Cheers!

Me again! Are you surprised?

Yesterday, hubby finally had a day off, and we decided it would be a fine time for a bit of time out of the apartment again. Where would we go? Being between pay days, there was not much cash to be had....of course lately there never is , but that is life right now.

We started the day with a local breakfast special at a place called The Pancake House here within walking distance , and used the time to chat and just relax. It was a nice break from the norm to have breakfast out and , yeah so we will be broke , really broke for about a week , but by then it is pay day so live it up right?

Later on after our daughter Rebecca got off work and came over, we all decided to head out on a drive , destination Clarksburg Ca. and The Old Sugar Mill . We left shortly after 1:30 pm, and punched in the directions to the GPS unit and were on our way. Of course , we got lost! How you ask with a GPS....um as hubby would put it "fat fingers" . So after driving in the middle of fields of corn, and wheat and over bumpy, pot hole filled roads and the GPS telling us we had reached our destination, he "recalculated" as did the GPS and we back tracked. Finally after a while and a few giggles from us in the peanut factory, we arrived.

The Old Sugar Mill , sits amongst vineyards and open fields, but stands out for miles like a beacon. We know , cause we could see it for the longest time before we reached it LOL ! A brief note about it, for what it is all about now.......

"The wineries at the Old Sugar Mill, in Clarksburg, California, are a bridge to the rich agricultural heritage of the region, whose vineyards are staking their claim alongside the great wine growing regions of the world.
The Old Sugar Mill is home to a unique community of six California wineries and their signature wines: Todd Taylor Wines, Three Wine Company, The Solomon Wine Company, Heringer Estates, Clarksburg Wine Company, and the Carvalho Family Wines. The majority of the vineyards are located in the Clarksburg AVA (American Viticulture Area), where vineyards share the same morning fog and cool breezes from the San Francisco Bay that shape the growing seasons in the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma." (* History of The Old Sugar Mill yesterday and today in case you missed it above)

We took some time as you can see above to snap some pictures of The Mill before stepping inside. It is certainly , as you can see , a place with presence. Our daughter called it creepy! I think, despite some noddings in that direction with all the broken windows, it is a beautiful place. Certainly it is in a beautiful setting, and it is so peaceful there, I could sit all day and just "breath", if you know what I mean. We stepped inside the impressive space .....

And took a peek around... there is quite a bit to look at , and things to learn about besides wine , quite the walk through the history, via pictures and literature .

There was only two wineries serving , as it was Wednesday, and that was a bit disappointing. But we made the best of it . We started at Heringer Estates, and for 5.00 you could taste as many wines as you would like. If you bought any bottles to take home, that would be refunded. We share a tasting, so three people, five dollars, and I had just enough of my weekly allotment of cash to pay for it . I know , one glass, three people, but hey we are related! LOL

I loved the stacks and stacks of wine barrels.....

After about 5-6 tastings, taking some notes, and paying our fee, we went to the one other wine tasting room open for the day... The Carvalho family Winery. We actually met and were served by one of the family, and she was a wonderful hostess...and their tastings were free!

And there was chocolate!!!

We really enjoyed the wine there, as did Rebecca, and we took notes once again and said we would be back as soon as we could to purchase a bottle or two....signed up for the emails...especially once there was free food events mentioned for those on the list, and finished what was in our glasses . It was a lovely , and nearly free diversion for the day. All for about 5.00 gas and 5.00 in tasting fees. I know we will go back often and shoot for a weekend when everything is opened.

CHEERS!