Spread the Warmth Gift Idea #3 – The Getaway Wine Weekend

The Thomas Gals at Hartford Family Winery

Spread the Warmth Gift Idea #3 – The Getaway Wine Weekend

Edible Skinny loves travel and adventure, especially when it involves wine country!  Earlier this year we experienced a fabulous trip to the Russian River Valley!  And because we have a most spectacular time we thought it would be a fabulous getaway wine weekend for our Spread the Warmth Gift Giving guide!

DO

Wine Cube Tours

Raymond Rolander, a grinning bearded guy in pageboy cap, knows where to go and what to drink in the Russian River Valley.  Driving around wine country in his Nissan Cube, Sonoma Magazine referred to Raymond as “a one man Uber.”  A super smart native of Sonoma County, Raymond’s a former tasting room manager with a decade of bar work under his belt.  Rolander tailors all tours based on whatever you want in wine, experience, and location preferences in a fun and 100% worry free environment.  With a catchphrase of: local is knowledge, he specializes in access to small, off the beaten path producers of wine, cheese and olive oil while serving up a side order of local history!

STAY

The Rio Villa Beach Resort

Located in the tiny hamlet of Monte Rio (Population: 1,152,) the Rio Villa Beach Resort, is a Bed and Breakfast Inn located on a quiet bend of the famed banks of the Russian River.  Just moments away from the Sonoma Coast and over a hundred wineries, this quaint resort offers a variety of accommodations for couples, families and individuals traveling for relaxation or business.  Surrounded by majestic redwoods, the Rio Villa has a private beach that is totally bathed in sunshine.  The grounds are meticulously manicured and aglow with the color of flowers and the aroma of herbs.  Just next door and around the river bend is the Monte Rio public beach where canoes and kayaks can be rented.

EAT

Boon Eat +Drink

Located in close by Guernville (Population: 4,534), Boon Eat + Drink is a modern California bistro.  Tiny, yet airy with tables composed from felled redwood trees, Boon is all about the blessings of simplicity.  Its simple menu is meant to show off produce from backyard garden and area farms.  Owner Crista Luedtke (who’s dog is the inspiration for the name of the restaurant) has her details in every nook and cranny of this minute restaurant that Food and Wine noted as one of the best restaurants in “America's Best Little Food Towns.”

So here's to Life Being Delicious!!!

The Pinots of Hartford Family Winery

Our final stop on our amazing Russian River day with Raymond Rolander of Wine Cube Tours was Hartford Family Winery!

Specializing in Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Old Vine Zinfandel, Hartford Family Winery is a family–owned winery also located in Forestville within (surprise, surprise) the Russian River AVA.  Hartford Family Winery has received many accolades throughout the years including being named one of the Top Wineries of 2010 by Wine & Spirits magazine.

Winemaker Jeff Stewart

Located 15 miles from the Pacific Coast, Hartford Family Winery was founded in 1994 by Don and Jennifer Hartford's appreciation for the wines, the people, and the unique vineyards near their Russian River Valley home.  Don Hartford grew up on a small strawberry farm in western Massachusetts, and later attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  Don Hartford met his wife, Jennifer Jackson-Hartford in 1979, while at Santa Clara University in Northern California while pursuing a law degree (shortly thereafter, Jennifer's father, Jess, started a modest 16,000 case winery called Kendall-Jackson). 

The Hartford’s belief, as stewarded by winemaker Jeff Stewart, is making delicious wines of high personality is directly related to the difficult locations of their vineyard sources, the limited production of their bottlings, and the varietals they use.  "Character through adversity" is an expression that Don and Jenny believe applies to people and grapevines and surviving adversity builds character, and personality, in both. 

Several of their established vineyards are not irrigated (they feel over-watering of vines produces more crop but dilutes flavors).  Also, most of their vineyard’s vines are tightly space (as tight spacing encourages competition among vines, promotes smaller cluster and berry size, and accentuates the intensity of their wines).  The result of these small and low-yielding vineyards that deliver meager amounts is expressive and personality-rich wine.  Their single-vineyard Hartford Court Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays total as few as 93 cases up to about 800 cases.

The Hartford’s love Pinot Noir and in many years make about ten of them with fruit from the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Green Valley, Carneros, Anderson Valley, and Marin appellations.  Hartford Family Winery believes that Pinot Noir makes “the most seductive red wine, notable for its supple, silky texture.”  In their opinion, Pinot Noir is one of the best grapes for expressing vineyard site characteristics in a transparent manner.

And Kelly and I are in agreeance as both our favorite Hartford Family Wines were their onion like layered Pinot Noirs: Hailey’s Block (named after Don and Jennifer Hartford’s daughter) and Jennifer’s Block Green Valley of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2010.  

2010 Hartfort Court Hailey's Block Pinot Noir ($65) is bright ruby red in color with flavors of raspberry, cherry, and baking spice that bloom into a bouquet as the wine breaths.  The finish on this Pinot Noir is straight down the middle of the ballpark: the perfect balance of spice and structure.  

 

2010 Hartford Court Jennifer's Pinot Noir ($70, but unfortunately it’s completely Sold Out) received 93 points from International Wine Cellar.  With bright hues and a nose of black raspberry, rose oil, allspice, and soda pop its definitely a wine you won’t forget.  The palate displays flavors of cherries and berries without having either of those fruits scream in your face.  It finishes with an energy that both zips and zaps.

So on their classic outdoor patio with a welcoming fountain, Hartford Family Wines was the perfect place to finish our tour of the Russian River Valley; surrounded on all sides by hills and dales all covered with grapes just itching to evolve into a spectrum of wines.