ReverbCON is the end of a trail that turns into a super highway, and it is most exciting.  This is a bit of the back story behind the project.

And as an extra great surprise was the blog post that John on Wine generously shared in which he complied the series of Hopland Fall Passport 2012 stories.  Thank you, John.

I’m very humbled and excited tonight.  Hopland, ReverbCON is coming!

When visiting Campovida, it is important to remember there are rules.  The first is rule is to never visit if you are in a hurry, there is too much to see. The second rule is to come back often because you will definitely miss some things and want to re-vist others- there is just that much to see and the third rule is that the property will always be changing, so you need to visit even more often to make sure you don’t miss the seasonal magic that is enhanced by the dragonflies, hummingbirds and other fascinating creature that make Campovida their home.

Campovida is always a favorite for the Hopland Passport.  It is a great place to visit about halfway through the day because you can sit under the arbor and drink in the scenery while you sip the delicious wines that Campovida pours.

The variety of experiences at Campovida are reason enough to put it on your “must visit” list, maybe it should be the only think on your list that day.

For Passport and other events, the red wines are poured in an ancient grove of redwood trees that form a mini forest surrounded by grape vines. It is a serene place where you can almost hear the elves and fairies whispering their secrets. The white wines are poured on the patio that overlooks one of the most stunning views in the valley.

The treat for Passport is always the homemade/handmade/organic pizzas that are baked in a portable brick oven and assembled right before your eyes. The anticipation for the pizza is rewarded by flavors that you swear don’t exist anywhere else on earth.

Visiting the Nelsons winery is like going to your best friends house where the family is so genuinely happy to see you. You have a bit of small talk and then out to the backyard for a picnic, fun, friendship and top it off with a toast featuring the exceptional wine by the Nelson Family.

Inside the cave the Fetzer’s have assembled a group of art objects they named the choir. The objects are wine jugs that are at least five feet tall made of clay like those used in China to make wine with metal heads on them. The heads all have different faces on them with different expressions. This is video of the band Brown Chicken, Brown Cow playing in the caves and then John Fetzer telling the story of the choir.

The Fetzer legacy of fine wines is safe with John. The wines are perfect and the experience is magnificent, from the cave tours to sitting by the pond surrounded by Weeping Willow trees, olive trees, and the animals.

Jaxon Keys is the only winery in Hopland (to my knowledge) that has a brandy still. The still and brandy tasting used to be a part of the Passport experience, and a stunning one it was. The still is a huge copper configuration of a bowl shaped tank, pipes and dials that gleam with confidence at the brandy it creates.

Though no longer a part of the Passport experience, Jaxon Keys still produces some exceptional brandy with their fine selections of wines. Stopping in the Jaxon Keys tasting room is a chance to put your feet up and drink in the beauty of the valley as you sip their wine.

As you walk from the parking back to the warehouse you become aware of a lot of fascinating trinkets around the restored house that now has a beautiful bar inside and a great porch outside. And then you walk into the warehouse. Inside there is a huge olive press with a stone wheel, as well as other equipment to press olives, and surprisingly, enormous canvases on the wall painted beautifully in bright colors.

The room is also furnished with a lot of handmade wooden furniture, other art items and a vintage Porshe. It is all incredibility complimentary to the olive press.

For Passport the ambiance was augmented by a gentleman playing the accordion and some great food as well as some really fun guest hosts pouring the fabulous still and sparkling wine. In addition Terra Savia produces their own honey, olive oils and other sustainable products that show their commitment to the earth.

When you stop by Terra Savia, make sure you have enough time to sit on the porch and enjoy the quaint “back to the past” experience.

The facility is a huge warehouse, evidence that you are clearly visiting a working winery. Rack & Riddle served tri-tip sliders and a variety of salads with their wines for the Hopland Passort. Their excellent wines were poured at two bars, one in the comfortably outfitted tasting room and one out on the loading dock.

The famous Mendocino dog, Hairy Putter, a wine critic that is a staple on the Mendocino wine scene and the mascot for Mendocino travel was also visiting at the same time as we did. Hairy generously posed for a few images before he devoured his slider and moved on to allow other winery’s to enjoy his presence.

Rack and Riddle is a laid back venue with the casual conversation and open environment. Across the driveway from the tasting room are the most dashing views of the vineyards and mountains against the sky that made you believe you just stepped into a painting.

Deanna (owner and winemaker) is an animal lover and she has collected llamas, goats, chickens, geese and desert tortoises. The tortoises are always the stars, even to those of us that have been around forever love to watch the antics of the tortoises.  Count on them to make an appearance and beg for scraps (even though they are on a special diet).

For the life of Hopland Passports, Milano Family Winery has had the same menu, tri tip, rolls, Cesar salad, vegetable tray and raspberry brownies. It is at Milano that you can count on a craft fair with a variety of vendors, including homemade jerky by Randy Watterson, pottery, wood working, glassware, and for the first time this year- gourmet cupcakes by Starting From Scratch Bakery. (Just for the record, they are crazy good!).

Deanna has created some very memorable labels for her winery. After Katrina she created Disaster Relief Red to help raise money for the the victims of the hurricane. She later created Recall Red to commemorate that dark period of California history, then there was the humorous Big Ass Red followed by her sister, Big Ass Blonde, all as ingenuous as their maker.

A visit to Milano was a step back into history, into the past of Hopland and the future of wines.