Page 177 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2025 GRAND VOYAGE

would entail. In any case, I was glad the
outing included roundtrip transportation.
Turns out, the experience was fun – and
tasty – but there was nothing “high” about
it. Tea was infused with CBD – the com-
pound found in cannabis that does not
cause a “high” but is associated with ten-
sion and anxiety relief. Sweet and savory
goodies served with tea came with packets
of CBD powder to sprinkle on the treats.
“Cannabis is one of nature’s first
medicines; it’s been used since prehistoric
times,” said Van Solkov, who started Happy
Travelers Tours in 2018. “CBD is a natural
anti-inflammatory that promotes relax-
ation. You don’t get stoned; you just feel
comfortable.”
Sonoma does have a blossoming
cannabis industry. A bumper crop was har-
vested in fall – just after the grapes. For
those who want a closer look and fancy the
THC compound in the carefully cultivated
weed, Solkov offers tours of several re-
gional cannabis farms. Participants have
the opportunity to purchase product at the
growers’ retail stores.
“Remember,” Solkov said as he replen-
ished my cup of CBD-infused tea. “Guests
have to purchase their cannabis to taste it.
California law prohibits giving away
cannabis or providing ‘tasting’ experi-
ences.”
Wellness is about achieving physical
and mental well-being, so that we don’t
just survive, we thrive. For me in Sonoma,
it meant inhaling great gulps of fresh
mountain air as I tromped the ground
where Jack London once played. It meant
standing tall among neat rows of red and
orange-hued grapevines, becoming part of
a vibrant patchwork quilt that dressed au-
tumn foothills. It meant embracing a deli-
cious array of farm-fresh foods, fine local
wines – and quirky characters, including a
contented pig.

Opposite The Olive Press oils. Right: Olives
mate with jalapeños at The Olive Press

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