anyone been to Napa Valley?

[baydude]

I've never been but wanted to take the gf to to take some pics and have lunch/wine tasting there. The wine train seems a little expensive, any wine tasting/restaurant recommendations for lunch during the day?

 

[velillen]

been there a few times but not in the last 5 years or so. Cant really comment to much as my uncle worked down there so we got some pretty neat insider type tours and treats. I will say i did enjoy the Domaine Carneros vineyard. Didnt really eat there but the snacks/tasting were good. but again uncle being there and in the industry was helpful.

Sorry im not to much help but least someone responded for ya

 

[ringtail]

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[AreaCode707]

See username.

Check out Sonoma or Mendocino for a more relaxed trip. I think the Alexander Valley is one of the most gorgeous places on earth, Healdsburg has a great downtown with some fantastic restaurants, Geyserville is straight out of old time Americana, and if you're willing to venture north, Hopland has a very walkable set of friendly (no tasting fee!) wineries. One of the best stops you'll make the entire trip is Campovida right outside of Hopland, 13 acres of incredible gardens you walk with a glass of wine in hand.

If you do hit Healdsburg, Seghesio makes great wine, Alexander Valley Vineyards is a great price for good wine, Coppola is a fancy schmancy lots to see stop... In Hopland Jeriko is the quintessential winery, and Jaxon Keys makes a nice brandy.

Napa is, meh, Napa. Everything is going to be good, everything is going to have a tasting fee, and you won't remember the difference between winery A and winery B by the end of the day. Not bad at all, will make a lovely trip, but just has really standardized. You get more personality with north Sonoma/south Mendocino. Plus if you hit up Sonoma/Mendo you could pop out to the coast for a totally different twist to your trip.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

AC707 is sort of right. Napa is great but you need to be extremely strategic and potentially drive more to not pay through the nose. Do your research. Is this a day trip or are you staying?

At Napa I really liked Zahtila, Twomey and Freemark Abbey. I never visited Newton but they have killer wine. Flora Springs had okay wine but it was a good experience. Rombauer is good but not a good value, but I like their tasting room. Mumm is probably a nice place to take a girl and just chill for a bit and have some mediocre champagne. A lot of people like Grgich Hills, and I think their wine is very well made but I didn't care for it. I'd rate Heitz with Rombauer for overall experience, but it's easier to get to. Avoid Chateau Montelina like the plague. That place embodies everything that people hate about Napa.

 

[deadlyapp]

I'm with areacode. Napa is fine and dandy, but its a tourist trap. Expect to spend a lot on tasting fees. I went to several vineyards outside healdsburg and had a blast. All the wineries waived fees for me and my two friends because I bought a bottle at each, we met a couple of cool people, and the tasting room people/winemakers were way down to earth and hung out with us and drank the wine and told us about it.

We went to christopher creek, limerick lane, acorn, and maybe foppiano - I can't remember if we only hit 3 or 4. All of them had excellent wine.

 

[dr150]

I've done the wine train thing and it's worth the memories....especially with a GF.

When you're off the train, you have to plan smartly to hit vineyards with good tasting rooms.

Vineyards are spread apart so you must plan like a General to get to the vineyards that are fun to visit.

One to definitely visit is the Coppola Estate b/c of.....FF Coppola.

Also visit ones that have caves for their wines and are hosting events that weekend.

The Culinary Institute is also a good way to get some grub, but it's pricey and plays second fiddle to the overallness of the wine train.

 

[AreaCode707]

I've done the wine train thing and it's worth the memories....especially with a GF.

When you're off the train, you have to plan smartly to hit vineyards with good tasting rooms.

Vineyards are spread apart so you must plan like a General to get to the vineyards that are fun to visit.

One to definitely visit is the Coppola Estate b/c of.....FF Coppola.

Also visit ones that have caves for their wines and are hosting events that weekend.

The Culinary Institute is also a good way to get some grub, but it's pricey and plays second fiddle to the overallness of the wine train.

Continuing to tout my county - for caves, check out Saracina. Run by John Fetzer, of Fetzer winery fame before they sold out to Brown Foreman before they sold out to some place in Chile. The good wine moved to Saracina. Also amazing - McNab Ridge. Rich Parducci is the winemaker, and he's another one who made amazing wine and sold out, then started his own secondary shop.

For a new up and coming talent I'm LOVING Cesar Toxqui. Incredible story from rags to riches, and one of the best blenders I've had the privilege of tasting from.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Hmmm... I'll also chime in and mention that Paso Robles was my favorite wine trip ever. Stay in Cambria. You can also out on the coast, see the elephant seals and go to Herst Castle in addition to your wine tasting. Paso Robles has some amazing wineries, is incredibly scenic and is much lower key.

 

[SSSnail]

I've never been but wanted to take the gf to to take some pics and have lunch/wine tasting there. The wine train seems a little expensive, any wine tasting/restaurant recommendations for lunch during the day?

If it's your first time, I recommend booking a wine limo tour. It's about $125 a person, but they pick you up at the pier in SF, drive you and your gf to different wineries and feed you. After the tour is done, they'll drop you back at the pier.

The reason I recommend that is one, you don't have to worry about where to go, and two is you don't have to drive.

If you do go to Napa, have lunch at Bouchon.

After the limo tour, then you can plan your next trip yourself.

 

[baydude]

Wow thanks for the input.. Might actually consider Sonoma.. This will be a day trip. Is it worth staying during the night for dinner? I'm not that big of a wine drinker and we're there mostly for the scenery which can only be enjoyed during the day..

 

[brainhulk]

i've been wanting to eat at french laundry. Just to say I have. Can you really just show up, banking on cancellations?

 

[EvilYoda]

i've been wanting to eat at french laundry. Just to say I have. Can you really just show up, banking on cancellations?

You can, but good luck with that. Depending on where you're located, the first thing I'd try is seeing if any friends or friends of friends know someone in the industry up there. That's how we got in 4 years ago. (i.e., pure luck) We also got to eat at Bodega when it was just opening...although I don't know how well it's doing now.

 

[zinfamous]

yes, many times.

But I recommend Sonoma for more romance.

Napa is great, but it's, um..."Vegas" of the wine world. Being that it is literally a strip of wineries: you drive up and down, show up at overcrowded hamburger joints and try not to get hit by/hit other wine-snockered SOB's.

 

[zinfamous]

Wow thanks for the input.. Might actually consider Sonoma.. This will be a day trip. Is it worth staying during the night for dinner? I'm not that big of a wine drinker and we're there mostly for the scenery which can only be enjoyed during the day..

Scenery?

And you're not into wine?

:hmm:


SONOMA.

 

[brainhulk]

You can, but good luck with that. Depending on where you're located, the first thing I'd try is seeing if any friends or friends of friends know someone in the industry up there. That's how we got in 4 years ago. (i.e., pure luck) We also got to eat at Bodega when it was just opening...although I don't know how well it's doing now.

i guess that's how my coworker's brother get's in all the time. He owns a couple of restaurants down here. Either that, or he is greasing the hostess

 

[EvilYoda]

i guess that's how my coworker's brother get's in all the time. He owns a couple of restaurants down here. Either that, or he is greasing the hostess

My foodie friends in the Bay area do get in by constantly calling about cancelled reservations and the wait list, but since I don't live over there, I don't exactly have those options.

 

[baydude]

Is it necessary to make reservations for lunch or can we just walk in?

 

[Nerva]

if you send me your email, i will share you the badass spreadsheet that i have on Napa and San Fran

 

[JJ650]

Visit Vitto Sattui Winery. It's an excellent smaller winery :thumbsup:

 

[AreaCode707]

Is it necessary to make reservations for lunch or can we just walk in?

Reservations where, the French Laundry? If you're on a budget that's not the place for you. It's one of those $400-600 four+ hour dining experiences, one of the top foodie restaurants in the country.

 

[TheNinja]

I have been there many times. Everytime I have someone come and visit me they want to go to Napa. I sometimes recommend Sonoma Valley instead but if people come out 1 time in their life they want Napa b/c of the name and photo ops. You have to be smart if you are on a budget. Look online before you go and you can find a lot of buy 1 get 1 free tasting coupons.

Make sure you find one with a cave tour as they are very interesting. I'd have to go back and look at my notes b/c I'm been to so many. V.Sattui is very big and very busy b/c they are the only winery I know of that has a deli on site with breads, meats, cheeses, chocolate, etc. It is fairly inexpensive wine as far as Napa Valley goes too.

I have never done the wine train, but it doesn't appeal much to me. My suggestion (assuming you are coming from the Bay Area) is to drive to the northern point of Napa Valley by like 10am and work your way back down down. Either that or get on the main HWY at 10am and work your way up, then come back down the Silverado Trail. You'll avoid some of the people that way.

 

[Imported]

I go up to Napa a few times a year with the GF. As someone said before, everything is pretty much good but you'll pay for it. One of my favorite wineries is Lava Vine, outside of Napa in Calistoga off Silverado. The people there are down to to earth and I don't get the snob factor some of the other places give off.

The GF and I have yet to do the Sonoma wineries though we have eaten in Sonoma (and the route from Napa to Sonoma over the mountains is intense driving fun). We recently purchased a wine pass for the year for $30 and it covers places in Sonoma, Napa and Paso Robles.. so there's a lot for us to do.

I haven't done the wine train but everyone I know who has done it says its a waste of money.

 

[KB]

Visit Vitto Sattui Winery. It's an excellent smaller winery :thumbsup:

This is a great lunch time destination in NAPA. They have a deli with tons of cheeses, breads and soups that go perfect with their wine.

 

[Cal166]

Few years ago, GF and I visited the Kendall Jackson Winery for the day, amazing wine/food pairing. Recommended.