Upon arriving at the Kirkland Ranch Winery, I walked around the expansive lodge and admired its well-manicured grounds. An employee summoned the group upstairs to try their products, which ranged from Pinot Grigio to Cabernet Sauvignon. We also learned what qualities constitute a good wine before having a few sips of several varietals. Afterward, I continued soaking up the picturesque scenery before departing for our next destination.
We traveled seven miles northwest on Tuesday afternoon to Madonna Estate, a 4½-acre winery that made libations such as Chardonnay and Merlot. After going to the tasting room to sample a few wines, I went outside to explore the vineyard and pick a cluster of red grapes. I watched a farmer stand on a platform and sift the grapes out of a crate into the destemmer, a machine that separated the fruit from its stem. Another farmer was on the ground emptying the stems into a large bin, while the juice was redirected into a hose that connected to a tank. The liquid was then put in containers that were stored in the barrel room, where thousands of gallons of wine are aged to perfection.
My quest for intoxicated bliss carried on as the tour bus crossed the county border and drove nearly ten miles southwest to Viansa Winery and Italian Marketplace. The villa specialized in making Italian wines, from Arneis to Sangiovese, and was surrounded by nature as far as the eye could see. From preserved wetlands to olive groves, it was the ideal place to drink some alcohol as the sun hovered over Northern California.
In visiting a wine store and three wineries over a seven-hour period, the only thing I purchased was a jar of Tres Classique lemon cream dessert sauce. While some wines managed to stir my taste buds, I couldn't shake the impulse to kick myself for not buying those bottles of sweet wine when I had the chance. Nevertheless, being in wine country was like being in Sideways -- minus the whiff of romance in the air.
