Applause!

And, hopefully, an encore.

I'm back from the road and the first order of business is to offer my thanks to Carl, Darryl and DJ for the terrific job they did of keeping this place going while I was gone. I sure can pick 'em, huh?

I've invited them all to keep going for a bit if they can while I unpack and catch up with a few hundred emails, an overstuffed RSS reader and various loose ends of the day to day life I abandoned for a week. I've got my fingers crossed, and if you've been following their work, I'm sure you do, too.

As far as my exploits in California wine country go, well, if you find yourself anywhere near Healdsburg anytime soon (as in very soon), get yourself up to Raymond Burr Winery over on West Dry Creek Road and get yourself one of the last remaining bottles of the 2004 Estate Port. Really. And if your budget allows, the '99 cab is something pretty special, too.

While you're at it, keep on driving down to Hop Kiln and snag some of the last vintage of the original zinfandel planting from their Old Windmill vineyard. That's the 2004 Estate Zinfandel, and it's pretty damn special its own self. Lots of other good juice in Sonoma, too (we pretty much skipped over Napa and Mendocino this trip, save sentimental journeys to BV (good stuff, no purchases) and Parducci (great stuff and a bunch of bottles), but those were the best of the bunch (the Brilliant and Beautiful Bride of Upper Left would doubtless cast a vote for the Hop Kiln non-oaked chard).

Now, into those feeds and back to business...