We took a Fall trip to Napa Valley and enjoyed a few days at the wineries! It was our second time visiting Napa and we always have a great and relaxing time. We focus on the wine, since, that’s what Napa is known for, but also had a lot of great food experiences as well. Here are a list of the wineries we did tastings at!
— Day One
Hess Collection
We made appointment online to reserve a tasting spot. It was very personable and laid back, the tasting was in a large cellar-like room with a round counter. Tons of classic winery vibes on the outside, with a modern art gallery on the inside (You can stay and wander the gallery for however long you want.)
Alpha Omega
This tasting was free because the concierge at our hotel called ahead and made us an appointment. Alpha Omega was very informative and detailed when giving us tastings. And also personalized! We had one person wait on us the whole time, so we got to know him. We sat near the fountain under the trees and umbrellas. Good vibes, very relaxing.
— Day Two
Black Stallion
We walked in and didn’t wait long for a tasting spot. They had a large covered outdoor patio with comfy chairs and a nice ambiance. They were very personable. We liked Pinot and Poseidon Chardonnay (which we bought a bottle of). Kinda wasp-y, we were clearly the youngest there (we’re 30).
Beringer
We did a formal cellar tour. Our tour guide David was quite the storyteller. The caves were winding and cool. They gave us three tastes, which I felt like was stingy especially for the price of the tour. But it was good wine. There is a nicely manicured patio garden and outdoor space to sit and rest/chat as well.
Freemark Abbey
We walked in and had no wait for a tasting, and it was complimentary because we got a voucher from our concierge. This place was pretty small, but has a cool history, being the first woman-owned winery ever. Bosche Merlot and Cab were faves.
— Day Three
Mondavi
Tasting on the large porch area. It was confusing to figure out where to ask for a tasting, and the people helping were not personable. Our seat on the patio had great up-view of vines and mountains. It was really really busy, busloads of people came while we were there. Not a must-do.
Grgich
They had a small cellar-like tasting room with a good ambiance. The server gave us extra pours for being super interested and asking lots of questions about wine 🙂 We bought 2 bottles, so the tasting was free.
Markham
We got a two for one deal from our hotel. The tasting space is within a gallery of eclectic art. That being said, it was only an ok vibe. Our server was talkative and gave us so many extra pours, and even had a few tastes herself :0
— Day Four
Frog’s Leap
This was by far my favorite ambiance and experience. It had such nice grounds and gardens, and the tasting took place on the porch of a huge gorgeous farmhouse surrounded by trees and plants. They served nuts and cheese as part of the tasting. After the tasting, we walked around the grounds with another glass of wine, and we were followed around by the winery cat 😉
Raymond
They have the infamous french bulldog mascot, and the John Legend wine. We’d been here once before and stopped by again because we had a little time to kill. This place is eclectic and worth a visit.
So yeah, we had a pretty great trip to Napa! We hit up Gott’s Roadside for burgers and fries two days in a row. Loved loved Ritual Coffee for morning brew and egg sandwiches. And Eiko’s was a great & vibrant sushi spot right downtown!
