Napa 2010 Day 5

A day of old favorites today. We started at our favorite winery in the whole valley, Frank Family Vineyards. We order FF's wines mail order by the case and guess what: a case is on the way back east now. Unfortunately FF now charges for the tastings with $10 and $25 options (like many other places), but since we are on the mailing list, and had visited so often before (4 times), they gave us the reserve tasting complimentary (shhhhhh). I can't express how much we enjoy FF wines, and you know you're in Gigi's club if we serve you FF at home.

Last time we visited Napa, I signed up for one wine club, unfortunately it cost $800/year. Eventually I came to my senses (Wifey forced me) and cancelled my membership, but Von Strasser's wines taste so good, and we had such nice experiences meeting Rudy the owner/winemaker, and Mark the GM, we had to come back. Even without a reservation, they took us on a tour of the caves, an exceptional treat considering the 92 degree heat today (a nice, cool dry heat for all you suffering in NJ humidity). Von Strasser specializes in Cabernet Sauignon, making many single vineyard wines, but we bought their dry blush, the one white they make (Grüner Veltliner, a shout out to Rudy Von Strasser's Austrian heritage), and a bottle (375ml) of their Petit Verdot Port. Only Bill's club members get the port so really have to be in the know to get some.

After the last time we came to Napa, I got a t-shirt, the back of which reads, "I survived the drive to Pride." Now having driven the drive twice, I say I earned it. Pride sits atop Spring Mountain, and their vineyards flow down the mountain into both Napa and Sonoma. Besides the excellent Vionier (got one) Pride's has GREAT picnic areas. Before starting out for the day we went to Trader Joes, and got some salads, sandwiches, and cheese; then we ate a great lunch looking out over the valley vineyards (above)

Finally, we stopped at Domaine Chandon, my favorite sparking producer. Chandon's tasting room doesn't offer any of the privacy or specialness of any of the vineyards we've been to this year, however they make good sparking wine. Aside: I don't say champagne since you can't call bubbly champagne unless it was made in Champagne, France, even if the winemaker makes it via the same technique (methode champenoise). Fortunately Chandon distributes widely (get some Étoile, its cheaper in NJ than here), but we bought a vineyard only Rosé of Pinot Noir.

Only Asta Club members get wines we bring home from vacation. So now you know all the 352 Club levels.

For dinner tonight we went back into Napa City and ate outside at Ristorante Allegria, a very nice Northern Italian restaurant.

Places Visited:
Frank Family
Von Strasser
Pride Mountain Vineyards
Domaine Chandon
Ristorante Allegria

Napa 2010 Day 4

Today's day of wine tasting seemed more relaxed than the rest of the week. At no point during our four tastings did we feel rushed, and we still enjoyed some extremely nice wineries in the southern end of the Valley: the Carneros appellation.

To begin, we sat oustide the gate at Etude waiting for them to open at 10am. We love arriving at wineries when they first open because you get a more private tasting than if you get there later with everyone else. I can't express how beautiful Etude's tasting room looks, and their wines don't fail to impress either. Etude specializes in Pinot Noir which grows well in Carneros due to the cooler climate and sea breeze off the San Pablo Bay. They also produce some really nice (expensive) Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes they purchase from growers further north in the valley. Wifey and I bought a Pinot Gris, a dry Blush of Pinot Noir, and a Chardonnay.

Next we went to one of the area's most beautiful wineries, and a specializer in sparking wines: Domaine Carneros. The winery owners modeled their Chateau after one owned by Louis XV of France, which is not surprising considering Taittinger, one of the premier French Champaign makers is a partner. They offered seated tastings either inside or outside, so we found a table outside with a wonderful view of the valley (above), and sipped on five different sparklers, and two Pinot Noirs. We purchased three of the sparkling wines: a Rosé, a Late Disgorged Brut (aged five years instead of three), and a Ultra Brut (even drier than the brut).

Cuvaison sits right across the street from DC and they also served seated tastings, which are sooooo much better than the "saddle up to the bar" tastings you get many places. We found an inside stainless steel table which cooled us on an otherwise hot Napa day. Each of us tried the white and red tasting, but they also offer a red only option. We really enjoyed the Blush of Pinot Noir, which, if you are keeping score, is a recurring theme. Like John and Lisa posted on their blog, dry rosés are really nice in the summer, so I tend to gravitate to good ones this time of year. Along with the rosé, we also bought a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay.

Unfortunately for Pop and I, Mom and Wifey found 30% off coupons to the Coach Outlet, and since there is a Coach store at the Napa Outlet center, we had to go.

After some intense purse shopping, we went to our last and best tasting of the day. Patz and Hall winery makes only Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and their "salon" is located just south of Napa city. Patz and Hall doesn't own any vineyards, but purchases grapes from area farmers who specialize in cultivating the two varietals they make. Each vineyard's grapes taste different based upon its terroir, so P&H markets some wines by the grower's or vineyard name under their label. The tasting consisted of a private table tasting of three Chardonnays and three Pinot Noirs with food pairing hosted by Marcus, the Wine Educator. We spent an hour tasting, sipping, and talking wine around a six person dinner table. Easily the best tasting of the week.

We actually got a chance to spend some time at the pool today, which felt great against the 90 degree heat. After the splash time, we went to dinner at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville which Dennis, our waiter from last night, recommended. Jeanty serves traditional French cuisine which meant Coq a Vin for Mom, escargot and rabbit risotto for Wifey, puff pastry tomato soup for Pop, and steak tartare for me.


Places Visited:
Etude
Domaine Carneros
Cuvaison
Napa Outlets
Patz and Hall
Bistro Jeanty

Napa 2010 Day 3

We bought A LOT of wine today! For our first stop of the day we went to Robert Sinskey Winery for a four glass tasting (+ one extra). Since the winery is owned by a husband and wife who are a winemaker and chef respectively, they served each wine with a recommended one-bite food pairing. We bought a bottle each of their Pinot Gris and POV Bordeaux blend.

Our second stop took is to Chateau Montelena, whose chardonnay won the 1973 Paris Tasting and was featured in the 2008 movie Bottle Shock. Their chardonnay is still awesome and we got two bottles to bring home, along with a Riesling, and two bottles of their Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The photo above I took at the Japanese garden at Montelena with multiple bridges and pagodas, turtles, ducks, and a swan.

Mom and Dad wanted to go into Calistoga se we could stop into the bike shop (who am I to argue with that), so we ate lunch at the Calistoga Inn and Brewery. Since the bar was stuffed with unhappy soccer fans, we ate in the restaurant area, and I had a grilled cheese which would make the Pop Shop jealous: monterey jack cheese, avocado, red onion, cilantro, and spicy chipotle sour cream paste. I paired it with a pint of their American Wheat Ale which cooled the hot valley day.

Right across the street from the Inn we found the store for Vermeil Wines (On the Edge Vineyard) co-owned by former Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil. Pop loved the Eagles memorabilia on display there, and he really enjoyed talking to former Eagles linebacker Frank LeMaster who was visiting the winery too. Since they only had red wines, Wifey and Mom skipped the tasting, and missed out on some really nice zinfandels which Dad bought a bottle of.

For our final winery of the day we went a winery everyone should recognize: Beringer. Fortunately we found coupons for two-for-one Reserve tastings. Beringer serves the regular tasting at a bar in the gift shop, but the reserve tasting featured their better wines and was held at private tables on the patio of the Rhine building, a German inspired building at the winery. Also fortunately the Reserve Chardonnay and Reserve Cabernet were on sale (got two chard and a cab) We also bought two bottles of the Alluvium Blanc, a great white blend which I can't seem to find in NJ anymore.

For dinner, we went to Tra Vinge in St. Helena, a great Italian restaurant which features fresh mozzarella made the moment you order it. Don't miss it if you get out here.

Places Visited:
Robert Sinskey
Chateau Montelena
Calistoga Inn
On the Edge (Vermeil Wines)
Beringer
Tra Vinge

Napa 2010 Day 2

Awesome day of wine tastings today. We started early (10am) at Tefethen Vineyards with a wonderful tasting hosted by James, an NJ native. Trefethen offered two tastings: a selection of four wines for $10, and a reserve tasting of five wines for $25. We, of course, had both, with Pop and I ordering the reserve, and Wifey and Mom getting the regular, and we shared all the wines. It really didn't matter, because by the end of the tasting James was pouring us each all of the wines, and even went off menu to offer us Trefethen's Halo Chardonnay, which was beyond awesome. We bought a Halo, a regular chard, and a cab sauv to bring home.

After an hour at Trefethen, we continued north along 29 to Saddleback Cellars which Lou, the owner of Amalthea in Atco recommended. Saddleback's poured seven wines for $20. We sat ousted on the deck and listened to country western music (they have both kinds) and drank some really good, inexpensive wine (Nils, Saddleback's owner already paid off his 17 acre vineyard) and got though our Asta withdrawal by giving the vineyard dog some well deserved attention. A chardonnay, and a viognier decided they want to visit NJ.

For lunch, we wend to Rutherford Grill, which was near Saddleback. Even without reservations, they seated us right away, and we enjoyed a nice lunch of sandwiches and salads (I had the special Ahi Tuna burger, yumm).

We got to our next tasting on Napa time (late). Joseph Phelps Winery only does tastings by appointment only and they accommodated our tardiness. The wines were good, but they stopped making the Napa Chardonnay which introduced us to the winery, but it would be difficult to beat the view.

For out last winery of the day we decided to try one of the wineries that specialized in sparkling wine: Mumm Napa. Mumm offers different levels of tastings and we went for the reserve tasting which was two whole glasses of champagne and a cheese tray while sitting on the veranda overlooking the vineyard, nice.

Mommy works as the office manager for a doctor's office and one of the doctor's was staying in the same hotel for continuing education and we met them for dinner at Angele Restaurant in Napa city. Built out of a ship repair dock, Angele is a traditional French restaurant. Wifey and I shared a cheese plate appetizer and I had a rack of lamb for dinner. If you go to the valley, definitely have dinner at Angele.

Places visited:
Trefethen
Saddleback
Rutherford Grill
Mumm
Joseph Phelps
Angele