sonoma dreaming
Monday, March 9, 2009
A week ago I headed up north with a couple of friends to celebrate my birthday in a Beautiful Places villa (you can see it here). Not only was the scenery stunning--my upstairs bedroom was mostly glass surrounded by the most beautiful trees--and I loved the laid-back rustic/modern decor heavy on Jonathan Adler pieces.
Below is the sitting room that was attached to my bedroom. Sadly we were on the go so much I never had a moment to enjoy it. P.S. {Keep reading if you are interested in winning a Jonathan Adler blanket like the one in this photo.}
It was pouring rain when we first arrived and luckily we didn't have to venture out. Dinner was waiting for us (along with some wine and champagne).
Charming wine expert and founder of Brix26.com, Peter Langenstein, drove through the hail and rain to meet us at the house for a wine tasting. Peter obtains rare, limited production wines and provides one on one consulting with his Brix26 clients from California's finest boutiques and wineries and frequently receives access to select varietals that are produced in such limited quantities that customers are able to purchase wines that can't be found for sale anywhere else.
The next morning I had a soak and massage scheduled at the beautiful Kenwood Inn and Spa. I felt a little guilty about making my friends wait by the fire for me, but it was still a little rainy and there are worse places to do the NYT crossword.
After lunch we headed over to Hop Kiln Winery in Healdsburg, some of the most prized dirt in the region especially for Pinot Noir. Above is the pretty table set for our private tasting with Hop Kiln's winemaker Chuck Mansfield and GM Denise Gill that focused on their small production HK Generations wines that have burst onto the Russian River scene and garnered excellent ratings. It was really fun to hear first hand from the vintner (he is extremely dedicated and super young btw) about the wines he's working on.
David DiLoreto, CEO of Vero Westside and Hop Kiln Winery met up with us at the tasting and offered to give us a tour of the beautiful vineyard while we chatted about what it takes to become a serious contender in the wine business. Bottom line: it's all about patient money; you have to be willing to invest in it and know what you're doing. David went back to school and got a degree in vitaculture before he and his group purchased Hop Kiln in 2004. When David purchased the winery, production was around 3,400 cases a year. Currently, they are producing around 10,000 cases and are moving towards being 100% estate planted on the ranch’s 248 acres. We ended up checking out HK's state of the art Pellenc, the Bentley of mechanical harvesters--so cool!
Our last day we had a long and wonderful wine tasting at Chateau St. Jean and checked into the Kenwood Inn & Spa for a nap before heading over for a delicious dinner at the Farmhouse. It was wonderful to spend the night in the luxurious suite that felt just like an Italian villa...all I can say is that Sonoma is truly dreamy!
posted by Mary Jo at TrustYourStyle at
Monday, March 09, 2009
I'm Mary Jo, a handbag designer living in sunny California.
TrustYourStyle is where I
share inspiration and connect with other
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9 Comments:
Oh my goodness Mary Jo, it looks like you had a fabulous time! I am so jealous right now. I've been wanting to get a spa treatment at the Kenwood Inn forever! Well, at least I can live vicariously through you! Your pictures are beautiful, thanks for sharing, and I am glad you had a wonderful birthday!
It looks like you had such a good time. Sonoma is one of my favorite places in the world. So charming. And I definitely want to stay at the Kenwood next time I go. It's the cutest inn I've ever seen.
Thanks Jackie--I didn't know you lived near Sonoma. Next time we will all have to get together!
Christina, you will LOVE the Kenwood Inn, it is sweet and intimate and also totally luxurious!
Looks like an amazing, relaxing place to rest and recuperate ~ By the way, that sneak peak photo of your handbag and ensemble is purely stylish and chic! I really really would love that handbag :)
what a wonderful place!!! Your blog is great ;)
That looks like an incredible weekend (and way to celebrate your birthday!) From the looks of it, I would have been happy to have never even left the house-- what a view, and the sitting rooms looks beautiful!
Looks like an AMAZING trip. I love the decor in the villa you stayed at. So cheerful!
There's nothing like Sonoma for a restful and restorative holiday!
Awesome photos. Sonoma County truly is a beautiful spot. I wouldn't suppose any of your wine industry acquaintances know of a winery/engineer/architect looking for some CAD support? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!
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