Wine, Food and Bike

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A bike tour to go taste wine? Yes, it can be done and it was an awesome weekend where my wife and I experienced two great wine areas in California’s Wine country! We researched the heck out of whom to go with and after to many good hotels recommendations we chose Getaway Adventures and their guide, Gigi. What a great experience! The first day was in Calistoga, and we went on a short but winery intensive bike ride. This is primarily Cabernet country but we tasted some Petit Syrah and an interesting wine called Charbono, among many other. What was great is that each winery knew about Getaway and us coming and really treated us well, like a local. We did special barrel sampling at one winery and tried a port hidden in the back at another.

A bike tour to go taste wine? Yes, it can be done and it was an awesome weekend where my wife and I experienced two great wine areas in California’s Wine country!

 For a foody I as surprised at quality of the lunch. Rather than sandwiches, we had a homemade pasta dish, turkey breast and some excellent cheeses as well as local bread with folded in cheddar. It was divine.

Gigi took good care of our smallish group, stopping in the vineyard for a bit of a field education. She also gave us a booklet for our wine tasting notes and in there was a quiz at the end. Where else would I learn about veraison?

I was just a wonderful day and the next day we went to Healsdburg and did the Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys. Again, same attention to detail on the routes and wineries chosen for us. Quiet rural roads, farm houses, and cool wineries tucked away in the country side. Highlights included Bella, and Robert Young. Lunch was at a winery with an organic garden and an olive oil that was he best I’ve ever tasted.

The bikes were real comfortable the pace easy and relaxed and out guide really made the trip what it was.