Sonoma/Napa: May 17, 2012 (200 Level)

May 17, 2012 Itinerary
(Sonoma Downtown morning; Napa West afternoon)

Number of wineries: 10!
Average rating: 4.11
Wine Route Rating: Moderate (200)
Highlight of the day: I enjoyed my stop at Elizabeth Spencer (4.25), but I think the best overall stop was at Paradigm (4.44)

Notes: I managed to top the previous day's 9 wineries with 10 stops this day, although I didn't try any wine at Viansa because of the bus crowds. Coming from my hotel in Petaluma, I stopped around downtown Sonoma on my way over to Napa for the afternoon. Despite the high number of stops, this day didn't require much in the way of planning and so rates a 200-level route.

	Location	Start Time	Stop Time	Reservation?	Notes
	Viansa (N/A)	10:20	10:30	Not Needed	Mobbed with busloads of people 20 minutes after opening
	Anaba (4.00)	10:35	11:10	Not Needed	So-so wines and a so-so stop
	Homewood (3.88)	11:15	11:45	Not Needed	An old favorite from my early days of tasting, sadly the wines just weren't very good here any more
	La Luna Taqueria (3.81)	12:15	12:45	Not Needed	It's not fancy and it may wreck your palate if you eat the hot sauce, but a solid authentic Mexican food option if you want something other than meats, cheeses and baguettes
	Elizabeth Spencer (4.25)	12:45	1:15	Not Needed	High on Stephanie's list for its "cuteness factor", I lucked out when Pamela took over my tasting from the guy who started. Pretty good wine and a very good atmosphere.
	Paradigm (4.44)	1:30	2:30		Heidi Barrett wine on the valley floor -- sold!
	Sequoia Grove (4.19)	2:35	3:15	Not Needed	A bit pricey for what you got, but the single vineyard Cabernet tasting is worth the stop.
	St. Supery (4.06)	3:20	3:55	Not Needed	Outdoor tasting on the wraparound porch. Decent wine, but not amazing
	Swanson (3.94)	4:00	5:00		Very pricey tasting for some so-so wine. Nice food pairings, but not worth a repeat visit.
	Jessup Cellars (4.25)	5:15	6:00	Not Needed	Late closing time (6pm) and a friendly staff, but tasting and wine both a bit pricey for what they are.
	Somerston (Yountville) (4.00)	6:00	7:00	Not Needed	Almost more of a wine bar feel than a tasting room, this is a decent spot that's open late if you're having dinner in Yountville
	Zuzu (4.44)	7:30	9:30	Not Needed	NO reservations can mean a longer wait at this tapas place, but during the week it's a nice, differnet option in downtown Napa

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Napa: May 15, 2012 (200 Level)

May 15, 2012 Itinerary
(Napa East)

Number of wineries: 7
Average rating: 4.29
Wine Route Rating: Moderate (200)
Highlight of the day: Shafer (4.56). I was wary of the hefty tasting fee ($45) prior to the visit, but it was 100% worth it.

Notes: A lot of wineries (7 in about 5 hours) make this route not for the faint of heart. The one lone appointment -- Shafer -- turned out to be the highlight of the day. This stop combined with some higher-end focused wineries (PlumpJack, Cliff Lede, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars) make this a "200-level" route.

	Location	Start Time	Stop Time	Reservation?	Notes
	PlumpJack (4.25)	12:15	12:45	Not Needed	A chance to sample both PlumpJack and CADE wines. Decent experience but not a must-stop. The view and room at CADE is superior
	Piña (4.19)	12:50	1:10	Not Needed	Better Cabs than I was expecting in a rustic barrel room
	Cliff Lede (4.38)	1:15	1:55	Not Needed	An experience I suspect varies quite a bit, but a stop that was great for me. 7 wines tried (there are 3 listed on the tasting menu) with a relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff
	Shafer (4.69)	2:00	3:15		I was nearly scared away by the $45 tasting fee but it was worth every penny. Classy seated tasting of some very good wines.
	Pine Ridge (4.00)	3:20	3:45	Not Needed	Fairly standard bar tasting of some decent wines. Nothing spectacular.
	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars (4.31)	3:55	4:30	Not Needed	Better than expected across the board. Flexible on the wines they tasted and some really good Cabernet in a nice setting.
	Clos Du Val (4.06)	4:35	5:00	Not Needed	Friendly people and pretty good wine, but not amazing.
	Dinner at Oenotri (4.25)	7:15	8:30		Homemade pasta, wood-fired pizza, and farm-to-table fresh ingredients. Gives Bottega a run for its money, and its food may be better…

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Sonoma: September 29, 2011 (200 Level)

September 29, 2011 Itinerary
(Russian River Valley and Healdsburg)

Number of wineries: 7
Average rating: 4.23
Wine Route Rating: Moderate (200)
Highlight of the day: John Tyler (4.50) provided a welcoming atmosphere and some good Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Williamson (4.44) was a close second place.

Notes: No appointments required on this route, but rated 200-level due to the hefty slate of tastings (7 wineries in under 6 hours). Wine enthusiasts of any level could duplicate this route, potentially leaving some stops off the list if you want to explore at a more relaxed pace.

	Location	Start Time	Stop Time	Reservation?	Notes
	Rosso (4.38)	11:30	12:15	Not Needed	Our persisitent favorite for great wood-fired pizza in Santa Rosa
	Copain (3.94)	12:40	1:10	Not Needed	A nice setting somewhat by itself on Eastside Road. We caught them at a particularly busy time and so I think on a different day this could have been a better experience.
	Porter Creek (4.31)	1:30	2:10	Not Needed	TINY tasting room, where we met the Sylar look-a-like. So-so wines, but great atmosphere and a fantastic winery dog
	Thomas George (4.25)	2:15	3:00	Not Needed	Stumbled upon this Westside Road winery and was surprised to find such a mature property (nice new tasting room, wine cave, etc.)
	Rochioli (4.00)	3:00	3:25	Not Needed	Great vineyard view, nice room…but very limited pour selection.
	John Tyler (4.50)	3:30	4:20	Not Needed	New tasting room where we sampled vertical flights of Pinot and Zin with the owner's daughter
	Stephen & Walker (4.19)	4:45	5:30	Not Needed	The "Howell Mountain Cabs" sign out front got us in the door, and a collection of good wines had us leaving impressed
	Williamson (4.44)	5:40	6:30	Not Needed	Claim to fame is small food bites paired with each wine. Free tastings as well! This one can get packed late in the day for those two reasons, but definitely recommended
	Stark's (4.38)	8:00			Our local friend Elisa Scheinberg recommended and met us at Stark's where we had a casual "apps and sides" dinner in the bar

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