Last Wednesday we had the chance to tour and taste at Hall winery in St. Helena. Our previous visit to Hall was in November 2006. What dramatic changes since our last visit! In 2013, the Hall winery opened a new winery facility and hospitality center. The owners are Kathyrn Hall and Craig Hall, both successful in business, … Read more
I last did a post on Mustards Grill in June of 2008 for their 25th anniversary. I am overdue for an update on one of the oldest and most popular restaurants in the Napa Valley. Mustards Grill in Yountville has stood the test of time. Now in its 31st year, it is as popular as ever. It is … Read more
What Napa Valley wine facts you should know Before you head out on your Napa Valley wine country vacation here are some helpful Napa Valley facts. Be sure to watch the short Napa Valley Travel Tip movie at the bottom of this article. It’s extremely informative for the first time visitor. There are more than … Read more
Do you like wine, wine history, the Loire Valley, the Napa Valley, and a love story? This is an easy read book that is sure to please anyone who has a strong interest in wine. Janelle first spotted this book at Books, Inc. The beautiful cover (designed by Alan Jones) is what first grabbed her attention, … Read more
The number of Napa Valley wineries one can visit is over 400 and growing. Wineries range from the fun and casual to discerning and exquisite. Which do you prefer? In this short video we suggest five wineries that are in the fun and casual category. For more traveling advice consult the Napa Valley Wine Country Planning … Read more
This is a guest article on the Wine Country Getaways’ Blog by Melanie Schwartz, the founder of Booker & Butler Napa and Sonoma Concierge Services. We receive many emails throughout the year asking us for tour guide recommendations. Since we do not use tour guides, we hesitate to make recommendations. A better alternative for us is … Read more
I started the Napa Valley Wine Tasting Fee Index last March in 2014. The idea behind the Napa Valley Tasting Room Fee Index is twofold. It gives our Wine Country Getaways readers a ballpark dollar figure of what it costs to taste wine in the Napa Valley. Secondly, I thought it would be interesting to compare Napa Valley tasting fee … Read more
A visit to the Louis M. Martini winery is a visit to Napa Valley’s past. The winery was founded on Highway 29 in St. Helena in 1933. The winery has always been a special place for us, because it was one of the first we visited in the Napa Valley many moons ago. Back in … Read more
The Quintessa Experience Quintessa is a landmark on the Silverado Trail and I have driven by many times. Each time I’d driven past Quintessa, I wondered if I would ever taste and tour there. It’s one of Napa Valley’s most expensive wineries for visiting and purchasing wine, and totally out of my pocketbook range. But lo … Read more
Secret Winery in Carneros, Truchard Vineyards Why is Truchard Vineyards a secret winery in Carneros? The Truchard winery is off the beaten path located on Old Sonoma Road. Most travelers have no reason to venture along this backroad that leads from the Carneros Highway into the town of Napa. Secondly, the winery produces 20,000 cases of … Read more