Backroad Wineries Of California

Publisher description -- Backroad Wineries of Northern California takes you on a romantic tour of sixty little-known country wineries found nestled in the foothills and valleys of Northern California's spectacular Wine Country. Complete with information on tours, tastings, travel directions, and the best wines, this is the perfect guide for wine lovers and anyone seeking a blissful backroads retreat.

Inspired by Bill Gleeson's classic guidebook, Backroad Wineries of California, this all-new, full-color sequel focuses on California's lesser-known wine region--the south--from the foothills of San Diego to the valleys of Monterey County. Complete with information on tours, tastings, travel directions, and the best wines, this is the perfect guide to the area's fifty best, most intriguing wineries for wine lovers and anyone seeking a blissful, off-the-beaten-track retreat.

Wine Grapes have been cultivated in California’s verdant valleys since the days of the Spanish missions in the eighteenth century. Since the 1970s, the California wine country has been among the world’s premier wine-growing regions, and California wines hold their own against the best of Europe and elsewhere. Beyond the well-known vintners of the Sonoma and Napa valleys, the Golden State is home to quality wine producers from Mendocino to Santa Barbara. The temperate climate and lush landscapes that make this state an ideal locale for wine production also offer spectacular scenery for leisurely drives and backroads adventures. A tour through the wine country is a tour through the history of California, a journey back to the Old West, a wilderness adventure, an encounter with American literary icons, and much more. The mystique and history of California’s wine regions are captured in full glory in Backroads of the California Wine Country. From the misty northern appellations of Mendocino County to the hot, dry flatlands of Paso Robles, in the wilds of the Santa Cruz Mountains and along the placid Russian River, writer Karen Misuraca and photographer Gary Crabbe lead you on an informative and colorful tour of the most spectacular landscapes of California, offering myriad excursions for wine-lovers and weekend adventurers alike.

In this travelogue of the Russian River area's geology and history as it pertains to winemaking in several Sonoma County appellations, Heimoff profiles the key players and winemakers who have established the region's reputation for excellent wine.

A guide to exploring the natural beauty and historic sites of the Pacific coast via a selection of lesser-known scenic routes throughout California. From sprawling beaches to dramatic cliffs, the landscapes carved out by the mighty Pacific Ocean have been a destination for adventure and discovery since the earliest Spanish explorers arrived in the 1600s. While here and there the coastal wilderness has given way to California’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities, the backroads and mountain lanes afford countless opportunities to experience the quiet of nature or explore the history of centuries-old communities. Visit sleepy fishing villages and historic landmarks of the Old West; hike through lush wilderness and fish in clear mountain streams; or catch some waves at one of the many pristine beaches along California’s glorious coastline. With glorious color photography and detailed descriptions, maps, and directions, Backroads of the California Coast offers two dozen fascinating and scenic journeys through some of the nation’s most glorious landscapes.

Take to the road and explore the "other" Northern California, with its rugged beauty, small-town ambience, and, of course, all that wine. Covering not just Wine Country, Backroads & Byways of Northern California takes you places the other guides don’t know about. From her base in San Francisco, Michele Bigley has the inside knowledge of a local and the keen eye of a seasoned travel writer; she shows you the best spots and the best, most interesting routes to reach them. Each chapter’s itinerary is a new adventure. Take to the road and explore the other Northern California, with its rugged beauty, small-town ambience, and, of course, all that wine.