Stefani Jackenthal - Wanderlust Wining: Sonoma: The Outdoorsy Oenophile’s Wine Country Companion

Wanderlust Wining! The Outdoorsy Oenophiles Wine Country Companion
Sonoma

Copyright 2011 by Stefani Jackenthal

Published by Price World Publishing, LLC
1300 W. Belmont Ave, Suite 20G
Chicago, IL 60657

All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form without permission.

Book cover design by Raja Sekar R
Book design by Sue Balcer
Editing by Siobhn Gallagher
Printing by Sheridan Books

First Edition, August 2011
ISBN: 978-1-936910-50-2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010933062

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Intro

For years, Ive been trying to convince my editors that active outdoors enthusiasts also have a great thirst for the fruit of the vine and love travel that blends the two. After all, what could be better than playing in beautiful lush rolling landscape and then drinking wine from grapes grown on the same fabulous fertile land?

As a long time adventure journalist and endurance racer, competing in road cycling, triathlon and Ironman, adventure racing, ultra-running and most recently surfski racing, my competitions and assignments have taken me to diverse locales around the globe. Many destinations have been surrounded by leafy vineyards and winery tasting rooms, just begging me to visit. Whats a girl to do? Go with the flow, of course.

The thing is, I knew I wasnt alone in my quest for fun, endorphin-spiking activities followed by local, wine-sipping explorations. I was sure there were others like me who loved to start the day cycling winding back country roads, paddling sparkling waterways or hiking through fragrant forests and meadows blanketed with pastel wildflowersand then spend afternoons connecting with regional tasting rooms for swirling, sniffing and sipping pleasure. Perhaps, tossing out a blanket in a grassy picnic area of one of the many wineries for an al fresco lunch overlooking trestled vines.

Adventure, wine and food naturally go together like, say, a triathlon or a three-course meal. As far as Im concerned, wine is a food group. Its artistically crafted from fruit that grows in the ground and a treat on any dinneror lunchtable.

Creating wine takes dedicated teamwork. First, grapes are lovingly planted and nurtured by savvy, skilled farmers, with a little luck from Mother Nature. Grape farmers primp, prune and ultimately harvest the precious fruit while praying in sorts for a great growing season. From there, winemakers take over, blending their science and creativity in an inspired choreography of steps that transforms juicy fruit into the dynamically diverse wines we love so much.

Wanderlust Wining blends my two passions: outdoor activities and wine. In addition to being a journalist, I run a NYC-based wine events company called NTS Wine Tasting, LLC, crafting wine dinners, tastings and educational events, often featuring New World wines from across America.

The USA is the worlds fourth-largest wine producing country, behind leaders France, Italy and Spain, and has been making wine for more than three centuries. Since North Dakota joined the mix in 2002, when Point of View Winery became the states first federally bonded winery, each of the fifty U.S. states produces its own wine. While most states do not distribute beyond their regional or state border, most do ship and have fun tasting rooms to visit and sample local crafting.

I have meticulously peeked and poked into every nook and cranny of the selected wine tasting areas covered, chatting up locals for their insider scoops on the best places to play, sip and eat. As well as asking some wine-loving Olympic and professional athletes to share their favorite places in wine country to be sporty and then swirl, sniff and sip. I have created this book as a fun, playful, flavorful and informative insiders guide to exploring common and uncommon wineries in the area.

As if hanging out with a friend who lives locally, you will be taken on a journey through domestic wine countries, discovering how to create savory, action-packed wine tasting trips that kick off days with fun, local outdoor activities and follow up with palate-pleasing wines, food and assorted miscellaneous cool things to do. I have given special attention to organic, sustainable and biodynamic vineyards, restaurants and lodging.

This books fast-paced, easy-to-understand style offers easy to swallow wine information and historic facts about the areas wine specialties and unique geographic offerings, such as the best road or mountain bike rides, trails to traverse and rivers to paddle, as well as favorite farm-to-table restaurants and wine cave and vineyard tours. Learn where to go, who to contact and be privy to what only the locals know about amusing things to do such as Vino and Vinyasa, horseback riding wine tasting tours, learning to make cheese, attending outdoor concerts on winery estates or savoring a sustainable wine dinner.

Wanderlust Wining is a one stop read to crafting the ultimate fun, delicious wine-filled, active vacation.

Cheers to never-ending adventure and wine exploration!

Stefani

An hours drive north from San Francisco, the lush rolling hills of Sonoma glisten under beaming sunshine most days of the year. Nearly twice the size of its more famous sister wine country, Napa Valley, Sonoma sprawls across a million agricultural acres quilted with high mountains, low riverbeds, undulating terraced hills and rambling meadows where cows graze and vibrant vineyards and orchards bloom. Even a commercial shiitake mushroom farm, said to be the first in the U.S., is located here. A tad larger than Rhode Island, its nearly 2,000 square miles, nestled between the Mayacamas and Sonoma mountain ranges, it encompasses over fifty sparkling miles along the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Its web of redwood oak forests is encircled by lightly trafficked country roads passing through small towns that are big on the locavore movement, selling local cheeses, olive oils, honey and produce from gourmet shops and farm stands, and serving it at their restaurants.

There are over 300 wineries nestled in the Sonoma County, a maze of connected peaks and valleys with thirteen state parks, the same number of recognized AVAs (regions with unique soils and climates) and an array of mesoclimates. With over seventy-two different grape varietals growing here, its easy to understand why this area has a deliciously diverse medley of wines with unique character. Still, seven varietiesChardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Zinfandelaccounted for 94 percent of the tons of grapes crushed in 2006. Some are so rich, layered and lush, they inspire the Snoopy Dance.