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Any old day of the week suffices for sipping wine, but you need a long weekend to really savor the stuff, especially when you're doing so in the context of the region where it's produced. Here are 5 diverse wine-producing regions, and a handful of different ways to immerse yourself in them.
Swirl, Sip and Saddle Up
Wine grapes were first planted in California's Mendocino County in the 1850s by immigrant farmers who, having failed as prospectors during the Gold Rush, found their fortunes in grapes. These pioneer winegrowers rode on horseback past virgin redwoods, across rugged hillsides and over sun-exposed ridgetops overlooking the Pacific. So, too, can modern-day visitors to Mendocino.
Mendocino wineries -- among them, Parducci Wine Cellars and Fetzer Vineyards -- are good reasons to extend a weekend visit here. Another is Ten Mile Beach, a horseback-friendly stretch of sand where osprey and pelicans circle overhead and whales cavort off-shore.
Ricochet Ridge Ranch, MacCallum House Inn and Mendo Wine Tours have joined forces to offer an all-inclusive 3-day Equine and Wine Weekend that combines horseback riding (Western or English) with a wine-tasting tour of the famous Anderson Valley wineries.
The long weekend getaway, based in the heart of the quiet Mendocino village, features complimentary wine hours and meals with handcrafted local wines; one daylong tour (via luxury SUV limo - no saddles necessary) through the wineries of the Navarro River Valley; and one daylong horseback excursion on deserted coastal beaches and in magnificent redwood forests.
Reds and Whites in the Blue Ridge
The nation's first wines were produced in Virginia over 400 years ago, and today the state ranks fifth in the country among vinifera grape-growing states, with almost 100 wineries statewide. Within spitting distance of Washington, D.C., is the Blue Ridge WineWay, home to 12 wineries nestled along Virginia's beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. All feature their own unique blends of vinifera, hybrid varietals and sparkling wines. One of the happy dozen situated in the quiet and beautiful countryside of Rappahannock County is Gadino Cellars. During the fall harvest, Gadino invites guests to become part of Gadino La Familia by signing on as Harvest VIP (Very Important Pickers). An integral part of vineyard operations, the Harvest VIPs start their day early and finish by late morning; a picnic follows, with complimentary beverages, of course. Gadino gratefully offers VIPs a discount on wines.
Nearby, in the Blue Ridge foothills, are the romantic and historic villages of Sperryville and Little Washington, home to one of America's most renowned country retreats: The Inn at Little Washington.
This luxurious inn's 15,000-bottle wine cellar includes over 900 different selections from France, California and Italy, as well as local Virginia wines. Among the special wine selections are a 1900 Chateau d'Yquem, 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1991 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and a vertical of Domaine Comte Georges de Vog¸È Musigny including the vintages of 1966, 1972, 1985, 1989, 1990 and 1993. For more information about touring Virginia's wine trails, consult Virginia Wine Country Tours.
Finger Lakin' Good
Three days, 3 lakes, 3 wine trails: Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga. For a long weekend that focuses on world-class wines, the pristine Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York offers umpteen touring options.
Carved thousands of years ago by grinding glaciers, Seneca Lake's deep waters and gently sloping hillsides create the ideal mesoclimate for growing quality wine-producing grapes. With 30-plus member wineries, the Seneca Lake WineTrail is by far one of the largest appellations in the Northeast and boasts a diverse variety of wines, from classic vinifera to hardy native grapes, premium hybrids and even mead.
No limo? No car? No problem: Hop aboard a wine tour trolley that offers jump-on public tours around Seneca Lake.
Eight wineries comprise the Keuka wine trail around Keuka Lake, the most picturesque in the region. Among them is Dr. Frank's, long associated with the New York wine revolution because its founder, Dr. Konstantin Frank, was the first to cultivate European vitis vinifera grapevines in the eastern United States, the varieties used in virtually all the world's finest wines.
Don't miss: the Keuka Oktoberfest, which, unlike most Oktoberfests, doesn't feature beer and isn't in October. But there is German music and food and, of course, world-class Germanic-style wines produced in the Finger Lakes.
Navigating Napa
Drinking and driving don't mix. Nor do cycling and sipping. That said, one of the most memorable ways to navigate Napa Valley vineyards is by bike. The Calistoga area, for instance, features 20 miles of easily pedal-able terrain throughout which many family-owned and operated vineyards are happy to welcome guests sporting cycling shorts and helmets: Chateau Montelena, for instance, and Vincent Arroyo and Frank Family Vineyards. Calistoga, known as the "Hot Springs of the West," is famous for its spa treatments and mud baths.
You can go it alone, or book a long weekend with a company that has a local presence; one whose personnel know the roads, wineries, restaurants, inns and spas: Napa Valley Bike Tours or Getaway Adventures.
BarrelingThrough Sonoma
Sonoma County's 3-day Barrel Tasting Weekends feature more than 100 wineries, all located along the Russian River Wine Road. Many wineries offer "futures" on their barrel samples: a chance to purchase wine while it's still in the barrel, often at a discount, before the wine is bottled, typically in 12-18 months. (Many wines are so limited that the buying of futures is the only way to purchase them.)
The Wine Road sponsors 4 major events each year involving members that range from large producers to small family estates; from Italian-style villas to French-style chateaux. The Russian River includes 3 appellations -- Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys - as it meanders through Cloverdale to Santa Rosa and out to the Sonoma Coast. The user-friendly and informative Russian River Wine Road Map, produced by the association each year, is available for free.
They'd be honored if you'd base yourself here: Located in Healdsburg, in the center of Sonoma, is the Honor Mansion, a 1883 Victorian that has been transformed into an intimate resort. On 4 acres of landscaped grounds, the inn offers tennis, bocce, croquet, PGA putting and a lap pool. Most serene spot for sipping a glass of sherry: on the deck surrounding the koi pond. The Honor Mansion will help arrange balloon tours for birds'-eye views of the vineyards as well as Russian River canoe trips.
