California wine country
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Our resident expert, Donna, will be able to help you with this!!!
If you can get in, be sure to check out Opus. It is very different from most other wineries. Also, check out Korbel, which is a bit different from the norm and has a bit more history than most others. A few others which I think are funn are Kenwood, Ravenswood, Mondavi - just because it is Mondavi.
I went on a private tour of Opus! It was wonderful!
Sterling Vinyards was very nice also. The Mustard Seed is a wonderful place to have dinner or lunch!
Don't miss Sauslito!! Just on the other side of the Golden Gate...a lovely little seaside town that looks like an Italian village!
Sterling Vinyards was very nice also. The Mustard Seed is a wonderful place to have dinner or lunch!
Don't miss Sauslito!! Just on the other side of the Golden Gate...a lovely little seaside town that looks like an Italian village!
Robert Mondavi Winery offers the most in-depth wine tour in the Napa Valley. Beringer's tour has a lot of history and gorgeous grounds, and you should go upstairs in the Rhine House for the better wines for tasting. Nickel & Nickel, sister winery to Far Niente (also excellent) offers a unique tasting because all their wines are single-vineyard wines (they charge). Many of our wineries now charge for tastings, up to $45 in some cases, but these are the better experiences. Hess Collection is interesting and offers a well-curated art collection/museum. Sterling has an aerial tram that offers a beautiful view of the Valley, but their wines are decidedly ho-hum. The two best Cabernets produced in this Valley are Silver Oak and Caymus, both of which offer a simple tasting experience in a smaller setting. Opus is elegant and unique. If you can get into Dominus (great challenge), it is the most spectacular winery in our area. Duckhorn Vineyards offers a reasonably priced wine tasting and tour paired with small food and they are wildly popular with visitors, as is their sister winery, Paraduxx (on the Silverado Trail just south of Duckhorn). And I always like to recommend the tour at Domaine Chandon, which is sparkling wne, because it is so different and playful. In fact, a really wonderful day is a tour and tasting there, followed by lunch overlooking the vineyards on their Restaurant terrace. Reservations for the restaurant are a must.
As for restaurants, Mustards is still open and excellent. Bouchon Bistro and Bistro Jeanty in Yountville are fun and not too expensive. The newest superstar restaurant is Redd in Yountville (former Auberge du Soleil chef). In St. Helena, you can find excellent food at Terra (romantic evenings and great food), Cook, Market (reasonably priced and a stunning dining room), Tra Vigna has a glorious outdoor terrace and remains a favorite with the visitors. Then there is also a Houston's in Rutherford, two miles south of St. Helena. It is called Rutherford Grill, because we don't allow chains up here. Great food and they don't charge a corkage fee at all.
A comment on corkage...in most places, we understand that it is not okay to take your own bottle of wine to a restaurant. It is very common practice here, as so many of the locals either grow winegrapes or have wineries. Corkage fees range from $15 a bottle to $20. The practice is not frowned upon in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, however and can lower your dining bill considerably. The restaurants are quite accustomed to this. We always leave a little extra for service when we take wine and pay a corkage fee.
There are a few very unique dining experiences. At the top of the ladder is Thomas Keller's The French Laundry, which is a once in a lifetime experience. Chef Keller was voted "best chef in the world" by other top chefs and The French Laundry has been named the best restaurant in the country. Lunch or dinner here will last about four hours and will cost about $300 a person for the tasting menu, simple wine, and service. It is worth it, if you can get in. Reservations are taken two months in advance and they are fully booked in the first hour the phone lines open. On any day or evening, there are 300 people waitlisted. However, you can call at the last minute and there might be cancellations. This restaurant is better than any of the Michelin three-star restaurants in Paris. Thomas Keller also owns Bouchon Restaurant and Bouchon Bakery, where we have many of our working meetings and where Thomas has dinner most nights. If you spot him in his white tunic, introduce yourself, as he is very personable. He'll also sign either The French Laundry or Bouchon cookbooks, both of which won "cookbook of the year" awards, if you have a copy in tow (available at Bouchon Bakery or any local gift shop)!
You can visit the Greystone Wine Spectator Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), in the old Christian Brothers historic cellars just north of St. Helena. The dining room is beautiful, the food good, the gift shop a knockout, and you can watch one of the televised cooking demonstrations and get coffee and a pastry at the coffee shop afterewards. This is a fun afternoon.
At the opposite end of the spectrum (and a favorite of ours) is The Bounty Hunter, a small restaurant and wine shop in the City of Napa, right next to the Napa River downtown. The decor is old western and there are historic photos of oldtown Napa all over the walls. The stools at the tall bar tables are old saddles. The ribs and pulled pork BBQ sandwich are wonderful and their bread pudding alone worth the visit. But their claim to fame is a beer can-roasted chicken for two, served with salad for $14. This is old Napa Valley at its finest. We often go there before movies in Napa. They have a remarkable selection of premium wines by the glass Very easy on the budget and loaded with atmosphere. A very lively bar scene for young people.
There is also Taylor's Automatic Refresher, a restored drive-in south of St. Helena, where all the dishes are made from fresh, quality ingredients. Specialties are halibut fish & chips, a great Ahi tuna burger, Chinese chicken salad, and either a pistachio or espresso milkshake. You can enjoy your meal on picnic tables set under the oak trees next to the creek. There is also a Taylor's located in the Ferry Building in San Francisco (see below).
There are other things to do in the Napa Valley besides wine tasting: bicycle riding, hot air ballooning, shopping (especially the historic Main Street in St. Helena), factory outlets (in Napa), hiking (from the top of Mt. St. Helena, you can see downtown San Francisco), spas and mud baths, golfing, croquette, and nature observing. There is a wonderfully restored cinema in downtown St. Helena. And you can take the ferry from the south end of the County into San Francisco, a one-hr. ride on a huge and fast double catamaran that is breathtakingly beautiful and deposits you right at the Ferry Building in SF. The historic Ferry Building has been restored and houses restaurants, food emporiums, bookstores, and the SF Farmer's Market on weekends. The Slanted Door Restaurant offers world famous Vietnamese food in a very edgy and hip dining room overlooking the Bay and the Bay Bridge.
Whatever you decide, have a wonderful trip. PM me if you want additional feedback or help setting up tours/tastings in wineries that are off the beaten path, Allifunn! I also have a little Napa Valley itinerary that I give to people who ask about what they should do here and could e-mail that to you.
As for restaurants, Mustards is still open and excellent. Bouchon Bistro and Bistro Jeanty in Yountville are fun and not too expensive. The newest superstar restaurant is Redd in Yountville (former Auberge du Soleil chef). In St. Helena, you can find excellent food at Terra (romantic evenings and great food), Cook, Market (reasonably priced and a stunning dining room), Tra Vigna has a glorious outdoor terrace and remains a favorite with the visitors. Then there is also a Houston's in Rutherford, two miles south of St. Helena. It is called Rutherford Grill, because we don't allow chains up here. Great food and they don't charge a corkage fee at all.
A comment on corkage...in most places, we understand that it is not okay to take your own bottle of wine to a restaurant. It is very common practice here, as so many of the locals either grow winegrapes or have wineries. Corkage fees range from $15 a bottle to $20. The practice is not frowned upon in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, however and can lower your dining bill considerably. The restaurants are quite accustomed to this. We always leave a little extra for service when we take wine and pay a corkage fee.
There are a few very unique dining experiences. At the top of the ladder is Thomas Keller's The French Laundry, which is a once in a lifetime experience. Chef Keller was voted "best chef in the world" by other top chefs and The French Laundry has been named the best restaurant in the country. Lunch or dinner here will last about four hours and will cost about $300 a person for the tasting menu, simple wine, and service. It is worth it, if you can get in. Reservations are taken two months in advance and they are fully booked in the first hour the phone lines open. On any day or evening, there are 300 people waitlisted. However, you can call at the last minute and there might be cancellations. This restaurant is better than any of the Michelin three-star restaurants in Paris. Thomas Keller also owns Bouchon Restaurant and Bouchon Bakery, where we have many of our working meetings and where Thomas has dinner most nights. If you spot him in his white tunic, introduce yourself, as he is very personable. He'll also sign either The French Laundry or Bouchon cookbooks, both of which won "cookbook of the year" awards, if you have a copy in tow (available at Bouchon Bakery or any local gift shop)!
You can visit the Greystone Wine Spectator Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), in the old Christian Brothers historic cellars just north of St. Helena. The dining room is beautiful, the food good, the gift shop a knockout, and you can watch one of the televised cooking demonstrations and get coffee and a pastry at the coffee shop afterewards. This is a fun afternoon.
At the opposite end of the spectrum (and a favorite of ours) is The Bounty Hunter, a small restaurant and wine shop in the City of Napa, right next to the Napa River downtown. The decor is old western and there are historic photos of oldtown Napa all over the walls. The stools at the tall bar tables are old saddles. The ribs and pulled pork BBQ sandwich are wonderful and their bread pudding alone worth the visit. But their claim to fame is a beer can-roasted chicken for two, served with salad for $14. This is old Napa Valley at its finest. We often go there before movies in Napa. They have a remarkable selection of premium wines by the glass Very easy on the budget and loaded with atmosphere. A very lively bar scene for young people.
There is also Taylor's Automatic Refresher, a restored drive-in south of St. Helena, where all the dishes are made from fresh, quality ingredients. Specialties are halibut fish & chips, a great Ahi tuna burger, Chinese chicken salad, and either a pistachio or espresso milkshake. You can enjoy your meal on picnic tables set under the oak trees next to the creek. There is also a Taylor's located in the Ferry Building in San Francisco (see below).
There are other things to do in the Napa Valley besides wine tasting: bicycle riding, hot air ballooning, shopping (especially the historic Main Street in St. Helena), factory outlets (in Napa), hiking (from the top of Mt. St. Helena, you can see downtown San Francisco), spas and mud baths, golfing, croquette, and nature observing. There is a wonderfully restored cinema in downtown St. Helena. And you can take the ferry from the south end of the County into San Francisco, a one-hr. ride on a huge and fast double catamaran that is breathtakingly beautiful and deposits you right at the Ferry Building in SF. The historic Ferry Building has been restored and houses restaurants, food emporiums, bookstores, and the SF Farmer's Market on weekends. The Slanted Door Restaurant offers world famous Vietnamese food in a very edgy and hip dining room overlooking the Bay and the Bay Bridge.
Whatever you decide, have a wonderful trip. PM me if you want additional feedback or help setting up tours/tastings in wineries that are off the beaten path, Allifunn! I also have a little Napa Valley itinerary that I give to people who ask about what they should do here and could e-mail that to you.
P.S. Forgot about best places to stay. If you're looking for most elegant and cost is no object, stay at Auberge du Soleil or Meadowwood, both near St. Helena. You will spend $600/night and up for these experiences, though.
Best accommodations for the price can be found at Wine Country Inn on Lodi Lane, just north of St. Helena (and nextdoor to Duckhorn Winery). The location is wonderful, surrounded by vineyards and with great mountain views. The rooms are very nice and they are famous for their breakfasts, which are included in the prices. The hosts will arrange virtually a anything for you. There is a swimming pool and hot tub. Prices range from $200 to $750 for their best suite. (You won't find anything here for under $200.)
There are a number of B&B establishments in Napa and in St. Helena, if you like B&Bs. There is also Ranch Caymus Inn, a historic pueblo-style hotel in Rutherford. Yountville offers a wide range of hotels, from B&Bs to small hotels to very large full-services spa resorts. Our favorite there is Yountville Inn. Ask for Susan (concierge), who is our house and pet sitter, and she will put together a remarkable itinerary for you. Yountville is sort of an elegant food court for the Napa Valley, home of The French Laundry, Bouchon Bistro, Bistro Jeanty, Redd Restaurant, Domaine Chandon Restaurant, and many other choices. You can walk from any hotel in town to any restaurant.
Calistoga offers funkier accommodations, many of them spa hotels, and at somewhat lower rates. Calistoga is nine miles north of St. Helena.
Hotels should be booked well in advance (especially Wine Country Inn or the two premiere hotels) during the summer and early fall months or on holiday weekends. Avoid the last week in May/first in June, as that is the big Wine Auction. Traffic is dreadful and hotels are filled. We try to be out of town that week, if we don't have Auction responsibilities. While many people come during harvest (late August through late October), this is really not the best time. Traffic is fierce, rogue grape trucks rushing fruit to the wineries, and it can be extremely hot. Wineries have less time to spend on the tours, too. We have two favorite times in the Napa Valley: (1) The first two weeks in November, when harvest is finished, the crowds have lessened, and all the fall color is pumping in our trees and vineyards; or (2) Any rainy Wednesday in February, for obvious reasons!
Bon voyage!
Best accommodations for the price can be found at Wine Country Inn on Lodi Lane, just north of St. Helena (and nextdoor to Duckhorn Winery). The location is wonderful, surrounded by vineyards and with great mountain views. The rooms are very nice and they are famous for their breakfasts, which are included in the prices. The hosts will arrange virtually a anything for you. There is a swimming pool and hot tub. Prices range from $200 to $750 for their best suite. (You won't find anything here for under $200.)
There are a number of B&B establishments in Napa and in St. Helena, if you like B&Bs. There is also Ranch Caymus Inn, a historic pueblo-style hotel in Rutherford. Yountville offers a wide range of hotels, from B&Bs to small hotels to very large full-services spa resorts. Our favorite there is Yountville Inn. Ask for Susan (concierge), who is our house and pet sitter, and she will put together a remarkable itinerary for you. Yountville is sort of an elegant food court for the Napa Valley, home of The French Laundry, Bouchon Bistro, Bistro Jeanty, Redd Restaurant, Domaine Chandon Restaurant, and many other choices. You can walk from any hotel in town to any restaurant.
Calistoga offers funkier accommodations, many of them spa hotels, and at somewhat lower rates. Calistoga is nine miles north of St. Helena.
Hotels should be booked well in advance (especially Wine Country Inn or the two premiere hotels) during the summer and early fall months or on holiday weekends. Avoid the last week in May/first in June, as that is the big Wine Auction. Traffic is dreadful and hotels are filled. We try to be out of town that week, if we don't have Auction responsibilities. While many people come during harvest (late August through late October), this is really not the best time. Traffic is fierce, rogue grape trucks rushing fruit to the wineries, and it can be extremely hot. Wineries have less time to spend on the tours, too. We have two favorite times in the Napa Valley: (1) The first two weeks in November, when harvest is finished, the crowds have lessened, and all the fall color is pumping in our trees and vineyards; or (2) Any rainy Wednesday in February, for obvious reasons!
Bon voyage!
Paula girl....you should work for the wine country! 
you make everything sound wonderful...you should write a travel brochure....BTW...have you started your ghost legend book? I will be staying at the Wash Away in June...I'll bet there are lots of stories and legends about that grand old place!
you make everything sound wonderful...you should write a travel brochure....BTW...have you started your ghost legend book? I will be staying at the Wash Away in June...I'll bet there are lots of stories and legends about that grand old place!