Where to rest your head on Westside Road

When travelling one of the most important decisions to make is…where are we going to stay? In an unfamiliar area it’s all about location, location, location. You want to be close enough to town to enjoy the restaurants and bars but also be able to enjoy the scenery and surroundings that are unique to the place that you are visiting.

Westside Road in Healdsburg in the Russian River Valley is world renowned for producing some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnays. It’s winding roads and beautiful, panoramic views of wine country make it an popular place to visit. After living on this road for 25+ years I’ve had a lot of time to think about where I would want to stay should I visit this area. Here are my picks for the best places to stay on Westside Road.

B&Bs are where it’s at. There are several absolutely charming B&Bs on Westside Road that are truly not to be missed. My top choice would have to be Madrona Manor. Right at the crossroad of Westside Road and West Dry Creek, this place is a must visit in Healdsburg. I have memories of coming here since I was little and every visit is better then the last. Our family has a tradition of having brunch here ever Easter Sunday. The eggs benedict are my personal favorite. The best seat in the house would have to be out on the patio which overlooks the beautiful garden area.

Joseph Bain is the wine director at Madrona Manor and treats us like family every time we visit. My grandfather use to tell me stories about how some of the rooms  in the Carriage House where haunted. So if you are superstitious, dwellers beware!  The inn is an ideal site for weddings, photos and special events and was just awarded One Michelin Star from the 2009 Michelin Guide, San Francisco.

Next on my list is the FarmHouse Inn. Technically located in Forestville but still in the Russian River Valley and at the end of Wohler/Westside Road. What I like the most about this place is that not all the awards and accolades, although these are very impressive ( it also has been awarded One Michelin Star) but that it is family owned and operated.  Owned since 2001 by a brother and sister pair whose family has farmed in this area for five generations. Coming from a family who has similar longevity in the farming community I always admire and like to support family businesses. Between the spa treatments and their celebrated cuisine, I warn you it will be difficult to leave.

I also recommend the Raford Inn. Tucked away and literally overlooking Russian River Valley this beautiful villa is a great location to just get away from it all. Originally built in 1880 this estate manor is a historical landmark. All rooms are individually decorated and are named after medicinal herbs, representing their healing properties. Your stay includes a wine reception and full breakfast. Voted best sunset by Lonely Planet!

Let me know where you like to stay in Russian River Valley, we can comapre notes!

Country tales

Sometimes living in the “boonies” is very inconvenient. Just going to the store has to be planned in advance with a list because if you forget anything you have to take that 5 mile drive back into town or forgo the thyme in your dinner dish. But more times then not I really enjoy living out in the country. We always have the beautiful scenery of the vineyards or an interesting visitor that just decided to drop in, like the blue heron that landed in the vineyards yesterday. My mom grabbed the camera and got a few shots of him walking around until our German Sheppard caught site of him and he flew away. And just the other day as we were hand labeling in the cellar I look over to see a large skunk scurry out of a hole and run across the pasture. But lately the largest nuisance has been the coyotes. They keep taunting our dog; Roxanne in the middle of the night, howling and whaling, encouraging her to answer back. Three nights in a row I have been woken up at all hours to their “communicating”.

Growing up in the country my sister and I had some unusual pets. Occasionally my dad would find a baby jack rabbit while walking through the vineyards and he would bring it home. Our first baby jack rabbit was named Buster and my mom bought a harness so that we could walk him around outside. One day while taking Buster for a walk my sister and I were arguing over who was going to hold the rope. Sure enough I dropped the rope and away Buster flew into the vineyard, harness and all, never to be seen again.  We also had out share of other pets including lizards, tag poles, mice, baby birds, turtles and a baby deer. Of course living in California we did encounter the occasional snake, usually the harmless Gardner snake which my mom decided should be better left outside. All in all some of our pets might have been a bit odd but that is how we do it out here in the California countryside.

Fall into Color

When you are surronded by the beauty of vineyards, fall is the absolute best time of year. The explosion of colors throught the vines is a sight to see. I always have wondered, what is going on underneath all that color change? Well warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays. The color change is a sign that the vine is shutting down, storing all it’s energy and preparing to go dormant for the winter. This rest period is essential to the growth cycle of the grapevine. Once spring arrives this stored energy will be used to grow new shoots during bud break, and ths the cycle starts all over again!

A sense of relief

“I was thinking yesterday as I was pulling leaves out of the bin for our last pick of grapes for this harvest that in about 10 months from now I’ll be doing this all over again. The thought of seeing or picking another grape anytime soon is quite exhausting. I look forward to winter; the rain, the quite, the shorter days. It is also at this time I realize my deep appreciate for our workers and all that they do throughout the year. They put in long hours and are very dedicated as well as really caring about the quality of their work.
Right now we are doing things that will help us prepare for the winter months ahead. These include seeding the cover crop, checking drains, preparing the irrigation against frost and repairing roofs and siding. Even though there are no grapes on the vine there is still a lot of work to be done.” Visit our website to read more about it http://www.johntylerwines.com
~ John Bacigalupi

The Bacigalupi family’s third generation

Katey and Nicci Bacigalupi

As the family’s third generation my twin sister Nicole and I have just started to make our mark in the wine industry. Both of us have jumped in head first, co-marketing our  family’s first wine label: John Tyler Wines and Bacigalupi Vineyards.

On the same ranch that our grandparents farmed, we grew up chasing lizards, climbing trees, and following our father around the vineyards. After high school we each went our separate ways. Nicole attended San Diego State University, obtaining her Bachelors degree in Business, with a concentration in Marketing. And I (Katharine–aka Katey) attended the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. I received my Bachelors degree in Agricultural Business with an emphasis in Wine and Viticulture. After college, we both returned home to Sonoma County to help launch our family’s first wine label.

We think we have taken a real hands-on approach to learning the ropes of the wine industry.

“During harvest our responsibilities range from negotiating grape contracts, pulling leaves out of the bins, driving the tractors and delivering grapes to the wineries.” ~Katharine Bacigalupi.

Being in a family business isn’t always easy and we can sometimes feel the pressure of living up to certain expectations.

“We come from a long lineage of grape growers and winemakers within our family. We hope to continue with the great reputation that our grandparents have built, while adding a little youthful enthusiasm. It is invaluable for us to know that we are carrying on something that was started by our grandparents over 50 years ago, not many people our age have that opportunity.” ~Nicole Bacigalupi

When we’re not helping with harvest, we are constantly traveling, introducing our brand to consumers throughout the country. Working alongside our mom, and our cousin Tyler (winemaker for the John Tyler label), the we hope to continue our family’s legacy within the wine industry for many years to come.

John Tyler 2004 Zinfandel Wins Gold Medal at the 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

John Tyler 2004 Russian River Valley Zinfandel from Bacigalupi Vineyards wins a Gold Medal in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. This is recognized as the world’s largest wine competition with over 4,000 wines entered in this year’s competition from over 1,580 wineries.

Bacigalupi family legacy

Charles and Helen Bacigalupi

In 1956 my grandparents–Charles and Helen Bacigalupi–purchased 121 acres on Westside Road, a few miles south of town. In a simple beginning, Grandpa began to care for the 16 acres of existing vineyards. Envisioning the demand for premium wine grapes, Paul Heck  encouraged Charles to plant chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

In 1964, Grandpa began his plantings with six acres of each varietal. Eventually he obtained pinot noir bud wood from Karl Wente, the first well documented plantings of Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley. He remembers Wente telling him the stock had come from France via the family’s old vineyard in Livermore.

Our family name (Bacigalupi)  gained recognition during the 1976 Paris tasting when the 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay from Château Montelena made with 40% of our fruit triumphed over many acclaimed French wines. This event was to be the turning point in America’s global wine image.

Our vineyards now consists of 125 acres of premium grapes, which have been planted and managed for the past 30 years by my father John Bacigalupi and our family. The John Tyler wine label is the realization of a dream for our family who has roots in the wine industry stretching over four generations. Looking towards the future, we hope to continue our legacy of premium grape growing and wine making for many years to come.