This was a very busy weekend. So, busy that it has extended all the way until tonight (Thursday). Therefore, I am going to break up this blog entry into 3 parts: SB Wine, SB and Sports.
I had a dinner meeting with a customer scheduled for Sunday Night at the Bacara Resort in SB. Check it out on line, it is INCREDIBLE. I did not take any pics while there as I did not want to look like a Walmart-shopping tourist. With this trip planned, I decided to head up Saturday morning and do a wine tour. I looked at the train schedules and the wine tour schedules over and over again. I just couldn't make it work so I drove instead. The drive was so beautiful. I went up the coast on the PCH the entire way. This was definitely one of those times that I wished I still had "sprocket", my lil convertible Alpha Romeo.
I decided to go on Captain Jack's Wine tour. It was the best deal and best wineries in the area. The tour van picked me up at 10 am (with 10 other people) - me the only SOLO - and I got back to the hotel at around 5 pm. Captain Jack (the owner) got his nickname because he had to have an eye operation. While he was in recovery, he had to wear an eye patch. One of his friends called his room and said "Ayh, Is this Captain Jack, the one-eyed Pirate?". Capt Jack hung up. The friend called back again and again and again saying the same thing. Finally, Capt Jack started laughing and that was history.
The wine tour was really cool because we were in "Sideways" territory, Santa Rita Hills. Our guide pointed out all the famous sites that were in the film. I'll remark on those when we get to the pictures. The wineries we explored were: Foley, Melville, LaFond and Alma Rosa. Next time I go, I will do the actual Sideways tour in which you go to the Hitching Post, All of the wineries they visited, etc.
This area is Pinot Noir Area. "I'm not F-ing drinking Merlot!"
Foley: Very nice, typical of the nice wineries in Napa. Our guide did not mention this in the movie but on the way to the winery she pointed out a field which is where they had their picnic.
After this tour, we went to a golf course and had lunch. Much needed before hitting the next 2 wineries.
Now we went to LaFond. They also had an olive oil tasting going on. The tasting room was very small. The red's were good. The whites, not so much. But I got the coolest pictures here of me with the wine barrels.
Saved the best for last, this was the COOLEST winery EVER! The wine-guy (Chris) apparently hung out with all the Sideways folks. The director, actors and movie staff were camped out at Alma Rosa Winery for the entire shooting of the film. Chris is in the film. I need to rent it again so I can check out all the spots.
Tangent over...
Alma Rosa breathes California Cool. Everything is uber, laid back, no worries at this place. My guess is they have another crop that they harvest and it is not grapes! You could spend an entire day at this little shack and still not want to leave. I was actually starting to pine for wool socks and birkenstocks.
This is the un-assuming Tasting and Sales Room.
Cool Cactus
Dumpy at first sight - Incredible once you settle in
Check out the hipster hotties! The girl was totally bananas. Cute dudes!
Chris, our celebrity wine guy.
Goat herding dog. Yes, those are goats in the background.
Well, this concludes the winery portion of this trip. What a BLAST!!! So far, with all the cool things I have done in CA, this is the Tops! I know it has nothing to do with the fact that wine is just about my most favorite thing in the entire world, right?
~S
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