re: Napa Valley Trip

Oxbow Public Market: hog island for oysters, Eikos for sushi, Ca Momi for pizza, Kitchen a door for drinks and apps.

Sure, you can get a poboy at Parish

I'd go to Bear Republic though.

I'm planning a trip to the are also. Going in late May. Probably going to stay in Sonoma and do a day trip to Napa. Looks like it may be a little cheaper that way.

Planning a 14 day trip to California so any savings helps.

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I'm planning a trip to the are also. Going in late May. Probably going to stay in Sonoma and do a day trip to Napa. Looks like it may be a little cheaper that way.

Planning a 14 day trip to California so any savings helps.

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Yeah, you can still find amazing wineries in Sonoma, with tasting fees in the $10 range vs $20-25 for napa wineries. And the downtown Sonoma area is much nicer IMO.

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Try the elevated tastings,

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Great advice. It will likely be just your group since you've got 8. That's when it gets fun.

Speaking of elevated, might want to check with your group to see if anyone gets car sick. The roads leading to the wineries up on the mountains are pretty curvy; seen quite a few ladies blow chunks.

Oh, yeah: when you taste something that blows your mind, buy some!

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white and rose

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Sonoma will be perfect. Of course, you can get those in Napa and points north, as well.

Have fun, sir!

The smaller, more family owned wineries are great. But you need to go to at least one large production winery just to get a feel for the process. Its not simply Lucille Ball jumping on grapes, you learn a lot and will appreciate wine even if you aren't much of a wine lover.

Just my two cents about drinking: Don't jump out on the first day and drink a bottle of wine at every tasting. You will regret it bigtime. I try to do 4 tastings/day and I only consume what is poured at the tasting. You will get your fill I promise, plus you want to be able to truly enjoy the taste of the wines. If you consume too much, that $100 cab will end up tasting like barefoot at the end of the day. Drink lots of WATER! It will help.

From a few websites I have saved from our trip to Napa later this year:



Conveniently, most of the large wineries -- as well as most of the hotels, shops, and restaurants -- are along a single road, Highway 29. It starts at the mouth of the Napa River, near the north end of San Francisco Bay, and continues north to Calistoga and the northern limits of the grape-growing region.


Napa Valley Traffic -- Travel the Silverado Trail as often as possible to avoid California Hwy. 29's traffic. It runs parallel to and about 2 miles east of Hwy. 29. You get there from the city of Napa or by taking any of the "crossroads" from Hwy. 29. Crossroads are not well signposted, but they're clearly defined on most maps. Also, avoid passing through Main Street in St. Helena (on Hwy. 29) during high season. While a wintertime ride from Napa to Calistoga can take 30 minutes, in summer you can expect the trek to take closer to 50 minutes.

Paying to Taste -- It used to be unusual to have to pay for wine tasting, and when the tides first started to change, I wasn't really for it. But over the past decade, sipping through the region has become such a pastime that in the more popular -- and cheap or free -- tasting spots you'll often find yourself competing for room at the bar, never mind a refill or a little wine chatter with your host. As a result, I've changed my view on paying a premium to taste. With the flash of $20-spot per person you not only avoid crowding in with the hundreds of tipsy souls who come merely for the fun and the buzz, but you also usually get a more intimate experience, complete with attention from staff and usually far more exclusive (and sometimes even seated) surroundings.

Reservations at Wineries -- Plenty of wineries' doors are open to everyone, without reservations. Most wineries that require reservations for visits do so because of local permit laws -- not because they're snobby -- while some do so to create a more intimate tasting experience (usually with lofty prices to match). It's always best to call ahead if you have your heart set on visiting a certain winery. Major ones such as Beringer, Mondavi and Stag's Leap invite spontaneity; although small fees are charged for tastings, you won't need a reservation. Smaller, family-owned wineries recommend that you phone ahead to see if they'll be open. Weather permitting, you may want to plan your visit around a picnic lunch. Wineries such as V. Sattui in St. Helena have an on-site deli and plenty of picnic tables for leisurely noshing. Nor should you rule out a late-morning stop at Dean and DeLuca in St. Helena. The staff at this gourmet mecca will be happy to recommend signature cheeses, meats, pates, olives, wines and, of course, decadent desserts.

Plan on where you want to stay -- The Napa Valley is dotted with Victorian-style bed-and-breakfast inns, many of which were once private homes. If the purpose of your trip is a romantic getaway, you'll be treated to vintage decor, feather beds and full breakfasts. Many of these establishments have restrictions regarding young children. If you're on a family vacation, your needs are well met at chains such as Hawthorn Inn and Suites, Best Western, Embassy Suites and Marriott and independent entities such as The Carneros Inn, Silverado Resort and the cottages at RiverPointe.

Save time for enjoying some of the region's other popular attractions and activities -- such as dining aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train; a hot air balloon ride over miles of vineyards; golfing; bicycling; pampering yourself at any number of day spas (including the hot springs and volcanic mud baths at Calistoga); or sampling gourmet goodies at Katz and Company, NapaStyle Paninoteca and Wine Bar and The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.

Here's a couple of suggestions/options.

If you want a cool tour with average (for Napa) wine, check out the Castello di Amorosa. It's a Tuscan castle built exactly the way they were built in the past using all imported materials. Very cool. Wine is okay. Splurge for the chocolate option on the tasting.

Another winery that's good for the scenery moreso than the wine is Sterling. You take a Gondola to the winery at the top of a hill. Beautiful views.

I haven't done it, but I believe Beringer has a great tour for people that want to see everything about the wine making process. I've taken similar tours but wouldn't mind doing this one day.

Somebody mentioned Robert Sinskey. I really liked it. We did a tour that ended with a lunch in the cave. Very cool. Really good wine and the food was great. They pour a lot at lunch so be prepared to drink at this one.

Another great one for drinking a ton is Del Dotto. The cave tour consists of barrel tasting from 8-10 selections. Different from other wine tastings in that you're not tasting the final product. A good guide here can show how minor changes to the barrel or prep can produce different tastes. And they pour a ton. It's nicknamed Del Blotto by many. A good tour to end the day on. We also had a meat and cheese plate with pizza at the end.

V Sattui is an interesting option. Not many places can serve actual food outside of some meat/cheese plates because of rules the restaurant industry supports. This place does have hot food you can order and they have nice picnic areas. Split a tasting with somebody and try 6 wines. Pick out one you like and buy it to take outside to drink with your lunch. This place can be packed and it's not the best wine in the Valley. But it's decent and a good way to relax for an hour or so, especially when the weather is nice.

Pride was a very good winery. Loved that one.

If you like ports, try the Prager Family. I believe they're the only ones in Napa that specialize in port. Many wineries will have a bunch of wine and 1 port. This place has a bunch of ports and 1 wine. Very informal place. The owners are fun.

I highly recommend starting your day at either Mumm Napa or Domaine Carneros. Good sparkling wines and a nice way to start your day before diving into heavy Napa cabs.

A few others I've liked: Alpha & Omega, Ladera, Silver Oak, Miner Family.

Morimoto in downtown Napa was a good place to eat. I'm blanking on the other places we ate at. There was a French place that is popular that was very good...I think it was called the French Laundry. We also ate a Zuzu once for Spanish Tapas.

Fun vacation. Make sure to drink a ton of water or Gatorade throughout the day to stay hydrated. I would say 4 wineries a day was the sweet spot for me. By the 5th stop I just wanted to take a nap.