Seems like vacations are few and far between for savvistas, so we took advantage of the chance to spend some time in Northern California. We had a chance to spend some time with our good friend, Chef Sheana Davis of Sonoma's Epicurean Connection. Sheana took a rare day off, and arranged an insider's tour of Sonoma. Eric of Vintage Wine Tours provided the stylish ride, and we were off.
We started the day with a stop at Vella Cheese Company of California. Sheana arranged a visit with the legendary Ig Vella who allowed us a sneak peak into his 76 year-old business. 
Famous for their Monterey Jack, Mezzo Secco, Cheddar, and Italian Style Cheese, Vella Cheese Co. is a Sonoma institution. Here is a shot of the dry jack which they coat in a pepper and cocoa mixture. The smell in this aging room was amazing.
Famous for their Monterey Jack, Mezzo Secco, Cheddar, and Italian Style Cheese, Vella Cheese Co. is a Sonoma institution. Here is a shot of the dry jack which they coat in a pepper and cocoa mixture. The smell in this aging room was amazing.
It was then off to Nicholson Ranch for a quick tasting and tour of the grounds and wine caves. This is where I had the opportunity to learn the true meaning of "bung hole." Seriously, the hole on the side of a wine barrel for tasting during the aging process is called the bung hole. All these years I had been using the term incorrectly. We sell the Nicholson Pinot and Syrah at Savvy and were familiar with the wines, but it was great to see the operation.
Next it was on to Wellington Estate Vineyards where we sampled some of their unbelievable white Port. These wines are not available in New Orleans, so I bought up as much as I could carry. We ended up the day at Moon Mountain Mountain Vineyard where we had a great picnic lunch of pasta salad, heirloom tomato salad, Willie Bird Smoked Turkey, and Sheana's famous chocolate olive oil cake. We took a tour of the winery and got a ride up to the top of the mountain to survey the property. A wildfire destroyed about 60% of the property in 1996, and in response, neighboring vineyards donated grapes so that Moon Mountain could produce wines that season. We like Moon Mountain because it is certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers. Incidentally, it is the most beautiful location we visited, and I urge you to come by and check out their Chardonnay we have at Savvy.
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