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mtoi Page 10 THE HERALD OUTLOOK Saturday October Wine draws fall visitors to Northern California Vince Travel The fall is a special time in nor thern Californias wine country Throughout the Sonoma and Napa valleys thousands of visitors are drawn from afar by the aroma of crushed grapes in the air ad ding an extra dimension to the peaceful rural beauty of the region The region was rattled by the earthquake that created havoc Tuesday in San Francisco but the SonomaNapa area sustained only minor damage To the grapegrowers and wine- makers of the North Coast however this fall had already been more nerve wracking than peaceful because of a freak mid- September storm that dropped some eight cm of rain on the just when they needed warm sunny weather If you make beer or whisky its pretty predictable a winery owner in Sonoma told a reporter but winemaking is very un predictable which is part of its beauty Good weather during the 198688 grape harvests together with the fat clusters of maturing grapes on the vines during early September had people predicting a record 1989 grape yield and a vintage wine year Now they are reflecting on the unpredictability of Nature and the high degree of risk that is in evitable in any agriculturebased industry Nevertheless most of them are looking forward to next Saturday Oct and the annual Cham pagne and Spirits Ball at the elegant Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves near Sonoma which marks the end of the fall harvest GROWTH INDUSTRY The wine industry in Sonoma County has experienced a remarkable growth over the past years During that period more than half of todays 110 wineries were launched usually on a scale so small as to present no com petitive threat to the established wineries It is those major wineries that in large part help to lure some 25- million visitors to the Sonoma and Napa valleys annually These firms offer hospitality in abun dance tours of wineries and their ft effects Gallery Framing Centre Limited Edition Prints PETER COMING SOON 4168777491 348 Guelph Street NEXT TO BELL CLASS IN THE CENTRE Georgetown J DENTURE THERAPY CLINIC AW DT CHURCH STREET GEORGETOWN ACROSS FROM LIBRARY IS AND CULTURAL CENTRE 8772359 caves attractive winetasting lounges shady picnic areas and the like Viniculture was brought to the area by Franciscan Padre Jose Altamira in when he built the mission of San Francisco Solano de Sonoma and needed wine for sacramental purposes The mission is the northernmost of the southtonorth string of 21 Franciscan missions in California all of which were seized in 1834 by the Mexican government The Sonoma mission is now a museum operated by the state The US in turn seized California from Mexico in 1646 Nine years later Count arrived in Sonoma he was under a death sentence in his native Hungary to plant a vineyard that he cristened Buena Vista BUENA VISTA Todays traveller can drive down Old Winery Road the three km from Sonomas eightacre town square to Vistas ivy- covered stone buildings there to roam through the fragrant cellars built by Chinese laborers had previously worked on railway con struction The aclua nine- making now takes place elsewhere Ownership of Buena Vista has changed hands several times and now is held by the German wine firm of A Racke Its youthful management team headed by the Germanbom husband and wife team of Marcus and Anne aged 33 and 27 respective ly took over in 1983 expanded its landholdings and increased pro duction to its current rate of cases a year Daily tours of the wine country including visits to cellars and usually lunch were being of fered by the major sightseeing companies based in San Francisco as well as by smaller firms in the two winegrowing counties A more flexible mode is to drive From San Francisco its an hours drive north over the Golden Gate bridge on well marked highways to Sonoma a little longer to Napa For a free guide write to the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau First St E Sonoma Calif telephone From San Francisco Interna tional airport a company called Sonoma operates vans directly to Sonoma Passive Reducing Exclusive Ladies Salon Tanning Manicure Beds Table 8734907 116 Guelph St Rear Entrance Georgetown WINE TRAIN Having arrived in the wine coun try visitors now have an in teresting newbutold sightseeing possibility the Napa Valley Wine Train elegant successor to a ser vice dating back to 1864 Since mid- September it has been making two round trips daily except Mondays between Napa and St Helena The train includes two vintage parlor cars and a dining car all of them meticulously restored and decorated in appropriate tones of burgundy champagne gold and grapeleaf green The project appears to be an adaptation of the dinnertrain concept that has proved successful in other areas of the A high- style luncheon is served at on the first trip of the day and dinner at on the second plus 12 per cent in each case In addition the rail tickets cost per couple for the threehour return tnp Founder and guiding spirit of the Wine Train is San Francisco food magnate Vincent who developed a popular product called RiceaRoni and controls the well known Ghirardelli Chocolate Co His intention was to stop the Wine Tram briefly at a number of along the route of the rails allowing passengers to visit them However the train aroused local opposition as one suspects would anything else thats new and after a number of delays and the launching of lawsuits a com promise was reached the train can operate but the passengers stay on board A QUIETER TIME Within a week or two the harvest will be finished in the North Coast wine country and the number of visitors already substantially reduced from the summer peak will decline still further Local people whatever their position on the Wine Train and on sightseers in general seem to agree that the cooler days of November and December are perfect for rural strolls past the vineyards and farms ranches and forests As in many other regions the autumn which arrives relatively late in this part of MAID SERVICE WHOS BEST ma THATSWH0 THE AWARD WINNER SHOW COAST TO COAST For FREE Estimates call 87321 65 DAY CARE Mos Up 6 am to 6 pm Also Evenings and Weekends Pickup And Delivery Hot Lunches Snacks Games Music Lots Toys Car Trips VERY REASONABLE RATES For More Information Please Call 8732577 APPLIANCES SALE OF APPLIANCES AND PARTS Air Conditioner Tuneups Free InStore Microwave Leak Detection and Heat Test Authorized Maytag Service and Installation STREET GEORGETOWN ONTARIO PHONE California is usually ideal for touring whether on day trips from San Francisco or from a tem porary base in the wine country On the way from or to the big ci ty motorists can make an in teresting side trip to the nonprofit 160acre Marine World Africa USA at Vallejo open Wednesday to Sun day at this season Its a one-of-a- kind combination of African and Asian wildlife and marine creatures Among its absorbing highlights are a whaleanddolphin show an aquarium and a butterfly pavilion where anyone with a few minutes to spare can see a butterfly emerge from its cocoon The park can also be reached directly from Fishermans Wharf Pier in San Francisco by catamaran ferry RECYCLING works if we all do our part Please Remember to Recycle This Newspaper together- Remember MrMiffi By Glenda Hughes Sales Rep 8730300 In keeping with one of the reasons I write this column every week to inform you of market conditions and changes etc I think it is impor tant to tell any first time buyers that may be reading this that they are missing a golden opportunity to purchase if they are not presently scouting in this market With the market taking its little vacation from hot to warm the prices for starter homes is the best weve seen in a while For instance townbouses are now selling in the plus bracket Single family homes classified as starters have list prices in the midl60000 bracket for the small ones and then upwards This price range is quite a bit lower than it was in the early part of the year With this in mind it is certainly to your advantage to purchase now for as sure as I write this column the prices will go up as they sell off again The prices I have quoted you are in Georgetown they are lower in Acton Interest rates are quite good too with 35 year mortgages at liy per cent making it fairly comfortable to carry a starter mortgage and make your bank manager happy to say nothing about worried parents who have an interest in what their kids are buying So all in all while we have this wonderful weather get out there and hunt down these bargains and get your foot on the ladder to happy home- ownership Once you have made the plunge it is only a matter of time until you have built up your equity and you can move again into something a little more palatial If you are at all in doubt as to what you can afford you can sit down with any real estate sales representative in town and they will be hap py to go over the figures with you or if you wish talk to your bank manager or loan officer and see what can be done Between the two sources you should be able to get a good handle on what is best suited to your needs and budget Make sure you are comfortable with the person you are talking to about your finances for only when all the chips are on the table can accurate pictures be painted If you feel uncomfortable giving finan cial information to one person perhaps you should try someone else Dont let your get in your way for you may be sitting in a position to buy now before prices swing again and when they do you just might be too late Happy hunting Homes Sold Creatively HOME PRODUCTS LTD No one ever regretted buying quality Custom Design Installation THERMAL REPLACEMENT WINDOWS STANLEY THERMAL ENTRANCE DOORS PATH DOORS SOFFIT FACIA AND EAVESTROUGH SIDING DECKHAND FENCING NEW ADDITIONS CUSTOM DESIGNED BAY AND BOW WINDOWS ALUMINIUM AWNINGS AND SHUTTERS ELEGANT VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL SHADES CAULTODAY ESTIMATES it 99 Aliworkguamnteed Mo Obligation to Purchase QUALITY CREDIBILITY RELIABILITY