Can we take a few moments to discuss my spur of the moment, Monday afternoon, high speed trip to Napa?
Napa seems to be in a perpetual state of sunshine. ย It’s absolutely gorgeous. ย There are grapes everywhere. ย If not actually growing from the earth, then engraved into the side of a freeway overpass, or painted on…. um… every available space in Napa. ย Turns out they’re really into grapes.
Can I be honest? ย Napa was a little too uppity, snootypants for my taste. ย I know just enough about wine to make my way through a conversation about tannins and acid, grape varietals, oak aging and whatever other terms wine people drop…. but I don’t think good wine should be all about the secret, and unapproachable language of wine.
I discovered, in these few hours in Napa, that the beauty of wine is all in the land. ย See, it’s the land that creates the beautiful grapes. ย It’s the land that’s beautifully adored and so carefully tended. ย It’s the careful love of soil that creates such beauty up in wine country. ย The care is evident in the carefully places acres and rows of grapevines. ย It’s lovely to see the earth adored for what it can produce. ย I feel like the story should be about the people and the land… not about fruit forward mouth feels… or whatever.
Here’s the deal:
The looking. ย The strolling out in the sun. ย The lazy walks through the tall grass of the vineyards… that’s free.
The tastings and the wine… so very far from affordable. ย Do I sound like I’m looking for a free ride? ย It’s not that, it’s just that a $65 bottle of wine is outside, way outside, my wallet’s comfort zone. ย Fact.
I need your help. ย I need your wine country guidance. ย Where’s the wine with spunk? ย Where’s the wine with story? ย Where’s the wine that will make me want to give three cheers to Napa. ย Let’s go there this spring. ย Seriously, we’ll make it a party!
51 Responses
Joy,
I’d love to invite you to visit Michigan. You’ll find a lot of very friendly, small winery experiences here. To learn more about growing wine grapes in Northern Michigan, I invite you to visit our blog at https://www.thevineyardchronicles.com/ where we write about our experiences growing chardonnay and pinot noir for the last 20+ years.
I am an Aussie living in Napa with 2 little kids and wine geek husband, I would like to think that I am down to earth and not snooty, but I am sure I can have my moments. Napa can be snooty but if you ever need any help, I would love to help make your visit less snooty.
PS Fatted Calf makes killer sandwiches as well.
Joy, I’m from Napa and I now live in Sacramento. I MUCH prefer to go winetasting up here in Amador County. My friends and I head up there often, my favorites are Montevina, Bray (try their red table wine, the “Bray-Zin Hussy” and if you shoot over to Clarksburg, you’ll hit Bogle, which is amazing.
How things have changed. We lived in the napa and sonoma valleys and woudn’t live there again, too many people snooty or not. It is too bad napa has become… well your right a tad snooty. And downtown holly molly! The town of Napa used to be where the poor people lived and the rich in St Helena, Calistoga back to more ordinary folk. Don’t think it’s that way anymore. With that said one of my very best friends lives and makes wine in the valley. It helps to find a local and talk them up. Walk into any of the hot air balloon companies and talk them up, trust me they love to talk, full of hot air and all….
My vote go to Korbel for a good champagne but also a wonderful garden and a history in pictures of the early 1900’s harvesting redwood trees. Big big redwood trees.
The CIA is a wonderful place to have a not too expensive lunch and talk up the wait staff who are also the students. Tell them what kind a wine you like, what your price range is and I am sure you will lots of suggestions. They also have a herb veggie garden too die for. Used to be a winery… forget which one. Christion Brothers?
Baringer gives a good tour, one doesn’t really need more then one. Go find the Olive Oil store in St. Helena for funk and great food stuff. Hmm I wonder if it’s still there? Also this little bakery in St. Helena on the west side of the main street at the north end of the second block. Chocolate cookies with expresso, gotta get there fairly early they sell out. Silver Oak yummy yummy, Heizt (sp?) old family wine could be out of your price range.
Oregon wines…. sorry Oregonians, lived in Oregon, wines do not compare to Sonoma, Napa and some of the central valley wineries. No way no how. My opinion.
My upper divsional science class at Sonoma State was a wine making class. That was a hoot. I start rolling my eyes when the instructer would start talking about the essence of orange…. or some other od discription. Ya either like it or ya don’t. Now Yellow Tail from Austriala is pretty darn good, so are wines out of chili. And cheap!
I completely agree with the Napa/Sonoma comments above — Sonoma is the “country-fied” (read: friendlier) version of Napa by far. Santa Rosa isn’t all that bad either (although not a lot of vineyards, it’s gorgeous!). I work in Sebastopol, which is definitely the country side of Sonoma County… great for boutique shops and cafes. Come explore! :)
Hop Kiln! J Vineyards! You must drive down West Side Road and see the wonder of the Russian River up close. There’s a fabulous old bridge from 1922. And with Hop Kiln’s Thousand Flowers white blend at $15/bottle, you can sip your way into sunshiney happiness. We started our two days in wine country in Napa, and by 10am we were beat down by the man. Took some crazy twisty road to Sonoma County, and we were much, much happier.
I also recommend the lovely place at Bogle, south of Sacramento. Talk about good wines, good people, and a lovely place!
Hi Joy, I’m preaching to the choir a little here…but come to Oregon and taste the wine. Little attitude, lots of variety, good food to complement the wine. Sokol Blosser makes grapeseed oil (and offers tastings) out of the leftover seeds. It’s a double play between their wine and olive oil. If you don’t mind lots of canine love, you can stay with us. For real.
Check out the olive oil/vinegar tastings at Round Pond! We went up with another couple a few months ago for the day. The woman who led us through it was so nice and down to earth. Your entry makes me think I should take a spur of the moment trip right now! Anyway, love your blog!
“Can I be honest? Napa was a little too uppity, snootypants for my taste”
I TOLD you that you should go to Sonoma Valley instead of Napa. But NOOOOO….. you still had to go. Honestly, Sonoma County (my home) is much more relaxed and not so uppity. I agree that Healdsburg is a wonderful little town that can rival St. Helena or Calistoga in it’s charm.
Dry Creek Valley!
If you want a fun experience, and can end up affording a bottle at the end, I have to second the Korbel suggestion (take a walk through Armstrong Woods first near Guerneville). Also, the people at Pedroncelli are super friendly, and they are one of the oldest wine-making families in the area. Their Midnight Run Zinfandel is great and there isn’t a tasting fee. Dutcher Crossing has a beautiful tasting room and picnic area… they are a bit pricey and charge a $5 fee, but the wines are yummy and the tasting staff is jovial. It’s a nice place to end the day.
The trick is to befriend someone, anyone, in the business who has a business card that can be flashed… then tasting are free (and wines occasionally discounted). I could lend you my brother, if needed :)
Wow, seems like a fun trip!! I have gone wine tasting around here ( Santa Ynez, Solvang by Santa Barbara, CA) with my friends and had the best time ever. If you know anyone who works at a winery, they can actually get a discount with their business card when they go wine tasting, which I think is soo neat.
Anyways, If you like semi-sweet wines, try 2007 Moscato Allegro by Martin & Weyrich, its only 7% and it tastes soo yummy :)
I hope you have tons of fun =D
Do you need, or want, a personal assistant? I come with a very handy hubby and 2 kids…this quick trip sounds wonderful.
My in-laws live in St. Helena so I do get up that way more than I used to. Yes, there are some expensive places in the wine country…and there are some places that are reasonable. Yes, there are snooty people in wine country…but I’ve found many more friendly people. On any given day a person you talk to at a winery can be a wonderful friend or a down right obnoxious moron (gee, think I’ve met a few :). But seriously, a lot of it is trial and error. I have a huge soft spot for Peju only because of an incredibly wonderful experience there. Wine country is full of many towns with different personalities, just like the wines. I’m still experimenting and finding places I like.
Unfortunately, I cannot drink wine…red wine headaches, but I love the food markets in Napa. The olive oil shops and other shops make the trip worth it for me. I have had some amazing food at the restaurants in Napa too. Everytime that I pour my garlic infused olive oil that I purchased in Napa, I have to ask myself, “Is this dish worth it? I can’t just go back to the store for this special stuff.”
I concur with poster Kimmy – Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is OUTSTANDING!!!
I prefer to do Napa on a bicycle. You really get to enjoy the scenery and sober up between wineries. JK…kinda. There are definitely deals to be found in Napa, just gotta do a little research. My top pick is Goosecross Cellars…Jose is the BEST! Very knowledgeable and fun. I also like Mumm, the tastings are not cheap but they have a free art gallery that is nice. I find it best to just stumble upon the small wineries, the staff is usually very nice and love to share their knowledge. I’ve had great impromptu tours and learned about the different stages of the wine making process as well as received tasting straight from the barrels of early stages. You can’t go wrong with a bike, some picnic food (or just stop at Oakville Market) and the beautiful Napa scenery!
I know next to nothing about wine, and I’m dying to go to Napa, where I’ve never been. My husband, though, totally agrees with you…and nixes every move I make to drive north. I don’t suppose I’m going to make it.
i’m with julie – Frog’s Leap was the best experience we had out there. It’s a free tour (you have to make a reservation though) and you get to eat fresh fruit from their garden and wear giant floppy hats.
What a fun little getaway! I agree with taking a more unpretentious approach to wine. I love it, but I don’t love the snobbyness that can come along with it sometimes!
Go to the Russian River Valley. They are much less snooty and a lot of the tasting is free! Napa just got to big and its scary just driving that road!!!
hello, this is my first comment for you.
I’ve been enjoying reading your blog since I started my blog on Feb.
By the way, I was thinking to have a surprise party for my boyfriend who is gonna be 21years-old on May at Napa, tasting some nicy wine and cheese, but huuuu, it sounds way way waaaaay expensive than I expected. But, anyway, I like Northern Cal a lot. it’s perfect place.
Thanks,
The best storyteller was from Summers winery . However, we also love Corison (near Dean and Deluca), Duckhorn, Whitehall Lane, reserve room at Beaulieu (for the traditional Napa experience). What you have to remember is many people go to Napa who don’t love wine. It is now a popular place for brides to go for a bachelorette party. These women are not interested in wine, but in getting drunk. Once we chat with the servers, and they know that we are sincere; we have always had a good time. My suggestions is to go to a big
place, like Duckhorn, early in the day. Ask your server for suggestions. Some our best finds are from other wineries.
You haven’t said your favorite type of wine, but big Cabs are king in Napa. We haven’t found another place to beat Napa when it comes to
Cabs.
I think you would love Yadkin Valley area wines. They are usually owned and operated by familys and if you get into the wineries first thing in the morning or on a lazy, rainy weekend… you’ll discover a whole new side to wine. The familes love sharing their stories on how they started their wineries, what they love about wine – they don’t use the uppity lingo that is so hard to follow but they certainly know what they are talking about! It might be a bit of a treck for you considering Yadkin Valley is in NC and VA… but it’s so much fun! Not to mention NC east coast wines… those are sweet and refreshing, mostly made from a muscadine grape. For the NC east coast wines – Lumina’s Green Apple Resling is super tasty and really refreshing for those nice, lazy summer days… and it’s super close to the beach in Wilmington, NC.
I completely agree. I prefer Sonoma to Napa, but I highly recommend Frog’s Leap. They are very down to earth and offer a great tour. You must visit their vineyard. Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures. Here in New England it is still winter, so it was nice to see your pictures of spring in one of my favorite areas of the country.
I prefer to do my wine-tasting in the comfort of my own home with that $8 bottle of cabernet I found at the grocery store. That’s nice!
I have lived in Napa Valley for over 30 years, and I can see why you think it seems snooty, but I think that’s a common, but false impression. The old timers — people who have been there for generations, and the families who are raising kids there are far from snooty. It’s the super-rich people who come there to retire, and open wineries who I think have given it that feeling, unfortunately. I do think it’s beautiful — but probably over-hyped.
I have to second the suggestion for the Walla Walla wineries! My husband and I went there for a lazy weekend last September and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on!
Beautiful town/outlying country, great wine!, no snobbiness! You really should give it a try!
I like Napa, but I really can’t afford it! I live in Seattle, and I would take the Walla Walla wineries over Napa any day. Big, bold reds and beautiful scenery.
And most wine flights are 5-10 bucks. Some are even free.
Looks like you had a lovely day. Great pictures
P.S.
I’m only an hour away from Napa but here is the winery I’d really like to visit:
https://www.pipestonevineyards.com/
You chose THE most perfect time of year to visit Napa Valley. The mustard flowers blooming make it exceptionally beautiful.
If you had only enough time to stay around the town of Napa, you missed out on the local flavor. When time allows, meander north through the valley.
And absolutely make time to stop in at Bouchon Bakery or eat at the Cafe. It defies description. https://www.bouchonbakery.com/
Here’s a wine maker my brother in law has known for thirty years. He’s American but speaks German and attended university in Germany, learning the wine making craft. Extremely personable.
https://www.scottharveywines.com/
It’s possible to hire a vintage car for the day which is chauffered through the valley, or rent bicylcles or take the wine train.
The best kept secret in the midst of all the restaurants is
https://www.hightechburrito.com/ but no one ever thinks of
having a burrito in Napa when there is the French Laundry!
I absolutely adore Napa and all of wine country there. I think that sometimes the wineries seem snooty, but the people of Napa are NOT snooty. They are very friendly, kind, and welcoming. Go to a backyard (or backVINEyard) party and you will get the real feel for the people there. I do agree that up Napa has a lot of the bigger names and with that comes bigger wineries trying to out do the next. Sonoma is a little more laid back, and doesn’t seem to be trying to prove anything with big wineries. Once you pick out your wine (I couldn’t even begin to tell you a favorite) you should definitely go to Sunshine Foods Grocery in St. Helena… it is fantastic! pick up some cheese and meats from there and have yourself a picnic!
I also agree with annie that Bonny Doon is fantastic and Santa Cruz couldn’t be more beautiful or laid back.
beautiful photos joy :)
Have to second- third- the votes for Sonoma over Napa. Napa is all big money, big wines, big attitudes, with no room for the little guy. We fell in love with Sonoma on our honeymoon six years ago and live here now. Sonoma is richer in natural beauty than Napa (hands-down), and has an embarassment of riches in smaller, family-run wineries that are very friendly, fun and easy on the pocketbook. Find a map anywhere in the local businesses and just wind your way through the hills for some great finds.
I also have to steer you towards Bonny Doon, just north of Santa Cruz, which is rockin’.
OH I am so biased because I am from Sonoma Co. and I vastly prefer it. But! There are some sweet little spots in Napa, particularly Geyserville though I can’t speak for the wineries there as I usually go to hike up Mt. St. Helena (on a clear day, it’s wonderful).
But in Sonoma Co…. there is Healdsburg which is less funky than it used to be but still nice … Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen (Benziger winery right nearby) … the Russian River Valley area and Armstrong Woods … and Sonoma town is great.
I could go on.
I love Napa. I’m sorry you did not have a good experience. I do think many of the Napa wineries tend to be more touristy and less approachable. Next time, give Sonoma a chance. We found many small wineries where the owners themselves were pouring (no charges like Napa) and were so down to earth and friendly. In Sonoma we love Chateau St. Jean, Ravenswood, and Kenwood.
Here in Woodinville, Washington we have wines that don’t take themselves so seriously … there’s a little local one called PengWine that stick a guy in a penguin suit out in the road on the weekends and they sponsored something recently at the zoo! So cute! You can check them out on your next trip to Seattle.
I’m with Rose. Murphys is so very adorable and in the California foothills east of the central valley. Sutter Creek (east of Stockton) also has some great little vinyards as does the Carmel Valley. We LOVE Morgan.
i’m so jealous you live close enough to make such trips. that’s great. i really love napa. i have to go back soon!!
Missouri wine country is the best!
Oh Joy – come to New Zealand for award winning wines, gorgeous scenery, great food, friendly folks – it’s got it all. Only a 12 hour flight across the Pacific!
Alison
Joy, you should try the Santa Ynez valley for wine. Beautiful, and I suspect, much more affordable than Napa. My favorite winery was Firestone.
Napa is the Las Vegas strip of wine country. Go Sonoma all the way! Steer clear of places that look like they put more work into their chateau-like exteriors than their wines. Try Ravenswood. They’re a big brand, but their winery is small, fun, and completely unpretentious. And there are half a dozen wineries nestled away withing close biking distance.
I prefer Healdsburg to Sonoma or Napa. The Russian River Valley wines are yummy, people so friendly. Love Ferrari Carano and Passalaqua.
I much prefer Sonoma to Napa — Sonoma is a little more user-friendly, the wineries look like wineries, rather than modernist architectural delights, or gothic castles (with a few exceptions). The Russian River Valley is a particularly nice ares — check out Korbel. The tastings are complimentary and they make surprisingly good champagne that you can usually buy for $15 a bottle or so. I also love Davis Bynum in Sonoma.
If you want even less pretention, head down south to the Santa Ynez valley. Beautiful beautiful area, and approachable wines. My favorite is Gainey — their riesling is around $20 a bottle and it’s really good.
The wine (and winemakers) with heart and soul are in Sonoma. Not as snooty, totally friendly, totally affordable. Some of my favorites in Sonoma:
– Mayo Family
– Jacuzzi
– Cline
– Rodney Strong (pretty corporate, but very friendly nonetheless)
– Ledson
Many of these have low cost tastings, if not free ones, and those who work the tastings are just fun to talk to.
Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz (AKA liquid crack). And go to Silverlake Wine for one of their super informal and fun Monday night $12 tastings.
Oh man – Napa (and for that matter most of Sonoma) can be a bit…well its great but lets just say there are other places! Check out Murphys, CA (CUTE little town with tasting rooms all within walking distance of each other – and affordable!), Lake County (good wines, good prices, lovely lake/camping areas), Amador County (Zins!)…and thats just in Northern CA! I also love the Paso Robles area, Santa Ynez, etc etc etc…I could go on way too long. i can’t wait to see where you choose to go and the pics from the visit! Have fun!
i also adore napa-my boy & i recently did a road trip up the coast & stopped in napa! just breathtaking! we were not impressed at all with there little downtown…what were your thoughts?
I have been reading your blog for some time now… I really really enjoy your recipes but have never been driven to comment… Until today.
Come to Oregon. I live in the Willamette Valley with over 35 wineries within a two hours drive and literally over 150 more is you are willing to travel further. Since Oregon wine is less well known, decent, fun wine is fairly inexpensive with none of the pretentiousness you might get elsewhere (well except for King Estates but that is another story). I have a little vacation rental you could stay in if you want to come up!
Haha, I’m the last person that should tell you anything about wine. I know I like it, and that’s about the extent of my knowledge. However, I really liked Sonoma. Maybe we should go there! Maybe it won’t have Napa’s snootiness (although I doubt it). Your pics are excellent!