Sonoma's Hollywood Connection

Anyone growing up watching "My Three Sons" with Fred MacMurray would never guess that the big-time Hollywood actor ("The Apartment" is one of my favorite movies) actually spent a lot of his time not on a southern California backlot but on a sprawling ranch in Sonoma County. It's where he and his wife raised their four children. The ranch is now a winery, MacMurray Ranch, and it's owned by E.J. Gallo. But there's still an actual MacMurray connection: Fred's daughter, Kate (right), who lives on the property, in a cabin built by her father decades ago.

She works for Gallo promoting the MacMurray Ranch label. I recently had the chance to chat with Kate in the main house on the idyllic property (upper left), tucked in a lush, redwood-ringed valley off of Westside Road between Healdsburg and Forestville. Her love of the place is obvious. She said her father discovered the land on flyfishing trips in the 1930s when it was owned by the descendants of the Potter family who first came to the ranch in 1840 from Arkansas. After years of asking the Potters whether they would sell, he was finally able to purchase the property in 1941. Fred made more than 100 films and spent 12 years on "My Three Sons" but he was able to spend enough time here to turn the property -- a plum orchard under the Potters -- into a cattle ranch, with Black Angus he had shipped from Scotland. She recalls long driving trips between Sonoma County and their house in Los Angeles (this was before Interstate 5 was built) and stopping at a Foster's Freeze in Gilroy, all four kids and their movie star father climbing out for burgers and milkshakes. There was no TV and little Hollywood-style glamour at the ranch, only some hard work and lots of old-fashioned fun as the children were free to roam the property, ride horses and explore. "We didn't have a lot of worries. We were allowed to run free and go outdoors. It was magical," she said.

The 1,500-acre spread is not open to the public normally but you have a chance to spend time there over Labor Day Weekend when MacMurray hosts the Sonoma County Vintners' 30th annual Taste of Sonoma, which features 150 wineries offering samples of thousands of wines and 60 local chefs cooking up dishes to pair with the pourings. It all takes place around the charming old home where Kate grew up and in the barn that her father built with his own hands. General admission is $150 per person, although Visa Signature cardholders receive a special price of $95. Make sure you sample some of MacMurray's yummy pinot noir and pinot gris.

Geyserville Summer Nights

Just a few minutes north of Healdsburg on Highway 101 is the Sonoma wine country burg of Geyersville which has managed to keep its low-key farm town atmosphere as its better-known neighbor a few miles south gets tonier and tonier. I checked out a few places to stay on weekend getaways last week, each one different from the other so that you get a wide variety of options even in such a small place.
Those who are looking for some elegant comfort in a hotel environment should head to the Geyserville Inn, which, despite the name, is actually more of a resort-like hotel. There is a swimming pool and 38 rooms, many with fireplaces and balconies. Most have nice views of the vineyards. It's a modern place with a charming bit of Sonoma history attached -- the Hoffman House, an early 20th century farmhouse transformed into a restaurant with full bar.
Nearby is something completely different: the Hope-Merrill House (left), a lovely Victorian bed-and-breakfast inn whose rooms are lavishly romantic and accented by silk-screened wallpaper by Bruce Bradbury. An incredible five-course breakfast is served each morning. And, there's a beautiful swimming pool surrounded by lush landscaping and vineyards. Check out the first floor Sterling Suite with its own private entrance for the ultimate in extravagance (priced under $300, a good rate for such a luxury accommodation).
Finally, I visited Alexander Valley Lodge, a former B&B (photo above and below) on a hill overlooking the valley. It has been turned into a vacation rental by owners Danielle and Scott Alexander who live in their own house a few hundred yards uphill from the property. This is a six-bedroom, five-bathroom lodge-like home with a pool, Tiki bar and hot tub that is ideal for family reunions, girlfriend getaways and retreats. Danielle told me that, with the economic recession and the trend to "staycations," their business is good this year as families and friends look to save by going in on a house rental and cooking meals together.
The views from the house -- of Geyser Peak and the Alexander Valley -- are phenomenal, particularly at sunrise and sunset when the area takes on a warm glow (especially after a glass of the local zin). You're on your own for meals but the Alexanders can arrange for a local chef to cook dinners and for a masseuse who can provide poolside massages. The Alexanders also give guests tours of the 53 acres of vineyards and wooded terrain they own on this hilltop by a "mule," an ATV-type vehicle. And, of course, they offer plenty of suggestions for wine tasting. However, in a spot like this, guests may never want to leave.