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When we left San Francisco early this afternoon the sun was shining for the first time since our arrival. Even so we were ready to be on our way to Calistoga. We stopped in Port Costa for a late lunch; Port Costa consists of about a dozen small shops/bars, all of which were closed today except for the Warehouse Cafe; although the restaurant wasn’t serving food, someone had set up an outdoor kitchen under a tent and were selling sauage, chicken wraps, and pulled pork, along 
with potato salad and sauerkraut. It wasn’t good, but the beer was cold and we were starving. The place looks like something out of a sixties “Hell’s Angels” movie. Gray haired guys with long beards riding motorcycles along side tourists looking for a quick bite to eat on their way somewhere else. The best thing about this town is the drive in along a winding road overlooking the water and the house-lined mountainside opposite.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Orange Dog Manor, our excellent accommodations while in San Francisco. If you are headed to the City by the Bay and looking for a place to stay that is convenient to everything, this is the place. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
We spent the morning walking around downtown Calistoga and then went on a tour and wine tasting at Frog’s Leap Winery. They practice dry farming—growing their grapes without irragation. They don’t get any rain between May and October, and planting without irrigation forces the grapes to push deeper into the soil providing a strong foundation. For this reason the vines produce for 60-80 whereas other vineyards replace their vines every 13-16 years. Frog’s Leap is also totally organic, and have been since the 80’s (man, the Southeast has to catch up!), growing without pesticides or fertilizers other than compost and cover corps to build the soil. They grow herbs on the borders of the vineyards to encourage “good” pests, to kill the “bad” pests. Interestingly, they are the only fully organic, dry farmer in the region. They employ 45 full time staff, using no seasonal pickers. And the farm is operated by 90% solar power. The vineyard is absolutely beautiful, and the wine is exceptual... come by the house and enjoy a glass with us when we return.
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