California is nice usually that time of year thought this last year was wet for a long time.

I hear a lot of folks say do Napa and I enjoy wine but Napa is too touristy for me. Though if I'm going to do Napa Jan - mid May is a good time. Less tourists, the pourers are less crazed and actually have time to be civil to you. The mornings are often beautifully foggy, the leaves are yellow and it's quiet. Sun break thru usually in the afternoon.

There are several "off the beaten path" options if you want to mix wine country with your riding. I swear California is going to become one large vineyard!

There are great wineries and great winding trails along the Russian river. Great pinots out there and it's not so main stream. It's a beautful area and it's on the Sonoma side where it's more mellow and earthy. It's gorgeous with hills, woods, the river and riding towards the ocean. Lots of roads to get lost on as well.

Farther norther in Mendocino, the wine region up there is growing. Navarro Vineyards has an awesome late harvest riesling, there great champagne jsut a mile or so down the rode @ Roederer (who's own by the same people who do Kristal). There's also great beer and Mendocino is just gorgeous. Depending on how much you want to break the bank.. I can recommend a few nice places )

To the south, I also love the Santa Barbera area and the Paso Robles area for great wines. Santa Barbera has some some wonderful Rhone varietals.. and contrary to Sideways, I'm not a big lover of their Pinots. Stay in quaint little Los Osos and you can ride into Solvang or into Santa Barbera. Or if your more sophisitcated, stay in Santa Barbera cuz there's lots of wonderful food to entice your wallet and palate!

Another great area is Monterey wine area. I'd stay in quaint little Carmel Valley. From there you can launch to some great wineries: Bernardus, Galiente, Talbot and others. YOu can stay @ Bernardus which is also a spa and the restaurant is pretty good as well

And then.. for the really little know regions.. there's Amador County or Plymouth, Ca where they are making some really interesting wines. They seem to be growing Italian varietals up there in the foothills. There's a wonderful winery called Renwood who makes great zinfandels. And the wineries keep growing up there.

Lastly, there's also wineries in Silicon Valley. The appellation is called the Santa Cruz Mtns. Lots of little mom & pops out here and.. some not so little, like Ridge, Mt Eden, Thomas Fogarty, and David Bruce. All of which are um.. nice hills for you to cut some teeth on!

Obviously, those places that are closer to larger metro areas will probably have some shops(s) that will rent road bikes. For the smaller places.. hmmm maybe when you rent a car, you'd better rent a bike before you head off into the boonies

Um.. ya.. sorry for the long post. Did I say I liked wine.. and drink a little of it?