Hi everyone! Before we head to Napa, I want to wish my beautiful daughter, Caroline, a very happy 26th birthday! It is hard for me to believe she is all grown up and on her own, and now into her second “quarter” of life! I love you, Liney!
This is a very long post,
but I had SO much I wanted to share, I couldn’t help myself. So, if you
want to be transported to the beautiful Napa Valley (now MY favorite
place in the United States), grab yourself another cup of coffee, sit
back, relax and head to wine country
with me…
First stop…St. Helena – for brunch at Archetype. To quote my sister – “This is the food they serve in heaven”! Our favorite was the lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes…they were
to die for!
to die for!
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Backtracking down to the Carneros region, we had an appointment at Saintsbury – a winery started by two friends in the early 1980’s. My niece, Ashley, is friends with the daughter of one of the owners, so we were given the royal treatment! If I could have described my pre-conceived notion of the quintessential wine tasting experience, this would have been it. We tasted surrounded by the French oak barrels where their latest vintages were aging. The distinctive feature of Saintsbury wines are that the grapes for each variety of their wine is from a single vineyard. Every wine we tasted was excellent, but I fell hard for their French style Chardonnay…needless to say a case of Saintsbury is on its way to my house!
We headed back up to Yountville to check into the Poetry Inn. After winding our way up and up and up the hills above the valley, we found ourselves in a little slice of heaven. One of the innkeepers, Daniel, met us at the car and took us to a table on the verandah, with views over vineyards as far as the eye can see. We knew we were in for a treat when Daniel us brought glasses of wine, a cheese board and blankets to snuggle in to watch the sunset. We were all speechless when we saw our spectacular room – the Robert Frost Suite. The Poetry is such a special place, I am going to dedicate an entire post to it. For now, let’s just say, if you are going to Napa and you can snag one of the five rooms at the Poetry Inn,
go for it!!
go for it!!
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| The view from our room… |
After every single person we talked to said Tra Vigne was a “must”, we knew we had to try it so we made a reservation over a month ago. The “mozzarella al minuto” made in house and served on bruschetta may be one of the best things I have EVER eaten! Each one of our pasta dishes was excellent as well. I will now be joining the chorus of voices singing the praises of Tra Vigne.
Sunday morning, we woke up to the sun rising over the valley and watched hot air balloons drifting below us. Ashley had arranged our day with the help of her “in the know” friends and had a driver waiting to whisk us off to our tastings for the day. We went to four vineyards for tastings – each one a different experience.
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Our first stop was for bubbles…Domaine Carneros is owned by the French champagne maker, Taittinger. As we had a long day ahead, the three of us shared a tasting, which was the perfect sampling of their range of sparkling wines. Sitting in the warm California sun sipping bubbly was a perfect start to the day!
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| After winter in Connecticut, those flowering trees were a sight for sore eyes! |
Next up, a true family run winery, the Fontanella Family Winery. It was a pleasure to have our tasting with the actual owner of this vineyard. We learned so much about what is involved in wine making, and tasted directly from the barrel learning how important soil is to the flavor of the wine. Karen Fontanella also shared her personal story of the heartbreak of last year’s devastating earthquake in which they lost quite a bit of their production. My favorites here were the incredibly rich and complex Cabernets – surprising from me, a sworn “white wine only” girl.
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| Tasting directly from the barrel via “the thief” |
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| A rare bottle that survived the 2014 earthquake. |
Our next stop at Baldacci Vineyards offered us the opportunity to visit a wine cave. Our driver picked up sandwiches and we had a picnic lunch, followed by a tour of the cave. The smell of wine inside the cave was intense and divine at the same time. Our guide there was a former chef at French Laundry so we talked food AND wine while visiting the cave…yet another learning experience.
Our final stop was the Cliff Lede Vineyards – the owner of the Poetry Inn. After a leisurely tasting, learning about the connection of Cliff Lede’s wines and his love of classic rock music, we wandered through blocks of vines named for his favorite songs…most vintners number their blocks, Cliff Lede’s are named “Dark Side of the Moon”,“Born to Run”, “Moondance”, etc. Any music lover would really enjoy a tasting here, but his excellent Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir make it a “must” for any Napa visit.
No girls’ trip would be complete without a little retail therapy, so we made a quick trip up to St. Helena to check out the many beautiful shops. I could have spent hours at Vintage Home, Jean de Luz and Olivier.
After much deliberation, we chose Bottega in Yountville for dinner. We could not have chosen better! Everything was excellent but the melt in your mouth ricotta gnocchi was my favorite.
Two days in Napa (and with two of my favorite girls) was not nearly enough…I would recommend four days to get the true experience. Please check back next week, when I dedicate a post to the Poetry Inn…one of my best hotel experiences EVER!
Have yourself a most WONDERFUL TIME, SANDY! I am sitting here so thrilled to know that in June, we are going to Carmel! This is truly a wonderful part of our country – it looks so much like France! And now to click and shop on the links you provide; I love Jean de Luz! Anita
What a fabulous trip, Sandy!! And the shopping looks positively divine!! The pics are great. Can't wait to hear all about Poetry Inn. Enjoy your weekend, dear friend!
PERFECTION! I feel like I was almost there if not for a few minutes of a virtual variety:) What a perfect weekend Sandy. You hit some of our favorite wineries and we loved Bottega too. My mouth watered at the sound of the lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes!! YUM….I love all the shops and restaurants there, there is something quintessentially "Napa ish" about them that no where else can duplicate. I really want to go back there after reading your post:)
Bonjour,
Un article rempli de curiosité… Un séjour merveilleux qui témoigne la passion du bon vin… Des photos magnifiques.
Un joyeux anniversaire à votre fille.
Gros bisous ☼
Sounds like a dream wine tour! Cant wait to hear more about Poetry Hotel!
Sandy, what a fun trip to share with your buddies. I am craving those pancakes right now. It looks like you had perfect weather and some extraordinary slurps!
This is one of the very few travel posts I have ever read that actually made me want to be there….the one time I went to Napa, the traffic was horrific. When you post about the Poetry Inn, could you include an insider's viewpoint on when is the best time to go?
I loved seeing your photos on Instagram, as I "followed" along on your trip. Hearing and seeing all of your photos just takes me back. There is a warmth in Napa that makes it so special. I love that you got out of our NE cold and snow. What I would have done for some sun this winter! Poetry Inn is a new one to me. So happy you enjoyed Tra Vigna. I remember going years ago when girlfriends came to visit me there. Funny enough, those same 2 are coming to Rye in April! 🙂
Welcome home and happy birthday to Caroline!
xoxo Elizabeth
WOW!!!!! Fabulous weekend Sandy!!! I love how you describe each winery, and although, I must admit I'm not a big wine drinker, I would still love to experience it all!!!! Poetry inn it is, when I got there someday! Belated happy birthday again to Caroline, love her baby picture you posted in IG!
You hit some of the best spots in the valley, Sandy. I'm so glad to hear your trip was spectacular! I moved to the Napa Valley in 1979 and have lived in or near several times. It's a magical place for me, filled with memories of my life, as well as the rustic luxe vibe that infuses the place. You really can't go wrong as there are so many incredible places to visit. I'll also add that each season is unique in Napa Valley. You hit the glorious spring time beauty. Fall has it's own flavor, as you can imagine. I loved this post..thanks for the walk down memory lane!
xx, Heather