Discounted Four-Star Accommodations and Wine Tastings Equals
Heaven in Northern California
Dear
Polite Traveler,
Exciting
two-day travel escapes are easy for those of us living in Northern California. Napa, Sonoma, and San Francisco are one to
two hours from home. So ... where to go? Our choice was Sonoma County, more
specifically the Santa Rosa/Healdsburg area to taste wine, indulge in the
beautiful landscape, and to lodge at the Vintners Inn, Santa Rosa. With a package purchased through Travelzoo we saved 50 percent on four-star
accommodations and received coupons and vouchers for reduced price or free wine
tastings, breakfast, and more.
Road Trip!
Our
first stop was the charming town of Santa Rosa to walk the downtown core and to
surrender to my mocha addiction at Starbucks inside a local bookstore. Brimming with unique shops and restaurants
surrounding a perfectly maintained park, Santa Rosa seems the perfect place to
stop, rewind, and recharge. However, we
needed to get on the road again as we were within a virtual arm's length of our
hotel and our first winery visit.
Wine Tasting
Our
first stop was Rodney Strong
Vineyards. The pourer was so pleasant;
we stayed for well over an hour. During
that time, he poured most anything we wanted to try, including reserve wines and
a port. Yum. Leaving with a bottle of their Russian River
Valley, 2018, Pino Noir (excellent), we walked about 100 yards to our next stop.
J Vineyards – free tasting with our Visa Signature
card – was bustling with tasters. Known
for fine sparkling and still wines, we focused on those with bubbles. Wines available for tasting and the pours
were generous. The wines were superb,
but a bit pricy. Picking up a bottle of
J California Cuvee, we were off to check into our temporary housing: Vintners
Inn.
Time to Check-In
Ooh-la-la! This European-inspired inn includes a common
house (sitting room, breakfast room, and check-in desk) and three, two-story
buildings housing 44 rooms. A large
fountain in the center of a shared courtyard connects the four buildings. Our quiet room, which included a
complimentary bottle of wine and plenty of amenities, looked over their vineyard—breathtaking.
Our
package included a discount at their on-site lounge, which coincidentally has a
generous happy hour. For our light
dinner, we chose a few items off their ample menu and two glasses of sparkling
wine, which was plenty, and spent half of what we would in a restaurant (under
$50).
We
began our only full day with a healthy breakfast – on site (free with voucher). After a brisk walk around the vineyard, we
were off on our day's adventures.
Winery, Gardens, and Rolling Hills
We
drove through what I consider the most beautiful part of Sonoma County (Dry
Creek Valley) to the stately Italianate villa Ferrari-Carano. We tasted their reserve wines (with voucher)
and chose a favorite, the 2019 Reserve Chardonnay. After tasting, we strolled the gardens before
heading off to one of my favorite towns: Healdsburg.
Healdsburg
As
soon as we arrived, my mind was on the perfectly crafted cappuccinos at the Flying Goat Coffee house. I was, and never have been,
disappointed. We shared one of their
excellent muffins, drank our cappuccinos, and discussed shopping for our dinner.
Since
all rooms at our inn include a balcony or patio, we decided to dine alfresco
with local finds. Of course, this meant visiting
Oakville Grocery, right on the town
center, for our fare. We selected a
couple of local cheeses, salamis, grapes, and a fresh baguette. Wine? With
Kendall Jackson as our next stop, I knew we would
find a good one to pair with our bounty.
Covid
Note
Call before visiting. Some wineries are still open for tastings by reservation only. Some are offering tastings outside only. Be prepared before your visit.
The French Chalet on the Left
Kendall
Jackson's wines are consistently good. Nevertheless,
we had dinner waiting in our car. So we
limited our complimentary (with voucher) tasting to just a few of
interest. We purchased the Vintner's
Reserve Chardonnay 2019 and bid the friendly pourer farewell.
A Toast to the Vineyard
Oakville
Grocery provided plates and plastic knives and our inn provided glasses and a
corkscrew. So, setting out our fare was
simple. Our little patio overlooking the
vineyard was ideal for our leisurely deli dinner. We reflected upon our trip, marveled at the
fruited vines, and discussed our impending trip home.
Reflections
The
Travelzoo package and our Visa Signature card afforded us an opportunity to
visit places we might not have otherwise.
Even better, both saved us money.
More
by The Polite Traveler
Hotel & Room
Review: Embassy Suites by Hilton San Luis Obispo, CA
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