Click Here for Napa Hotel Specials
YOUR SHORTCUT TO A ROMANTIC WEEKEND GETAWAY IN NAPA VALLEY WINE COUNTRY!
TRAVELER PROFILE: Newbie to Napa Valley looking for a romantic weekend
SUMMARY: Wally helps you find the perfect hotel, then sends you on your way to check out some lessor known Napa Valley wineries mixed up with some big names. You'll find secret picnic spots, and eat at some of Napa's best restaurants. Day one you'll see the main Highway 29, and day two focuses on the Silverado Trail.
THE GOOD: It's all good! From Cakebread to Frog's Leap to Rubicon, you'll get a good feel for the different types of wineries - and wines - in Napa. You'll even see a real castle! How cool is that?
THE BAD: You're going to wish you had one more day... just to relax!
Shortcut to the good stuff: Day 1 / Day 2
BEFORE YOU GO: FIND A NAPA VALLEY HOTEL THE LOCAL WALLY WAY!
Let's get the hard part out of the way first. Picking a hotel is tough. I mean, using the right camera angles and Photoshop'd images it's easy to make a one star dump look like the Four Seasons. Luckily, Local Wally is on your side. I don't let those hotel sneaks get away with nothing! I visited every hotel in Napa and only put the good ones on my site. It has to be clean, it has to be nice, and it has to be good enough that I would stay there - with my wife! If it passes her test, it will pass yours.
Let Wally show you the best hotels in Napa Valley!
Freshly made to order omelettes included at Vintage Inn! |
There are two ways to find the ultimate hotel in Napa Valley. For those brave souls who want to do it alone, go directly to my Complete Napa Hotels site. Plug in your dates and search away. I suggest you click the button to sort by city so you get a fair comparison of rates. Remember, Napa Valley is BIG and there are a lot of hotels that say they're in the Napa area when they're not, so make sure you google up a map before you book.
The second way to find the ultimate Local Wally approved hotel is to go to the Best Napa Hotels section. I spent a couple of weeks traveling Napa and visiting every hotel Go there and check out the tons of photos I took - no camera tricks, no photoshop. I broke them out into the main areas - Downtown, Yountville, Rutherford & St. Helena, and Calistoga. Let's chat about that to get you started. |
DOWNTOWN NAPA : Once considered no man's land, it's finally arrived as a hip and trendy area to stay and visit. It's the least expensive area to stay, but also the furthest from the wineries. The best budget is the Best Western Elm House, the best moderate is The River Terrace Inn, the best corporate is Embassy Suites.
YOUNTVILLE: A small, quaint town filled with top notch restaurants (three by Thomas Keller alone!), shopping, and darn close to the wineries. My favorite all around area to stay. Best resort is Villagio, second Best Resort is Vintage Inn, Best Moderate is Yountville Inn.
RUTHERFORD & ST. HELENA: No rows of hotels here, but rather top notch resorts and hotels scattered amongst the vines. Top dollar to stay in some of these places, but some surprisingly affordable boutiques as well. Best Resorts are Meadowood and Auberge du Soleil, Best High End Hotel is Harvest Inn, Best Boutique is Rancho Caymus Inn.
CALISTOGA: At the very top of the valley is a cowboy town of sorts that's growing into a hotspot. It's a bit far north for some, but just the place if you're looking for budget motels - or a top dollar, rock star level resort. Best Cheapo But Clean Motel is Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs (yes, the mud bath place), Best No Compromise Resort is Calistoga Ranch.
Here comes the sales pitch....
Now here is where Local Wally asks you a favor. If you can, book your hotel through me. Unlike those big corporate sites that don't need the money, I depend on your hotel bookings to keep this site running. My rates are extremely competitive, especially when you factor in that I don't add tons of hidden fees at the end of your booking like those other well known sites do (you know who I'm talking about!), and my booking site is BBB approved - so you know it's safe and secure. So help me keep this site running by booking through me. As a way of saying "thanks" in advance, here are some free two-fer-one coupons! Cool!
OK, let's go winetasting!
DAY ONE: A whirlwind tour of some of Napa Valley's best
STOP 1: ALWAYS START YOUR NAPA TRIP WITH CHAMPAGE AT DOMAINE CHANDON
There's no better way to start a day in Napa than with a glass of champagne, and no better place than Domanine Chandon. I know, you've heard me say this again and again. With the beautiful grounds, the lush landscaping, the mature oaks, this is one of the best settings in Napa. Look for the mushroom garden, actually mushrooms made from rocks, as you cross over the bridge to the main buildings. Once inside, the tasting room is modern elegance with plasma TV's telling displaying your options, and the wall to wall windows that open to the greenery on a nice day.
You've also heard me talk a lot about their wine club, and no, I do not get a commission if you join. I just love good deals, and I think Domaine Chandon has one of the better wine club offers. Normally you would pay $15 per person for a reserve tasting. Join the club and the tasting fee is waived. That's pretty standard, but then they let you buy a $50 bottle of Etoile, their bubbling rose, for a buck. Come on, a dollar? Can you even get a bottle of water these days for a buck?
You only need to take one shipment, usually around $75. So basically, you pay $75 but get two bottles plus $80 worth of free stuff. And, since you're here for a couple of days there's nothing stopping you from popping back in for more free tastings. Oh yeah, and when you're in the club they don't make you get in line at the bar with the common people, you get to go off to a private tasting area where they start you off with a full glass of bubbly. Really, wine clubs don't get much better than this! |
Early morning view at Domaine Chandon, so peaceful... |
You'll feel like a kid every time the mailman pulls up, hoping there's a package for you!
Remember when you were a kid and you joined the BMG CD club? Everyday you ran to the mailbox to see if there were any surprises for you. Well, a wine club is just like that only now instead of Huey Lewis and the News you get bottles of wine! Oh yeah, that's more like it! Now I've joined a lot of wine clubs in my past and to be honest, I have a bit of a problem opening a bottle of expensive red wine knowing that if I wait a year or two it will be better - and be worth more (making it even harder to open - LOL). But when a bottle of champagne arrives, damn, get that baby on ice because I'm drinking it right now! Maybe that's why I like this wine club so much!
STOP 2 : CAKEBREAD? HEARD OF IT?
Sure you have. If you've dined out at some of the finer restaurants, you've most likely seen Cakebread on their menu - and you probably skipped ordering it because it was so expensive. So today you get a treat. You get a behind the scenes peak at this exclusive winery, a semi-private tasting, and a logo'd wine glass, all for a mere $10. Here's how this works. Unlike some wineries where you get to just pop in, you have to make a reservation at Cakebread. OK, don't be intimidated. This is not a snooty winery where they look at you with, well, that look when they realize you don't know nothing about wine. No, Cakebread does the reservation thing more for crowd control. Instead of fighting for a place at the bar, they'll take a small group on a short tour of the winery and then take you into the back barrel room where they'll give you some history, and the tastings. You do this once and Cakebread will become a permanent fixture on your agenda list.
Cakebread treats you like you know what you're doing, even if you don't!
Cakebread also offers plenty of tours for those of you who want to take it to the next level. There's a Sensory Evaluation Experience where you'll learn how to identify the various components of a wine. Imagine how impressed your business pals will be at the next corporate dinner when you say "Have you tried the Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon? I think it boasts enticing aromas of ripe black fruits and dark chocolate, with lush, concentrated, blackberry, black cherry and black fig flavors, and it's supple structure of fine tannins is well-integrated with the wine’s ripe fruit and fresh acidity, leading to a finish full of rich dark chocolate and blackberry flavors". Yes, that could be you if you pay attention. If you're a foodie, there's a Wine and Food Pairing Experience where Cakebread chefs prepare four bites and take you through the art of pairing certain foods with certain wines. It's not only educational, it's delicious.
Remember to call ahead to book your tour or you'll be one of those losers in the parking lot with the sad face saying "honey, they're booked solid today". (800-588-0298)
STOP 3: STOCK UP FOR THE PICNIC AT OAKVILLE GROCERY
The country store with gourmet foods |
It's like the Mom and Pop grocery store
that used to be on the corner of every small town when you were a kid - or maybe when your parents were kids. For the past 120 years, Oakville Grocery has been the country store, serving Napa locals and visitors alike. The facade is nostalgic with the giant Coca-Cola sign painted on the side of the building, but step inside and it goes upscale with gourmet jams and mustards, lots of fresh cheeses and meats, and pretty much everything you'll need for a great picnic.
There are three strategies for a Napa picnic. The first is to go basic, meaning you just pick up a baguette, some cheese and salami, maybe some mustard, and you're done. I like this path when I'm just going to snack along the way, breaking off a piece of bread and some cheese before I walk into the next winery. The second way is to go with the pre-made sandwiches in the cooler at the front of the store. |
Wow, a country store filled with gourmet foods!
These are not some staled, crummy sandwiches. You'll like them a lot, and I go this route when it's too busy in the store to wait at the deli. Which brings us to the last option - the incredible deli! Can't go wrong with anything you get at the deli. It can get busy at the counter, but if you have the time, it's worth the wait.
No matter which option you do, grab your food and some napkins and let's go.
STOP 4: PICNIC TIME
Time is tight when you're having fun in Napa so don't go driving all over the valley looking for a place to relax.
Most of the wineries have picnic areas or tables set up and most don't mind you using them as long as you guy a bottle of their wine to wash it all down. Alpha-Omega is a new boutique that has a killer setting with their dramatic water features overlooking the vineyards. Nice, very nice. Of just stop in at St. Supery where a bistro table under the trees beckons you. Or just keep on moving until you get to Rubicon which has one of the nicest picnic settings in the valley. OK, they don't really want you bringing in food but they also rarely kick you out if you do so just act dumb if you get caught.
STOP 5: COPPOLA'S WINERY, ONCE CALLED INGLENOOK, THEN NIEBAUM-COPPOLA, NOW RUBICON
When most people think of Francis Ford Coppola, they think of The Godfather. But Coppola has been a part of the Napa scene since the 70's when he bought up a part of the then declining Inglenook Winery. In 1995, he bought up the second half of the winery and reconnected the two pieces, intent on producing wines that rivaled the glory of the original Inglenook wines. Whoa, wait a second Wally, you're talking about that crappy wine I used to drink with ice cubes in college? That's right, but at one time, believe it or not, Inglenook was considered some of Napa's finest wines - but you'll have to go back a bit to get the full story.
A short history of Inglenook....
It all started in 1880 when a wealthy sea captain named Gustave Niebaum gives up fur trading and buys 1,000 acres in Napa for $48,000. His goal was to make wines that would equal or exceed the quality of the best of Europe with little interest or desire in making a profit from his efforts. He died in 1908, passing down the winery to widow Susan, who in 1936 passed it down to John Daniel Jr. By 1940, Niebaum's dream was fully realized with his wines winning awards and Inglenook's reputation firmly established. They continued to build upon the original vision of Niebaum through the 60's - and then the unthinkable happened - John Daniels Jr, knowing he would need to retool the winery to stay up to speed, but having meager financial returns for his efforts, sold Inglenook for $1.2million to a big corporation known best for making cheap jug wines. Not realizing what they had, the corporation decided the Inglenook brand name was the valuable part of the purchase, not the wines themselves, and started slapping the Inglenook name on any big glass jug they could find. Worse yet, they stopped producing the wines at the Napa winery and started using mass market grapes grown in Central California. The quality slipped, and slipped, and slipped, until the name Inglenook was synonymous with cheap jug wine. Inglenook as a fine wine was long forgotten..
So like any good story, it took a good guy to come in and save the day. Coppola put the pieces of the original winery back together and went about refurbishing the long neglected buildings and grounds back to their original glory. More importantly, he set the winery back on the right track with the goal to once again produce some of the finest in Napa, and the world. With deep respect to the past and significance of this property, Coppola turned this winery around. If he hasn't quite recreated the past glory of the top Inglenook wines, he's at least serious about his goal.
Along the way there were a few missteps - adding the movie memorabilia museum probably seemed like a good idea, but the number of tourists more interested in Hollywood started outnumbering those interested in wine. So they dropped some of the movie stuff, keeping things like the rare Tucker car and items from The Godfather, but added a hefty $25 visitors fee. Soon the frenzy died down to more manageable level. |
What's a car doing parked upstairs in the winery? |
The Inglenook story lives on thanks to Coppola
Right around now is when the cynics says "what a rip off, it's a tourist trap" - don't listen to them. With some wineries charging $20 just for a basic tasting (now that's a rip off!), a three day VIP pass that includes a tour of the estate (The Legacy Tour, limited to 20 people per tour), the movie museum, access to the chateau and to the incredibly beautiful sprawling grounds with its fountains and majestic oaks. There's valet parking, and of course, tastings of five of their estate wines. Coppola shows the winery the respect it deserves, focusing on the families that make up its long and interesting history. This means there's still some interesting movie memorabilia there for you film buffs, such as a working zoetrope, an early motion picture machine, as well as items from Coppola's long movie career. For me, it's the beautiful setting that I like the most, and the wine bar bistro that's perfect for people watching. If you didn't picnic at Diamond Oaks, bring your food here, order a glass of wine, and be prepared to waste away the afternoon... ahhh, perfect!
STOP 6: SEE THE FAMOUS CASTLE AT CASTELLO DI AMOROSA
The wine snobs are going to hate me for sending you here, but you won't. In a way, I don't blame them. I mean, the idea of building a full scale castle in Napa seems, well, odd. Will it be a phony baloney Epcot miniature? Will it be as cheesy as a gondola ride in Vegas? And wait, the guy behind this all is the same guy who built V. Satuii, the Disneyland-like winery where the picnic grounds are nearly as crowded as the beach on the 4th of July? But tell that inner voice of reason in your head to shut up and listen to Wally - this is not only good, it's damn good!
It looks more like Middle Earth than Napa!
"What's that? A castle?? Are you kidding me???" |
Situated high on a hill across from Sterling Vineyards (the one with the tram ride - another rip off!), you'll do a double take when you first see it. It's huge, it's impressive, it's real! I'm talking sprawling stone courtyards, five guard towers with battlements, gargoyles, secret tunnels and even a dungeon fitted with real torture equipment. Hand carved doors, old world construction, wow, wow, WOW!
What makes this so impressive is the attention to detail. Reproductions usually take short cuts like using faux finishes on drywall to create the illusion of an old wall, or putting rust finish on plastic to make it look like antique metals. But not here. Every detail was hand constructed using Old World methods. This means hand carved doors, hand made nails, and construction techniques straight out of the middle ages. With 121,000 square feet and 121 rooms on 7 levels, there's plenty to see - but you'll need to take the nearly 2 tour to see it all.
|
Cost is $25 on weekdays, $30 on weekends, and includes a private tasting of five of their wines. Add $10 if you want to taste their reserve wines. Reservations required for tours: 707.967.6272
For those of you who don't have enough time to do a tour, $10 gets you into the castle to the main tasting room with all the other commoners. You won't be able to tour the castle on your own - no wandering down to the dungeons, for example - but you will gain access to the main building and courtyards, quite impressive.
STOP 7 : FRANK FAMILY IS NO LONGER THE "CRAPPIEST WINERY IN NAPA", BUT IT'S STILL WORTH A VISIT!
A couple of years ago I found myself sitting at the bar at Rutherford's Grill staring at a grilled artichoke and wondering what to pair with it. The bartender suggested a glass of Frank Family chardonnay and I was so impressed I set out to find this unknown winery the next day. It took me a while but when I finally found it I nearly got back in my car. The tasting room looked like an old house that fell off the back of a moving truck. It was, well, the crappiest looking winery I had ever seen. Now don't go calling HR on me for saying that - the description "crappiest winery in Napa" actually came from the server, who warmly welcomed us with open arms and an open bottle. This was a winery that doesn't take itself so seriously, and they quickly earned a reputation as being one of the most irreverent wineries - it's not uncommon to see the wine servers finishing a bottle of sparkling wine themselves, drinking right from the bottle. Of course, who can blame them when the wine is this good? But beneath all the fun and frivolity is a serious winery - it's just in a good mood.
Pssst... can you keep a secret?
But you can't stop progress. In the Summer of 2008, Frank Family demolished the old house and opened up their new tasting room in the definitely "not crappy" original Craftsman bungalow. The house, which was the residence of the original winery owners, was lovingly restored and updated, using historic paint choices and featuring the original brick fireplace, found under layers of plaster and paint. But don't worry that the winery has gone all Opus One serious - it might be a new tasting room, but it still features the fun and lively attitude that made it so popular in the first place. Better yet, they have managed to retain free tastings during the week, $10 Fri-Sun. I know that's a shocker to you after shelling out twenty dollar bills all day, but Frank Family is so confident that you will like their wines after a free tasting that you'll bring a bottle home with you. I say bravo to that! Come visit Frank Family to see what I'm talking about, and I'll bet you'll not only leave with a big smile on your face but a bottle of wine as well - it's that good, and that much fun!
STOP 8 : LOOKING FOR A SUNSET? FIND IT AT AUBERGE DU SOLEIL
You might be tempted to go back to your room and sit by the pool for a bit, and hey, I don't blame you. But if you wanted one more Napa experience, head over to 5 star resort Auberge du Soliel. I know what you're thinking, this is a Five Star Resort and you're in flip flops and the valet guy is going to think you're some sort of hillbilly. But while Auberge du Soliel is fancy, coming in to have a seat at the bar is downright Napa casual. Best yet, the bar offers one of those ultimate Napa views, perfect for watching the sunset. But as good as the view is, don't miss the incredible appetizers, like pomme frites (you know, french fries) with aioli sauce, or fresh oysters and clams. Sit back and relax, you deserve it. And if you get really lazy, you can even order a casual dinner in the bar area. Of course, Local Wally suggests you show some restraint and save your appetite for dinner because I have big plans for you tonight!
STOP 9 : NO STRESS DINNER DECISION - JUST EAT WHERE WALLY DOES!
Hungry? I hope so because there's good eats ahead!
Right about now is when you're really going to thank me if you're staying in Yountville because right down the street are some of the best restaurants in the Napa area. My top pick is Bistro Jeanty, a country style French restaurant that won't break the bank. The setting is rustic, yet elegant. You can wear jeans here and not feel underdressed, or put on some of that vacation "resort wear" if you want to dress up. Don't let the idea of French food scare you off. It's not a snooty French restaurant, and while there are out of the ordinary things like escargot or foie gras on the menu, there's also familiar items like ENTRECÔTE FRITES (grilled rib eye steak with fries) or COQ AU VIN (chicken and mushroom stew). If you forgot to make a reservation, don't worry - there's a communal table in front, sort of like a long picnic table, where anyone can grab a chair and a menu if it's available. Bistro Jeanty can be expensive, but with a little restraint in your ordering it can also be downright affordable, making it one of my favorites.
If you haven't heard of Thomas Keller, perhaps you saw the movie Ratatouille, the story of the rat who became a great chef. It's been said that the fancy restaurant in the movie was based on Thomas Keller's famous French Laundry restaurant (well, without the rats), which is right down the street. The French Laundry is considered one of the top restaurants in the world, and yes, it's very expensive at $250+ per person - and that's just for the food. Of course, this is a culinary experience that's not to be missed if you are a serious gourmet, and French Laundry reservations book up two months solid in advance so plan ahead if this is your destination.
Can't decide? Just go to to any Thomas Keller restaurant!
For those of you who don't have a thousand bucks to blow on dinner for two but still want to see what all the fuss is about, Thomas Keller fortunately offers two alternatives. The first is the family friendly Ad Hoc. This restaurant takes a bit of explaining. Keller originally was going to open an upscale burger joint in this location. While he was busy making the plans, he opened Ad Hoc as a temporary restaurant. The idea was to offer one thing a night, and one thing only. Diners there all got the same meal with the menu changing daily based on fresh ingredients available. This idea caught on so well that Keller threw in the towel and made Ad Hoc a permanent fixture, dropping his burger idea. Now note that while it's often called a family friendly restaurant, it's not the same thing as dropping in at Denny's. The fixe prix menu is $48 per person, so if you got a bunch of rug rats to feed you might want to go somewhere else. On the other hand, if you see fried chicken on their menu (served every other Monday), you should scrap all other plans and make sure that Ad Hoc is you dinner destination - it's simply that good.
So you can't afford The French Laundry, but you want something fancier than Ad Hoc? Then you need to head over to Bouchon, another Thomas Keller restaurant. Let's call it an upscale French Bistro setting, though the outside patio facing the street is wonderfully casual and comfortable on a warm evening.
If you don't mind getting in your car, a few minutes away is the famous Mustards Grill, nearly in institution in Napa and serving up wonderful takes on your favorite comfort foods, along with an eclectic mix of unusual yet always palate friendly dishes. If Mustards didn't invent California Cuisine, they darn near perfected it. As the sign in front says, sorry, everything is delicious.
Up the road a bit more is Rutherford Grill, a local favorite serving up fork tender babyback ribs, odd combos like Steak and Enchiladas, and excellent rotisserie lamb and chicken. I always start my meal with the grilled artichoke, a large choke with just enough smoke and a wonderfully addictive dipping sauce. You'll know you came to the right place the second you get out of your car and get a whiff of the wood burning grill and its seductive, sweet smoke. I can almost smell it from here! Mmmmmm. |
You can't miss with a meal at Mustards, a Napa favorite |
Now Rutherford Grill can get really busy at meal time, so do what Local Wally does and grab a seat at the bar if you see one. The bar scene is wonderfully lively, typically filled with locals and regulars. The bartenders are fun and friendly, and the menu is the same as the restaurant. You like people watching, grab a seat at the bar. And one more thing - Rutherford Grill has NO CORKAGE FEE, so if you found a great bottle today that you want to try, have them open if for you tonight.
Hey Wally, we booked our hotel in Downtown - now what?
No worries, because you have lots of choices, including my favorite, Celedon. I like to dine outside on the cool and trendy patio, always trying to score the table next to the fireplace for a romantic dinner. The inside setting us a bit dressier, but jeans are fine outside. Start with an order of pan roasted mussels, cooked with bacon, tomato and wine. Absolutely fabulous, sweet and smoky, tender and delicious. It's a starter, but it's so good that you might want to order it as the entree with some extra bread for dipping. The entree's are equally enticing, taking foods you know but reinventing them in a Napa style. Chinese five spice duck breast? Moroccan style braised lamb shank? This place is really, really good.
If you want to dine ultra casual but still get great food, go to The Bounty Hunter, a wine bar that has fantastic BBQ and other options. Most of their foods are cooked on the outdoor bbq's and smokers, like their incredibly tender pulled pork or beef brisket. For one of the best deals in town, order their Beer Can Chicken for two. For $24 you'll get a whole chicken still sitting on the can (imagine that!), bread and a salad to split. Or split a rack of St. Louis pork ribs, tender, meaty and smoky. And because this is a wine bar, you can count on them to provide fine recommendations for wine pairings. For those of you who find it hard to commit, you'll like that you can order half glasses so you can try a few different wines. And yes, there's plenty of beers to choose from as well.
DAY TWO: Another day in winecountry, let's go slow and easy
Here's the Napa you've been dreaming about....
On your second day in winecountry, we'll take the road less traveled. Local Wally will take up up the Silverado Trail to visit some lesser known wineries. These boutique wineries often have more of that personality you've been looking for. They're more laid back, at times friendlier, and during the busy Summer months a lot less crowded. You won't find restaurants up and down the Silverado Trail like you do on Highway 29, so make a decision early in the day whether you want to eat out or bring something with you. I actually love just stopping in at Oakville Grocery and getting a crusty baguette, some creamy cheese, spicy salami and gourmet mustard. Just bring some ice from the hotel and just toss it all into the trunk in a shopping bag. Who cares if it melts in the car? It's a rental! Then I grab a quick bite in front of the winery if I'm hungry or just need some food to pair with all the wine I already drank. Hey, it works for me. But you might want to dine out, so I'll give you some choices as well in a bit. Stay with me, this is going to be a fun day!
STOP 1: LET'S GO VISIT A REAL FAMILY WINERY WITH THE REYNOLDS FAMILY
The downhome feeling hits you the moment you drive up the dusty road to the Reynolds Family Winery and see the old farmhouse with the beautifully restored truck in front resting under the majestic oak tree. It takes you back to a simpler time, when Napa was less marketing and more agricultural, where roosters crowed at the crack of dawn and everyone in the family worked the farm. For 100 years this was a chicken ranch, but in 1994 Steve Reynolds gave up his dental practice to start a winery. You'll find this a stark contrast to the big wineries you saw yesterday. You can sense that this is a labor of love, and when you realize that Steve built or oversaw the construction of everything here you get a real appreciation for what this winery is all about. You'll need to call ahead to taste (707.258.2558), and if you're really looking for something different, reserve a spot riding around the vineyards in a Pinzgauer, a Swiss Army transport truck that looks a bit like a giant Hummer. For $30 you get a tour through the vineyards as well as barrel tastings, a unique experience.
STOP 2: SLOW DOWN TO GAWK AT DARIOUSH, THEN SPEED UP AND STOP AT CLOS DU VAL
From the ridiculous to the sublime, a contrast in wineries!
Just like my fireplace back home! |
It's the most ridiculous, most ostentatious, most obscenely over the top winery ever built. It's so gaudy that it would probably be banned in Vegas! Darioush is supposed to look like something from the Persian Empire. Instead it looks like something out of a Lara Croft video game. You half expect a big breasted woman with a machine gun to jump out from behind the columns! Look out!!
Inside, it calms down a bit... just a bit. Now I will admit that maybe I just don't appreciate art, but I find the fireplace with the statues holding the stone mantel with their heads a bit funny. I mean, damn, that thing's heavy! Ouch! It's comments like these that caused the snooty servers there to give me that look - you know the look!
You just have to stop to take a photo or two, but don't taste here as the wine is just average. Wally's found a better place right up the street.
|
Want to make the French really mad? Just mention The Judgment of Paris winetasting competition!
Keep driving until you get to Clos du Val, one of the wines selected for the famous 1976 wine competition in France. I can only imagine the look of indignation on the faces of the French when California's wines fooled the French wine experts in the famous Paris blind-tasting, often called the Judgment of Paris. “Ah, back to France!” exclaimed a delighted French judge after sipping .... a 1972 Chardonnay from the Napa Valley's Freemark Abbey! D'OH! “That is definitely California. It has no nose,” said another French judge, this time sipping on a prestigious French wine. Wrong again, Buckwheat! This blind tasting sent shock waves through the worldwide wine community - Napa wines had finally arrived with Stag's Leap placing first for reds and Chateau Montelena placing first for the whites. Jim Barrett, general manager and part owner of Chateau Montelena, summed it all up with his comment - “Not bad for kids from the sticks.”
Clos du Val didn't win in 1976, placing 8th for their cab, but just to be selected for the competition was an honor. Ten years later the French wanted a rematch, and this time Clos du Val did a bit better - winning first place! And now it's your turn to taste some of the wines made by the winery that makes the French so mad, the winery that helped put Napa on the map for producing a wine that stood up to the best wines of France.
Ahh, once again I know what you are thinking - with wines this good the setting must be Opus One intimidating, a mecca for wine snobs, but Clos du Val is just the opposite. The setting is casual and the pourer's are friendly, helping us on our last visit taste the difference between a decanted wine and one poured straight from a newly opened bottle. You'll love their cab, of course, and they have a wonderful chardonnay as well. No reservations required, and the $10 tasting fee is waived if you buy a bottle. They also have a nice picnic area you can use - on a busy day, call ahead 707.261.5225 and for $5 a person they'll reserve a spot for you.
STOP 3: A TRIP TO REGUSCI IS LIKE A TRIP TO TUSCANY
If you're a romantic, if you love movies like "Under the Tuscan Sun", then you can't help but love Regusci Winery. There's a corgi sleeping in the sun on the steps, there's farmhands harvesting the olives in the Fall, it feels like you somehow stumbled upon a family winery in the Tuscany hills. Built
in 1878, the winery is housed in the original stone building made of 2 foot wide lava rocks. But as impressive as the architecture and vineyards are, it's really the people inside that make this winery such a unique stop, starting with the charismatic Jonesy. If you're lucky, you'll find him pouring the wines and spouting off his philosophies on wine, food, and life. You'll know him by his Welsh accent and, so I'm told by every woman who has visited there, his good looks. There's another great picnic spot in front in the shade under the trees, a great spot for slowing down and enjoying a bottle. It's officially appointment only (707.254.0403) but I've never had a problem just popping in.
STOP 4: DIDN'T BRING YOUR OWN FOOD? NO PROBLEM!
Hey Wally, I'm starving here! I want a burger, and I want it now!
Calm down Veruca! I know you're hungry and seriously regretting not bringing some food with you. But don't worry, Wally's got your back. Just head back to Highway 29 and grab some seriously good food at Taylors Refresher, a retro drive-in hamburger joint that serves up extraordinary burgers. Wally's favorite? The rare ahi burger with an order of fresh cut fries or onion rings served up with an extra thick shake sounds good, but so does the Patty Melt, or the incredible Blue Cheese Burger. This is no A&W, this is Napa all the way! Everything is done right here - even something as basic as fish and chips is kicked up a notch with mahi mahi. Grab your food and head out to the back picnic tables and you're set to go. And yes, beer and wine available, or open a bottle of your own for a modest corkage fee.
WARNING: Taylors can get ridiculously crowded at lunch time! Do not attempt dining there at noon unless you have a lot of time and a lot of patience!!
|
Fast food? No way! Taylors is Napa gourmet all the way! |
So let's say you drive past Taylors and the line goes all the way out to the street. No worries, just head over to Rutherford Grill, one of Local Wally's essential stops. Remember my tip - Don't be a chump and wait an hour for a table outside! Do what Wally does and always head straight for the inside bar and grab the first two available stools. Same menu, great people watching, faster service. You got things to do and places to see, right? You don't want to waste time waiting for a table, not when where are wineries you still want to visit this afternoon.
And if both restaurants are packed, across the street from Rutherford Grill is La Luna Market and Taqueria (1153 Rutherford Road). You want authentic Mexican food? This is where the farm laborers go to get their burrito fix, and if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for you. Grab some tacos to head out to the picnic table in back. You won't spend more than $5 a person here, making this one of Napa's best secret cheap eating spots.
STOP 5: TAKE A LEISURELY DRIVE UP THE TRAIL AND TAKE A TOUR AT FROGS LEAP
Time's fun when you're having flies! Napa's best tour? Maybe!
You've had wine, you've had lunch, it's time to walk around a bit and shake things up. But don't worry, Wally's not sending you on some boring busload of tourist sort of tour. No siree, you're going to the winery that was built on property that once was a frog farm - that's right, you're going to Frog's Leap Winery. Before you go, make sure you make an appointment for a tour by calling 800.959.8704. Listen to me, you're going to love this tour. Because unlike other tours that feel a bit like a timeshare presentation where you have to listen to the spiel before you get the wine, Frog's Leap's tour gives you tastes along the way. You'll wander through the vineyards with a glass of wine, then through the fruit and vegetable gardens where they actually encourage you to pick some to bring home. What? No catch, you want a peach, go ahead and pick one. It's that sort of friendly attitude that makes Frog's Leap one of my favorites. Casual and laid back, fun and friendly, it's the perfect stop after a big lunch. It's located near the top of the Silverado Trail and a bit hard to find, but worth the effort to find.
STOP 6: AS THE AFTERNOON WINDS DOWN, SLOW DOWN AND RELAX AT MUMM NAPA
You started your trip with champagne, let's end it with some more!
There's a lot to like about a trip to Mumm Napa. There's a great photography exhibit featuring the works of Ansel Adams as well as other artists, there's a terrific free tour, the view sitting over the vineyards is great, and the tastings of sparkling wine are served up in fluted glasses at tables, not a bar. Kick back and relax, enjoy the view, man, this has been some great day.
But wait, there's more! I love getting a good deal so here's one I'm going to pass on to you - a Two-fer-One tasting coupon! Man, does Wally care about you or what? Take some time to enjoy the sun on the outside patio and to sip a glass of sparkling wine, savor the moment and give that girl or guy next to you a kiss (any girl or guy will do, your choice).
This really has been fun so far, hasn't it? But .... isn't there time to squeeze in one more? Come on, you can do it!
Enjoying the view from Silverado Vineyards |
Let's head down the street to Silverado Vineyards. They have perhaps one of the best views in Napa, perched high on a hill, and the outside patio is so inviting that you may never want to leave. Inside, the winery is warm and inviting. The winery was built on the premise that fine wine doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. That's perfect for these tough economic times - cash out your 401K and go buy a few cases of wine!
Silverado is a great last stop, the perfect place to just sit back and relax. The servers have always been super nice and their pours generous. On a sunny day there's nothing better than sitting outside on their patio overlooking the valley with a glass of wine. Of course, you might also just want to stay at Mumm and have another glass of champagne. Decisions, decisions....
|
STOP 7: AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH, YOUR TABLE IS READY
Come on, you really didn't think you were going to just jump in your car and drive home, did you?
There are so many dining choices and the food is so good that you can't leave without stopping in somewhere for a bite. Let's face it - you'll probably end up driving through McDonalds if you don't eat something and you're probably going to miss your flight anyway, so relax and enjoy one more gourmet meal before you go. Pick a restaurant, any restaurant in Yountville and you won't go wrong. But once again, if I had to pick I would go with Bistro Jeanty. I just love that place with it's casual French country food. And yes, perfectly OK to go there in jeans. Sit at the big community table if you didn't make a reservation and just enjoy some great food and great casual ambiance. Bistro Don Giovanni is another favorite stop for both locals and tourists. Dine on the outside terrace and you'll feel like you're on a hillside in Italy overlooking the vineyards. Or keep driving until you get to downtown Napa and dine at another of Wally's favorites, Celedon. The outside patio is my favorite spot, the food upscale and trendy in a Food TV sort of way. Hmmm, maybe you need to stay one more day? :-)
Let's Summarize....two days of wine and food done up Local Wally style!
Wow, you've done a lot in two days. Think about it - you've seen some of the big historic wineries, you've seen some small boutiques, you've even gone on a couple of tours. You've dined at some of the best restaurants in town, tasting everything from ahi burgers to coq au vin. Face it, you're hooked! Like most Napa visitors, you'll soon be back. So when you get home, open up that bottle of wine you bought and share it and your memories with some friends. And don't forget to tell them about your new buddy, Wally. As Carly Simon once said, nobody does it better (than Local Wally)!
Your Pal,
Local Wally
   
The best of Napa, Local Wally style.... from killer hotels to great food, top notch wineries to glorious views!
|
