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Wine Tasting in Morro Bay and Cambria

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We recently explored Morro Bay and Cambria

Morro Rock – Outdoor activities plus wine tasting in Morro Bay and Cambria

Wine Tasting in Morro Bay and Cambria

The Central Coast has many possibilities for wine touring and tasting. The most popular regions are Paso Robles and Santa Barbara. For wine travelers who desire to mix in a variety of outdoor activities with wine country pleasures, the coastal towns of Morro Bay and Cambria offer numerous opportunities. We recently explored Morro Bay and Cambria. We hiked, kayaked, dined, shopped, and we tasted wines in Morro Bay and Cambria.

Chateau Margene Tasting Room in Morro Bay

Chateau Margene Tasting Room in Morro Bay

Morro Bay Activities

Our base in Morro Bay is the Gray’s Inn. The Gray’s Inn is smack dab in front of the waters of Morro Bay. Gray’s Inn has a mini kitchen which is an added plus if you want to eat some of your meals in.  The deck of the Inn provides beautiful views of the water activities afforded by the tranquil waters of the Morro Bay. Take a morning hike or kayak ride, and then spend the afternoon strolling the shops of Morro Bay and wine tasting. There are several tasting rooms in Morro Bay, plus an Albertson’s Market that has a fantastic collection of local wines.

Morro Rock is spectacular both morning and evenings. The nearby Morro Bay State Park offers camping and hiking trails. You can rent paddleboards and kayaks for excellent exercise. There are cruise tours as well as chartered fishing opportunities. There are several dining spots to choose from that have excellent cuisine and views of Morro Bay.

Here is a list of the wine tasting rooms in the town of Morro Bay

  • Chateau Margene – High-end Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Morro Bay Wine Seller – wine shop and wine bar, pairings and music
  • MCV Wines – boutique Paso Robles winery offering Petit Sirah and other wines
  • STAX Wine Bar and Bistro – wine bar, local wines and food pairings

The best resource for Morro Bay trip planning

Rent a Kayak in Morro Bay

Rent a Kayak in Morro Bay

Cambria Activities

Cambria is about a 30-minute drive north from Morro Bay, a pretty drive along the coast. The big attraction in Cambria is Hearst Castle, but hiking, wine tasting, and boutique shopping are also favorite activities. Most people will take Highway 46 West from Paso Robles to get to Cambria. Along the way, there are several Paso Robles wineries to visit. The views of the vineyards along the route are stunning.

The coastal town of Cambria has many activities, but wine tasting is a big plus. We suggest that you stop in at the Stolo Family Vineyards. In town, you will see signs directing you to Stolo Family Vineyards. The winery and tasting room are on Santa Rosa Creek Road, a couple of miles east of Cambria. The wines are excellent!  Pack a lunch and enjoy the views at Stolo while sipping a cool glass of white wine. Pinot Noir is also excellent at Stolo.

The wineries in this area have formed the Pacific Coast Wine Trail.

Stolo Vineyards

Cambria has many restaurant choices. We dined at the Harmony Cafe. The place was packed with locals, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The food is terrific. The pace is very relaxed and pleasant.

Harmony Cafe

Harmony Cafe

In the town of Cambria, these wineries have tasting rooms

The best resource for Cambria trip planning

If you have the time, you can easily spend 2-3 full days or more in these towns.  If you plan to visit Hearst Castle, you’ll need more time. Let us know what you enjoy the most if you visit Morro Bay and Cambria.

 

 

Quivira Farm-to-Table Dinner Series for 2016

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quivira-vines

Quivira Introduces New Farm-to-Table Dinner Series for 2016

Introducing a new Quivira Farm-to-Table Dinner Series for this summer. The Farm-to-Table Dinners showcase talent from some of the Bay Area’s top chefs and the winery’s own bounty of Biodynamic and organic foods. Beginning in July, Quivira will partner with four chefs on a series of multi-course menus using only ingredients and wines grown on the Quivira Vineyards Biodynamic gardens in Dry Creek Valley.

The Lineup of Chefs for Quivira Food and Wine

  • The Farm-to-Table Dinner Series will kick off on July 23 with a menu crafted by chef de cuisine Anthony Jimenez of The Table, one of San Jose’s premier restaurants. The Table is renowned for contemporary American cuisine and driven by a passion for genuine hospitality, recognizing that many of life’s best memories are created around a table.
  • On August 13, Quivira will present a Mexican regionally-inspired meal prepared by executive chef Sophina Uong of Oakland’s Calavera. Chef Uong will make Oaxacan-focused fare inspired by the region’s ingredients, artists and craftspeople.
  • The August 27 event will showcase cuisine from Madera, the acclaimed restaurant at Menlo Park’s luxurious Rosewood Sand Hill Resort. Madera’s chef pays homage to the Bay Area’s history and culinary traditions, creating fresh and cohesive dishes inspired by the region’s bounty.
  • The final event takes place on September 18, featuring cuisine prepared by the executive chef and owner of San Francisco’s AQ, Mark Liberman. AQ is known for its innovative use of locally-sourced produce, meats, fish and dairy prepared with classical French techniques.

Each menu in the Farm-to-Table Dinner Series will be carefully paired with a selection of Quivira’s finest wines. Guests will have the pleasure of enjoying their meal on the estate where the ingredients were grown and harvested. The events will all be held at Quivira Vineyards beginning at 6:00 p.m. The cost is $145, all-inclusive, and early reserved tickets will be available for $130. To purchase tickets call (707) 431-8333 or email customer-relations@quivirawine.com.

Quivira Vineyards is located at 4900 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448. The telephone is (707) 431-8333. Additional information is available at www.quivirawine.com.

Biodynamic vineyards at Quivira

Biodynamic vineyards at Quivira

Additional information on the Dry Creek Valley

Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano

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vino-nobile-wines

Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano

A wine country getaway to Italy would not be complete without a visit to the hilltop town of Montepulciano and the surrounding vineyards that produce the very fine wines of Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano.  Montepulciano is located in Tuscany and very near the Umbrian Border. Several years ago we took a day trip to Montipulciano from Umbertide, a small town in Umbria where we had rented a farmhouse. Montepulciano is a very quaint town with many excellent restaurants and places to taste Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. Our wine club recently tasted six Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano wines in a blind tasting. The main grape of Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano wines is a clone of the Sangiovese grape known as Prugnolo. Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano wines can be 100% Prugnolo, but often the wine is blended with small amounts of other Italian red wine grapes. The Prugnolo grapes are planted on hillsides about 600 feet above sea level. Below is a list of the wines we tasted and in the order that we ranked them.  It should be noted that we also tasted these wines afterwards with an Italian luncheon. The wines tasted so much more delightful with our food. Vino Nobile is a food-friendly wine. Use Wine-Searcher.com to find where to purchase Vino Nobile wines near you.

  1. Fattori La Braccesca Antinori Family Reserva “Santa Pia” 2012 – 100% Sangiovese
  2. La Ciarliana Vino Nobile 2012 – 100 % Sangiovese, 5% Mammolo
  3. Poliziano Vino Nobile 2012 – 85% Sangiovese plus Colorino, Canailo, & Merlot
  4. Casale Daviddi Vino Nobile  2010  – 90% Sangiovese
  5. Montemercurio Vino Nobile  “Damo” 2009 – 80% Sangiovese, plus Colorino, Canaiolo, Mammolo
  6. Vecchia Cantina Vino Nobile Briareo 2009 – 100% Sangiovese
vino nobilr

One of the many places to taste and buy Vino Nobile

Resources for visiting  Montepulicano and surrounding area

Robert Mondavi and Presqu’ile Winery summer concerts

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Robert Mondavi Winery summer concerts

Robert Mondavi Winery Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Summer Concerts in Wine Country – Robert Mondavi and Presqu’ile Winery

Robert Mondavi Summer Concert Series

Robert Mondavi Winery has confirmed that indie rock group American Authors, Grammy Award-winning group Blues Traveler, singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and American rock band O.A.R. will hit the stage this summer for its popular 2016 Summer Concert Series. Tickets are on sale now for the series of wine, food and music events that are the highlight of summer in the Napa Valley.

This year’s concert series takes place during a notably momentous year for Robert Mondavi Winery as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary milestone. The 2016 concert schedule has the Brooklyn-based American Authors opening the series on July 2, the blues, soul, psychedelic-rock band Blues Traveler performing on July 9, with Ingrid Michaelson bringing her indie-pop songs to the stage on July 23. Known for their vibrant stage presence, O.A.R. will close the series on July 30 with a bang.

In addition to the musical performances, food trucks and local restaurants will make their way to the winery to add to the lively atmosphere of each concert. Participating food vendors include: Ring of Fire, Villa Corona, Cousins Lobster, Dabba, Marks the Spot and Bruschetteria. The vendor lineup will vary slightly from concert to concert.

Over the last 47 years, more than $2 million has been raised to support a number of Napa Valley-based charitable organizations as a result of the Robert Mondavi Winery Summer Concert Series. Proceeds from ticket sales this year will directly benefit Napa Valley music programs to carry on this tradition.

Robert Mondavi Winery 2016 Summer Concert Series Tickets Now On Sale
Musical acts include American Authors, Blues Traveler, Ingrid Michaelson and O.A.R.

Presqu’ile Winery Summer Concert Series Presents: The Molly Ringwald Project

Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria is pleased to welcome The Molly Ringwald Project to the Presqu’ile Amphitheater on Saturday, May 7th. The Central Coast’s premier party band, The Molly Ringwald Project channels the best of the ’80s, vividly bringing the decade of angular haircuts and Hammer pants back to life (Molly Ringwald herself, not included). Bring your dancing shoes, and get ready to rock out in the Presqu’ile Amphitheater, Santa Maria’s place to be this summer! Regionally inspired, seasonal food will be available from BBQ in the Stix and Crush Catering. While Presqu’ile has abundant seating in its beautiful amphitheater, please feel free to bring your own chairs, blankets, etc. Presqu’ile Winery has a full summer concert series. Upcoming shows include:

  • June 25th – Reverend Tall Tree with Tepusquet Tornadoes
  • July 23rd – Unfinished Business
  • August 6th – The Ruben Lee Dalton Band
  • September 3rd – The Molly Ringwald Project
  • September 17th – Grammy-Winning SURPRISE GUEST

Complete ticket and concert information

Summer Wine Country Events Taking Shape

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Wente concert series

The concert scene at Wente Vineyards in the Livermore Valley

Summer wine country events taking shape

We will be posting these wine country events as we receive them. Here are three to consider for your wine country planning.

Wente Vineyards 2016 Concerts

The Concerts at Wente Vineyards is proud to continue its tradition of summer concerts with an incredible line-up of acts for the 2016 season – marking 30 years of entertainment at Wente Vineyards!

As Northern California’s most unique concert experience, Wente Vineyards will host a summer of top name headliners in its beautiful vineyard setting. Every performance presents a memorable evening of entertainment and superb dining with a selection of different ticketing options. The Concerts at Wente Vineyards is thrilled to announce its partial line-up for 2016 (3 additional acts will be added and confirmed in the next week or so):

  • Tuesday, June 28th – CHICAGO
  • Thursday, July 7th – DIANA ROSS
  • Tuesday, July 19th – PHILLIP PHILLIPS & MATT NATHANSON
  • Thursday, July 28th – BOZ SCAGGS & THE ROBERT CRAY BAND
  • Wednesday, August 10th – HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS
  • Tuesday, August 16th – LYNYRD SKYNYRD
  • Tuesday, September 13th – CHRIS ISAAK

***Full lineup will be available Friday, April 8th. Visit www.wentevineyards.com.

Club Entertainment Pre-Sale begins on Wednesday, May 4th, at 10am. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, May 11th, 2016 at 10am. For tickets: Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster 1-800-745-3000.

Lake Chelan Wine Valley

Spring Barrel Tasting will be held on May 21 and 22. This annual event offers visitors the chance to taste and learn how the use of oak plays a significant role in wine making. Guests will explore the use of different oak treatments and their impact on the taste, color, tannin and texture of the wine. Guests can visit winery cellar rooms for exclusive tastings with local winemakers and purchase upcoming vintages of some of their favorite wines. For more information about Spring Barrel Tasting, visit http://www.lakechelanwinevalley.com/events/spring-barrel-tasting.

Bottle Rock Napa Valley

Saturday and Sunday tickets are sold out, but some tickets remain for Friday May 27. See Bottle Rock

40 years after Judgement of Paris – strange facts

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chardonnay-paris-block

These are the same vines that created the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay

40 years after Judgement of Paris – strange facts

Both Chateau Montelena and Stags Leap Wine Cellars are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the “Judgement of Paris.” It’s a great anniversary in wine and a great PR event for these two wineries and the entire Napa Valley wine industry. The blind tasting results shocked the world of wine and put the Napa Valley on the map as one of the great wine regions of the world. The tasting took place in Paris and was organized by Steven Spurrier, a London wine merchant. French wine experts blind tasted California wines against the great Bordeaux and White Burgundy wines of France. To the absolute shock of everyone, the top Cabernet Sauvignon was a 1973 Stags Leap Cellars and the top Chardonnay was a 1973 Chateau Montelena, both from the Napa Valley. If you would like to learn the full saga of this famous tasting, read George Taber’s “Judgement of Paris.” George Taber worked for Time Magazine at the time and was the only reporter present at the tasting. The book is a comprehensive look at the events leading up to the tasting, how the tasting was done, and the wine world’s reaction to the outcome. 40 years after the Judgement of Paris, a few strange facts remain that are seldom mentioned in reports of this historic wine tasting event.

Chardonnay grapes not all from the Napa Valley

chardonnay montelena

Agreement to sell Chardonnay

If you visit the Bacigalupi Vineyards’ tasting room near Healdsburg on Westside Road, you will see this framed document. It shows a 1973 agreement made by Charles Bacigalupi to sell 14.165 tons of Chardonnay grapes to Chateau Montelena. These grapes came from the Bacigalupi Vineyards in the Russian River Valley. These old Chardonnay vineyards near the tasting room are producing grapes to this day. It is also known that an additional 20 tons of the 1973 Montelena Chardonnay came from another grower in the Alexander Valley. Exactly how much of the Montelena Chardonnay came from the Napa Valley is not exactly known. We do know that Mike Grgich was then the winemaker at Chateau Montelena and produced this historic Chardonnay.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Stags Leap 1972 Cabernet

1972 Cabernet

The reports stated that the 1973 Stags Leap Cellars was the first vintage produced by Warren Winiarski. Folks were raving about the astonishing fact that a first vintage produced by a winemaker could be so good. However, little known to but a few, this was not the first vintage for Stags Leap Wine Cellars. A 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon was produced and that was the first vintage at Stags Leap. Warren Winiarski was not happy with this wine and decided not to release the wine. But before that decision, some of the 1972 made into a few wine shops.

“Bottle Shock” movie loosely based on fact

It is rather amazing that a true factual movie of this event has not been made. Some of you have seen the movie “Bottle Shock.” It is an enjoyable movie but loosely based on the real facts of the Judgement of Paris. Mike Grgich, the winemaker at the time at Chateau Montelena, is not even mentioned in the movie. The saga of the Cabernet Sauvignon tasting is not featured. However, in the works is a film that will be based on George Taber’s book. The screenplay was written by Robert Mark Kamen of “Karate Kid,” “Lethal Weapon 3” and “A Walk in the Clouds” fame.

Additional Information on the 40th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris

 

Pepe Galante and Bodega Salentein

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Pepe Galante

Pepe Galante on the right with Matias Bauza Moreno

Meeting Jose Antonio “Pepe” Galante – winemaker at Bodega Salentein

One of the benefits of wine blogging is an occasional invitation to meet with winery owners and winemakers.  This invitation was special. We were invited by Balzac Communications to a dinner with Pepe Galante. Pepe was here in the U.S. on tour to promote Bodega Salentein wines and to celebrate his 40 years of winemaking in Argentina. The dinner was held at the Osso Steakhouse on Nob Hill in San Francisco.  How fitting to have a dinner with Pepe at a famous San Francisco steakhouse. We know how much Argentina loves its beef.

Janelle and I, along with blogger friends Mike and Mary, had the good fortunate to visit Bodega Salentein in the Uco Valley of Mendoza in March of 2009.  That’s the harvest season in South America. We stayed in their wine lodge, Posada Salentein, for three nights.  Salentein is a first-class winery and wine lodge, with amazing views of the vineyards against the Andes Mountains. We were treated to wonderful meals, wine, and a tour and tasting at Bodega Salentein.  Salentein is owned by Mijndert Pon, a Dutchman who imported cars to Holland. The year after we visited Salentein, Pepe Galante was appointed as head winemaker at Bodega Salentein. Prior to that, Pepe had been the winemaker at the famous Bodega Catena Zapata winery in Mendoza, Argentina.

Our dinner at Osso was delicious, but more importantly was the chance to sit  and talk with Pepe Galante. He indeed is one of the great Argentine winemakers and recognized for his skills throughout the world. He has an amazing passion for creating wines at Salentein and for teaching young winemakers what he has learned over the past 40 vintages. He left Catena because he felt he needed a change and a new challenge. When Pepe explored the Salentein Vineyards, he was greatly impressed with the soils of the land and the higher-elevation vineyards. He immediate saw the potential in the terroir. The Salentein wines were good in 2009 when we visited and, after tasting our dinner wines, what a difference a winemaker can make! These wines are absolutely delicious.

We were treated to four fantastic wines with our dinner. First was from the Killka label, a more affordable line of wines. This wine was a refreshing Torrontes from Mendoza. We were also served a 100% single-vineyard Chardonnay. Wow! What an amazing Chardonnay, and in so many ways like a White Burgundy wine. These two wines were paired with traditional San Francisco crab cakes. I will get back to the Chardonnay shortly. With our delicious Filet Mignon entrée, we were were served two reds. We had a 100% Malbec and a 100% Cabernet Franc, both from Salentein’s high-end line of wines. Both wines paired very well with the veggies and the wonderful, juicy filet. As we finished dinner, Pepe poured himself a small glass of the Chardonnay. He noticed that I was curious about this, so he offered me a glass and said, “You will notice something more.” The Chardonnay flavor virtually exploded in my mouth, along with a finish of great depth. Pepe said that there is something about this Chardonnay that finishes off a heavy meal. Delightful!  I am always on the search for excellent wines at a value price. These Salentein wines are so much so. I have had good success locating Salentein’s Portillo, usually under $10,  and Bodega Salentein Reserve labels under $20. The single-vineyard wines we tasted range in price from $35-$65. Use wine-searcher.com to find Bodega Salentein wines near you.

If you have the chance to travel the wine country of Argentina, you should consider a stay at the Posada Salentein (lodging and dining) and a tour and tasting at the winery, Bodega Salentein.  Here is a little more information on Mendoza wine country of Argentina.

Our visit to Salentein

Mary, Janelle, and Mike with tour guide
Our private tasting room at Bodega Salentein
Beef ribs on the Argentine grill

50 Years of Wine Country Travels

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Janelle Joe

Janelle and Joe in a Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in St. Helena – May 2015

Celebrating 50 Years of Wine Country Travels

My mother holds our 1st while we taste at Simi. Check out the redwood barrel tasting room.

My mother holds our oldest son Chris while we taste at Simi. Check out the redwood barrel tasting room.

By our most conservative estimates, 2015 marks our 50th year of visiting wineries in California. It all began when my parents purchased a vacation home near the Russian River Resort town of Guerneville, back in 1963. I turned 21 later that year, so most likely our wine tasting adventures began shortly thereafter. Janelle and I have been married 50 years as of this June, so I am going to use that as our official anniversary of visiting wineries and tasting wine. The first winery we visited was Korbel Champagne Cellars. It was just about ten minutes away from my parents’ Russian River home. We were hooked on wine country after that very first visit to Korbel. There was something magical about being in the wine cellar and viewing the vineyards. We took the tour and tasted several times at Korbel. We also visited the Simi Winery. The tasting room was in an enormous old redwood barrel turned on its side. Isabelle Simi, daughter of founder Giuseppe Simi always seemed to be in the tasting room pouring wine.  We also went to Pedroncelli Winery and Nervo Winery (now Trione). We made trips to the Napa Valley beginning in 1966 and visited Inglenook, Louis Martini, Charles Krug, Beringer Brothers, and Beaulieu Vineyards. In those days, we could buy a bottle of Cabernet from Louis Martini or Charles Krug for $2.25 a bottle.  In the town of Sonoma, it was Buena Vista on several occasions. It is hard to comprehend the changes that have taken place of the past 50 years in our wine country travels.

Oh, the changes we have seen!

  • Tasting room fees  – from none to today, where 90% of the wineries have a fee for tasting their wines
  • The price of wine – from reasonable to, in many cases, astronomical
  • Traffic  – especially in the Napa Valley, the traffic today is very heavy and annoying on weekends
  • Healdsburg – a sleepy vacation town turns chic
  • Palatial wineries and tasting rooms with fancy gift shops
  • Cooperate boom – small wineries are gobbled up daily by the big guys
  • Number of wineries – 400 in Napa, 200 in Sonoma, 200 in Paso Robles
  • Restaurant scene is upscale and there are many great choices
  • Sustainable and organic farming is a welcome relief from the use of  pesticides and herbicides
  • Two-night minimum stay for lodging on weekends, which can be very annoying and expensive
  • Wine Festivals and Wine Weekends – big parties on the wine trails
  • Paso Robles – once a cowboy town, now a wine country town
  • Sierra Foothills – famous for gold mining history, now it’s for hunting wine.
  • Urban wineries like Rockwall and Jeff Cohn Cellars
  • Warehouse wineries  like the Lompoc Wine Ghetto
  • Limos, vans, buses galore these days
  • The wine snob is alive and well in just about every tasting room

I know we missed a few of the big changes so please, add your two-cents in the comment section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

East Bay Vintner’s Event

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Urban Wine Xperience Pops Corks on Oakland Waterfront on August 1st in Jack London Square

Urban Wine Xperience

Urban Wine Xperience – 2014

Unknown to many a wine lover is the large contingent of Urban wineries in the East Bay cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda and Castro Valley. This is Urban Wine Country.  On August 1st, in Jack London Square, wine lovers will have a chance to experience what these fantastic wineries have to offer. You will be able to taste Grenache, Syrah, Zinfandel and other varietals. The event will take place from 1 to 4 pm.  To accompany the wine, there will be tasty bites from award-winning local eateries and food purveyors. Act quickly. Last year’s event was sold out and tickets are expected to go fast for the 10th -anniversary event. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1626900.

Participating wineries include Aubin Cellars, Carica Wines, Chouinard Vineyard and Winery, Dashe Cellars, Jeff Cohn Cellars, Mead Kitchen, R&B Cellars, Rock Wall Wine Company, Rosenblum Cellars, Stage Left Cellars, Paradox Wines, Urban Legend and Urbano Cellars, with more wineries set to join. 

Five fun wineries in the Napa Valley – Video

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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 quickly suggest five wineries that are in the fun and casual category.  For more traveling advice consult the Napa Valley Wine Country Planning Guide.

More on the Napa Valley

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

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