Boat Shoes and I have returned from a fun weekend getaway in Sonoma County and had an absolute blast. Admittedly, it was a rather gluttonous weekend comprised of a lot of wine drinking and some incredible food. We headed up on Saturday morning and decided to make Saturday our less rambunctious day of the two. Our wristbands granted us entry to any of the participating wineries for both days but with the 49ers game on during Saturday afternoon, we knew the majority of the afternoon would be dedicated to a spot with a television.
D'Argenzio
Tasting at the Wineyard
We chose D’Argenzio for our first stop due to its proximity to our hotel. We pulled up to a complex that could otherwise house a Chili’s and a Marshall’s; a typical strip mall-esque area. We popped in to grab our wristbands and after sipping some wines and chatting with the owners in the complex (D’Argenzio, Kurtz Family Wineries, Sheldon Wineries and the Wineyard), I (we?) left hugely impressed with the space. What could be another complex in the middle of industrial Santa Rosa has be turned into a mini wine haven in the middle of nothingness. Quite a feat. The Wineyard’s concept is one that I found particularly enticing (it’s very similar to Family Wineries in this sense and apparently used Family Wineries as an inspiration for their space): it acts as a tasting room for a bunch of smaller wineries that couldn’t otherwise have a presence.
Beer Flight @ Russian River.
With the 49ers game on, we were able to catch part of it at the Wineyard before migrating. Boat Shoes had specifically mentioned his desire to head to Russian River Brewing Company while we were in the area and I wasn’t about to stand in the way of a man and his IPA. Plus, what goes better with football than pizza and beer? I don’t drink beer so brewery stops don’t particularly appeal to me, but I was loving Russian River by the time we left. Boat Shoes ended up ordering one of their beer tastings (see photo above) and was presented with 15 (or so) 2 – 3 oz. pours of a variety of beers that Russian River brews. Such a great, fun concept. As a side note, their food is also surprisingly delicious.
With wine, beer and a Niners win under our belts (mostly his belt, really), we headed back to the Fountaingrove Inn to check in and clean up for the rest of the evening. {Read my review of the Fountaingrove here.} We had debated on our go-to dinner spot for Saturday night. There were a few that stood out to us: Stark’s Steakhouse, Willi’s Wine Bar, Jack & Tony’s, Rosso’s plus a few X factors. After polling the Santa Rosa community, we came to a decision: Stark’s Steakhouse for the win. Seeing as how I don’t eat meat, I wasn’t 100% sure about Stark’s but felt inclined after looking over their seafood selection. After we walked in I had zero doubt that we had made the right decision. Fantastic drinks (with a drink menu that’s witty and with drinks that are concocted by the bartenders), great service and delicious food from start to finish. {For more, read my review of Stark’s}. We cabbed back to the Fountaingrove and called it a night (though we did attempt to watch an episode of Breaking Bad before passing out). Food coma really does get the best of you sometimes. No matter, though. All the better that I was refreshed and ready to take on Sunday! Check back tomorrow for more on our drive through wine country.
xoxo,
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