Healdsburg is one of my favorite areas in wine country, and one that I don't make it to quite often enough (Sonoma is a mere 45 minutes away from the city, so I frequently—and lazily—end up there), but going there is such a treat, I should really do it more often. Unlike the Carneros region in lower Sonoma County (e.g. the town of Sonoma), which specializes in Burgundy-style wines like pinot noir and chardonnay, Healdsburg sits between Alexander Valley, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valley, thus exposing its wineries to a wider variety of micro-climates and thus a wider variety of grapes that thrive in each. Dry Creek tends to have great zinfandel, Alexander Valley goes Bordeaux (cabernet sauvignon and my favorite, merlot), and for the Burgundy lovers, Russian River is more pinot and chardonnay, although all dabble in sauvignon blanc, rhone grapes (grenache, syrah, and mouverdre), and even sangiovese. Long story short, you can hit several wineries in a short radius and taste a lot of different varietals.

The one tasting room I almost always hit while I'm in Healdsburg is Ridge Vineyards, which has been around since 1962 and also has its original location in Cupertino (yes, really), which started way back in the 1800s as Monte Bello. That happens to be the name of Ridge's flagship wine, a Bordeaux-style blend that has a big taste (and a big price tag to match). Ridge's zinfandels are top-notch—they grow grapes on their own land but also buy from other regions and blend in petit verdot, carignane, and other varietals to balance out zinfandel's super-sweet tendencies.

Speaking of carignane, I bought three bottles of their 2011 vintage the first time I visited Ridge; I drank the last one a few months ago, and it was even more divine than the first time I had tasted it: dark berries with just a hint of soft spice, smooth and dry and just about perfect. Every time I've been there since, they've been sold out of carignane, and the 2013 vintage was so small, it was released only to the wine club. I've been told the next release is in June, so guess who'll be going back to Ridge this summer!

As for this trip, I went home with the reasonable Carmichael zinfandel, which tastes like a subtle cherry cola, and to me, that's as perfect as a zin can be. I also took a bottle of the 2013 Perrone Merlot, which already tastes amazing—dark cherries, velvety tannins, a little earthiness—but needs to lay down for a bit and mellow out. Ridge gets extra points for noting on the back of its labels when the wine will be at its peak; as someone who is slowly learning the merits of aging one's wine, this is especially helpful. Speaking of labels, I love how simple and iconic they are. I mean...

Of course, it would be silly to hit just one winery after making an hour-plus-long drive, but thankfully there are lots of great options in Healdsburg. Also on my list of faves: Medlock Ames (which we also visited on this trip), Unti (which we sadly did not), A. Rafanelli (ditto), and Preston (ditto again). Ah well, until next time...

Once upon a time, I wrote a fashion blog. I started it in 2003, when blogs were a new thing, and for awhile, it was small but influential. I went to fashion shows, I went to press previews and parties, and I got a lot of swag. I was young and ambitious and willing to work at all hours—it often felt like a second full-time job, but I loved all of it. And then I didn't. Writing it became more about traffic and clicks and social media, and less about doing what I loved. It became a burden, and the joy was gone. The fashion-blogging landscape had changed, and I needed a better work-life balance. I moved to San Francisco, and Cheryl Shops died a slow death, which was fine with me.

The thing is, I missed writing for me. (I am paid to write for other people, and I am eternally grateful for this, but I also need a place where I can just do my own thing.) So here I am, in the blog section of my website, a blank canvas. I don't want to write about fashion again—been there, done that—so I started thinking about what I enjoy now and I kept coming back to wine. Since moving to California, it's been something that I've gotten into hobby-wise, and while I'm by no means an expert, I have learned quite a bit by going to wine country, listening to the winemakers, and, well, drinking quite a bit. (Which counts for something, right?)

So wine it is. My resolution is to blog once a week, following my belief that resolutions should be pleasurable, otherwise you won't stick to them. There will be wine, winemakers, wineries, and possibly some random stuff too (after all, this is my space). But, rest assured, there won't be the word mouthfeel. Except for just now, which I promise is the only time I'll ever use it..

Cheers to new beginnings in 2017!

Enjoying a proper glass of champagne at Chateau Haut-Bailly in Bordeaux, July 2016.