Wine Country

Happy International Carb Awareness Day!	Somewhere in the Southwest, lazy clouds are floating cutely around.	Get me out of this freakin' city!!!
Dave's first smile... almost home-free!	I was so happy to see this sign!	Lunch at Zin in Healdsburg
Rosenblum Cellars, who were apparently having a wine sale, just like everyone else that week.	Zinfandel: 2001 Annette's Reserve Rhodes Vineyard ; 2002 Maggie's Reserve Sonoma Valley; 2002 Monte Rosso Vineyard	The famed Oakville Grocery
Reflections in the back of an espresso machine at Johnny Java	On the way to the cottage	Last exit to Asti
OMG- it really IS as beautiful as promised!!!	Poolside View	A couple of very charming kokopellis
After a long day, a cheese course just hit the spot.	Jet-lag cool	Jet-lag goofy
The wine glass is as big as my head- I've come home.	Early night- all that flying makes one tired.	Buster's Famous BBQ
Touring Raymond Cellars	Look, ma, tourists!	Raymond Wine Tasting
Our great tour guide reaching for some cleansing water.	Heitz Wine Cellars	They charge for the pours here, but they don't pour badly.
Dave and Shell	A glowing Chris & Michelle	Leaving Heitz
On the search for lunch	Glancing at Merryvale	Vines everywhere
That must be the place to be...	Taylor's Refresher!	The wait in line was definately worthwhile.
My first ever-fish taco	Technicolour!	B&W!
At the time, I thought it was a cool shot	More vines	Plumpjack Cellars
Roses were at the front of each row of vines there.	Mumm. I think they make sparkling wine, or something. ;)	Oh yeah, they sure do.
Waiting to go on tour.	Grapes destined to be made into some of the finest bubbly.	Our effusive, fun, and colourful guide, Caroline.
Rear view from Mumm	The private tasting table	Passing La Travigne
Shopping at Sunshine Foods, the coolest and most expensive grocery store ever.	Look, only four items on the list. Two carts and $300 later...	Chris whips out a stunning meal.
And wine was drunk, and merriment was made.	The warm sunny porch of Asti Place.	Decadent and worth every calorie- Chris' eggs benedict
A most succulent melon to counterbalance the butter.	Back on the road, we succumb to the lure of Bubba's smoke.	It's not even 10 AM, and the folks are lining up.
Driving through Calistoga	And heading over to the Silverado Trail	We're not sure what's going on here, but they both look pretty intense.
Walking up to the next winery	Please give me your last sober smile of the day!	An interesting little poem in the tasting room.
Surveying the offerings of Chateau Monelena	The impressive grounds of aforementioned Chateau	Idyllic Jen
Idyllic view	Clos Pegase	I'm sure it's not the first time this has been done, and it certainly won't be the last.
On to the tasting room	Cousinly love	Clos Pegase has funky and striking features
We were feeling 'thumbly'.	More fun sculpture	Onward, brave soldiers!
A short drive down the road	We come to Folie a Deux	They just happened to be having a sale that day.
Driving down another country road	Feelin' like you're in a music video	That tree wasn't supposed to be in that shot
Driver 1: left, left, downshift	2 degrees right...	mmm. .... clouds....
A nice discovery	the entrance to Sausal Winery	Cellar Cat Red
and one of the sweet cats pictured,	Gypsy	Getting that much needed fuzz therapy
black cats need love, too	The Jimtown Store!!!	Cool truck
really cool car!	Nice grill.	More cheesy tourist stuff
Cool tourist stuff	Why, it's Rancho Gordo!	and... um... robots?
Shell and truck	Dave, shell and truck	At Taqeria Santa Rosa, we munch on some much needed alcohol-soaking food
They do a good chorizo quesadilla	While we ate, we decided to go ahead and order our dinner for the night. Driving was not in our future.	Back home. Haven't we seen this view before?
Just outside of our little home.	Can we stay here, please?	A little toast to the valley
Jen and tree	How we spent our afternoon	Hiding
A little photoshop is needed on on otherwise good pic.	Ferrari-Carano! You'd jump for joy, too!	Jack and Lia
Where should we go today?	Yup. More countryside.	Maintaining. For now.
Just outside of Passalacqua	and the rest of us	Passalacqua had only been open as a winery for ten weeks, and had some very nice wines
The proud owner, and his winery heritage on the wall	Beautiful grounds seemed to be everywhere	Oh my bleary-eyed bretheren.
Cellar room at Dry Creek	Where to next?	Generic flower/bee shot.
Dude, just find an intersection, and see where the sun is!	More backseat fun	and in b&w
Charcuterie- not open for another 1 1/2 hours	Same deal for Bistro Ralph	Desperation drove us to the Healdsburg Bar & Grill
It was pub food	Wow. Nice steak tartare salad!	Another afternoon ending on the porch.
We're all happy around here.	Pontificating	Now that was quite an evening!
My, what a coupla tough guys.	Bye, Jack & Lia!	On to Clos Du Bois
Decent tasting, and the only glasses we received during our journey	Chateau Soverain	Utterly gorgeous
I think we could possibly spend the day here.	A fun and informative tasting.	We decide to stay for lunch.
Special of the day	A nicely poured shot of espresso	Ant & Shell
and again	Jen in the Sun	Cousins
Brotherly love	Jack & Lia	100_1446.JPG
Interesting signs, but it's definately time to go home	It gets a little windy in the backseat	'a sobering wind'
Yep.	Yep.	Almost home.
Santi, a fine Italian restaurant in Geyserville	Outstanding osso bucco, my new favourite dish	My favourite part
2nd Anniversary!	Barb & Sandy, a great couple	Quiet evening
I don't think it was mere coincidence that we found a married couple of 'Homies'	Painterly	Tipsily
A little glass of wine before bed	Our proud homie collection	Murphy-Goode
Non-cyclists	What I had been waiting for: a roadside taqeria!	My carnitas taco was only a dollar, and it may have been the best thing I ate in California. (no offense, Chris or Santi's!)
Pick a direction...	...just don't go to Simi	Leaving as quickly as possible, we picked the path to Armida
a picture for Eric and Aaron	Armida donates money to breast-cancer research	And has a lovely bottle celebrating the female form
Their hook, zinfandel in a casket	Please read closely	Poizin
Surf zin and presents	Dave. Always working.	Roshambo's waterfall
Current art includes a tarot deck by Kathryn Hunter	W was my favourite	Beautiful space
Hands everywhere	More cool art	I could actually judge this place on the bathroom
Spence, disseminating	My favourite winery host	Looking out the window at Mill Creek, we suddenly realised it was desperately time for lunch again.
The grapes were circling, circling everywhere. We did our best to maintain.	Bear Republic. We seem to keep hitting the pub food hour in Healdsburg.	These ribs were so good, I sent back my Thai shrimp salad so I could have more.
Would you like a bottle of water, sir?	Vines	Tree, and Alexander Valley Vineyards
It had a been a long day	last evening poolside	Late afternoon shadows
Last cheese course of the week	Waving goodbye	And very sad to go
100_15201.jpg	100_152011.jpg	We're either staring into the sun, or holding back a tear
It was beautiful while it lasted	Back on the road, we come to	Kenwood!
Nice, rustic tasting room, with very informative guides.	Definately, a proud moment	Goofy car scene
Coming and going from Kunde	We were supposed to eat lunch here, but for some reason, they are closed on Thursdays. :(	random street scene
Cafe Andalucia, also closed	We ended up having sandwiches at this little joint.	Look, an ass!
Viansa. That's all I'm saying.	At least they had a lovely view.	No more blue skies... the fog has descended
It's just funny.	I go all the way to SF, and end up drinking a crappuccino.	Chris & Michelle's beautiful neighborhood.
Street kitty.	The Wine Bar	Great appy menu.
Mussels in a rabidly delicious green curry sauce	Mushroom dumplings in a rabidly delicious butter cream sauce.	Blurry raw osyters. Good stuff.
Another happenchance meeting	Hot Pot BBQ- you won't leave hungry!	The pre-cookly plate
The veg plate	Wow. Pork stomach is some good stuff.	More crazy SF driving maneuvers.
Hands everywhere	Chris & Michelle's cute little flat	Waiting at the airport
Still drinking California wine	That's a pretty creepy sculpture	Is it almost time for take-off
Gate 42 and a towel. That's all you need.	Cancellation, stand-by, and a cab journey later, it was time for sleep in our own little bed.