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I spent a few days doing wine tastings in Napa Valley last week
Posted on 2/12/13 at 11:26 am
Posted on 2/12/13 at 11:26 am
Tasted about 50 wines at 9 different wineries. All in all the wines were of a high quality, but my impression of Napa Valley remains the same as the last time I visited there five years ago: The wines are good, but over priced.
Highlights of the trip were the wines from Cliff Lede and Plumpjack, with Spring Mountain and Chateau Montelena a notch below.
Highlights of the trip were the wines from Cliff Lede and Plumpjack, with Spring Mountain and Chateau Montelena a notch below.
7
Posted on 2/12/13 at 11:33 am to L.A.
Howdy L.A. 
I'm planning a Napa trip with my family for my parents 50th anniversary. We're going over labor day and renting a home.
If you have any suggestions for something special, I would love to hear them. We've all been to Napa and my parents are very knowledgeable when it comes to wine. I'm looking for something different and truly special. One of my friends suggested we hire a chef to come in and cook for us one night.
I'm planning a Napa trip with my family for my parents 50th anniversary. We're going over labor day and renting a home.
If you have any suggestions for something special, I would love to hear them. We've all been to Napa and my parents are very knowledgeable when it comes to wine. I'm looking for something different and truly special. One of my friends suggested we hire a chef to come in and cook for us one night.
This post was edited on 2/12/13 at 11:34 am
Posted on 2/12/13 at 11:41 am to L.A.
Do you think the prices reflect higher costs of production due to land prices? Napa isn't the only wine growing region, but it sure is the priciest.
Posted on 2/12/13 at 11:42 am to L.A.
I went last summer and has a great time. I agree with over priced at a few of them, but we purposely went to the smaller, estate wineries and had great wine for a decent price
Posted on 2/12/13 at 11:56 am to Poet
Wassup, Poet!
Well, for wines definitely check out Cliff Lede. The tasting room is on the Silverado Trail, right at the junction of Silverado Trail and Yountville Crossroad, at the northern edge of the Stag's Leap District.
Another place to try is Odette, also in the Stag's Leap District. It's south of Cliff Lede, but right on the Silverado Trail. Odette is a new winery and their wines won't be available until 2014, but while there you can do a tasting for several Napa wineries owned by the same family (Getty).
Frank Family Vineyards up in Calistoga is always worth a visit. We didn't get to go there this time because they closed early for the Super Bowl on the afternoon we had planned on going there.
I'd also recommend going to Spring Mountain Vineyards in St. Helena. You have to make an appointment for a wine tasting, but it's worth the effort. The wines are excellent and the setting is beautiful. If you make an appointment there, ask them if they'll take you on a tour of their wine caves. They date back to the 1870's and seeing them is worth the drive.
Apropos of your name, you might want to check into the Poetry Inn, owned by the Cliff Lede winery. It's pricey, but if you're looking to splurge, and it sounds like you are if you're considering a private chef for an evening, at least check into it and see what kind of a price they offer you. The setting is gorgeous.
Trip Advisor comments on the Poetry Inn in Napa Valley
As for food, Cole's Chop House in Downtown Napa is terrific. We also went to Farm, in the Carneros Inn, but I thought it was pretentious and overpriced.
Well, for wines definitely check out Cliff Lede. The tasting room is on the Silverado Trail, right at the junction of Silverado Trail and Yountville Crossroad, at the northern edge of the Stag's Leap District.
Another place to try is Odette, also in the Stag's Leap District. It's south of Cliff Lede, but right on the Silverado Trail. Odette is a new winery and their wines won't be available until 2014, but while there you can do a tasting for several Napa wineries owned by the same family (Getty).
Frank Family Vineyards up in Calistoga is always worth a visit. We didn't get to go there this time because they closed early for the Super Bowl on the afternoon we had planned on going there.
I'd also recommend going to Spring Mountain Vineyards in St. Helena. You have to make an appointment for a wine tasting, but it's worth the effort. The wines are excellent and the setting is beautiful. If you make an appointment there, ask them if they'll take you on a tour of their wine caves. They date back to the 1870's and seeing them is worth the drive.
Apropos of your name, you might want to check into the Poetry Inn, owned by the Cliff Lede winery. It's pricey, but if you're looking to splurge, and it sounds like you are if you're considering a private chef for an evening, at least check into it and see what kind of a price they offer you. The setting is gorgeous.
Trip Advisor comments on the Poetry Inn in Napa Valley
As for food, Cole's Chop House in Downtown Napa is terrific. We also went to Farm, in the Carneros Inn, but I thought it was pretentious and overpriced.
This post was edited on 2/12/13 at 12:51 pm
Posted on 2/12/13 at 11:59 am to Poodlebrain
quote:I think that's part of it. I think part of it is that they charge more because the word "Napa" is on the label. In other words, they charge more because they can.
Do you think the prices reflect higher costs of production due to land prices?
Posted on 2/12/13 at 12:00 pm to TH03
quote:I'm not sure I'm following you there. You're saying the smaller wineries charge less for their wines? Most of the places we visited were small and I didn't notice a price reduction from them.
but we purposely went to the smaller, estate wineries and had great wine for a decent price
Posted on 2/12/13 at 12:01 pm to L.A.
Glad you enjoyed it. Check out Summers in Calistoga next time you're there. Very laid back. The wine maker is a Florida fan so it was nice to talk a little SEC trash. One of their pairings was flaming hot cheetohs with a moscato. Brilliantly non-pretentious.
Posted on 2/12/13 at 12:02 pm to L.A.
the smaller ones we went to were a little cheaper than the bigger ones. I mean it wasn't drastic or anything, but I liked the wine better there.
The first one we went to was O'Brien Estate which was very small and intimate, but had arguably the best wines of the day. It's the only one I still get shipments from.
edit: we went to this one that was a castle and one bottle was 80 bucks!!
The first one we went to was O'Brien Estate which was very small and intimate, but had arguably the best wines of the day. It's the only one I still get shipments from.
edit: we went to this one that was a castle and one bottle was 80 bucks!!
This post was edited on 2/12/13 at 12:04 pm
Posted on 2/12/13 at 12:04 pm to L.A.
Thanks for the suggestions! I will definitely check them out. My very good friend (and fellow LSU Tiger) works at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. She's helping me with some ideas.
We haven't decided on a place to stay so I will check out the Poetry Inn. We found a beautiful house on VRBO that is on the Carneros Inn property. Aside fromFarm, what did you think of the place and location?
We haven't decided on a place to stay so I will check out the Poetry Inn. We found a beautiful house on VRBO that is on the Carneros Inn property. Aside fromFarm, what did you think of the place and location?
Posted on 2/12/13 at 12:07 pm to Poet
if you want to be driven around and not worry about drinking all day, give this guy a call
he's from the area and knows every winery. you give a suggestion of a wine you like, he goes to the best place that makes it. well worth the money
he's from the area and knows every winery. you give a suggestion of a wine you like, he goes to the best place that makes it. well worth the money
Posted on 2/12/13 at 12:11 pm to Poet
quote:We actually went to Robert Sinskey on this trip. The wines were good, but not great. They did have a couple of nice pinot noir's that were reasonably priced that I came close to buying. They do a nice tasting, with a small plate of finger food to go with the wines.
My very good friend (and fellow LSU Tiger) works at Robert Sinskey Vineyards
quote:We wnet at night, so I couldn't see much but what I could see looked beautiful.
Aside fromFarm, what did you think of the place and location?
Posted on 2/12/13 at 12:53 pm to L.A.
quote:
We actually went to Robert Sinskey on this trip. The wines were good, but not great. They did have a couple of nice pinot noir's that were reasonably priced that I came close to buying.
I really like their Pinots, but I am partial because of the personal connection.
Posted on 2/12/13 at 1:06 pm to Poet
quote:If we had visited Sinskey earlier in the trip I would have bought the pinot noir. It was very good and under $40 a bottle. But it was our second-to-last stop and by then I had bought so much wine I was already on thin ice with Mrs. L.A.
I really like their Pinots, but I am partial because of the personal connection.
My son, who is 26, went with me and it was one of his favorite places for the overall experience.
Posted on 2/12/13 at 1:06 pm to L.A.
You need to go to Honig and get the late harvest Sav blanc. Tastes like honey 
Posted on 2/12/13 at 1:11 pm to L.A.
quote:
but my impression of Napa Valley remains the same as the last time I visited there five years ago: The wines are good, but over priced.
I agree with this. And they are a bit smug as well. When I head up that way I normally go to Sonoma. I also really like Santa Ynez Valley down south.
Posted on 2/12/13 at 1:12 pm to DEANintheYAY
I heard from Napa people that Sonoma was smug and I heard from Sonoma people that Napa was smug
Posted on 2/12/13 at 1:28 pm to DEANintheYAY
quote:Me too. Excellent wines, fair prices and a great vibe. I think it's what Napa must have been like 30+ years ago.
I also really like Santa Ynez Valley down south.
Posted on 2/12/13 at 1:29 pm to L.A.
quote:
Chateau Montelena
cool place to visit
Posted on 2/12/13 at 1:38 pm to Coater
We really enjoyed Montelena. The place is just gorgeous and it's historic because of the 1976 Judgment of Paris. We had a private tasting with the tasting room manager, so it was a great experience for us. And the wines were good. My son bought two bottles of the regular estate cab.
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