California wineries - Page 2

teriwtt · 07-13-2008, 01:30 AM

yea, but the Ritz requires many, many more points than the others per each night. We'd get, let's see, maybe two nights at the Ritz with what we'll have left after plane tickets.

mootmom · 07-13-2008, 01:45 AM

And Half Moon Bay is nowhere near Napa/Sonoma.

jmmom · 07-13-2008, 08:23 AM

I've only skimmed, so don't know if this suggestion would work.

If the idea is to visit California, consider visiting San Diego area instead of SF area. Then do the wine country tour in Baja California, Mexico. Drinking age is 18. We have a winter home there and we have taken every visiting set of friends on a Ruto del Vino tour and all have loved it. Drive time from San Diego to the wine country is probably about 1 1/2 hours, but allow two. Drive time on the return would be longer, as the border crossing is a big traffic jam -going north back into the US; no problem going south into Mexico - (to put it mildly).

PM me if you want more details re specific wineries, etc.

cartera45 · 07-13-2008, 11:02 AM

I spent my honeymoon in the 80's north of SF. We stayed in Gualala at a gorgeous B&B and did mostly Sonoma wineries. I remember enjoying the Korbel tour and I loved the Russian River/ Healdsburg area. Sadly, a big flood came not too long after that and did a lot of damage in that area. I still look for Russian River wines when shopping.

mominva · 07-13-2008, 02:49 PM

Did a Napa trip with H this past May.
Saw lots of fun wineries (great restaurants too).
PM me for suggestions.

MarinMom · 07-13-2008, 07:12 PM

I'm not a spa person, particularly, but the Calistoga mudbath is a whole new sensory experience, lots of fun. Afterwards you can swim in the Olympic-sized mineral-water pool. A girlfriend of mine celebrated her 50th birthday by reserving an entire Calistoga B and B for the weekend and inviting all her friends, and we spent the morning at the spa. Calistoga is probably 1 1/2 hours from SF, and there are plenty of wineries in the area.

One way to get around the drinking age is to send H and D1 off tasting and tell them to buy a bottle of their favorite wine. Then meet for a picnic at some private spot and open the bottle. There are some wonderful markets in Napa - you should be able to put together a very nice gourmet meal. The ABC is a terror in Calif., but they can't very well look behind every tree.