bursting at the seams

They should rename the Dry Creek Valley Passport Weekend something like: "The Weekend of Extreme Eating, Accompanied by Wine."

And instead of giving guests passports to different wineries, they should give you a gym pass, or perhaps a voucher for a cholesterol screening. Or at least a pair of elastic-waist pants.

Because you will be fat, fat, fat when all is said and done.

We went Sunday, for the second (and last) day of the Passport Pig Out. We made it to a total of 11 wineries (which is the most I have ever been to during a single wine-tasting trip). And there was a ridiculous amount of food at every stop.

1. Pedroncelli Winery
The food was barbecued tri-tip, potato salad (the real kind, with actual mustard seeds and fresh onions -- not the nasty white mayo kind that you find in supermarket aisles), a dried fruit plate (I want to marry the dried kiwi), cheese, chocolate (peanut butter cups, truffles with raspberry filling, dark chocolate with dark chocolate filling). The wine that stood out for me was the 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon -- dried fruit, spice and some earth on the nose (typical of an older Cab, and I do love older Cabs), with cherry and some herbs on the palate. Yum.

2. Yoakim Bridge Winery
It was all about barbecued pig. And polenta. And olives. And Zinfandel snowcones. As for wine, I tasted mostly Zins. But there was a Merlot that stood out, largely because it had the strangest nose -- sort of cigar boxish and slightly herbal.

3. Ferrari-Carano Winery
The tasting was set up in stations, and every food item was paired with a wine (one that stood out for me was the barley salad with a Grenache Rosé). I also loved the macaroni and cheese with spring vegetables and the tomato-and-goat-cheese tartine.

4. Dutcher Crossing
Talk about bringing back the creamy, buttery, oaky, over-the-top California Chardonnay -- the two Chards I tasted went through 50 percent and 100 percent (!!) malolactic! (But there was some fabulous warm goat cheese with poached pears on the side. I heart goat cheese.)

5. David Coffaro Vineyard & Winery
I'm not a fan of barrel tastings. I often find the wine difficult to drink, and I have a hard time seeing "potential." But I have to say there were some great Zin futures here. And there were good baked beans as well. (And barbecue, but there was so much sauce on it, that it kind of scared me, so I didn't try any.)

6. Gopfrich Winery
By this time, we were getting full. And it was getting hot. And my shoes were starting to hurt. (Note to self: Wear flip-flops next year.) But I still enjoyed some Riesling and some (rather salty) meatballs) and potato pancakes.

7. Quivira
Aside from the creepy Austin Powers look-alike we were forced to take photos with before we could enter the tasting (apparently, Quivira had a "Hollywood theme" this year), this was a good stop marked by some nice Zin and garlic mashed potatoes.

8. Michel Schlumberger
Tamales and paella with dried chorizo. And the 05 Cab is going to be beautiful, as far as I can tell. (See my note on barrel samples above.)

9. Passalacqua Winery
I secretly fantasized about getting married here (if I ever get married, if I ever allow myself to go through the agony that is a wedding -- but that's another rant for another time) -- the place is gorgeous, the wines are good and the staff is awesome. We had a great conversation with one of the tasting room employees about driving down Balboa Street in San Francisco pre-stop signs. She said it was like a roller coaster, with the ocean bobbing in front of her. We bought a 2004 Russian River Valley Chardonnay and 2004 Sonoma County Zin. I ate dark chocolate gelato and almost exploded. (They were also serving pizza and Humboldt Fog goat cheese, which is my favorite goat cheese ever.)

10. Dry Creek Vineyard
There wasn't too much food left, but the wines that we tasted were good. I went home with a Fumé Blanc for summer sipping.

11. F. Teldeschi Winery
There was a garage band and a tie-dyed shirt. And tables covered in plastic checkered tablecloths. And Zins going back to 1994. (I thought you couldn't really age Zinfandel because it loses its fruit and you're basically just left with alcohol?? I like my Zinfandel fresher.) And there was a ton of barbecue. I succumbed and ate tri-tip and sausage.

Thank goodness I don't own a scale. It would just make me depressed.