You can be healthwise AND decadent in the California wine country
From this morning’s Bay Area Living section of InsideBayArea.com comes an article from Mary Babbitt, host of NBC-TV’s syndicated Sunday evening show, In Wine Country. Mary’s column today discusses outdoor alternatives to the decadence that is often associated with wine country travel. In essence, when you visit the wine country, you don’t have to escape a regular diet and exercise routine. In fact, your desire for a healthy lifestyle can mesh quite well with your wine country plans. After all, there’s a lot of beautiful country surrounding all that wonderful wine.
Writes Mary:
We recently joined California Wine Hikes for a hike along the Zinfandel Trail at Picchetti Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The hike is one of several offered by the company, which is led by local naturalist and wine lover, Russ Beebe. The hikes vary in difficulty but they have a common theme of camaraderie and exercise. Our hike was an easy four-miler that wound us through sunny chaparral and cool woodlands. The hike ended with a delicious picnic lunch and fabulous Picchetti zinfandel, which, as Russ says, helps wash down the trail dust.
Indeed, winehiking with Mary and her film crew was a delight. It sounds like the crew enjoyed a fun day, too, which is naturally what a wine and hiking experience here in the California wine country is all about. It’s good clean joyous fun, a healthy decadence that’s there to be experienced in so many California locales. And I can take you there.
I’ve written about my experience with Mary and the In Wine Country crew - including how the TV shoot came about - in these previous posts:
The “Five S’s” of wine tasting
It feels like Spring for this Winehiker
You’ll know it’s true when you see it on TV
In winehiking country: the NBC-TV interview
I’m looking forward to this coming Fall, when NBC airs the segment that Mary describes above. We’ll all get to see how that day at Picchetti Winery turned out, and when I learn more, I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s going to be live on your TV. You’ll also be able to view it here on Winehiker Witiculture.
July 18th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Congrats Russ, what a great write-up and publicity for you!
July 18th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
I always knew wine was good for me but when combined with your hikes I hope to see 120! (so long as I can still enjoy life) As I said before I think you’ve found a great niche here…more power to you!
July 18th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Yo, Russ -
How’s it going? I happened to be reading the Oakland Tribune today and was pleased to see you written up in Mary Babbitt’s In Wine Country column! Very nice coup, bro!!!! I hope it brings you many a client and increased business!
Gambolin’ Man!
July 19th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Y’all are making my head grow so big that I might need a Tempurpedic pillow with a titanium truss. But seriously, it’s good to be a winehiker, and it’s good to know that there are more wannabe winehikers out there.
Gambolin’ Man, it’s been a while since we tread trail. Let’s do it again soon with a local winery as our end goal. Let’s invite the Toms and 4WheelBob too.
Redneck, it’s good to see I’ve piqued your interest beyond the average Winehiker Witiculture reader. (Folks, wait’ll you see what Redneck wrote about me; details forthcoming in a future post.)
Sonadora, though it may be a while before you visit the West Coast again, you and I ought to do a virtual tasting over a Skype conference call - maybe get Farley, Dr. Debs & El Jefe involved - if we can manage the pandemonium! Thank you and Redneck, too, for entering the Dominus contest.
Y’all just plain rock!!
July 26th, 2007 at 12:08 am
I’d be up for any virtual tasting - sounds like fun!
December 13th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
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