I am organizing a last minute one day trip to Napa this Sunday (driving out from SF) for my sister and brother in law. They like wine but are on no mailing lists, do not spend a huge amount on bottles, etc. This is more for the overall experience but will be each of their first visits. I have not been in years so hoping for some advice on what I have come up with from past experiences / board research.
10am: Tour/Tasting at Shafer
12pm: Lunch somewhere on way to next visit
1pm: Failla
2:30pm: Barnett (+Pride if time)
4:30pm: Alpha Omega
5:30pm: Dinner at Ad Hoc
This is all dependent on availability obviously but seems like a nice mix of wine variety/winery size/variety/location/view/etc without being too crazy? Other recommendations I have seen that I could attempt to sub in if it makes sense were Larkmead, Chimney Rock, Myriad/Quivet. Any thoughts from the experts? Thanks!!
Agree 4 is plenty. I think Barnett and Pride are great so maybe skip Failla? I have to call Shafer so they may not even be available, so the bigger 10am full tour tasting slot may change.
In mid-July, it’s getting to be peak tourist season, so all of the highly-sought-after appointments have probably long since been filled, and unless you’re exceptionally lucky, you’ll probably be looking at whatever’s available at this late date, rather than what your perfect wine-tasting adventure would otherwise have consisted of.
Driving TIMES are not the same as driving DISTANCES, especially when you are dealing with winding mountain roads. Two wineries might look like they’re very close on the map, but navigating the actual drive between them could take a considerable amount of time. [And you might also need to factor in “tipsy” driving, if you haven’t secured a professional driver.]
My guess would be that just about 100% of all Normies would probably enjoy the easy-going laid-back chilling-out and pondering what-is-the-meaning-of-life day trips, rather than the hurry-hurry-hurry-hurry speed-tasting so that we can move on to the-next-panic-attack nerve-racking disasters which geeks seem to schedule for themselves.
Round Pond has a Sunday Brunch at 10AM: [u]http://www.roundpond.com/winery-experiences/[/u] [In addition to outstanding Cabernets, note that Round Pond also has a big presence in products like Olive Oil.]
I don’t see anything similar on Sunday at Mondavi [they seem to be geared more towards Thursdays & Saturdays].
The other thing which keeps astonishing me is the flabbergastingly awful health of the average American these days [and the speed at which the median health status continues to deteriorate].
Thanks guys. Chimney Rock has a 10:30 wine tour and tasting available on Sunday which I am considering booking for them. So if I do that I will prob look for a few others around there and still finish up at Alpha Omega then Ad Hoc. If Barnett comes through, I may focus the day on Spring Mountain.
Barnett is one I would try and make regardless of the time. Breathtaking views and the portfolio is also very good. Only downside is, I do not believe they taste the Rattlesnake for non-members, which is definitely my favorite of what they produce.
Alpha Omega is easy to drop in and out if you are going to sit on the patio, so that one can be low key and quick is necessary.
If it were me personally, I would probably head to spring mountain in the morning if possible, since itll take the longest to get up to for Barnett, then come back down the mountain to highway 29, maybe hit up Gotts Roadside for a nice and quick lunch, then get back on to the tastings.
If you are looking for some other quick stops on the way, Turnbull is a casual tasting with nice offerings, easy to get in and out and sample the portfolio. Round Pond is also pretty nice as others have mentioned, although their tasting is a bit more formal, but the patio there is very nice. Silver Oak is also right down the road from Round Pond for a quick stop, although I am not a huge fan of their wines personally, but it is easy to get in there and taste.
I have not personally been to any of the Mike Smith (Myriad/Carter/Quivet) tastings in the Valley, so I can not speak to how the tasting experience is, but the wines themselves are extraordinary.
Schramsberg is also a cool tour and experience, if you enjoy sparkling wines. That tour does take a bit more time than some of the quicker stops I mentioned earlier. But it is positioned in a decent spot if coming down Spring Mountain.
As other mentioned, 3-4 tastings is more than enough for the day, otherwise you might be pretty fatigued by the time dinner rolls around.
A 10am bubbly tasting at Domaine Carneros on their way up from SF. Then lunch at Oakville Grocery, followed by a 1pm tasting somewhere. Perhaps another tasting at say 2:30pm, then have them head to Yountville where they can walk around, pop into a tasting room along the main road, and then hit Ad Hoc for dinner.
If they end up at Round Pond, Frogs Leap is nearby and offers both a very informative tour and a nice set of affordable wines. Might be nice to do some tastings where they won’t feel the wines are beyond their budget and they can purchase what they taste (then, or in the future).
Apparently Mr Smyth feels that the entire trip would be an exercise in existential futility and you shouldn’t even bother trying to have fun with your family.
The idea of my brother in law having to deal with my inebriated and (motion sick for the first time) sister is kind of amusing to me. May add another winery to the schedule!
Thanks everyone for all of the replies. I am waiting to hear back from Barnett regarding a tour/tasting then will start locking down the final itinerary. I like the idea of a casual lunch between tastings at gotts (what was it called 10 years ago?) as well as allowing some time for them to walk around before Ad Hoc. Also booked Mustard’s as a back up just to be safe in case they decide the Ad Hoc menu of the day is not for them.
I have done Keenan, Pride, and Barnett and enjoyed them all. Cain was not on my radar, thanks for that. Hopefully Barnett works out which will make this planning much easier!