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Bill Terry

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Exploring California Wine Country: A Unique Journey

Bill Terry

Road Trip stop: California Wineries in their Fall finery.

Suisun Valley

Solano County in Northern California, a short distance from Benicia.

Friday, November 29: a MUCH better alternative to Black Friday Shopping!

Grape vines resting for the winter with California hills in the background.
Corn, not wintering grape vines, in the background.
Nope, not grapes… olives
(before wine, many areas of Wine Country were known for their Olive Oil, and it is still a vital product)

Napa

Subtitle: Visiting Four Old Friends

Thanks, Julie and hosts, for a great visit.
The Wedding Tree stood tall and proud, hosting many nuptials under its limbs. A storm brought it down, but there is still life in it.
Honig Vineyard and Winery
The family name, Honig, is the German word for Honey, thus the connection with bees
Only a few images, but absolutely superb wines!
James Cole Estate Winery
…and Wilson
(sidenote: James Cole is not a person; it is a combination of the owners’ names: James’ first name and part of his wife Colleen’s first name)
Cow!
Winery’s motto

(sidenote: The James Cole logo is not a Texas Longhorn. Rather, the logo is derived from a beautiful metal sculpture made by a Hispanic artist whose artwork focuses on sculptures of the human form that was acquired by the owners.) 
Classic 1959 ‘Vette in the tank room!!
Why a free-play vintage pinball machine in the barrel room? Because…
…before James Cole Winery opened, for a couple of years the owners’ family developed wines for a fairly well-known British rock’ n’ roll band. In gratitude, said band gave them the pinball machine.

No, the wine in the glass is not the 2005 Satisfaction. After we babbled incessantly about the Stones and James Cole, they brought two bottles for us to look at, but not drink (sigh).
Francis Ford Coppola’s Rutherford Winery. Home of Rubicon Cabernet Sauvignon.
One of the many caves.
The dangerous confined space is actually a huge barrel.

End to an excellent day…

Want to see more Napa stories? Click here.

Click here for full-size, no watermark images at www.ImagesByBill.us

November 29 and December 1, 2024

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