I have never been more upset to leave a place than I was to leave wine country in California. Never before have I taken a vacation purely for myself, on my own, and for my own benefit. Never before have I just traveled around, met new people and not been afraid of what comes next. I did it this time; and it has been one of the best experiences of my life.

I found the most incredible network of friends in Sonoma County, CA. Specifically, my dear friend, Jim Morris. He introduced me to some great people, great wine, and most importantly took me under his wing and gave me VIP treatment among these vineyards I had never seen before.

Sure, I drove through Napa, I saw all the big wine makers like Gallo and Mondavi, but the Dry Creek Valley really captured my heart. I fit in so well there, sharing stories with people who impart upon my passion for wine. I felt like I fit in there more than I fit in here in Ohio. I fell in love with wine country and its people; so much so that I cried on my drive to the airport.

The first winery I went to was Bella. Bella started in 1995, and is primarily run by Scott and Lynn Adams. Who, like me fell in love with Dry Creek and purchased land to begin wine making. The winery is made up of four vineyards:, Big River Ranch, Lily Hill Estate, Bell Canyon Vineyard, and Two Patch which is made up of what else? Two patches of vineyard. As we arrived we walked through the courtyard, replete with hula hoops and picnic mats, past the safari truck that takes guests to the top of the vineyards and into their wine caves. Bella has their tasting room inside their wine caves, which really adds to the aesthetics of the whole experience. As you taste you can see the barrels and candelabras beyond their doors while you escape the heat of a summer’s day. We then took a ride up to the top of the vineyards and tasted some Bella Petit Sirah that hadn’t been released to the public yet. The view also wasn’t too shabby. I wouldn’t mind spending my days here.

From Bella, we went to Jim’s current, and my future place of employment: Michel-Schlumberger. Schlumberger is an organic winery, and is also extremely beautiful. It brings to mind a Spanish mission as you wander around the property. There are flowers, vegetables, and even a lake to check out as you sip your wine. I spent several days here, even helping to re-vamp their wine club flier and suggesting the Coteaux to visitors who thought I already worked there. The winemaker, Mike Brunson seems to be a very knowledgeable, approachable guy; however, I didn’t get to know him that well during my time at the winery. Hopefully I can talk more in depth with him upon future visits. I have so much to say about this winery; I’ll post on it specifically soon.

I then went to Healdsburg’s square, bought an extremely expensive dress, and went wine tasting. More on this later…..