Chef Carlo Cavallo of Sonoma Meritâge Martini-Oyster Bar and Grille comes to the rescue with his: Chef’s Viagra Tasting Menu – $75 Trio of Oysters with champagne truffled Caviar mignonette Maine lobster served with asparagus, fennel, and blood orange Foie gras ravioli with sage truffle sauce Herb encrusted Duck breast with Pomegranate sauce Warm chocolate…
Last Sunday, my wife, daughter and I took a mini-vacation. Driving just 45 minutes north from our home in Marin County to Sonoma County, we strolled around the Healdsburg Plaza. Similar to Sonoma’s Plaza, I found this town more upscale, quaint and chic. In fact, Healdsburg, about to celebrate its 150th anniversary, s now a…
Have you heard? It’s the 28th Annual Sonoma County Showcase Weekend of Wine and Food, at the peak of its summer splendor. • Enjoy Saturday and Sunday at TASTE of Sonoma County with over 100 wineries and 60 chefs at the historic MacMurray Ranch in the beautiful Russian River Valley, hosted by the Gallo Family….
If you’ve visited the Napa/Sonoma wine country lately, you’ve probably noticed that most of the wineries are now charging (sometimes hefty) tasting fees to try their wines, often standing elbow to elbow with a bus load of tourists, all jockeying for position. In scenic Healdsburg, the Mayo Family Winery has opened a second Sonoma County…
Backroads has long been known for its week-long adventures. But now for those who don’t have seven days to spare, how about three? Weekend biking trips in Northern California’s renowned wine country are now on the menu. As with all its biking, walking and multi-sport itineraries, Backroads’ trips are top quality and feature impeccable service…
Horizon Air now has direct flights to Sonoma Wine Country from both Los Angeles and Seattle. The twice-daily flights from LAX arrive at Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport at 10:10 AM and 8:30 PM. Introductory fares are as low as $69 one-way. A daily flight out of Seattle arrives at 3:50 PM, leaving plenty of…
The Setting: Couldn’t be more picture perfect since the three-day session is being held at the ever-so relaxing Mayacamas Ranch, 80-acres of natural beauty nestled above the Napa and Sonoma valleys in Calistoga, California. This three-day Health, Fitness, and Cooking Retreat will cover such topics as Power Foods, FAST (“the salad bar is your prep-cook”)…
I admit — I know way more about food than wine, even though I’ve probably gone to over 500 wine trade tastings, judgings and events over the last 10 years! So the pressure was on when I was given the assignment to a great bring a bottle of California Chardonnay (not my favorite white by…
Some waiters hover. You know the type. They stand a few feet away and repeatedly ask, “Is everything OK?” But at The Plaza Bistro, an eatery in a historic building on the Square in downtown Sonoma, the charming Italian Maitre ‘d and his waiters don’t need to hover. They just provide the perfect blend of…
The outlook is rosy for the US wine industry. It now generates $162 billion annually. There are over 4,900 wineries across all 50 states. And it supports over 1 million workers with a $3 billion payroll. Here in California, there were over 27 million wine related visits last year. I’ll be one of them today…
My home state of California has literally hundreds of wineries producing thousands of choices for red, white, and blends. If you don’t yet have a favorite, the beautifully functional Cal Wineries Website will help you sort through them. It’s separated into three areas: 1) Learn about the basics and how they influence California’s wine country,…
I’m blessed to live about 20 minutes from Viansa Winery in heralded Sonoma county. Located amid rolling hills reminiscent of Tuscany, this winery touts a huge Italian Marketplace that celebrates the marriage of fine wine and gourmet food. One of my favorites here is the Dark Chocolate Dolcetti, a rich chocolate syrup blended with Cabernet…