I usually go up to Russian River or Sonoma when up in Wine Country but Napa seemed like the perfect destination for a small trip to celebrate the holiday season. What could be better than the picturesque fall leaves, champagne, good food, and good company? The weekend was absolutely perfect. Kudos to the trip planner!
The 1st day was all about white wines and champagnes! Here are the places we stopped on our wine country itinerary. All of them had their own special qualities and I would highly recommend!
Turnbull – Traditionally known for their reds, we enjoyed a lovely bottle of Syrah during our chilly picnic lunch.
Cakebread – I love their sauvignon blanc every year. The Rubiyat is a consistently, moderately priced red table wine. If you can get your hands on any of their reserve cabernets, those are also quite good but pricey!
Schramsberg – Bubbles all the way baby!
Merryvale – I have always loved their Profile. I think I used to love it more 5 years ago when it was $90/bottle vs the shocking price of $130. I still appreciated the several pours we got of the vertical tasting of the Profile.
Day Two was all about big, red & Cabernet focused.
Caymus – Famous for their big Cabernets, I recently enjoyed a 1980 Special Reserve Cabernet (Courtesy of my good friend Dave). We didn't get to try anything nearly as aged but the wines were tasty but expensive! The tasting fee wasn't cheap either at $25/person.
Robert Sinskey – Unfortunately, all out of their rose, we were really just using them for their covered picnic area. This is a great stop for a picnic lunch. Beware of their tasting fees that creep up every year and their ditzy wine pourers.
Burgess – We just enjoyed a 1994 Cabernet on my birthday so Burgess was a perfect way to end our trip. Offering re-releases of their library wines, we scored a 1979 Cabernet! I'm holding onto this for my 30th birthday! Michael was warm and inviting and our private tasting was more than perfect!
Here's a great map of the Napa Valley Wine Country to plan your next trip!
Napa Valley Wineries Map
