Travels: 2000-2009, Northern California/Wine Country

    Back in the day,  CDW had a benefit called 'The Old-Timers' Trip'. Every other year CDW would foot the bill for for a trip for employees with tenures of three or more years. Travel was voucher based, so there were restrictions on flights and what hotels you could stay at. I thought that it was part of the fun to try and finagle the best trip possible. In 2000 Leanne and I went on my first "Old Timers' Trip". We flew into San Francisco (and out of Oakland because, vouchers) and stayed at the Marriott in Walnut Creek. I had never been to California before, so I was looking forward to it. We did some of the typical tourist stuff in San Francisco (Pier 39, drove over the Golden Gate Bridge), checked out the town of Walnut Creek, and drove up to Muir Woods to see some redwoods. We also drove to Napa. (we packed a lot in that long weekend!)
     Pretty much every year from 2000-2009 we went back to Napa and/or Sonoma to visit some of our favorite wineries, or discover new ones. Over the years we went with my folks, Leanne's folks, the Hawes family, Kathy and Pat, and Steve, Maryanne and Jamie . A couple of times the trip to Napa was a layover on the way to Hawaii, we would either check wine and drink it over the rest of our vacation or have it shipped home . Here are some highlights from various wineries that we visited:

• Robert Mondavi: First winery we ever visited, nice tour of working winery and vineyards. Excellent Cabernet. In later years became a repeat visit. We, along with Mom and Dad, went to a twilight tasting with appetizers in a little courtyard among the rows of grapevines, very nice.
• Sterling: The winery is up on a mountain, you ride a cable car/gondola up. Nice surrounding views. 
• Homewood: "Mom and Pop" winery in Carneros region of Sonoma county, Very good Pinot Nior (which is unusual for the area). Owner/winemaker is likely to be around working or chatting- nice folks.
• Rutherford Hill: On Silverado Trail, tour includes cellars/caves.
• Domaine Chandon: Sparkling wine producer using traditional Methode Champenoise; makes for an interesting tour. Also has excellent restaurant- starting point of hot-air balloon rides. 
• Opus One: Attended VIP tasting with Kathy and Pat* (tour arranged by one of my co-workers). Extraordinarily good wine, interesting tour .
• Beringer: in St. Helena, near the Culinary Institute of America, one of the oldest wineries in the valley.
• Viansa: Often the first winery we visit, just off route 12 by the speedway. Many Italian varietals and has a grocery to pick up lunch.
• Excellent wines also from Turnbull, Peju, Anretti, Vanderhayden, Benzinger, Sebastiani and others.

Other fun things up in NorCal: Brunch is Sausalito, Japantown in SanFrancisco, downtown Berkley, hot-air balloon rides in Napa Valley. 

     In the summer of 2008, we went to the Garlic Festival in Gilroy with my parents. A garlic-y good time was had by all. We also went to "Wine Country"  (vineyards, redwoods etc.) as well as COPIA, a now closed center for wine and culinary arts- cooking demonstrations, tastings etc. Emily climbed an olive tree.

     In 2008 or 2009 Chip from work hooked us up with a visit to PIXAR in Emeryville, really fascinating to see some of the processes in digital film making. Emily was only five or six years old at the time, she got more of a kick out of riding the antique trains and panning for gold (and swimming in a stream) in Jamestown. 

     

     *In 2004 we went to California with Kathy and Pat, this is also the trip that we scored the VIP tour at Opus One. The tour was very nice and our guide was actually a Master Sommelier, (at the time one of only two dozen female masters in the entire country, she knew her stuff) the whole thing was quite fancy. Upon leaving the following conversation took place:

• Pat: "That was nice, but I think I like the smaller places better"
• Me "I really liked it, that was some of the best wine I ever tasted, you didn't think that wine was great!?"
• Pat: "No, I mean our guide was so pretentious, I just can't stand those kind of people, I enjoyed being at Homewood better. They weren't 'know it alls' like she was ..."
• Me: "HAHAHA - you can't stand 'those kind of people'?! you are 'those kind of people' ! Your nose is bent out of shape because she acted like she knew more than you did? News flash, She does, .she's a Master in her field!"
• Pat:"grumble, grumble"

-Everyone (but Pat) laughed and laughed......