Head over Healdsburg

Wine country is, as a rule, unselfconsciously beautiful - catering to pastoral dreams with verdant, rolling hills covered by precisely planted vines, and filled with friendly residents who truly would not rather be anywhere else. I don't know what made me fall so hard for Healdsburg, but I'm certainly smitten and not afraid to say so. There's very little intimidation or pretense and, at least on the Saturday I visited, just enough of a crowd to give downtown Healdsburg a bit of a buzz - nowhere near the throngs choking the tasting rooms along St. Helena Highway just a little further east.
It was a quick tasting day, but J and L were good sports about waking up bright and early to make the drive from San Francisco. The first stop was Hop Kiln, where I was surprised to learn their winemaker, whose first bottles are just starting to be poured, was only 26. The distinctive building made it a great setting, and we also enjoyed seeing the various mustards, vinegars, and other gourmet delights they were selling inside.

After this, we spent most of our time in the tasting rooms around downtown Healdsburg, but only stopped in after spending some time exploring around the town square. The highlights were Thumbprint and La Crema, where we ended up spending more of the afternoon than intended because everyone was more than willing to chat for awhile, even as the crowds were noticeably increasing. Especially delightful was a dessert gewurztraminer from La Crema, paired with a deliciously fresh panna cotta. I could have eaten that combination for days.

My only regret was that the day was gone far too quickly. Maybe it was the town that charmed me, or the grounded friendliness of everyone we met, or maybe just the deliciously-made wines, but I have a long list of wineries for the next trip, and can hardly wait.