Sonoma valley a must for wine-tour lovers

by Brendon & Anne Mathews

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Recently we packed our bags, shipped the cat off to the in-laws and headed down the I-5 in search of the promised land.
The Napa and Sonoma valleys were our destination, with a stop in Lake Tahoe on the way home. We try to spend at least one week a year in the California wine country.
Our first two nights were spent in Santa Rosa, the heart of Sonoma County. The day after we got into town we went for what has to be the best drive in all of North America, from Santa Rosa on West Side Road along the Russian River stopping at some of our favorite wineries along the way. The wineries lining the banks of the Russian River include Davis Bynum, Rochioli, Rabbit Ridge and Hop Kiln.
For dinner that evening we drove up to the town of Geyserville and dined at The Cafe at Chateau Souverain. To call this place a cafe seems slightly absurd, since by definition a cafe is casual while Chateau Souverain is elegant and refined. (Don't forget, you are in California after all, and even at its most elegant, the place is pretty laid back.) At dinner that night we sat outside on the patio, drank a great bottle of the house Cabernet and enjoyed a pretty good meal. The menu selections were kind of slim, particularly when it came to the appetizers, however our entrees were excellent.
One of the best wineries we visited was Benziger in the town of Glen Ellen. The tour made this visit. The owners rightly contend that 90 per cent of wine is made in the vineyard and only 10 per cent made in the winery. Instead of showing you the winery, they take you out into the vineyards. A tractor pulls a trailer with seats out into the vineyards and all the various techniques that Benziger use to extract the maximum flavor out of their grapes are explained to you in simple English. Informative, interesting and definitely worth the detour down to Glen Ellen.
After a couple of nights in Santa Rosa we crossed the mountain and entered the Napa Valley. We stayed in the town of Calistoga at a hotel that bears a striking resemblance to Fawlty Towers in the attitude of the family that runs it. To say that they seem to have a contempt for their guests would be an understatement. We have stayed there three times previous and have learned to bring a sense of humor with us. There are signs everywhere telling you what you can and can not do. However, the price is right, the pool is pretty nice and the location is great.
Next week: Napa