This last weekend was the Northern Sierra Wine Trail. It was a glorious weekend to have the Trail. The sun was out. It was warm for the first time in a long while, and everything was gorgeous and green.
BriarPatch was one of the sponsors this year, so Charles and I got to wear badges with the Co-op’s name and look all official. This also meant that we got to answer questions from folks about the store wherever we went, which was a great opportunity. Since the Trail hosts people from out of town as well as locals, getting to introduce people to our cool Co-op concepts was awesome. And since Charles is the Wine Buyer (as well as the Grocery Manager), we got some great VIP treatment.
Our first stop was Montoliva Vineyard & Winery. Mark Henry’s wines, as always, were a treat. Our visit was super-special. We got a tour of the grounds, AND we got to barrel sample Mark’s 2008 Teroldego. I can’t wait until this beauty, with its nose of wild roses and vanilla bean, is bottled. Plus, we got to try the Barbera. Yum, yum, yum! Look for it on our shelves soon.
Then it was off to Naggiar Vineyards & Winery. Naggiar’s wines are fantastic, so we tasted every one that was offered during the Trail. We had their WOW! factor Petite Sirah with our lunch of pulled pork sandwiches, fresh veggies, and fresh fruit. If you haven’t been to their new tasting room, you really need to go. Like this weekend. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, you may not want to leave.
We finished our wonderful day at Pilot Peak Vineyard & Winery. Again, we tried everything that they were pouring because, well, they’re great wines. We fell completely in love with their LiVedo. We were already in love with their Cabernet Franc, which we enjoyed with Pilot Peak’s famous coleslaw and their tri-tip sandwich.
It was a perfect day. Driving in the foothills, admiring the different terrain, and enjoying the different wines our region has to offer made for the best Saturday I have had in a long time. Of course, there’s no reason not have have such enjoyable weekends as often as I’d like, as most of the local wineries are open on the weekend. Their schedules are just a click away, and there are 12 more wineries that I didn’t get to…
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