Author Fodor's Napa and Sonoma
Coauthor The California Directory of Fine Wineries
I cover wineries, sights to see, activities, restaurants, and hotels in Napa, Sonoma, and beyond.
Bask in views of San Francisco, three bays, and beyond atop Mount Tam. On a clear day at East Peak on Mount Tamalpais you’ll be treated to awe-inspiring […]
Great Marin County Hikes – East Peak Mount Tamalpais Read More »
Larkmead, Stony Hill, and Louis M. Martini celebrate the past with an eye to the future. An excursion to three historic wineries – Larkmead, Stony Hill, and Louis
3 Historic Napa Valley Wineries Day Trip Read More »
The city and coastal views are breathtaking at Marin County’s southernmost point. Distinctive rust-colored algae surrounds the entrance to the hand-dug rock tunnel that leads to the 19th-century Point Bonita
Point Bonita Lighthouse Read More »
Mike Lucia’s food-friendly wines upend conventional notions. “Good thing I have a nondogmatic palate,” I wrote in my notebook’s margin during the first of two tastings (a week
Current Releases from Rootdown Wine Cellars Read More »
Start near the water or in the forest for views of ocean and redwoods. A major crowd-pleaser and deservedly so, this 7.3-mile loop begins in Stinson Beach and heads
Great Marin County Hikes – Steep Ravine to Matt Davis Loop Read More »
Judicious use of Pennsylvania and Missouri wood yields four distinctive C. Elizabeth Wines vintages. Mentioning American oak to some oenophiles prompts a mad dash to the (forested French)
Classy Napa Valley Cabs Make Good Case for American Oak Read More »
Photo ops abound in shorebirds’ natural habitat. Egrets, blue herons, ducks, and other wildfowl inhabit the oval-shaped Rodeo Lagoon. The 1.5-mile, well-maintained loop trail rings the inlet, marked
Great Marin County Hikes – Rodeo Lagoon Trail Loop Read More »
In the late 1990s, when the economics of dairy farming in Northern California became problematic, John Bucher diversified by planting wine grapes on the 360-acre Healdsburg property his
Bucher Pinot Trio a Total Delight Read More »
Vineyard’s woodsy setting announces itself on first sniff. A story elsewhere on this site details current planet-positive initiatives at Medlock Ames Winery including regenerative farming. During a late-2021
Medlock Ames Newcomb Sauvignon Blanc Impresses with Purity of Expression Read More »
Two current Napa Valley releases impress. 2018 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon With its mocha/dark chocolate overtones and barrel-room aromas, Chappellet Winery’s flagship (85% Cab Sauv, 10% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec) telegraphs concentration
Chappellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc Read More »