2004 Wine Country Tour

Photos by Tony Elshout and Peter Pelham

Wine tasting, gifts, outdoor seating - Brutocao has the most extensive selections of red wines in the Anderson Valley.  The Wine Club membership offers the ability to mix and match your own selection of wines.                

12:15  PM Arrive at Navarro Vineyards

Wine tasting, potluck lunch will be at their lovely arbor picnic area, while viewing the beautiful Anderson Valley.  Wines from 175 wineries, from  regions north of San Francisco, competed in the 2004 North of the Gate Wine Competition in Petaluma. The big winner was Navarro Vineyards which rounded up 20% of all best-of-class awards.  These included their 2002 Chardonnay (rich with butterscotch, lemon, tangerine and toasty meringue flavors), 2002 White Riesling (bright, floral and delicate) and 2002 Muscat Blanc (beguiling and serious: springtime blossoms and orange marmalade with a sensual, yeasty core).

 1:45 PM Arrive at Husch Vineyards

Wine tasting - This quaint vineyard was the first winery in the Anderson Valley (1971) and is family-owned. All grapes are estate grown. They have award winning Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Gerwurztraminer.  Bob thinks their 2001 Pinot Noir is the best he’s every tasted!

2:30 PM Arrive at Roederer Estate

Sparkling Wine Tasting - Roederer builds upon the 200-year tradition of fine winemaking and grandson Jean-Claude found, in the late 1970s, the cool fog-shrouded Anderson Valley, a perfect climate for producing excellent chardonnay and pinot noir grapes for the classic sparkling wine. L’Ermitage has received overwhelming acclaim and was the only American sparkler included in The Wine Spectator’s “Top 100 Wines of the World.”  Their Brut is a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes and is unusually complex for a California sparkler. Delicious! 

3:15 PM Depart Anderson Valley. 

5:30 PM Arrive DeShmere’s Restaurant, 304 Bodega Ave., Petaluma 

8:00 PM Arrive at Pacheco Plaza Safeway (Estimated Time)