Theresa Downs

Image Healdsburg, CA via ChatGPT Healdsburg has a certain magic to it. It's chic without trying too hard, full of winemakers who are passionate (and often a little obsessive in the best way), and home to some of Sonoma's most expressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Spend a day here and you'll understand why it's one of the most loved towns in wine country. Here's our favorite itinerary when you have just one day to sip, stroll, and taste your way through Healdsburg. Image Walt Wines via Wine By...

Image Sebastopol, CA via ChatGPT Image Emeritus Vineyards via Wine By Appointment LLC Stop #1: Emeritus Vineyards We kicked off Wine Tour 2025 with an old favorite of mine, Emeritus. Start the day at Emeritus, where it feels like you're stepping onto the front porch of a family estate that just happens to make world-class Pinot Noir. The vibe is relaxed, friendly, and personal — the kind of tasting where the staff genuinely loves to discuss farming, soils, clones, and why Pinot Noir thrives...

Image InterContinental Hotel Chicago via Wine By Appointment LLC I know why there are so many songs about Chicago — it has many attributes to sing about. We recently traveled to this great city for an Italian wine convention. Fortunately, we had some time for culinary exploration—the best kind, in my opinion. Here are three restaurants that quickly made our list of favorites to revisit. First of all, hats off to the hotel where we stayed. The magnificent InterContinental Hotel struck a...