Vinotastr kits with the 1-2-3-4 strips shown plus the front of the instructions.
Wine Tasting Tips Vinotastr: Defining your Palate Preferences

A visit to a wine bar or wine shop can be daunting with what appear to be endless choices. You know you like red wine, but not all red wines. You’ve often wished there was a way to figure out what you like without randomly buying bottle after bottle until you find the wines you […]

Rebecca Germolus / Nov 16, 2023
Top caption is
Itineraries Best Wine Country Trip Planning Resource

When planning a Wine Country trip — be it a day, weekend or week long — you’ll most likely be searching for online resources to help you figure out where to wine taste, what to do, where to eat and where to stay. The big daunting question is where do you start to look for […]

Rebecca Germolus / Apr 11, 2023
30th annual Winter Wineland post with bottle image and snowflakes in blue and white
Event Experience Winter Wine Tasting at Its Best

Ready to experience a fabulous winter wine tasting along the Wine Road? Then it’s time to buy your tickets to the Wine Road’s 30th Annual Winter Wineland event! As I reviewed this year’s program, I was struck by how lucky I am to live here and be able to attend the Wine Road events. Why […]

Rebecca Germolus / Dec 2, 2022
Wine barrels along a cellar wall
Event Wine Road Events 2.0

So what does Events 2.0 mean? The Wine Road made some changes to ensure it holds safe, socially distanced wine tasting events. We loved the Wine Road events of past years, and wondered if these changes had taken away some of the enjoyment and magic of these events, so we decided to take deeper look. […]

Rebecca Germolus / Jan 31, 2022
Sonoma County Vineyard with sustainable signs and summer flowers.
Sustainable Going Green Sustained

Over 10 years ago, the Wine Road began taking steps for going green. Today the organization and its members continue to make strides in reducing their environmental footprint, including sustainable farming practices. Less Plastic Staying hydrated is key to enjoying a day of wine tasting. If you don’t sip water between each winery, your palate […]

Rebecca Germolus / Dec 31, 2019
Fog rolling in on a summer vineyard scene.
Wineries Sonoma County Selected Wine Region of the Year

The Wine Enthusiast announced its annual Wine Star Award Winners, and Sonoma County won the big one—Wine Region of the Year. Why Sonoma County? Wine Enthusiast writer Virginie Boone said it best in her description of the region, “Sonoma County is a study in contrast: It’s historic yet forward-thinking, innovative yet traditional, and coastal yet […]

Rebecca Germolus / Dec 4, 2019
Fall vineyard view along the Wine Road
Wineries How Can I Help? Deliberate Tourism

“How can I help?” is a question wineries along the Wine Road are hearing from wine lovers concerned about the recent wildfire that burned though parts of Sonoma County. How can you help?—deliberate tourism. Deliberate Tourism Works Deliberate tourism is supporting a region, especially after it has experienced a natural disaster or other hardship. After […]

Rebecca Germolus / Nov 5, 2019
Armstrong Woods
Find Your Perfect Day Perfect Day – Oscar Barron

Oscar Barron is a frequent visitor to Wine Country and a big fan of the Wine Road Podcast. He finds ideas of what to do from the podcast. “Every time I listen to the show I find myself reminiscing about my previous visits,” says Oscar. When we asked podcast listeners to tell us about their […]

Marcy Gordon / Aug 8, 2019
View of Jordan Winery's vineyards in the winters
Vineyards Seasons in the Vineyard: Winter Pruning

Winter vineyard landscapes can be as picturesque as the spring bloom or fall harvest colors. Understanding the seasons in the vineyards heightens our appreciation of the pre- and post-pruning vineyard landscapes. After harvest, the rainy season begins and temperatures fall as winter approaches. Late fall, the vines drop their colorful leaves and head into dormancy, […]

Rebecca Germolus / Jan 2, 2019
Close up for a red grape cluster on the vine before harvest
Wine Tasting Tips Lesser-Known Varietals

Even though Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir might be your favorite go-to wines, do you ever explore some of the lesser-known varietals? Trying new wines can be fun, exciting, and palate expanding. When I recently paired Mounts Grenache with juicy pork tenderloin rubbed with a spice blend, or deLorimier Malbec with skirt steak and […]

Rebecca Germolus / Jan 11, 2018