My girlfriend and I are going to Napa 5/27 through 5/31 for a relaxing vacation. We will be staying at Auberge. We do want to do a few wineries while we are there. My girlfriend has a very different wine palate than I do - she loves big Napa cabs. This is somewhat a vacation for her (because I have been so busy and will have just come back from a three week work trip) so I am hoping to pick out a few places she would love. Any suggestions are appreciated. Here is what I currently have:
5/27: Fly in late. Stay in SF.
5/28: Breakfast (suggestion?). Drive up to Napa. Check into Auberge. First day is probably going to be a spa/pool/running day. Dinner at Press (other suggestions?).
5/29: Wine tasting. Ideas:
Myriad
Morlet (not on their list. How hard to get in?)
David Arthur
Pott (just recently on their list. Would be a buyer for her, how hard to get in?)
O’Shaughnessy
Drinkward Peshon (on their list. Don’t know if they do tastings)
Corison (not on their list. Still possible to taste?)
Other suggestions would be appreciated. Especially if you think that there are wineries that would appeal to me and her at the same time (I am in the Ceritas, Dirty and Rowdy, Burgundy, Champagne - aka high acid - wine style).
Dinner at Meadowood.
5/30: Spa/Bike/Run. Lunch at Redd. Schramsberg. Dinner at Solbar.
Allowing a non-member to visit your winery is a chance to make you a member, any of the wineries you listed that can do tastings should be able to accommodate you if it works for their schedule.
I’d suggest swinging by Ram’s Gate on your way back to SFO if you take 101 to the Golden Gate. The winery is flashy and it comes across kind of lame, but their Chardonnays and their Cabernet Sauvignon were absolutely delicious. It’s a beautiful building with a great view if you can ignore the crowd.
And you should check out Massican. Dan Petroski is the assistant winemaker at Larkmead and has the Massican label for his own whites. All high acid, bright, special wines. You could also do the tasting at Larkmead while you’re there to satisfy your GF’s palate.
My suggestion is to drive up Spring Mountain and visit Barnett and Schweiger. The views alone are worth the drive, and they produce some of my favorite wines in Napa, most of which you won’t find on retail shelves or in restaurants.
Whenever I head up to Napa from San Fran, I usually hit Boon Fly Cafe at the Carneros Inn for breakfast, it is outstanding. Auberge is wonderful. I will be having dinner at Meadowood in a few weeks, I will let you know my thoughts afterwards. I think you have a great trip planned.
Rebecca, re tastings you might contact Randy Bowman or Carrie (C. Bowman) who are Napa Valley Wine & Cigar and old timers on WB. They’re pretty plugged in to the Napa scene and will likely have some good recs for you.
Pott could be tough given Aaron’s schedule. Same with Myriad, although Mike tends to be very accommodating. DP is another question mark, although you should be able to catch Francoise during late May. The rest should be easy with this much notice. Good luck and report back!
You taste Drinkward-Peschon at Behrens. It is one of my favorite tasting “rooms” in Napa. Tasting fee is waived with purchase. Robin will pour you lots of Behrens wines too.
My only suggestion is to consider traffic in your plans. If you want to stay in SF the first night, that makes sense from SFO, but plan to be in SF until at least 10 to avoid ridiculous traffic. It probably makes more sense to go across Golden Gate, and over on 37/121 to get to Napa, as opposed to Bay Bridge and 80.