• Wine Regions
    • Napa Valley Wine Country Guide
    • Healdsburg – Russian River Wine Country
    • Sonoma Valley Wine Country Planning Guide
    • Mendocino Wine Country
    • Carneros
    • Paso Robles Wine Country
    • Santa Barbara Wine Country
    • Livermore Valley wineries
    • Lodi Wineries
    • Sierra Foothills Wineries
    • Monterey Wineries
    • Santa Cruz Wineries
    • Lake County Wine Country
    • Yolo County Wine Country
  • Tasting Room Guide
    • Tasting Room Etiquette
    • How to Taste Wine
    • Bocce Wineries
    • Organic Wineries
    • The Wine Country Picnic
    • Vineyard Year
    • Best wine country backroads
    • Winery Wine Clubs
    • Buying Wine at a Winery
    • Wine Varietals
    • Wine Appellations
    • Solar Wineries in California
    • How many bottles of wine in a barrel?
    • Hiking in Wine Country
  • Wine Guide
    • Pairing Food & Wine
      • Which wines for dinner?
    • Which Wine Glass
    • Decanting wine
    • Which Corkscrew works best
    • Corkage Fees
    • Corked Wine
      • Preserving Wine – what to do with the unfinished bottle of wine
    • Hosting a Wine Tasting Party – How to pull it off
      • Hosting a Serious Wine Tasting Party
      • How to Host a Fun and Casual Wine Tasting Party
      • Wine Scoring Sheets | Wine Tasting Forms | Wine Scorecards
      • Checklist for Successful Wine Tasting
    • Wine Gifts for Wine Geeks
      • Best Wine Books
      • Top Ten Wine Cookbooks
      • Best wine fiction books
    • Best Wine Bargains
    • Wine Collection Tips
  • Wine Country Insider
    • Wine Trails off the Beaten Path
    • Quick Getaways
    • Hiking in Wine Country
    • When to Visit Wine Country
    • How to decide which wine region to visit
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
You are here: Home / Blog

Napa Valley Half-Day Wine Country Getaways

July 25, 2006 by joe

You’re here for a convention and have a half-day of free time. You have always wanted to visit the Napa Valley, and this time you are going to do it no matter what happens. Your goal is to bring home at least a four pack of wine and a photo of yourself with the vineyards and mountains of the Napa Valley in the background. So, where do you go in the Napa Valley to sample the best of this fabulous wine country?robert-mondavi-winery.jpg

For a second winery, how about visiting the famous Robert Mondavi Winery? It’s another four miles north on Highway 29 from Domain Chandon. Although Robert Mondavi no longer owns the winery, there is a lot of wine history here and it’s one of the most beautiful spots in the Napa Valley.

Option Two
From the Bay Bridge and Highway 37, you can work your way through the city of Napa and to the Silverado Trail. The Silverado Trail is on the east side of Napa Valley and is much less busy than Highway 29, the main artery of the Valley. Within a short distance on the Silverado Trail, you will pass several small boutique wineries ideal for a quick visit. Robert Sinskey and Pine Ridge Winery are two of our favorites along this route and both wineries have picnic areas. A good deli just before you hit the wineries on Silverado Trail, is the Soda Canyon Store, 4006 Silverado Trail. If you don’t want to picnic, drive back into Napa and have lunch at the Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Bistro at 975 First St. in Napa.

Click here to get a printable map of suggested wineries to visit in the Napa Valley.

Filed Under: Activities, Tasting Rooms

Elyse Winery

July 19, 2006 by joe

We stumbled on this hidden winery after visiting Noah’s Winery which is very close by. The Elyse Winery is on Hoffman Lane on the west side of Highway 29 as you near Yountville. If you are traveling north from Napa, you will probably miss Hoffman Lane. That’s a good thing because it is a dangerous left turn to get to Hoffman and Elyse on the west side of Highway 29. For safety sake, we encourage visitors to forget the left turn and instead exit a mile ahead at the first Yountville exit. Turn under the freeway and get back on Highway 29 going south. The winery is open by appointment only which we did not know on our visit. When we drove up, we found two other couples in the tasting room. Our hostess explained that if she is around, which is just about daily, the tasting room is open to visitors. The tasting room is a tiny, unassuming cottage dressed up with beautiful blooming wisteria.

elyse-winery

We tasted several wines and were very much impressed by the quality of the wines. For a tiny, hidden winery, their wines are equal to the “big boys” of Napa. We fell in love with the 2002 Napa Syrah. We also enjoyed the unusual 2004 Nero Misto, a blend of Italian red varietals. The wines are not inexpensive but we think priced very fairly when considering the quality of these wines. Our visit was quite fruitful and we enjoyed the homey and friendly atmosphere of this tasting room. We will go again.

The Good: Family owned, no tasting fee, really good wines.
The Bad: We did not notice a picnic area, open by appointment.
It is best to call ahead to book an appointment. (707) 944-2900

Filed Under: Hidden Napa Wineries, Tasting Rooms

Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards

July 18, 2006 by joe

The Flora Springs tasting room is right next door to the gourmet, high-end Dean & Deluca food shop, just before entering the city of St. Helena. The Flora Springs winery facility is in a different location, on Zinfandel Lane. The tasting room is a rather recent addition and has increased the presence of this fine winery of the Napa Valley. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here, quite the opposite of our visit to Provenance Vineyards earlier in the day.

Flora-Springs-winery

Our hostess was fun, knowledgeable, and made us feel at home. The wines range in price from very affordable to expensive. A deliciously fruity and dry Sangiovese Rosato can be purchased for $10. At the opposite high-end, the fine Hillside Reserve Cabernet is $100.

For a tasting fee of $5, you can taste five wines and there is also a premium wine tasting that is $12. We purchased a bottle each of the Sangiovese Rosato, a crispy Pinot Grigio ($12), and a fruity Sangiovese ($16).

The Good: Very friendly staff, a wide price range of wines from $10 to $100.
The Bad: Winery is located elsewhere, picnic area not very secluded.

Filed Under: Tasting Rooms

Rubicon Estates – Formerly Niebaum Coppola

July 16, 2006 by joe

This renowned winery was most recently known as Niebaum Coppola. In early 2006 the name was changed to Rubicon Estates. Rubicon denotes the series of “reserve�? premium wines produced by owner Francis Ford Coppola. The name change also brings about a focus on a different clientele. It’s $25 a guest just to enter Rubicon and take a look around.

rubicon-estates.jpg

Our first visit to this magnificent winery was in the early 1970s when it was then Inglenook Winery. We have been back many times since. It is a wondrous estate with beautiful vineyards and stunning architecture.

We heard about the changes and out of curiosity, we decided to venture into Rubicon. We drove down the long beautiful driveway and were greeted midway by a group of young men. They handed us a welcome card detailing the visit. For $25, a visitor can taste five wines, tour the Inglenook Chateau, browse the museum, plus have valet parking. We said “no thanks” and we were shown the well-marked turnaround route.

Although $25 is a lot to pay, a few other wineries do the same in Napa Valley, such as the tour and tasting at Schramsberg or Chateau Montelena. We would say it is definitely worth a visit, especially for the first timer. The grounds and historic buildings are spectacular and one can learn some history about wine and the Napa Valley.

Filed Under: Tasting Rooms

Provenance Vineyards

July 14, 2006 by joe

Provenance Vineyards is located just past the town of Rutherford on the west side of the road on Highway 29. It’s hard to miss; it is the big red barn-style building. We visited this winery a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday around 11 am.

provenance-vineyards.jpg

Two people were working the tasting room and it seemed as though they didn’t quite have their act together. One was spending most of his time with one customer, a visitor from Germany. The second may have been newly hired, not sure of herself as she made the rounds. All in all, we felt our experience there was a little on the uncomfortable side so we did not stay long.

The tasting fee at Provenance is $10. The wines are extremely good but range in price from $19 for the Sauvignon Blanc to $50 for their top Merlots. Our favorite wine that we tasted was the Sauvignon Blanc. However, we think there are several other wineries that produce a Sauvignon Blanc that is as good or better for around $14 to $16 a bottle.

Filed Under: Tasting Rooms

Dean & DeLuca

July 7, 2006 by joe

After a visit to the Flora Springs tasting room, we wandered next door to the upscale gourmet food shop of Dean & DeLuca. It really is a happening place with lots of tourists grabby up gourmet goodies to take back home. They have an extensive cheese shop, sandwich department, a mammoth wine shop, local produce, and a whole lot more. It is fun to see all the amazing array of gourmet goodies.

dean-delucca.jpg

Visiting the wine department is worth the visit alone. You won’t find a much better selection anywhere, especially if you are looking for oversize bottles of wine or the so-called “cult” Cabernets.

The store is located on the west side of Highway 29 in St. Helena, 607 South St. Helena Highway. The Flora Springs tasting room is in the same parking lot area.

Filed Under: Activities, Deli's

Gordon’s Cafe & Wine Bar

July 6, 2006 by joe

One of the local favorites for breakfast and lunch in Yountville is Gordon’s Café & Wine Bar. We arrived there around 9:15 with a party of 14. Luckily for us, the restaurant was not crowded and we were all seated together. Gordon’s is a relaxed place with a country style decor. You order at the counter, all menu items are listed on a chalkboard. There are lots of breakfast items to choose from including a delicious scrambled egg chorizo combo. The coffee is wonderful. By the time we had finished our breakfast, the place was jammed.

gordons-cafe

Lots of cyclists make it a rest stop and have a cup of coffee and pastry before heading out to complete their morning ride. One reason we like Gordon’s is that it is very old-town like. It is not upscale, just good food and a very cool place to be on a Napa Valley morning.
Gordon’s is located at the northern end of Yountville at 6770 Washington St.

Filed Under: Restaurants

Larson Family Winery

July 4, 2006 by joe

We held our 2nd Annual Bocce Ball tournament on June 23, 2006, at the Larson Family Winery. The Larson Family Winery has a beautiful Bocce Ball court that overlooks their Chardonnay Vineyards.

This winery is not exactly in the Napa Valley but in the Los Carneros wine region that spans both Sonoma and Napa Counties. Many people consider Carneros to be just a portion of the Napa Valley. It is in actuality, an entirely separate wine region where Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wine reign.

larson-family-winery.jpg

The Larson Family Winery is a much different experience from what you are likely to find when visiting other wineries in the Carneros wine region. It is a more homey and relaxed experience. The staff is very friendly and a casual style permeates the tasting room. The winery was once the site of the largest rodeo in the Bay Area. A beautiful mural in the tasting room depicts this event.

The Larson Family produces some very nifty wines. This year they began making two jug wines, a one-liter cute jug of white wine and a red wine. The white wine is a Chardonnay and called Wingo White. The red is called Sonoma Red and is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. Both wines sell for $20. Another new wine, and our favorite of the Larson tasting was the Pinot Grigio. It is a very fruity and crisp wine and was utterly refreshing for our Bocce Ball lunch. This wine sells for $20 and this is generally more than you would pay for most Pinot Grigios. The Pinot Noir has a knockout aroma of raspberry and strawberry and delicious delicate flavors. The Pinot sells for $30.

The Good: No tasting fee except for the Cab; relaxed and pleasant environment, the Pinot Grigio, the Jug wines; Bocce Ball Court available, nice picnic area.

The Bad: We didn’t care for the 2005 Gewürztraminer, last year’s 2004 was much better but it is long gone.

Filed Under: Tasting Rooms

Bistro Don Giovanni

June 29, 2006 by joe

This was the weekend of the NASCAR event at the Infineon Raceway. We were fortunate to find lodging for one night (a rarity in Napa) for seven couples at the Chablis Inn just off Redwood Road in Napa. The inn is nothing fancy but it is quite adequate. Room rates range from $149 to $169 for weekends. Five minutes away is the Bistro Don Giovanni, a favorite of locals and travelers to the Napa Valley. The earliest reservation time available was 8:15 and we were told we would need to sit at two tables, one for six, and one for eight.

We showed up about 45 minutes before to have a glass of bubbly at the bar. To our surprise, our table was ready, and it was one table comfortably seating all fourteen of us. They sat us in their semi-enclosed outdoor patio. This was very refreshing on this hot evening.

The entrées are moderately priced. Prices range from a pizza at around $12 to a scrumptious rib eye grilled steak for $28. Corkage fee at the Bistro is $15 and that is just about right. We think anything over $15 is price gouging. The Bistro has a corkage policy if you buy one of their wines, they waive the corkage on one bottle of wine. We wish more restaurants would have this option. Our group brought in four terrific wines: a magnum of Seltzner 1983 Cab, a Caymus 1987 Cab, a Hanna 1999 Cab, and delicious white Pinot Grigio from Chalk Hill Winery.

The restaurant was extremely accommodating and the service was excellent. The noise level is somewhat loud but not enough to be a nuisance. With appetizers, entrées, desserts, and coffee, our check came to $125 per couple. We rate the Bistro a 4.5 out of 5 on our Five-Point Rating system.

The Good: Delicious food at fair prices. The corkage fee of $15 waived when you purchase a bottle of wine, excellent service, great wine menu.
The Bad: A little noisy.

Filed Under: Restaurants

Bocce Ball at a Winery

June 28, 2006 by joe

We spent an entire day playing Bocce Ball at the Larson Family Winery in Los Carneros. Bocce Ball among the vineyards with a group of friends is a fabulous way to enjoy the wine country. There are several wineries in the Napa Valley with Bocce Ball courts. Whenever we visit a winery and see a Bocce Ball court we try our hand a game. It is a fun sport and low-key on the mind and body. Check out our list of wineries with Bocce Ball courts.

bocce-ball.jpg

This is our 2nd annual Bocce Ball tournament. We have set up a double elimination tournament with 12 of our wine-loving friends. We meet at the Larson Family Winery just off Highway 121 in the famous wine and sparkling wine region of Los Carneros.

The winners of this tournament, as occurred last year, were first-time players. Don and Nell capture the tournament with relative ease like they had been playing the sport for years. We modified the rules a bit so we could get through the 11 games scheduled within a three hour period. We took time off to wine taste at the Larson Family tasting room and to enjoy our picnic lunch among the vineyards. We decided beforehand that each couple contribute $20 for prizes. We award Larson wine certificates to our top three finishers.

We will cap off our day with a group dinner at the Bistro Don Giovanni later in the evening. Bocce Ball information.

Filed Under: Activities, Tasting Rooms

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • Next Page »

Wine Country Updates from Janelle and Joe

Subscribe to our wine country reports

* indicates required


Latest from the Blog

  • Dario Cecchini – The Butcher of Chianti Classico
  • Wine Country Photography for Wine Lovers. Frame it
    A Vineyard Year
  • Daffodil Hill in Wine Country
-->

CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY REGIONS:

Carneros • Livermore • Lodi • Mendocino • Monterey • Napa Valley • Paso Robles • Santa Barbara County • Santa Cruz Mts. • Sierra Foothills • Russian River • Sonoma Valley

Connect With Us

Want to keep up with Wine Country Getaways? Follow us across our social networks!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Twitter

Sign up for wine country news from Janelle and Joe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2021 · Wine COuntry Getaways