Leaving Sonoma was strange

We woke up this morning to the news of the bombing in Oslo, with one dead heading from Sonoma to Napa visiting Rubicon, Robert Mondavi and Domain Chandon.

Having a late cheese and salami lunch at the last place sipping to a glass of sparkling wine I opened the browser on my cell and got a new shock. The killing of young politicians gathered together at a summer camp. First news was 10 and now the rumors are 80 or more. It is surrealistic for us in the middle of the wine country enjoying our vacation see what happened.

Our time at Cinnamon Bear Creekside Inn was great, great girls preparing their personality in the breakfast as a B&B we like do. Great breakfast room, and great room with a great bathroom and Jacuzzi, did not have time to use it as I wanted.

Short distance to walk into the centre of Sonoma where we did find several great restaurants, like the one we mentioned and well “The Girl and the Fig”, will return to that.

We took the 12 turned on to Trinity road (not for trucks) and followed it to 29, turned left passed Robert Mondavi and stopped at Rubicon Estate Winery.

Yes belonging to Francis Coppola and a winery with and additional touch and spirit as the name of the winery.

By coincident a tour was to start as we arrived and we joined it.

Giving us a great background of it all from the Finnish captain until today trade for the winery, looking across to the house Francis Coppola do a lot of his work with regards to his movies,

as well enjoy the great scenery of the state, collection of Magic Lanterns.

We will return to the wines on a later contribution on the blog.

The three wineries we visited today are all in the category that we can find them in the shop in Texas. But some of them ware also special collection for Estate purchase or wine club members only. So after we have bought too much we needed to reduce the purchases, unfortunately the volume goes down as the price goes up. Just one for special occasion that could be stored for 20 years if we manage, we have agreed 6,5 year.

Next stop was Robert Mondavi, a wine we knew very well and have buying on several occasions. Only I can say is that we will continue buy it when we get back to Houston, special their Merlot and their Muscato Canelli.

On the way into Napa we also wanted to stop at Domain Chandon

for some sparkling wine and when we noticed they had a restaurant, it was time for lunch too. A beautiful facility with a Michelin noted one star restaurant at the facility,

along with their tasting bar with a bar menu.

Finishing the cheese and salami as well the glass of sparkling Brut and sparkling rosé I looked up the browser on my phone to see how the updated news on the explosion in Oslo. To my shock I noticed the attack at Utøya and that many was killed, now in the CA evening and early morning in Norway it is registered 7 dead in Oslo and 80 or more at Utøya.

Our thoughts goes to the families and related to the victims, the last days of our vacation will not be the same and not with the same inspiration.

We do hope they have got the right guy behind the attacks so others not will be blamed for it.