Author Archives: Cathy Gartley

Foppiano Vineyards

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Foppiano Winery and Tasting Room

Foppiano Winery and Tasting Room

12707 Old Redwood Hwy, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Website: http://www.foppiano.com/

Foppiano Vineyards is one of the oldest, continuously operated family owned wineries in Sonoma Valley. It was founded by Giovanni Foppiano in 1896 and survived the Prohibition years. Since 1896, there have been six generations of Foppianos who have grown grapes and made wine here. This history is the reason why I decided to stop into the winery.

A Northwestern Pacific caboose at Foppiano Vineyards

A Northwestern Pacific caboose at Foppiano Vineyards

The winery is located off the Old Redwood Highway in the Russian River Valley. Pulling into the winery felt like I was arriving at a farm house. The parking area was only big enough for a few cars. Off to one side was a red shed with a pick-up truck parked beneath the attached car port. On the opposite side was an old Northwest Pacific train car. Beyond the train car is a wide open field of vines with mountains forming a beautiful backdrop to the vineyard.

As one might expect, the inside of the tasting room is simple. Straight ahead of the entrance is a basic wooden bar with a few wine bottles on display behind it. There are some family pictures and other memorabilia on the walls of the tasting room. They also had some maps of the Sonoma Wine Trail and a pamphlet for a self-guided walk through the vineyard. I paid a $10 tasting fee to try 4-5 wines that is refundable with a $25 wine purchase. They have other offerings like a wine a cheese pairing, boxed picnic lunches, and tours of the vineyard.   Foppiano is widely recognized for their Petite Sirah that has been planted on the property for over 100 years and they had a few different vintages on the tasting menu. I also sampled a Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, and Pinot Noir. This place was a nice, quick stop on the way to the wineries further north, and I can now say I experienced a piece of Sonoma County history.

The view at Foppiano Vineyards

The view at Foppiano Vineyards

Domaine Drouhin

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Domaine Drouhin

Domaine Drouhin

6750 NE Breyman Orchards Road Dayton, OR 97114

Website: http://www.domainedrouhin.com/en/

Domaine Drouhin is located in the Dundee Hills next door to Domaine Serene. It was crush time in September when I visited. As my friend and I approached the tasting room there were hundreds of yellow crates stacked up in front of the winery full of recently picked grapes. Fork lift drivers were busy at work moving the crates to the crush facility. From the outside in, the winery is very well-manicured and refined.

Crates filled with freshly picked grapes at Domaine Drouhin

Crates filled with freshly picked grapes at Domaine Drouhin

This winery is owned by the French family who owns Maison Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy, France. The Drouhin’s have been making wine in France since 1880. Third generation Robert Drouhin started Domaine Drouhin in Willamette Valley in the late 1980s. He recognized the potential of the Oregon soil to produce elegant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Robert’s daughter Véronique is the winemaker and his son Philippe is the viticulturist. They have both been involved in the family’s winemaking in both Burgundy and Oregon since 1988.

Domain Drouhin Tasting Room

Domain Drouhin Tasting Room

The motto on their website is “French soul, Oregon soil”. That is what makes this winery unique. There is a sense of elegance. The tasting room is simple and wide open. There is an L-shaped, wood-paneled tasting bar that can accommodate several small groups at a time. The walls are cream colored and there are high ceilings, making the tasting room feel very spacious. The wine tasting experience is unique because guests get to sample their Oregon wines along-side of their French wines. I found the wines to stand up to their motto. The Drouhins’ Oregon wines reflected the French-style of wine making rather than the fruitier, earthy style wines I’ve tried from Oregon. Behind the tasting bar was another area that was set up with tables and chairs. It looked like it was set up for a small event. There were stairs that led down to the fermentation room with large stainless steel tanks.

Domaine Drouhin Terrace

Domaine Drouhin Terrace

Outside of the tasting room is a lovely terrace with high top tables and spectacular views of the vineyards and Dundee area. It was a very relaxing setting.

I would recommend this winery to others. The terrace and views alone sold me. I also think it’s a great deal to get to try both Oregon and French wines in one tasting. Out of all the wineries I visited in California and Oregon, this is the first time I got to sample U.S. and European wines side-by-side. It was a fascinating experience.

View from Domain Drouhin's terrace

View from Domain Drouhin’s terrace

 

Napa Valley Wine Train

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Website: http://winetrain.com/

The wine train was my very first experience in Napa Valley. For first timers this is a nice way to get a view of the vineyards and wineries along Highway 29 without having to deal with traffic. The train station where the trip begins is in downtown Napa. The entire train ride is 3 ½ hours from the town of Napa to St. Helena and back.

There are different tours to choose from when purchasing tickets. A standard ticket includes a train ride without getting off. For an additional fee, there are tours that allow passengers to make a stop at one of the wineries along the way and the train will pick them up on its way back. The train runs at a couple of times during the day and offers a lunch menu. On Saturdays there is also the option of taking the dinner train, which is a nice way to wrap up the day after the wineries have closed and watch the sun go down (their website lists sunset times depending on the time of year).

There were a couple things to do at the station while waiting to get on the train. There is a gift shop for souvenirs and a wine shop that focuses on boutique wineries and smaller production wines. My friend Denise and I sat in on a quick seminar on how to taste wine which is complimentary to ticket holders.

Seating on the train is on a first-come, first-served basis. There are enclosed cars with windows for passengers to look through. My friend Denise and I selected an open air car so that we could enjoy the fresh air and take pictures as we passed through the valley. There is also a dining car and tasting bar on board for passengers who would like to get some food or wine during the journey. Denise and I decided to do our first Napa wine tasting on the train. I learned quickly that swirling wine on a moving train can be tricky after spilling wine on Denise’s shoes.

I enjoyed the train experience because it was nice to get a chance to sit back and get a view of the valley for the first time.  I now have bragging rights to say I’ve been on the train.  It is definitely a “touristy” attraction.  However, unless you want to participate in one of the special events with a loved one or friends, I would recommend skipping the train and taking a leisurely drive through the valley instead.  The Silverado Trail is generally much less busy and provides nice views if there is too much traffic on Highway 29.