Mustard covered vineyard with green hills in the background
Event Early Spring Along the Wine Road

The sweet smell of rain-freshened air is one of the joys of early spring along the Wine Road, but there are many more.   Wild Mustard in Bloom One of my favorite early spring sights is the mustard blooming in vineyards, along the sides of back roads and anywhere else it left seeds the year […]

Rebecca Germolus / Jan 31, 2024
Man, all dressed in blue with a red-faced watch, has a wine thief inserted in a wine barrel in one hand and a wine glass in the other hand.
Event Top 10 Reasons to Attend Barrel Tasting 2023

Here are the top 10 reasons to attend the Wine Road’s Barrel Tasting, the weekend of Friday, March 3rd through Sunday, March 5th. Reason 1 – Rare Opportunity This is a rare opportunity to taste and learn about wines being served directly from the barrel. Some wineries will also be pouring a previous bottled vintage […]

Rebecca Germolus / Jan 17, 2023
Gewürtztraminer bottles leaning against a barrel
Varietal of the Month Gewürztraminer: Varietal of the Month

Gewürztraminer is a medium body, dry white wine lighter than a Chardonnay and heavier than a Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigo. Gewürz means spice in German and the grape hails from Alsace the French wine region bordering Germany. It’s a cool climate grape that exhibits great aromatics and texture with refreshing spicy flavors such as lychee, passion […]

Marcy Gordon / Sep 27, 2022
Wine & Food Affair 2022 event poster with details and blurred background of vineyards
Event Autumn = Wine & Food Affair

Autumn is just around the corner, and so is one of the Wine Road’s premier tasting events—Wine & Food Affair on November 5th & 6th. Picture yourself meandering along vineyard-lined roads with the autumn sun illuminating the vines bursting with fall colors. Each tasting room visit rewards you with delicious wine and food pairings, plus […]

Rebecca Germolus / Sep 1, 2022
Rosé bottles lined up on a fence rail with trees in the background
Varietal of the Month Rosé: Style of the Month

Overview  Rosé season is here and the annual crop of new releases practically makes me giddy. I can almost hear Ethel Merman belting out “Curtain up! Light the lights! Honey, everything’s coming up roses!” But of course I hear her sing Roses as Rosés. Okay, so maybe Rosé does not conjure up Ethel for you—but Rosé can certainly […]

Marcy Gordon / May 20, 2022
Syrah on the wine road
Varietal of the Month Syrah: Varietal of the Month

Syrah, a Rhône varietal, is a medium bodied to full-bodied dry red wine. For many years Syrah was ignored by consumers, it struggled to find it’s place at the table and stylistically many Syrah’s were pushed to the far side of the jam jar. Today winemakers embrace the inherent wild nature of the grape and […]

Marcy Gordon / Jan 21, 2022
Bottles of Pinot Noir on a deck with blocks spelling out Pinot Noir
Varietal of the Month Pinot Noir: Varietal of the Month

Here in Sonoma County, in the Russian River Valley and along the Sonoma Coast, we have some of world’s best vineyards and growing conditions for producing classic Pinot Noir of elegance and complexity.

Marcy Gordon / Jul 28, 2020
Four people toasting with wine glasses on the patio of Robert Young Estate Winery.
Wine Tasting Tips Enjoy Wine Tasting Again

Ready to venture out and enjoy wine tasting again? Please keep reading. They’re Open By the end of May, a few wineries had reopened their doors for tasters. Others needed more time to retool their tasting venues to accommodate social distancing. During the month of June, winery after winery reopened their doors with renewed enthusiasm. […]

Rebecca Germolus / Jun 29, 2020
Car Hop Wine Shop web page
Wineries Reconnect to Wine Country

Ready to reconnect to Wine Country? Is your wine supply a bit depleted after weeks of sheltering in place, aka SIP? I’ve found my wine cellar is missing many of my favorites after the holidays, and now weeks of SIPping at home. My plans to stock up got put on hold when I couldn’t visit […]

Rebecca Germolus / May 5, 2020
Bottles of Bubbly in the fall leaves
Varietal of the Month Sparkling Wine: Varietal of the Month

Nothing makes an occasion more festive than Sparkling Wine. The pop of the cork, the rise of tiny bubbles and the gentle whoosh of foam in the glass—it’s romantic and special. But sparkling wines are not just for holidays and celebrations, they are also a fine choice for everyday meals and pair exceptionally well with […]

Marcy Gordon / Dec 5, 2019