Healdsburg

With snow in the forecast for tonight and a week that seems it will never end, I thought a little virtual vacation was in order for this afternoon’s post. After a brief stop in Yountville for some Bouchon Bakery decadence, we started the winding drive North and West to head toward Healdsburg where we would once again be touring one of our wine club wineries, Michel-Schlumberger

One our way through the very quiet and undeveloped Alexander Valley AVA, we decided to make a random stop, as we often do while visiting wine country, at Field Stone Winery

As we parked the car in the small lot, it was impossible to not be enchanted by the wineries’ surroundings. As far as the eye could see, wild chamomile flowers, vineyards ready to awaken for the spring, and rolling green hills filled the space. And it was quiet, very, very quiet.

We made our way up the path to the barrel room and tasting room, passing by a bottling truck that was filling bottles with the latest Field Stone wine. After a friendly welcome from the men working on the truck, we went inside, where we were brought into a small, cozy tasting room.

Field Stone is well known for its hearty reds, and I especially loved the 2008 Vineyard Select Syrah for its rich flavors of spice and black cherry. We also had the opportunity to compare and contrast 2007 and 2008 Vintage Ports

A sip of Port, a bite of dark chocolate, a sip of Port, some more chocolate. . . you know how it goes.

But again, as much as we loved the reds at Field Stone, we were on a mission to stock up on whites which resulted in the purchase of Field Stone Viognier and Gewurtztraminer. The Gewurtztraminer was perhaps my favorite wine of the day, dry but with some great fruit flavors. As we discussed in the tasting room, it will be the perfect Thai takeout wine. The Viognier was not on the tasting menu, but when I asked to try it, our host happily opened a bottle. Viognier is quickly becoming one of my favorite grapes because of its weight and luscious mouth feel. Just like with my favorite Viognier blend, Sheldon’s La Naris, the Field Stone Viognier is one that you you almost want to swish around in your mouth for awhile before drinking it. Sounds a little odd, but trust me on this.

As we tasted through the wines, we learned a bit about the property, and our tasting room host encouraged us to go around the back of the building to check out their century-old Petite Syrah vines. Like gnarly little gnomes, these vines have produced quite a bit of fruit and have seen a lot over the years!

Field Stone could appear off the beaten path, but it is really on the way from Napa Valley to Sonoma County if you are traveling North. It was a lovely spot to stop with great staff, delicious wines, and unstoppable views. Go there!