I was having a hard time getting down to writing today as I had yet to purchase my airline ticket to the Wine Bloggers Conference located this year in Santa Rosa, Sonoma.

I have my hotel booked at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek hotel, which has been unaffected by the wildfires, and I have paid and registered for the conference as well as a ‘pre’ and post-conference excursion.  This is the year I chose to take it all in…

Why?  Well, quite simply, I have never visited the Sonoma or Napa wine regions and I have always wanted too.  Even with the wildfire devastation that has rocked Sonoma and shown the strength of its’ people, I feel that I want to go and see the place that many of my favourite wines come from – even if lives have been lost, air quality is marginal and the lush vineyard landscape is altered.

The pre-conference excursion I have booked includes a visit to Chateau St. Jean which is now closed.  The detailed planning of the WBC Alumni and Zephyr Conferences could never have foreseen this current reality.  All I know is that the conference is going on as planned and, more than ever, the Sonoma wine region needs its supporters to not shy away from visiting.

It is why I am going to get on a plane on November 8th at 6:00 AM to start this years’ Wine Bloggers Conference adventure.

#SonomaStrong

XO
C