Napa wine tastings for my wife

Okay, this is a serious question. I’m serious.

My wife is taking another trip to Napa - without her wine snob husband and alleged lover of Ovid - with her tennis friends. They want to visit some wineries. While they want to have fun, they are not the Del Dotto crowd, but nor are they wine snobs. They drink and enjoy quality wine, and I think (not sure since she handles the bills) have some money to blow.

Any recommendations on a quality wine tasting and tour, that is a balanced combination of educational, fun and enjoyable from a wine tasting perspective? One that was nice grounds, perhaps lunch, even better. She enjoyed Ram’s Head immensely. A winery with whites and reds is ideal.

And again, this is intended as a serious question!

Reach out to Jean at Alpha Omega.

Alfie, I would recommend Switchback Ridge (in Calistoga) and Riverain/Mending Wall (in Oakville)–both are off Silverado Trail. Riverain is owned by Steve Nordhoff, who is frequently a poster on the board here. Steve can get her set up for a tasting, and I would have you reach out to Kelly directly to set up an appointment.

I am sure you are going to get a long list of visit suggestions. Good luck.

Mumm is a nice visit, beautiful patio with enjoyable sparkling wines. An interesting rotating photography visit they can take a quick wander through, including a permanent exhibit of some beautiful and classic Ansel Adams prints.

I would always skip lunch at a winery in favor of sitting out on the terrace at Auberge du Soleil, or out on the patio at Solbar farther north in Calistoga (both higher end dining).

As for winery visits, the classic stop is Montelena (close to Solbar for lunch)

Did the lunch at round pound today, had a great host and meal.

Thomas rivers brown does the high end stuff and the garden is on premise and very well done

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110% agree. Rick Patton and Jean Hoeffliger (sp) are tremendous. Jean has some other really good projects, but if you can fandangle a private room tasting at Alpha Omega it’s really excellent and a great blend.

B Cellars wine and food tasting is really fun, but most of their really good cabs are not on the pour. If you ask, though, they’ll pour you a glass.

Schramsberg top wines and cheese pairing is the best brunch tasting in Napa.

Round Pond does a reserve wine and lunch pairing tasting that is supposed to be a ton of fun, even if the wines are not going to be board favorite quality.

And Bevan has a pretty rowdy tasting up near Calistoga that is highly recommended.

Disclaimer: You’ll dislike pretty much all of these wines.

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Stony Hill, Pride, and Schramsberg could check a lot of those boxes.

These are great, thanks! She’s googling them all.

I did a quiet litmus test and said “hey, check out Del Dotto.” She’d never heard of it. She passed. Said, “no way, this is cheesy”. She really seems to like Montelena. As she keeps looking…

Another vote for Schramsberg. My wife and her girlfriends really liked Cakebread too (yes, I know…).

A great visit to a Napa Winery making TRADITIONAL style wines is Frogs Leap.

Your wife can bring back some wines that YOU will like :slight_smile:

Located right in the middle of the valley.

Tom

Does Chandon still have a beautiful restaurant for al fresco lunching?

I’ve never done it but Hess has a museum of sorts on the tour I believe…thought I remember you guys are into art?

While I was searching to verify it was Hess, I ran across this article with other art based wineries.

Stag’s Leap (note, this is not “Stags’ Leap” which is a different winery which I haven’t visited.)

Hess was my first recommendation to her. The art collection is great. Excellent recommendation. And she likes art as well! Wine more, though.

Next Alfert thread topics:
“Help my wife find a Caymus killer”
“How long were you on the Saxum waiting list before you got an offer? (asking for my wife)”
“My, uh, wife wants to know if $300 is the new $150”

+10 to Alpha Omega.

Check out Davis on Silverado Trail. Food pairing and great wine. We’ve done tasting/eating there and it was superlative.


Brasswood does food and wine, as well.

Yea, but I dun’t think I’ve has any agregious typos!

Should I ask about wineries with private landing strips? Planes, not helicopters.

:wink:

Joseph Phelps has very interesting tastings / seminars (private tasting, blending seminar, aroma challenge) that are fun and educational. Plus their Pinots (and dare I say, even Chards) have recently been on a very positive trajectory, in addition to the classic Napa Cabs…

I’ll second stony hill. Beautiful vistas and very nice chards and cabs made in a traditional style.

Almost forgot…send them to the Cadet Wine Bar too.