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UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

BOOK REVIEW: A Wine Journey Along The Russian River

May 30, 2020 by Deborah Mines

Calling all Oenophiles….

One of my favorite wine books about the history of Northern Sonoma Wine Country, A Wine Journey Along The Russian River, takes readers on a slow and easy trek through Mendocino County, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek and finally through the storied Russian River Valley.  Author Steve Heimoff, previous West Coast Editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine artfully details the beginning of the region’s viticulture experimentation and influential pioneer wine makers of the day.  Filled with first hand encounters and a bird’s eye view from the riverbanks to the vineyards above, this historical read will captivate the best of the wine geeks.

Having spent a lot of time in this wine region, I found the book to be well-researched and have read it cover-to-cover a few times, each time gleaming a deeper insight.   Interestingly, there are a few geological theories about the actual rock formation of the Russian River itself, but overall the story line focuses on the key players in the burgeoning wine industry in the 1970’s.

The Russian River, named after the Fort Ross Russian settlers in the early 19th century, flows south, originating east of Willits in Mendocino County, before making a sharp turn to the west near Healdsburg, then continues through Guerneville before meeting the Pacific Ocean.

While the Russian River plays an important role in moderating temperatures for grape growing in the valley, it is also an important ecological habitat for warm and cold water fish migration and spawning and is well known to locals for its sandy beaches.

Heimoff delights readers with stories and interviews from the area’s first growers and vintners in this superb read!

Cheers!

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Filed Under: Wine A Bit Tagged With: Dry Creek, Mendocino, Russian River, Russian River Valley, vineyards, wine

NEW BOOK RELEASE: Root Cause, A Novel by Steven Laine

February 19, 2019 by Deborah Mines

For some light “wine centric reading”, Root Cause, A Novel by Steven Laine, is an engaging  who-dun-it globe-trotting mystery with a twist.

The plot is fast-moving, sprinkled with historical wine antidotes and international intrigue.  Flying winemaker Corvina Guerra discovers her own family’s vineyard in Tuscany is infected with Phylloxera, a deadly plant louse which feeds on the grape roots.

Corvina fears that other vineyards around the world may also be threatened with devastation so she sets out to find the “root cause”.  In her travels, she meets wine blogger Bryan Lawless who joins her in a zany world-wide search for the perpetrator. 

Author Laine, a WSET Diploma Candidate himself, creatively peppers the pages with intense descriptive wine tasting notes and captivates the reader at every turn of the page.  Pour a glass of wine and let the wine capers begin…  www.stevenlaine.com

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Filed Under: Wine A Bit Tagged With: vineyards, wine, wine caper, WSET

Whimsical & Historical Sites Dot North Sonoma County’s Wine Trail

November 21, 2017 by Deborah Mines Leave a Comment

Besides the stellar wines, whimsical statues and historical landmarks can be found all along the winding North Sonoma wine country roads.  Whether it’s a towering coyote howling at the moon at Wilson Winery in Dry Creek, or a step back in time at the old Dry Creek General store, built circa 1881, the valleys are steeped in history.

Continue further south on Westside Road, south of Healdsburg where the old Hop Kiln California Historical Landmark No. 893 jets toward the sky.  Once an old hops operation, the site is now home to Landmark’s Hop Kiln Estate where Pinot Noir rules.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Dry Creek, Healdsburg, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Windsor, wine, Wine Tasting, wineries

2017 Russian River Valley Grape Harvest Is One For The Record Books

September 13, 2017 by Deborah Mines Leave a Comment

“Wine is sunlight, held together by water.”  Galileo Galilei

My yearly tradition, is to travel to a different wine region to observe the grape harvest.  Last year I was fortunate to be in Tuscany for la vendemmia, and this year I chose my all-time favorite Russian River Valley in Northern Sonoma County to observe the harvest.  There’s something magical about harvest time.  There’s a sweetness in the air of the grapes hanging on the vines and a musical trill of the grape press as it hums along.   It’s a time of high energy, camaraderie, bustle and communion with nature in the vineyards, but it can also mean anxiety, sleepless nights, anticipation, relief and ultimately, jubilation for the wine maker.

Depending on who you talked to, wine makers had various opinions as to the projected quality and yield of the 2017 grape harvest.  Wild weather conditions this year brought relief from the severe drought with heavy winter rains, which submerged vineyards in low-lying areas, an early Spring bud break and late Summer temperature heat spikes which ripened the grapes sooner than usual.  And then there was predicted rain during harvest, again, unusual.   All this, and more, make for interesting wine fodder around harvest time.

Harvest Moon Winery owner and wine maker extraordinaire, Randy Pitts, greeted me with a big smile and a paper cup of his freshly pressed Pinot Noir.  Optimistic as always, Randy was pleased with the harvest so far, although there were still grapes to be hand-picked in nearby vineyards and much work to be done.

Randy explained that night harvesting was commonplace in Russian River Valley.  Harvesting at night when the temperatures are cooler, helps to maintain the acidity in the grapes, which in turn, delays oxidation and spoilage before the grapes get into the winery for processing.

Indeed, it truly was  an eerie sight to see the dim sea of headlamps and blazing tractor lights dotting the vineyards in the late night  and wee morning hours.

There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes at harvest time, and getting the grapes to the winery production pad is only the first step.  Here’s to a great 2017 harvest and amazing future releases!  www.harvestmoonwinery.com 

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Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: boutique winery, Gewurtztraminer, Harvest, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, wine, Wine Tasting, Zinfandel

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A Little About Me

To many, I’m simply known as a wanderlust ~ a free-spirited adventuress with a passion for travel and a lover of great wines!Read more...

Vintage Posts

  • Book Review: The Billionaire’s Vinegar January 3, 2021
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  • California Wineries Are Now “Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop…” November 15, 2020
  • Russian River Valley Welcomes Visitors in Uncertain Times… September 20, 2020
  • BOOK REVIEW: A Wine Journey Along The Russian River May 30, 2020
  • US Wine Market Update: A Regional Perspective Webinar Unites Top Industry Leaders April 17, 2020
  • The Lifecycle of a Grape Vine ~ From Vine To Wine March 26, 2020
  • 2019’s “Top 10” Eclectic RRV Wineries December 29, 2019
  • Russian River Valley’s Arista Wines Earn Top Accolades From Wine Spectator September 24, 2019
  • Littorai Wines ~ A Tale of Two Coasts & Three Pinot Noir Styles September 13, 2019
  • After Much Ado, “House of Flowers” Debuts In Russian River Valley August 29, 2019
  • Best Backroads For Cycling In RRV-Healdsburg Wine Country August 16, 2019
  • Experience Cave-Aged Wines At DRNK Winery in Russian River Valley July 3, 2019
  • Best Kept Secret in Sta. Rita Hills ~ Spear Vineyards & Winery May 17, 2019
  • Spring Is An Ideal, And Uncrowded, Time To Visit Wine Country April 19, 2019
  • NEW BOOK RELEASE: Root Cause, A Novel by Steven Laine February 19, 2019
  • Discover the Hidden Wine Caves in Sonoma Wine Country December 17, 2018
  • Vin Santo Reigns In Chianti’s Medieval Hamlet of Castello di Volpaia November 16, 2018
  • Hidden Gem Alert ~ Dry Creek’s Unti Vineyards Is A “10” October 31, 2018
  • Windsor’s Notre Vue Estate’s Unabashed Views Are Worth The Drive October 20, 2018

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