To Sur, with love: Day two on my swirl with a winemaker

I know there's snow in Boston, but for now, Massachusetts winemaker Frank is enjoying his ride through California.

 

Waking up to a view of Carmel Valley, a lit fireplace and breakfast in bed was pampering at its best, and riding Lucy and Geraldine, the rescued horses from a ranch gone bad, through the protected Del Monte Forest and down the dunes of Pebble Beach was amazing. We rode the trail while listening to the rock-lounging seals bark, breathing in the crisp sea air and taking in the view of Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean alongside deers grazing in the woods, and Spyglass golf course golfers watching us trot by. We became one with nature – and felt life couldn’t get much better -- or so Frank and I thought. He was relaxed, even with his cell phone ringing through the ride, which he, gratefully, ignored.

 

We headed back through 17-Mile Drive, which, by the way, has an entry fee of $9.25- the cost to enjoy the scenery.

 

And then we drove through the majestic valleys and coastline to Big Sur, south of Monterey. With a view that beckoned your attention at every cliff-side turn, Frank was having trouble keeping his eyes on the road – so we stopped about a handful of times to absorb the beauty surrounding us. On one side, mineral-rich mountains had been carved to nestle the paved road, and to the right, the Pacific Ocean’s bluest water brought waves crashing into the rocks, producing foam so white it looked like whipped cream. Cleanliness is next to godliness, as the saying goes, and Big Sur is proof.

 

And if the seaside splendor wasn’t breathtaking enough, Post Ranch Inn offered a major step up as eye candy.

 

This eco-conscious resort is on the luxury resort list, but I consider it ultra-ultra-ultra luxurious. As we entered the ranch land, we drove past deer grazing on the side the road, unafraid – translation: people treat the animals with respect, and we drove past solar panels lined up like soldiers in the field. At the time we arrived at the summit, or reception area, we arrived in Heaven. Or at least that’s how we felt. Greeted by the friendliest people on Earth, we were offered a glass of champagne for the ride around the resort, provided by a staff person who drove an electric Lexus SUV, one of many that were donated to the resort for adventurous guests who wanted to explore the area. We toured through the property in disbelief: treehouse bungalows! The architecture was unlike anything we’d ever seen before. When we arrived at theCliff House, a home carved into the mountain, about 3,000 feet above sea level, Frank almost fell from disbelief. Our view from the bedroom, or glass-railed terrace, was of the never-ending Pacific Ocean. We could only imagine this to be a Jolie and Pitt stop. Glass walls revealed spectacular views from every angle. From the corner front, a view of the mountains left you breathless, but we were focused more on the sea. So we went with the flow and sat on our deck and munched on cheese and crackers, chips and wine that was complimentary in our room, and enjoyed the sunset thoroughly. From there, we took an outdoor hot tub break in the steel structure while we viewed the stars that seemed within reach of the cliff’s high point to which we were situated. A built-in sound system was our only external sound – we had no television. For Frank, a TV-addict, this was momentarily disturbing, but he was soon immersed into nature’s bounty and forgot all about Law and Order.

 

Venison Chops ... mmm.

 

For dinner, we headed to Sierra Mar for an exotic four-course prix fix dinner. First course: Frank ordered the Ahi Tuna “Ravioli” with Sea Urchin Mousse, Quail Egg Yolk and Ponzu, while I ordered the Maine Lobster with Parsnip Puree in a red wine reduction. I almost got Frank to order the Squab, as he argued it was dove, but with my handy iPhone, I checked on the Internet to discover it was a small pigeon. Enough said. In French-sized portions, we enjoyed this appetizer before course two: Frank ordered Italian Chestnut Soup with Persimmon and Madeira Syrup, but I ended up eating most of it because my new love is chestnut soup! I couldn’t help myself! We shared an arugula salad with apple, goat cheese and almonds in a lemon-maple vinaigrette. Delectable beyond belief. Course three: Frank ordered Venison Chops with butternut squash “gnocchi,” Italian chestnuts and huckleberry gastrique. I ordered the Kobe Beef Bordelaise and Braised Short Rib Rossini with Swiss chard and twice-baked fingerling potato. For dessert, Frank enjoyed a warm gingerbread pudding cake with hot buttered rum sauce and vanilla bean ice cream, while I ate most of a warm triple chocolate cake with toasted hazelnut ice cream and warm fudge sauce.

 

Under a starry sky, we walked back to our Cliff House room, sunk into the most plush bed we’ve ever experienced sleeping on, and enjoyed the slumber of royalty.