It had a beautiful historic château built in 1880 that was the home of award-winning Inglenook wines plus 90 acres of fine vineyards.
Since her compound sits in wine country near some of the finest vineyards in the nation, she did the only logical thing: she imported sparkling shiraz from South Australia.
If wine or golf is your thing, the city is near some of the finest vineyards and courses in the country.
Old World and New World grapegrowing and harvest techniques fused at Ste. Michelle, principally in its fine Cold Creek vineyard in the desertlike Columbia River Valley.
A fine-wine vineyard may yield between 2 and 6 tons per acre (though some go lower), and each ton of grapes yields about 60 cases of wine.
He was eventually able to buy almost 30 acres in Pouilly-Fumé, along with a tiny plot in Les Monts Damnés, one of the finest Sancerre vineyards.
"During the Tour de France, spectators drink fine wine from nearby vineyards and eat brie cheese," Mr. Birrell said.
While Sonoma has its share of world-class vineyards and fine restaurants, it is famously less trammeled, more down to earth than its glossy sibling.
With these my three companions and I drank a fine viognier from Bonterra Vineyards ($43) in Mendocino, chosen from a lovely wine list that includes some 40 wines by the glass.
They were given a choice of fine wines from the vineyards of Bordeaux, Champagne and clear turtle soup amontillado.
