The Occidental Tourist: Going Bohemian in Sonoma Wine Country
por Ron James
Almost.
Two or three days of non-stop wine tasting can be fun and informative, but it can be physically and mentally challenging as well. I call it “tasting room fatigue,” and it goes like this: The first day, the wines are great and tasting room visits are all a fun adventure. But by the second or third day, the enjoyment quotient quickly declines to the point that wine tasting is more chore than joy.
Over the years, I’ve found that the secret to a great wine-country getaway is mixing wine tasting with relaxation and other recreation activities. Even the most ardent wine enthusiast needs to pace himself during the duration of the trip (even if they are spitters and dumpers). One way to do that on a three-day weekend is to go wine tasting on the first and third days and use the second for exploration and other non-wine intensive activities.
Sipping Down the Bohemian Highway
My recent trip to Sonoma was a nice mix. Our base camp was Occidental, a charming little township founded in 1876 on the Bohemian Highway. This road travels through 10 miles of eye-popping scenery, including giant redwoods, sun-drenched pastures, historic apple groves, and three lovely towns — Freestone and Monte Rio on the ends, and Occidental in the middle.
Occidental was an ideal staging area, just 60 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge and convenient to the Russian River wineries and the rugged Sonoma Coast. We stayed at The Inn at Occidental, a first-rate 16-room Victorian bed and breakfast in the heart of town. Each room has its own theme and is decorated with original folk art and antiques. Our bedroom suite was spacious, with a sitting room, and beautifully appointed with comfy robes, a fireplace and a spa tub for two. The inn also provides a wonderful gourmet breakfast and an evening wine and cheese offering to its guests.
From the inn you can stroll the tiny town, browsing several art and craft stores as well as other quaint shops selling all kinds of weird, wacky and wonderful stuff. (One shop turns all sorts of discards into lamp bases.)Throughout the year, the town is home to entertainment events , including concerts featuring locals and world-famous jazz, folk and classical artists. The handful of fine dining and family-style restaurants are within a stone’s throw of each other, as are a handful of motels and B&Bs that dot the perimeter.
There are several restaurants in the area where fine dining and casual meet the road. We had an excellent culinary experience at the Bistro des Copains, a casual dining gem just a half a block from our inn. It was $1 oyster night the night we dined, and the cozy room was packed with happy-looking locals and tourists alike. The food is classically Provencal with a Sonoma-fresh twist, and affordable as it is delicious. The service too was first rate and the wine list loaded with reasonably-priced offerings. This little restaurant ranks with the big boys in the region — a true wine country culinary find. For more information, go to www.bistrodescopains.com.
Here is a two-day wine country itinerary designed to minimize tasting room fatigue. I’ve alternated a wine-tasting adventure with an exploration and fun nature outing. A third day of wine tasting can easily be added after the exploration day if you have the time.
Day One: Russian River Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Wine Tasting Adventure
Here are a handful of wine tasting rooms in the Green Valley-Forestville area I‘ve selected with the help of The Inn at Occidental’s Tina Wolsborn. We based the selection on the quality of the wine-tasting experience and geographical proximity to each other. All are open to the public without an appointment but some of the more extensive wine tasting and group experiences do require an appointment.
The Russian River “Wine Road” begins just a few miles from the inn. The Green Valley’s microclimate has a significant effect on the vineyards, where cool nights and morning fog allow the grapes take a long time to ripen. This produces grapes with high sugar levels and good acidity, perfect for world-class pinot noirs and chardonnays. This is a pinot and chard tasting itinerary, with a few other varietals thrown in.
Marimar Estate Vineyards and Winery
11400 Graton Road
Sebastopol, CA
Phone: (707) 823-4365
Open Daily 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Award-winning organically-farmed chardonnays and pinot noirs. A number of wine tasting opportunities here, including a VIP tour ending with a tapas and wine-pairing experience at $45 per person. Flight of four wines, $10 each. Tours by appointment only.
Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards
9786 Ross Station Road
Sebastopol, CA
Phone: (707) 887-1507
Open Daily 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
This is one of my very favorite wine-country destinations. It’s best known for outstanding award-winning sparkling wines, but its pinot noir and chards are very good as well. It has a charming and rustic outdoor wine tasting room with fantastic views of the vineyards. Tours are by appointment, Monday through Friday at 10 a.m.; On Fridays at 10 a.m. the winemaker, David Munksgard, guides a personal vineyard and winery tour.
Hartford Family Winery
8075 Martinelli Road
Forestville, CA
Phone: (707) 887-8010
Open Daily 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Another family winery, producing limited production of pinot noir, chardonnay and old-vine zin. Its zinfandel vines are 80 to 100 years old and produce deep complex flavors. They pride themselves on making expressive wines from vineyards located in difficult “character-building” settings. Hartford offers a three-varietal blend tasting for $5; for $15 you get six tastings, including three from single varietal vineyards. A private library tasting is available for $25 and tours are available by appointment.
Lynmar Estate Winery
3909 Frei Road
Sebastopol, CA
Hospitality Salon: (707) 829-3374 x 118
Reservations: (707) 829-3374 x 102
Open Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
This is another premium award-winning pinot noir and chardonnay producer known not only for its great wines but its hospitality. The wine tasting here is enhanced by the beautiful gardens and outdoor courtyard. Lynmar offers a number of wine experience options, including a basic tasting at $10, which includes two chards and two pinots. There’s a reserve tasting at $20 and a by-appointment food and wine pairing with savory tidbits from their executive chef that includes a garden tour and luncheon for $45. Picnic facilities are also available by appointment.
Dutton Estate Winery
8757 Green Valley Road
Sebastopol, CA
Phone: (707) 829-9463
Open Daily 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dutton Estate produces many vineyard-specific 90-plus point award-winning wines including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir and syrah. There’s a $10 tasting of five wines and $15 for six reserve wines. One of the most popular offerings is their chef Cynthia Newcomb’s $20 wine and food pairing — that’s per couple! It features generous pours to share, and treats of artisan meats and cheeses ending with a bit of chocolate. You can also order a charcuterie box lunch special and enjoy it with a bottle of Dutton Estate’s finest in their beautiful picnic area.
Day Two: Hitchcock and Redwoods — Exploring the Sonoma coast and forests
Today is dedicated to exploration and fun. Jump in the car and head down the Bohemian Highway to the Bodega Bay Highway and to Bodega Bay, the seaside village made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds.” Fans of this classic movie can pretend you’re Tippi Hedren driving into town on Bay Hill Road. Then visit various Bodega Bay locations of some of the scenes of the movie, including the Potter School House and Tides Wharf, site of the gas station fire. There are lots of other activities here including sport fishing, whale watching and golfing at the Robert Trent Jones-designed course overlooking the bay.
After exploring Bodega Bay, grab a bite at the Spud Point Crab Company. It’s where the locals go for their seafaring comfort food including clam chowder and crab sandwiches. You can eat there or move on up Westshore Road to Bodega Head with its dramatic views of the Pacific. There are picnic tables available but it may be a bit chilly, so eat in the car while watching the waves crash. For more information, go to www.bodegabay.com.
After lunch, wind north on Pacific Coast Highway through the town of Jenner to Armstrong Woods State Reserve. Here you’ll be humbled by the giant redwoods of Armstrong Grove. Many of these trees are hundreds of years old and up to 250 feet tall and 16 feet in diameter. The 1,400-year-old “Armstrong Tree” is named for Colonel James Armstrong, who helped preserve the park in in the late 1800s. You can drive though some areas of the park for a small fee, but to really get a feel for this temple of nature it’s best to get out and do a bit of hiking or even horseback riding. For more information, go to www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450 .
OK, now that you’ve done your fun day of recreating in coastal Sonoma, it’s time to head back to the Inn at Occidental for the complimentary afternoon wine time. There you can compare notes with fellow vacationers on wineries, restaurants and the many other joys of wine-country getaways. Then call it an early night; you have a big day of wine tasting tomorrow. You’ve earned it.
If You Go:
Inn at Occidental
Innkeepers: Jerry and Tina Wolsborn
Rooms $269 – $379
3657 Church St
Occidental, CA 95465
(800) 522-6324
innkeeper@innatoccidental
Ron James es un columnista de vino y comida y locutor de radio cuyas columnas y reportajes han aparecido en periódicos y revistas de todo el país.
