Mumm Napa Archives - Wine Country Getaways

Not too late for Valentine’s Day in wine country

February 7, 2020 by Joe Becerra

On Valentine’s Day, make it to the wine country for some bubbly

Valentine’s Day Wine Country

So you blew it, and it’s too late to find lodging and dining in the wine country for Valentine’s Day. But, it is never too late to plan a fantastic and romantic one-day getaway. A visit to a sparkling wine producer that will make for an excellent Valentine’s Day. You might also consider a romantic picnic among the vineyards.

Sparkling Wine

The Carneros wine region of Napa and Sonoma County has two enjoyable sparkling wine houses. From the Golden Gate Bridge or the Bay Bridge, Gloria Ferrer and Domaine Carneros are just about a 45-minute drive. Gloria Ferrer is on the Sonoma County side, about six miles from the Sonoma Raceway on Highway 121.

On Highway 121, the Carneros Highway is Domain Carneros. It is a majestic chateau, and a visit there is the perfect way to spend an afternoon of tasting sparkling wine. The views from atop their terrace are stunning, and so is the sparkling wine.

On the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley is Mumm Napa. This winery has a lovely terrace and beautiful views. If you are interested in lunch, downtown Napa is your best bet. Lunch reservations should be plentiful, as most folks opt for a fancy dinner for Valentine’s Day.

These sparkling wine houses require reservations. Do this now by booking online at the winery’s Website.

Romantic picnic lunch among the vineyards

If the weather is appropriate, a picnic lunch among the vineyards is perfect for Valentine’s Day. Prepare a cheese and charcuterie plate or gourmet sandwiches. The best wine regions for finding picnic areas are in Sonoma County. Here are links to the best picnic wineries in the Russian River/Healdsburg area and Sonoma Valley.

A beautiful hidden winery for a picnic is the Martin Ray winery in the Russian River Valley. It is off the beaten path, quiet and serene. Another fun winery for a picnic is in the Dry Creek Valley at Preston’s Vineyards.

Other options

Bits and Pieces of Napa Valley News

October 1, 2016 by Joe Becerra

On York Lane in St. Helena, harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2016 Harvest

The harvest of the king of grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, is well underway in the Napa Valley, with most of the wineries expecting a fantastic harvest. In the Napa Valley Register we find this information. Andy Beckstoffer of Beckstoffer Vineyards, who is one of the largest wine growers in the valley, said this season’s batch should have enhanced flavors and less alcohol content. “Harvest started at a normal time, but the cooler days at the beginning allowed for greater flavor development without much sugar accumulation,” he said. That is terrific news after a disappointing 2015 harvest where the yields were short of average.

Napa Film Festival

The complete lineup for the Napa Film Festival, November 9th to the 13th, is set. Time to plan now for one of Napa Valley’s great events. 120 films, 300 filmmakers, 150 wineries and 50 chefs will be entertaining visitors throughout the festival. For complete information on tickets and events, please see this link. http://napavalleyfilmfest.org.

Copia becomes CIA

This is very good news for the city of Napa. It should bring in more tourists to the city. Copia opened in 2001 as the Napa Valley’s Center for Wine, Food and the Arts. Copia never attracted enough visitors to make a go of it, and it closed in 2008. The Culinary Institute of America announced that the downtown Napa building will become a sister campus to its CIA at Greystone in St. Helena. It will include a vegetable garden, a restaurant, kitchens, cooking classes, and much more. The CIA plans to open the new campus in October of this year. Please see: https://www.ciachef.edu/cia-at-copia-release/ for additional information.

New photography exhibit at Mumm Napa

Mumm Gallery

News from Mumm Napa: The work of Wayne Levin, known for his otherworldly black-and-white photographs captured in the depths of the ocean, will be on display this Fall at Mumm Napa winery in Rutherford. An opening reception will take place on October 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the winery’s Fine Art Photography Gallery.

The exhibit, titled “Through a Liquid Mirror,” features a collection of 38 underwater photographs by Levin, who has been capturing images of land and ocean since the early 1970s. “When I descend beneath the surface, I feel like I am Alice passing through the looking glass into a totally different world,” says Levin. “I am in a world with different rules, different truths.” Many of Levin’s photographs capture the waters surrounding his adopted home of Hawaii. Beneath the surface he finds a world that is both astonishingly graceful and strangely disorienting—a “liminal zone” where human and aquatic life collide.

A reception, featuring a selection of Mumm Napa’s sparkling wines, will be held Saturday, October 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Wayne Levin will be in attendance. The event is open to the public and there is no charge to view “Through a Liquid Mirror,” though guests are required to RSVP. In order to confirm attendance please call 1-800-686-6272 or email [email protected] Visitor center and fine art photography gallery hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Mumm Napa is located at 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford, CA 94573. All photography in the exhibit is represented by Smith Andersen North.

Sparkling Wine Adventures in the Napa Valley & Carneros

March 31, 2012 by Joe Becerra

The season of sun and celebration is arriving soon and with that it is time to pop open a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate. It is also the time to return to the beautiful wine country of Carneros and the Napa Valley. Visit one or more of these wineries that specialize in producing magnificent sparkling wines.

Domain Carneros – The Best View
Domain Carneros is located along the Carneros Highway just west of the Napa Valley. The beautiful landmark Chateau sits atop the hillside and provides a wonderful setting for a tour and tasting of sparkling wine. The view from the Domaine Caneros terrace is one of the best vineyard views in all of Napa. Take a tour, sip some sparkling wines at one of the terrace tables and take in the views. It is so scenic and relaxing. Our favorite sparkling wine at Domain Carneros is Brut Rose Cuvee de la pompadour. What a joy!

Mumm Napa Celebrates The 2009 Harvest

August 16, 2009 by Joe Becerra

Toasting and drinking sparkling wine is synonymous with celebrations. When Mumm Napa celebrates the Harvest, they do so in a most unusual manner. Friday, August 14, 2009 was the first official day of harvest for Mumm and when the first grapes arrive at the Mumm crushpad it’s cause for a jubilant celebration for all employees.

At 6.am that morning the harvest crew began picking Pinot Noir grapes at the Game Farm Vineyards in Oakville. The harvesters fill small yellow bins repeatedly with amazing speed and by 9:30 am the first truck load of grapes arrives at the Mumm Napa crushpad. This marks the beginning of the Mumm Napa harvest celebration.