Friday - Napa

Hess Collection and Winery - amazing modern art collection on the upper two floors with the winery below. $20 for tasting 5 or 6 wines with an entertaining guy and it applies to a purchase. My favorite was their Block 19 Blend.

Henry Ranch - Some years ago I had one of of their zinfandels and it was memorable. They only do a few limited tastings and tours by appt. Four of us got a private tasting of 7 wines - charge applies to a purchase. Some very nice wines but my favorite was their Block 7 & 22 zinfandel. George Hendry is 80 years old and has been living on the property since he was 2. He is a nuclear engineer who became a farmer and then a winemaker. He was conducting the afternoon tour and tasting so I'm sorry we missed him.

Saturday - Sonoma

Rams Head - the first winery on hiway 121 across from the Sonoma Raceway. We had never been here before even when it was Roche Winery. The place is very nicely done - open and spacious on top of the hill where you can watch the cars race across the way if you want with stuffed chairs, coffee tables and fireplace areas. They were having a member's event with food so we decided not to wait for a $60 per person tasting. But we'll go back.

Cline winery - because of the holiday weekend, they had extra tents for tasting around the park-like property and tables spread out across the front lawn. The tastings were free. They are known for their Ancient Vines zin (available everywhere) but they had a nice chardonnay, a good syrah and a terrific rose. My favorites were their single vinyard Big Break and Live Oak zinfandels.

Unfortunately none of the wines I liked are available anywhere but the wineries.