“Embrace your inner wine snob…go ahead and say ‘this Tempranillo tastes faintly of leather saddle,’ but don’t expects anyone else to know what you’re talking about…after all, they didn’t go saddle licking with you last weekend.” -from the website of Wine Snob winery in Glen Ellen, California.
Who would go on a road trip to California without a stop in wine country? Not us! But would we fit in with the wine snobs? We worried about this because we are not wine snobs. (At least I’m pretty sure we are not based on the fact that, though we appreciate a good glass of wine, we buy most of our bottles at Trader Joe’s) We quickly learned we had nothing to fear!
Ed and I , along with good friends and travel buddies D & L booked a lovely Airbnb in Kenwood, right in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country. The “Sonoma Valley Getaway” exceeded our expectations. The hosts left a bottle of wine and a personal note to welcome us. Not snobby at all! Best of all, the home was within walking distance of several wineries, so no need worry about who would be the designated driver. As long as we all remained in walkable condition, we were good!
Expect to pay between $25-40 a person for wine tastings in Sonoma Valley, but don’t despair! We found it perfectly acceptable to skip the tasting, buy a glass of wine, and go out to the patio under the trees and enjoy!
We met several sommeliers ( a wine snob term for one who pours your wine-whoo hoo, listen to me now!) and found them to be knowledgeable and very friendly. One of our favorites poured herself a small sample of each wine we wanted to try before filling our glasses, then she announced “Oh, this one is good today!” Later she confessed “I’m a retired high school teacher. This is the best job I’ve ever had. “
It was 10:30 in the morning. I’m a former kindergarten teacher. I could relate.
The Wine Snob Winery (featured at the beginning of this post) advertises $15 tastings. Wine Snob is owned and operated by a fascinating young couple who are following their dream. They work with several vineyards to gather grapes, then make and bottle their own wine, design the labels, market their business, and run the showroom. Their motto is “you don’t have to be a wine snob to enjoy wine. You don’t need to use words like “velvety tannins” and “hint of lychee on the nose” to describe a wine. Your taste buds. Your rules. So don’t let the wine snobs get you down!”
My sentiments exactly! Cheers!
PS: If you happen to be a wine snob, no worries. You will be welcomed too.
Threads of Thought
Have you been to California Wine country? What was your experience?
Do you have a favorite wine?
For the record: each wine we tasted in Sonoma Valley was excellent. Definitely a step above our Trader Joe bargains. This region of California is excellent for growing grapes and the winemakers here know what they are doing. Still not a snob, but I’ve been enlightened.
To find out how Debra (former teacher) became an author, blogger, traveler, and not a wine snob, get a copy of Out of the Crayon Box: Thoughts on Teaching, Retirement, and Life http://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer
(Pairs well with a bold red.)