![]() Just uphill from the block 15 cab at Big River Ranch is zinfandel, some of which was planted more than 100 years ago. Playing around with Everyvine, I learned a lot about what’s growing in the fields I see every day. ![]() ![]() But at least for this one crop there’s an easier way. Where does that grow? For most crops it's nearly impossible to find out unless you shop at farmers markets and interrogate the vendors. I’ve always been curious about where my food comes from, partly due to locavore leanings, but also out of sheer geographic curiosity. Some additional Googling revealed that Simi, a winery in Healdsburg, uses Big River Ranch grapes, among others, in their cab. The block that’s most directly in my line of sight is block 15 at Big River Ranch, which is cabernet sauvignon. It turns out there are two separate vineyards I can see from the deck: Big River Ranch and Gann Family Vineyard. When I used Everyvine to zoom in on my area, I came up with the map at the top of this post. He’s also developing vineyard rating algorithms to try to correlate various site characteristics with the quality of wine, using the history of the wines a given vineyard has contributed fruit to and how those wines were rated by critics. Once a vineyard enters its location data into Everyvine, his software queries government databases to pull out data on things like elevation, soil type, and solar radiation. Jordan has also built some automated features into the site. Everyvine’s vineyard profiles and maps give winemakers the info they can use to decide which grapes meet their specifications-and how much they're willing to pay. “That variation comes down to where the grapes are coming from and how they were farmed,” Jordan said. The price of wine grapes varies enormously compared to that of most crops, ranging from a few hundred dollars per ton for Central Valley grapes destined for a jug or box to more than $10,000 for Napa Valley’s finest. That’s where the vineyards are.Īnother wine industry website,, uses Everyvine’s maps in their classified ads for grapes and bulk wine. The top half, according to Google, is called Digger Bend. The bottom half of the S is the river winding its way around Fitch Mountain. Picture two eyeballs nestled in the arms of the W and you get the idea. The cabin is roughly in the location of the big W, and the view is to the north. The Russian River follows an S-shaped course here (you can see it below in the 1898 map from David Rumsey’s collection). The cabin is on Fitch Mountain in Healdsburg. My first attempts to figure out what grapes I was looking at were pretty crude. That said, it’s a also a great way to satisfy the idle curiosity of wine country visitors like me. Jordan was quick to tell me that the point of his site isn’t to satisfy the idle curiosity of wine country visitors like me-it's used mainly to help match vineyards that have grapes to sell with winemakers who might be interested in buying them. It was developed by Jordan Thomas, a cartographer who grew up here in Sonoma county. In trying to figure that out, I eventually stumbled on a map-driven website for wine industry insiders. In the time I’ve been here, the vineyard across the way has turned from sparse and brown to bushy green, and that got me wondering: Whose vineyard is it? What kind of grapes are they growing? Is the wine any good? Every morning I sit out on the deck, drinking coffee, reading, and admiring the view, which you can see in a photo below. If you’re looking for the best wineries on the Silverado Trail, I’ve done the research, done the tasting, and here are the best wineries to visit! Or scroll down for the full Silverado Trail Winery Map, with all the options along the route.I’ve been spending some time in wine country recently, renting a cabin from friends. In fact, getting off the valley floor is one of my main recommendations for a trip to Napa Valley, especially if you have multiple days here! And if you’re really looking to really get off the beaten path, a side trip off the Silverado trail and up to the Howell Mountain Wineries will open up a whole new world for you. In many ways, the Silverado Trail wineries are along the road less traveled if you’re looking for unique experiences and family-owned wineries, this eastern route is the place for you.Ī little less “Disney World” and a little more wine country.Īlong the Silverado Trail, you’ll find a leisurely drive along a country road dotted with wineries and friendly tasting rooms. Through the Valley, there are two main roads to get north and south – Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. Napa Valley is set up as one long stretch of land, framed by mountains on both sides.
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