We’ve opined in the past that, when possible, the best place to stay in wine country is at a winery. We recently wrote about staying at the Briar Cottage at Mazzocco in the Dry Creek Valley. This time we did it one better by staying at the guest house at deLorimier Winery in the Alexander Valley, which is also part of the same group of Wilson Artisan Wineries. What made it better? We’ll get to that in a bit.
First, the house. It is the real deal with three bedrooms (two of which are kings) as well as full dining and living rooms (with a fireplace in the living room!) and a large fully equipped kitchen with its own eating area. There is a covered back patio with a barbecue and another dining area that opens up to the vineyard. There is even a washer and dryer. So, if you are so inclined, you can cook your meals and even wash your clothes. But come on, you’re on vacation. You do have options for meals all around, either dining-in [or taking-out] in close by Geyserville, such as Diavola, Catelli’s or Cyrus or a little farther south in Healdsburg, like Valette or Bravas. Or even pick up some delicious ready-made meals at Big John’s Market, also in Healdsburg. And yes, if you are really determined to cook, Big John’s has you covered there as well, with a wonderful butcher department and everything else you could possibly need.
If the house seems a little too big [maybe you’re just on a getaway for two], there are also two suites that are separate from the house. These would be also be ideal as overflow if your group is too large to all be accommodated in the main house.
But what really set this stay apart was our opportunity to preview the Farmstay Tour that the Wilson wineries are implementing at their winery properties that offer accommodations.
Met at our front door by winery educator Joani, we took a leisurely stroll from the house to the winery while sipping the deLorimier Rosé of Primitivo. The 2022 Rosé of Primitivo, Estate had a whiff of bubble gum on the nose, giving way to white peach and summer berry notes. It was very easy to drink, which we proved on our tour.
Joani explained some of the history of the property as we walked past the beautiful vineyards. We learned that the Wilsons had acquired the deLorimier winery in 2008, along with much of the vineyard property. The winery had been founded by Dr. Alfred deLorimier in 1986, with the first vintage being Sauvignon Blanc and a Bordeaux style blend called Mosaic. The Wilsons expanded the selections and now the winery also offers many other varietals showcasing the best of what the property and surrounding area have to offer.
Harvest was close to wrapping up and there was still much activity in the vineyards. But, that was nothing to how busy it was inside the winery. Joani explained the various things going on and the then we something really great happened…
To Be Continued
deLorimier Winery
2001 CA-128, Geyserville, CA 95441
Michael and Karen Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers.
