schramsberg tasting was interesting. Set deep inside the cave tunnels, we turned a corner and were greeted with a candle-lit setting. With the curved ceiling covered in dark moss, floor to ceiling rows of thousands of stacked wine bottles and the dim candlelight, it created a very medieval effect. Our personable guide kept things lively as she recounted stories of the early history, details of the wines we were tasting and instruction of the proper way to remove a cork with a saber (or a plain knife).
I also loved seeing the original German barrels, carved with bears, from the 1800s, two of which were lost in a poker game to the Beringer brothers and were at their winery for about 100 years, until the Davies family won them back.
The nearby small town of Calistoga had a nice, a slightly western, low-key vibe and some cute antique stores. The beautiful drive back to Sonoma took us along winding, mountain roads with gorgeous vistas.
Again, the weather was perfect, the sky blue and no humidity (a nice change for us).
Dinner was back along the Sonoma Plaza, at the well-known Half Moon Café, where we dined on the patio and enjoyed some excellent seafood.
If you go:
Reservations are required for both these limited-space tastings. Each guided tour and tasting lasts about 90 minutes.
www.jordanwinery.com $40 pp
www.scharmsberg.com $60 pp
View of farms at the Jordan Winery.
St. Francis Winery & Vineyards
I’ve come to California’s wine country for a girl’s trip to celebrate a sentinel birthday (I will never say which one). After meeting in San Francisco, we’ve rented a car and headed to the wine region.
The weather is perfect and we have decided to launch our food, wine and shopping journey with a tasting dinner at the St. Francis Winery & Vineyards in nearby Santa Rosa. And, OMG, what a wonderful way to begin.
Fourth course: NY Strip Loin
Second course: Red Wine Braised Duck
We arrived just in the nick of time (they keep to tight schedules here), tired and hungry. The food and the wine pairings were absolutely wonderful. We started the meal with Arctic Char à la Barigoule (with a celery root – Yukon Gold potato purée), paired with a Chardonnay. Next was a Red Wine Braised Duck with coriander spätzle along with a really nice Pinot Noir, and a Smoked Beet Salad with goat cheese fondant and green garlic purée along with a different red. Our main course was a Coffee & Cocoa Crusted NY Strip Loin with roasted cauliflower, smoked garlic and crispy shallots, set off with a terrific Cabernet Sauvignon. For dessert, an incredible cheese selection (almost like a cheesecake) was served with a Mexican Chocolate Pot du Crème and a Port.
The meal was perfectly portioned and exquisitely prepared and served. It was heaven.
Refreshed and pretty mellow, we headed to Sonoma and the historic bungalow we had rented for a few days. This turned out to be a case where the photos looked great and the actual bungalow even better. The two-bedroom, mission-style home is just a couple of blocks off the town plaza and has been beautifully restored and outfitted. Bikes included.
We settled in, walked to the center of town and around the square, taking in the historic sites, mission-style, beautiful park and even the first Williams-Sonoma. Although It’s hard to believe we could eat more, we eventually stopped in at Oso (a new restaurant we’d heard about from our new friends at St. Francis), and shared a few delicious appetizers before calling it a night.
If you go:
You will need reservations for the dinner and wine pairing. $60 pp. Each seating has a maximum of 16 guests. www.stfranciswinery.com
Oso, 9 E Napa Street, http://www.ososonoma.com
Patio at St. Francis Winery.
The Tenement Museum, Lower East Side on Orchard Street.
My obsession with ancestry.com has been renewed during our recent visit to the New York Tenement Museum. This salvaged treasure offers a glimpse into the lives of a sampling of early immigrant families, German, Irish, Russian/Jewish and Italian. From 1863 through the Great Depression, this small Lower East Side building housed thousands of residents passing through its 22 apartments.
Originally, there were gas lights, no plumbing, few windows and shared outhouses. Innovations and local laws would eventually result in windows between rooms (to help prevent TB), running water, electricity and a shared toilet on each floor!
Our informative, charming guide did a fantastic job bringing history to life, as we toured two floors and visited apartments of two Jewish immigrant families. Known as the “Sweatshop Workers” tour, these families worked in the garment industry, turning their tiny 3-room (just over 400’) homes into workshops to piece together clothing sold in department stores and catalogues.
You see the state of disrepair in which the building was found, the stages of décor throughout the decades and, finally, the re-creation of how the apartments looked during the timeframe of the tour.
Make no mistake, these are real families that are profiled, and some of their artifacts and photos are also displayed.
There are lots of tour options at the Tenement Museum, including stories about German, Italian and Irish families, as well as the shops and neighborhood itself. On certain days they feature actors, lectures and special programs about restoration, etc.
If you had relatives pass through New York when they came to the US, this museum is extra-special. But whether your family arrived on the Mayflower, or on a 777 last month, this museum offers a must-see slice of American history.
As for me, I’ve now successfully located address for all family that immigrated through New York and have a few new stories of my own.
Tips: You do need to be able to walk up stairs and you do stand during the tour, but folding chairs are available for anyone needing to sit. Be forewarned, since there is no A/C, it would be best to visit on cooler days. Adult Tickets are $25, $20 for Seniors & Students. Not all tours are appropriate for young children, so check out the website for special children’s programming. 103 Orchard Street http://www.tenement.org
New York, New York, even when it’s freezing, I love it.
What is she trying to tell us?
ACCOMPLICE New York, an Immersive Theatrical Experience
If you love scavenger hunts, laughing, surprises, fun, new experiences and meeting people this is your kind of adventure. Oh yeah, you also have to like to walk!
Our group of three braved a cold and cloudy day, soon forgot the weather and just had fun. We made seven new friends, many of whom were local or from the area (I was the exception in our group).
You just see a city differently when you do something like this and we all thoroughly enjoyed the perspective. I won’t give away the secrets here, but we got to locations by solving puzzles, breaking codes and interpreting clues. It was campy and the actors were great (a couple of us just might be in love with Joseph . . .”do svidaniya”)!
For those who are not from NYC, and are not sure how they define “downtown”, think Brooklyn Bridge, Chinatown, Little Italy, etc. Very historic and great neighborhoods to explore.
We hear they are starting one just for kids in Central Park.
Put on your walking shoes and enjoy.
Need to Know: They have 2 NYC events, one in the Village (2 hrs) and one Downtown (3 hrs). We did the downtown version and I would allow a bit more than 3 hrs and if you do have time, there is a good spot to relax afterwards and watch other groups finish. For details and reservations visit: www.AccompliceTheShow.com
Could this be a clue?
