Silverado & Ram’s Gate

Without paying attention and without warning, the rains came in buckets while I drove through Oakville Station Road on my way to Silverado Vineyards. If I had been paying attention, I would have noticed the storm clouds threatening the past hour. What it didn’t know was that I love the rain, the bigger the storm, the better, and in many ways, more romantic. I was alone on this particular afternoon. At the last minute, I decided that I wanted to pick up the Spring shipment of my wine from Silverado. That’s what can happen on any given Sunday in the Bay. Wine country is always an option, whether you have a reason or not.

“Show me, show me
Show me how you do that trick,
The one that makes me feel sea sick
….just like a dream.
Just like a dream.”
— The Cure

Sonoma is just 25 minutes away; and strategically, I became a member of Rams Gate Winery quite some time ago. It’s quite fortuitous that I happen to love their wine. Lately, I have dreams of their 2014 Syrah, whether the grapes were grown in the Durrell vineyard, Hyde, or the Parmelee-Hill makes no difference to me. They’re all dreamy, and dream-worthy.

Napa is further, but not far, and I’ve fallen in love with Silverado Vineyards. I like to think that I can love both Rams Gate and Silverado, and not feel like I am cheating on either. I’ve got a lot of love to go around, and both vineyards get their fair share. When my mind wanders into dreamland, tastings of the GEO & the SOLO from Silverado dominate. It’s no wonder; they are both among the best wines I’ve ever tasted.

From my vantage point sitting on the iron chairs adorning the Silverado balconies, I smiled spying on one group of tourists after another. The two groups that grabbed my attention the most were Indian woman and her American husband talking to an Indian family visiting from Bombay. Like many other Indians happy in their surroundings, this was a lively bunch with lively conversation, one of them smiling at me as she knew I could not help but listen in.

It would be closing time soon, and while I would soon be forced to, I did not want to leave. Then in my mind’s eye, Taylor gave me this look. So I left.