Birthday Trip: Napa Valley - St. Helena/Rutherford - Day FOUR

Before departing the Napa valley last Saturday - Brian and I spent the morning in St. Helena/Rutherford.

We drove north from American Canyon to St. Helena and had breakfast at the Gillwood Cafe - fresh local ingredients producing excellent food (my huevos rancheros was wonderful with homemade salsa).We did a bit of window shopping along main street and picked up some wonderful trinkets at Olivier Napa Valley. Great mustards, olive oils, dipping sauces and kitchen items. Brian and I both commented that next time we will spend more time in St. Helena - checking out smaller wineries and exploring this cute little town.
We then decided to wrap up our Napa adventure by each picking a winery. I chose Franciscan Estates Winery (I liked the look of their grounds, well manicured, large fountain and large tasting room) and I had heard of their wines before but never have tried them. Most of the wineries along highway 29 are the larger commercial wineries that you know by heart. Their tasting fee was $15 and they actually threw in a port for Brian to try (which he didn't care for) and I had several reserve reds on top of the 4 tastings for my fee.

Good solid wines - but nothing that jumped out at me. I liked their Chardonnay (and the wine master even threw in a reserve Chardonnay), but they were not as good as Friday's Clos du Val or Rutherford Hill.

Brian choose Grgich Hills Estate - a winery he was familiar with. I am not a big fan of stainless steel aging - so their Chardonnay was too light for me (no oak). They also had a Fume Blanc which would pair nicely with a summer seafood salad. The reds were unimpressive. Their vineyards are certified organic and Biodynamic which uses the earth’s natural cycles and organic preparations to grow balanced, healthy vines without artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or fungicides. You gotta love that!
I still felt like we were leaving Napa on a sour note (taste-wise) as on Friday "off the beaten path" we experienced so many wonderful wines.

We decided we had enough time to slip into Domaine Chandon for one last glass of bubbly. Again, I was disappointed. Their grounds are so immaculate - but their tasting area was extremely crowded and very loud (several large groups), plus the place was dirty (bathrooms, especially) and lacked the personal attention we'd had on Friday. Brian and I stood in the sunshine, snapped a few pictures and hit the road south.Our drive took us back over the Golden Gate Bridge as we reminisced about our favorite Napa experiences. I especially loved the Silverado Trail, Sterling Vineyard tram ride and Zuzu's for dinner.

Saturday afternoon was spent in Sunnyvale, California with friends Jenny and Brent and 2 year-old, Carter's birthday party in the park. A perfect opportunity to connect with them (it's been ages). It was a mild day - the air was clean and it was a relaxing way to wrap up our trip.They invited us over to pizza at their place - which gave us more of an opportunity to chat and play puppets (Sesame Street) with Carter Peanut. Very adorable little guy. Great friends......it made our trip that we could connect again!
We said goodbye to the Bay Area early on Sunday. I am so grateful for the wonderful time with Brian. We had a wonderful adventure.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Birthday Trip: Napa Valley - Day THREE

Brian and I headed into Napa - one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. The word napa is of Native American derivation and has been variously translated as "grizzly bear", "house", "motherland" and "fish". Of the many explanations of the name's origin, the most plausible seems to be that it is derived from the Patwin word napo meaning house, although local residents will often cite an urban legend that gives the translation as "you will always return".

The Napa Valley is widely considered one of the top American Viticultural areas in California, and all of the United States, with a history dating back to the early nineteenth century. By the end of the nineteenth century there were more than one hundred and forty wineries in the area.

Of those original wineries several still exist in the valley today including Charles Krug Winery, Shramsburg, Chateau Montelena and Beringer.

Planning our 2 1/2 days in the Napa Valley wasn't easy......too many wineries and not enough time. We carefully reviewed a few guide books and I chose most of the wineries with open tasting rooms (many are by appointment only). We decided to head north as far as possible (Calistoga) and work our way back to American Canyon (where our hotel is) via the Silverado Trail - a little off the beaten path.

In 1852 the first permanent road was built from Napa to Calistoga, providing a major trade route for hauling wheat, and fruit, the primary crops, as well as travelers. This road would later be known as The Silverado Trail.

I highlighted some 25 wineries on a map - knowing that we would only have time for a handful. Here was our Friday itinerary:

Sterling Vineyards - Large commercial winery - Tram Ride (highlight of the trip for Brian) - seated tasting room with panoramic views.Rutherford Hill - a western Chalet - impressive 25ft tall door - intimate tasting room - chocolate covered blueberries and port.

Mumm Napa - Wonderful sparkling wines - sunny patio overlooking the vineyard.

Clos Du Val - Decorative grounds - wonderful tasting selection - eclectic staff

Luna Vineyards - Small beautiful Italian decor - wines poured by winemaker.

After our journey along the Silverado trail was complete, Brian and I had a wonderful tapas dinner at Zuzu's in downtown Napa. What a wonderful way to end my birthday.....small plates, delicately prepared, well-balanced local fare with Spanish influenced flavors.Here was our menu choices:

Seasoned and toasted Almonds - Fresh Gulf Shrimp with Garlic, piquin chili and smokey pimeton - Grass-fed flat iron steak with roasted jalapeno chimicurri - Fingerling potatoes with leeks, spring onion in a romecso sauce - Pan roasted California Asparagus with jamon serrano ham in a green garlic sauce.

Enjoy!

Stacy

Birthday Trip: Day Two - Carneros

Brian and I headed for Napa early on Thursday - over the Golden Gate Bridge. We were both excited to start our road trip and also to spend the first part of our wine tour in the Carneros region.As you approach the wine district from the south - you first pass through the Carneros region. This region is cool and windswept and until the latter part of the 20th century - this mixture of marsh land, sloughs and rolling hills was mainly known for its sheep herding (carnero in Spanish = sheep).Carneros is famous for sparking wine, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. The Carneros wine country runs along the southern tip of Napa and Sonoma Counties.Our Tour:

• Roche – Small, view of South Carneros valley, young under-developed wines
• Viansa Vineyards – relaxing atmosphere, Italian flair and marketplace
• Gloria Ferrer - No tastings (wine bar only) - nice patio, inviting• Acacia - By Appointment only (we didn't know); nice pinots, friendly staff
• Artesa Vineyards – spectacular architecture, fountains, and viewsWe checked into our hotel and had an appetizer in their wine bar.Off to dinner at the Boon Fly Cafe - along the rural Carneros Highway. This cafe sits in front of the Carneros Inn. The interior is slick and inviting - a cross between chic modern and rustic charm (airy surroundings and dark wood). I loved the outside porch swing!The menu reflects the ambiance.....local and casual with a balance of fresh salads, comfort classics and burgers.

Our journey continues....

Enjoy!
Stacy