by Dorothy Aksamit

hen you turn onto the Dry Creek exit just past Santa Rosa, you enter a decompression chamber as cozy neighborhoods replace urban sprawl and a leafy plaza replaces megamalls. Welcome to Healdsburg.

Arriving at five o’clock we found a two-story Italianate Victorian house behind a white picket fence. We dropped our bags in The Vineyard Suite Diamo Grazie, located along a path behind the main house of Honor Mansion.

Wine and cheese tastings were well underway in the small parlor where all the guests quickly became acquainted. One honeymooning couple from Canada was visiting wineries from Sonoma to “Sideways country” as they put it.

The hors d’oeuvres table turned out to be a challenge if we still planned to have dinner. Beautifully presented were, not only a cheese tray, but also a bountiful fruit tray, a salmon spread and freshly baked cookies.

We shamelessly sampled each
other’s orders. The crispy beer-battered green beans
were a hit.

When we booked our rooms we had asked Cathi to make reservations for us at casual, mid-range restaurants. Cathi and Steve Fowler, owners of Honor Mansion are both locals in possession of Sonoma’s secrets.

Zin Restaurant and Wine Bar, a block from the square, started on the right note with street parking practically at their door. We shamelessly sampled each other’s orders. The crispy beer-battered green beans were a hit. Grilled peach salad with ham, frissee and goat cheese, topped with toasted walnuts and drizzled with Zinfandel Vinaigrette got my vote. Grilled delta asparagus accompanied a succulent leg of lamb for my husband’s entrée. Of course we had to order Zin, a 2002 Sonoma County Randy Zin.

Between dinners we drove along country roads that barely cut a swath through rolling vineyards. Cathi had directed us to six of the 49 wineries of Dry Creek Valley, most of them small and family owned. Following winetasting mantra we saw, smelled, swirled, sipped (we switched days as designated driver) and savored wines of the Dry Creek appellation.

At Mauritson Family winery we found the assistant wine maker, Heidi Von Der Mehden, in charge of wine tasting. We were intrigued with the name, Rockpile Zin. Heidi told us that to receive the Rockpile appellation, the vines must be planted above the fog line which is over 800 feet in elevation. She then directed us to Rockpile to see for ourselves.

Seghesio Family Vineyards were walking distance from Honor Mansion. Stopping to chat with the gardener, we were given a demonstration in vine grafting. In the tasting room — a cellar, vintage 1895 — I jumped at the chance to buy one of my favorite Italian varietals, a robust 2003 Barbera.

Bella, a modest wooden building set on a knoll surrounded by gently rolling vineyards, is my idea of the quintessential Sonoma Winery. A bachelorette party in the wine bar cave added a festive note.

Our favorite lunch stop had ties to the past. In Jimtown Store, in Alexander Valley, there’s something for everyone, from Americana memorabilia to old-fashioned candy to the deli with scrumptious sandwiches and salads. We shared a balsamic roasted eggplant & peppers sandwich with Jimtown’s artichoke, olive and caper spread, as well as a salad of peppery greens and beets with mustard vinaigrette.

Between wining and dining we couldn’t wait to get back to Honor Mansion. I don’t want to rave too much because I want to keep it a secret. There are only 13 rooms, (ours had a patio hot tub), but with sumptuous breakfasts, swimming pool, tennis courts, putting green, a mesmerizing koi pond and enthusiastic owners who love where they live, Honor Mansion has a level of luxury that would be difficult to match anywhere at any price.

Honor Mansion Resort:  www.honormansion.com.
Healdsburg Visitors Bureau:      www.visithealdsbrg.com.

Dorothy Aksamit is a freelance travel writer based in Marin County, California.

Return to: Recent articles, Top, Home.