Backyard Campout in the Vines

Seems like every time I read a travel section of a favorite magazine or newspaper there is a story on tent and cabin camping in the vineyards somewhere or other in scenic wine country. Winery owners with savvy are sending summer season profits soaring with exclusive offerings for simple overnight stays and weekends amidst the grapevines. Wine country cuisine and stellar varietals making pricey overnight tickets all the more plausible, I presume.

Some wineries are going so far as to offer boot camps for sleepover visitors, who are happy to pay top dollar to be a part of the vineyard action, rolling up their biodegradable cotton sleeves and diving into various hands-on duties of the winemaker and vineyard crew.

Now this wouldn't be nearly so appealing if the grub wasn't so incredibly great. It's astonishing the lengths that city dwellers will go these days for a slice of the locavore lifestyle. Throw a couple of bottles of premium Pinot Noir into the package for dining under the vineyard stars and late night libations and the concept of camping in the vines is all the more romantic.

Anyone who has ever been into tent camping will know that this is not an overnight date opportunity with Mother Nature that transpires without a whole lot of (tent) strings attached. One of my fondest memories of tent camping with a car full of kids and canines and cousins from the UK, involves losing an entire collection of sleeping bags and pillows along River Road. Seemed my bungie-chord on the roof-rack technique was not as hot as the tarmac on the winding route home.

So the concept of camping somewhere bucolic where the tent or ideally, safari-style canvas cabin is up and ready for arrival, is certainly a tempting though costly alternative to pitching one's own. And cutting out the incredible amount of organization which goes into cramming one's kitchen contents into an oversized plastic container for all of 24 hours away is not nearly as enticing as a winemaker's dinner al fresco. Real plates. Wine glasses. Wine. Washing up included.

The boys were keen to go camping this summer. We even scoped out a couple of sites. Somehow leaving the tranquility of a short trip by foot to the top of our vineyard property seemed a bit silly. And so trusty old blue tent went up in the yard. Overlooking the vines and just far enough up the hill for us not to hear the giggles and ghost stories of the boys and their friends.

When the weather heats up once again, as it's bound to do, I'm planning on pumping up the airbed, hauling up some pretty linens, and having my own super-exclusive grown-up vineyard camp out up there under the stars. With dinner prepared in the kitchen down below. And a great bottle of house wine. Hold the camping reservations elsewhere, we're set!

Comments

[carole]

Rivetti style camping!! yes the UK cousin in question involved in that camping experience has lots of happy memories and we often have a laugh at the spread of camping equipment on the highway,
I think that was the start of her travel bug!!

[Frances Rivetti]

I miss our summer adventures together, though I'm happy that she has taken flight and still loves to travel! I don't think she nor I will ever forget our mad dash down River Road to retrieve all of the lost sleeping bags and pillows! I left her at the movie theater with four boys for a double bill while I unpacked! She's always been a good sport!