As usual. we took the redeye to SFO so we arrived in Healdsburg about 9am then headed immediately to the Downtown Bakery & Creamery for my caffeine fix and some grub. Ms S also picked up snack provisions like their fig bars. The ham, egg and cheese sammy on English muffin was a great starter...
Our first tasting appointment was at Rockpile Vineyards which specialize in Zinfandel. The wines were good but since we just arrived, didn't make any purchases... though the owners also rent out 2 cottages just behind the tasting room which piqued Ms S's interest on a future trip. The Wilson's also own 10 other wineries including Mazzocco (also great Zins), Pezzi King, deLorimier, Matrix as well as three B & B's...
Our next stop was at Blanchard Family Wines run by Mark Blanchard - brother James Blanchard runs the retail wine operation in Colorado after retiring from the Air Force. Mark is a one man show most of the time as is as animated as they come explaining the wine during the tasting. Most of their wines were good for early drinking but because he was so entertaining during the tasting, Ms S decided to have a 6-pack shipped back home...
Our last tasting appointment for the day was at Longboard Vineyards which was a more subdued tasting - a host simply pours the wine and briefly describes it then lets you sample the wine while he returns back to the bar area. Almost like a tasting in a restaurant though you're seated adjacent to the aging barrels. The wines were all good but Ms S decided to hold back on any purchases.
At this point, the Healdsburg Inn notified us that we could check-in a little early so we headed there to drop-off our luggage...
After checking in, we decided on an early dinner at Willi's Seafood & Raw Bar - we usually stop here for a meal at least once during any trip to Healdsburg... I started with a Watermelon Yuzu Martini...
Then moved on to the obligatory bivalves...
Frites with a Laura Chenel goat cheese dip...
And fried calamari...
Poor Ms S was down for the count as she usually doesn't sample that much wine... and didn't use the dump bucket... but most wineries in Napa and Sonoma now require appointments, many in Napa requiring pre-payment. We used to just walk-in to wineries so I would just pay for one tasting while Ms S explored the gift shop occasionally sipping from my glass. But she now received her own glass... Oh well, she said she'll make use of the dump bucket onward...
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