Traveling Wine Country with Twins – Article in Wine Enthusiast

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I have some exciting news to share. I’ve been published in Wine Enthusiast Magazine!

Wine Enthusiast Magazine April 2016 Issue
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My piece, which can be found in the “Last Drop” section of the print magazine and online, is about a topic I’m all too familiar with — Traveling to wine country with my 5-year old twin boys.

Now, without giving too much away (stop what you’re doing and read the full story!), I will share this:

One of the best (and probably the only useful) words of advice I received when I was pregnant with twins (and I received A LOT of advice) was, “These kids are coming into YOUR lives, not the other way around.”

“These kids are coming into YOUR lives, not the other way around.”

I interpreted that to mean don’t stop doing the things you love doing just because you’re about to have kids.

Now that’s much easier to say than it is to actually implement, but it has always been crucial advice for us to keep in the back of our minds as we experience the challenges of parenting. We never want to lose track of who we were, and who we still are.

One of the things we loved doing the most BC (before children) was visiting new wineries. That’s a difficult thing to do with small children, especially when many people believe that wineries aren’t a place for kids.

In the article I wrote for the April 2016 print issue of Wine Enthusiast, which is on the shelves now (OMG!!!), I share what it’s been like trying to navigate doing the things we love with our twins in tow.

Here’s a sneak preview of the article… 

Traveling-Wine-Country-with-Twins,-Wine-Enthusiast-April-2016

I absolutely LOVE this graphic they did of our family visiting a vineyard/biodynamic farm. 

Spoiler alert: I reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly of traveling to wine country with kids!

Froliking-in-the-Vineyards

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Is it all just happy children frolicking in the vineyards? Find out!
(ps, my favorite place to actually frolic is at Stoller Family Estate vineyard, pictured above! Just look at all that space! It’s a frolicking party waiting to happen… with never-ending bottles of rosé.)

I have so much more to say about this topic! It was nearly impossible for me to share my experiences in under 600 words, but I did my best. I do hope to continue the conversation here (as well as share many of the stories I wasn’t able to include), after folks have had a chance to read the piece. You can find it on magazine shelves practically everywhere, or head over to the Wine Enthusiast website to read the digital version.

Until then…. Are there any parents out there? What has your experience been like since having kids? Are you still doing the things you loved doing before kids? Have you found new things to do as a family that you enjoy?

Farm-animals-at-Soter-Vineyards

Farm animals from Soter Vineyards (mentioned in the article)

What do farm animals, and vineyards, and traveling with kids all have to do with each other?
(shhh, it’s in the article)

Farm or Vineyard? Or both?
Lunch-in-the-vineyard-with-kids

Just your good ‘ol fashioned picnic at a vineyard

Tasting-Tempranillo-Grapes-at-Abacela

U-pick field or vineyard? Does he know the difference?
(pictured at Abacela Vineyard)

Future Vineyard Manager in Training? Or just appreciating a sunny day in the vineyard?

Future vineyard manager in training, or just enjoying a sunny day in the vineyard?
(pictured at Phelps Creek Vineyard)

I hope you enjoy the piece as much as I enjoyed writing it!



mary cressler headshot

Vindulge

About Mary


I'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, founder of Vindulge, and author of Fire + Wine cookbook. Thanks for stopping by!

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15 Comments

  1. Congrats on the article, I have to hunt that issue down! Your kids look so adorable in the vineyards – what wonderful memories you’re making. ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Fantastic! I also wrote about wine touring with my baby on my blog https://babyagogoblog.wordpress.com . For the most part it was a great experience and made me feel like a full functioning adult! Can’t wait to pick up this magazine and check it all out!

  3. What?!!?? I subscribe to this magazine but don’t have it yet but I will eagerly look for your article in it once it shows up in my mailbox!!!

  4. Congratulations, Mary!! That is SO wonderful! Can’t wait to read the article! We’ve been going to vineyards with our two kids since they were born (my oldest’s first visit was to Oak Knoll at two weeks old!) and I think we’re lucky to live in Oregon where so many of the wineries are family-owned and family-friendly. Stoller is one of our favorites, too! We also love going to Cooper Mountain and usually meet up with other families there.

    1. Yeah! I LOVE to see other wine loving parents out there not afraid to bring their kids to vineyards! And yes we are truly blessed to live in such an incredible area with so many great things to do with families!!

  5. i didn’t know you had twins, how fun! or at least, you’ve made it fun…! ๐Ÿ™‚ congrats on being published in such a notable magazine!

    1. Haha. Yeah, “fun” is definitely one of many words I could use to describe the experience ๐Ÿ˜‰
      And thank you so much!! It was quite an honor to be in such a publication!

  6. I love this! I would love to travel wine country, and traveling with my kids would make it even more of a memorable experience:)

  7. This looks like such a fun time! What a wonderful memory your kiddos will have! The pictures are BEAUTIFUL!!!