Laughing Burro Vineyard

A wonderful early morning was recently spent at Laughing Burro Vineyard, a small hobby vineyard belonging to a friend's mother, Sandi Lucchesi of A Sense of Wine. The morning was crisp, the food delicious, the alcohol flowing, all the makings of a beautiful day.

Only in her second year of wine production, Sandi was picking her grapes and beginning the fermentation process for her zinfandel vintage 2009. Sandi has been in the wine industry for years before starting her own business as a consultant, leading seminars and wine training and education.

Family and friends had gathered that morning to pick grapes, work the fancy machinery to de-stem them, and overall enjoy each other's company. Aside from seeing the fascinating process of the early steps in wine making, I tasted home made pickled peppers (delicious mixed with my bloody mary), meet two lovely burros, Sancho and Burrito, and sample a terrific tomato pie (recipe to come later I promise). It could not have been a better Sunday in Sonoma County! Thank you Sandi for your wonderful hospitality, can't wait for the olives to be ready for pickin'!

Click on the collage for a close up of the pictures!