Travel: November 2010 Archives

American wine connoisseurs are just now discovering what their European counterparts have known for a long time. That the region of Valencia,produces wines comparable to any other wine region in Spain. When you can sample great wines in the picturesque Spanish Riviera, it makes the experience doubly pleasurable.

The famous wine regions of Valencia (Utiel-Requena, Alicante, Beniarrés and Sant Mateu) actually produce more grape varieties than any other region in Spain. This is true thanks to its unique climate. The result for winemakers: A greater variety of quality grapes to play with. And for wine aficionados: more great new wines to taste, from dry, crisp
whites to fragrant fruity reds.

CLICK HERE to read full article and more details about the destination Valencia!

by Sipping Savant

Have the Thanksgiving and three days off ... visit Wine Country.  So far everyone is looking forward to welcoming visitors Friday, Saturday and Sunday with their normal hours and reservation requirements.

Thanksgiving Day - in between eating, resting, exercising and grid-iron games see below for some wineries that are open ... if you don't see your favorite Wine Country region on this list it is because there are no wineries open and not because we left them out or they did not reply to our inquiry in time for publication:

November 25 -- Thanksgiving Dinner at the Lodge at Sonoma
Holiday, Dining: Kick off the holiday season with Thanksgiving Dinner at the Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar located at The Lodge at Sonoma. Rising star chef Janine Falvo often harvests from the restaurant's own year-round garden and other ingredients are sourced from the very best Sonoma farms, ranches and dairies. You're sure to enjoy a delicious meal with family this Thanksgiving.  Reservations required. , 1325 Broadway, Sonoma
Fee: Call for information & reservations Time: Call for information and reservations Phone Number: (707) 931.2042

November 26 - 27 -- Annual Holiday Heart of Sonoma Valley Open House
Celebration: Join over Twenty wineries throughout the Heart of Sonoma Valley for this annual celebration and enjoy wine tastings, meet winemakers, mingle in our caves & cellars, stock up on your favorite wines for the holidays, pick up holiday gifts for your friends & family and relish in wine country holiday cheer! This event takes place at each winery, and as you travel from winery to winery you will enjoy award-winning wines, fresh baked nibbles, savory treats, caroling, holiday cheer and much more.
Fee: $40/person for both days in advance ($50 at the door) Time: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Phone Number: (866) 794.9463

NAPA, CA - The Bay Area has spent the past few weeks following the Giants on their post-season run and River Terrace Inn in downtown Napa is now providing three great ways to celebrate the Giants winning the world series.

First Base - "Uuu-Mazing" Giants Napa Getaway Rate
It's a great time to plan a "Uuu-Mazing Giants" Napa getaway since the "torture" is finally over.  River Terrace Inn is offering a special celebratory rate for stays from now through November 23.  Score an extra homer when you wear your Giants gear and receive a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine so you can toast a truly great season!

• $159 for Sundays through Thursdays
• $189 for Fridays and Saturdays

As special partners of the River Terrace Inn, Chardonnay Golf Club, Napa Valley Wine Train and Beau Wine Tours are offering the following Victory Packages as well.

By Deirdre Bourdet

I am not a B&B person. Victorian frills, lacey linens, antique bathtubs, old-fashioned plumbing and electrical systems, and sterile grandmotherly ambiance do not feature prominently in my ideal vision for romantic or restorative weekends.  And yet, B&Bs across America seem cast in that same Victorian mold, irrespective of price or location. When I accepted an invitation from Richard and Kae Rosenberg to stay the night in their Healdsburg bed and breakfast, I thought I had a pretty clear idea of what was in store.  Being proven dead wrong has never felt so good.

Richard and Kae acquired the Inn in late 1998, when they "retired" to Healdsburg after successful careers in LA and Colorado.  Not ones to kick back and relax during retirement, they completely overhauled and redecorated the three dormer Queen Anne structure, and added five new bedrooms, a dining room, state of the art kitchen, lobby area, and a "secret" underground wine cellar concealed behind a bookcase in the dining room. Richard's grandfather ran a real speakeasy during Prohibition, and evidently the apple didn't fall far from the tree.