When in Sonoma...
Two weeks ago, Garrett and I went to Sonoma for a little R&R and birthday celebration (Garrett's that is). And it was awesome! Sonoma is the sweetest little boozy town I've ever been to. Winery tasting rooms around every corner, loads of historic houses, and absolutely gorgeous scenery. It's not cheap, but it's everything quaint and charming. Truly the perfect spot for a getaway, sans-kiddo.
I left my camera at home, so you'll have to excuse the iPhone photos. I think you can tell that we saw a lot during our 48 hours in Sonoma. Here's a quick rundown of our favorite spots...
Three Sticks Winery was the highlight of our visit. Hands down! The tasting room is in a renovated 1840's adobe house (yeah you caught that right...I said 1840!!!) just a stones-throw from Sonoma Square. And the space is amazing. Like Ah-Mazing amazing! I mean I could have spent a whole day just peeking around, taking it all in. I'm still thinking about those wood shutters and steel doors two weeks later. And thank goodness that just like their tasting room, their wines are impeccably crafted, tasteful, and delicious. We came home with a few bottles of their red blend, Castenada. Can't wait to open these and remember that glorious space in a year or two! And p.s. Hayden is oh so helpful and had awesome recommendations for other great spots to hit up!
Wine Tasting at Boyd Family Vineyards is like visiting a country farmhouse. Literally. The owners, Joan and Stan Boyd, do tastings inside their new-but-old-looking farmhouse that they share with their two winery pups. This is a place we'll come to again and again if for no other reason than the cozy atmosphere, particularly now that we're wine club members! Good thing we love their wines - especially the Cuvee and Syrah - and they're affordable! This winery is actually in Napa but worth a trip even if you're in the area to visit Sonoma!
Repris Winery was our first stop in Sonoma County and probably the most beautiful. The tasting room is high up on Moon Mountain amid acres of vineyards. The scenery really couldn't be more beautiful, except wait...they have a look out even higher up on Moon Mountain, accessible only by ATV. My friends, if you're going to propose to your significant other, do it here. Just do. And if you like Sauvionagn Blanc and Pinot Noir than you're in luck, because they are just plain delicious, not to mention the only bottles in their lineup under $80...ouch! This place was glorious. And p.s. they have caves!
HopMonk Tavern was the perfect place for a beer...you know if all that wine is getting to you. We stopped in to catch the Gonzaga basketball game and fill up with a few bar snacks before hitting our next winery. Good beer selection and great bar good!
Sonoma Square is a large park at the center of Sonoma. It's beyond quaint with old buildings lining the perimeter and a gorgeous City Hall at it's center. We spent a couple hours walking around, looking at the shops, and popping into a tasting room or two.
We ate Garrett's birthday dinner at The Girl and the Fig. It has a special ambience that I can't quite put my finger on, but the dining room is comfortable and current and welcoming. They do food like we like it: fresh, foodie and delicious. Garrett had the flounder and I ordered the beet salad - it was a light meal but perfect since we had had a late lunch. We split the sparkling flight which came in three mis-matched crystal glasses and the drinks were as good as the presentation. If you find yourself in Sonoma, definitely stop at the Girl and the Fig.
My favorite meal was our breakfast at Sunflower Cafe. Mostly because by Saturday I was coming down with a cold and they offered green smoothies, which made me feel a little better about drinking wine all day (turns out a green smoothie can't counteract all that wine...I ended up with a full-blown cold when I got home). And also because the omelets are awesome. We got to Sunflower Cafe early, around 8am, and sipped coffee amongst the locals until it got busy with wine-enthusiasts at 9am.
Oh man...El Molino Central! Get the pork tamales...you won't be sorry. Like most things in Sonoma, these little yums are spendy, but they are just so good! The perfect lunch in-between wine tastings.
Phew! That was a fun, whirlwind of a trip. It was almost just as fun the second time, writing about it! This was actually Garrett and my third time to the Napa/Sonoma area. We're no wine experts (not like these guys!), but we love tasting wine and being around such a fun craft industry. We usually end up taking a couple cases of wine home - some cheap bottles (which in Sonoma is around $40 or less) and some more expensive bottles for celebrations, which I'd love to age in our cellar...if we had a cellar. Hmmmmm, that might need to be on our must-have list when we buy our next house ;)
Sonoma was the perfect spot to spend a weekend celebrating my main (big) man and a great way to kick off a going-to-be-awesome December! And for all you wondering, Wilder stayed home with his grandparents and he slept through the night twice (why doesn't he usually do that for us?)! Oh and yes, we brought home some great bottles of wine to share with friends and family over long dinners at the Ravenna House. Life is good!
Top Photo: old adobe-wall of building near Sonoma square. Photo Collage (from left to right, top to bottom): El Molino Central, Three Sticks, Three Sticks Adobe floor, Three Sticks bathroom floor, Vineyard on Moon Mountain, Three Sticks shutters, Repris lookout, Repris caves, old building near Sonoma Square.
xoxo
-Cathy
p.s. A few other top destinations to visit. Number three and five are definitely on my short list!
p.p.s. This post is about gallery wall art (which really lovely - they have awesome taste) but I'm obsessed with that wainscot! OBSESSED!
p.p.p.s. And speaking of booze - kids and beer halls, a natural pairing in the Northwest :)