Here it is...The Napa/Sonoma Trip Report
 

Let me just preface my report with WE HAD A GREAT TIME! I've divided this up into parts so it will post easier. Keep in mind, this is my trip report, my opinions and I'm sure not everyone will agree with what I have written. That said...happy reading!<BR><BR>Sonoma/Napa Valley Trip Report<BR>Wed Apr 24th - Sun Apr 28th<BR><BR>PART I<BR>Wednesday - Flew into Sacramento Airport (SMurF) on Southwest Airlines. ($250/pp) We arrived on time & picked up our car from National (Pontiac Grand Prix $40/day). Drove to Sonoma. We were ahead of schedule since traffic was not bad & decided we had time to stop at Domaine Carneros before we checked in at the B&B. It was $13.50pp for the taste (3 glasses, a bit steep if you ask me) The grounds are wonderful, as is the building and the view. Definitely worth stopping if you like champagne. (If you don't like champagne stop for the view and the grounds anyway) Went on to Sonoma and checked into the B&B. We stayed at the Trojan Horse Inn on Sonoma Highway. It is 1/2 block from Spain Street and about a mile from the Square. Weather was excellent for our entire trip. Usually in the high 60s, lower 70s during the day and middle 40s during the night.<BR><BR>The Trojan Horse Inn: A nice little Inn in Sonoma. It has 4 rooms upstairs and 2 downstairs with a Jacuzzi and small rose/flower garden. They have orange trees onsite, so we had fresh-squeezed juice every morning. Yummy! Breakfast started with a large fresh fruit cup and then variations on the entr&eacute;e. Belgian Waffles with chicken & apple sausage on Thursday, a fluffy Egg Casserole with fresh baked toast on Friday and Almond French Toast with chicken & apple sausage on Saturday. Each evening between 6pm-7pm there were 2 wine selections with snacks (fruit, cheese, crackers, etc) Owner's Joe & Sandy were incredibly friendly and helpful when we had questions about the local area. We had two rooms reserved and since it was not May yet, Sandy gave us the "pre-season" price of $120/per room. (Normally $148 each) We had the place to ourselves until the weekend guests started checking in on Friday night. This is not a "posh" B&B but a quite place to get away from all the traffic in the valleys. We found we could walk from the B&B to Sonoma Square in 15 minutes. There was a walking trail close by for morning walks. Would I stay here again? Probably not, but that is because I like staying at different places when I return to a destination (unless I have found the "perfect" place I like) If someone was deciding where to stay and this was on their list, I would recommend it. Not earth shattering but not too bad either.<BR>

PART II - Thursday - Napa Valley - Winery Hopping<BR><BR>Cakebread Cellars ($5) - First stop of the day! Marion the Wine Teller was awesome! She was so fun and ended up pouring more wines than we had paid. We got into a good discussion and she took us behind the "secret" door for an impromptu tour to watch them transfer Chardonnays & clean barrels. We also saw the filter process on a Merlot.<BR><BR>Sequoia Grove ($5) - What a nice surprise! We really enjoyed this winery. The Wine Teller was extremely helpful. It was early in the day (about 10:30am) so we were able to visit with her at length.<BR><BR>Niebaum-Coppola ($8) - Awesome grounds, building, million-dollar staircase and "mini" museum. Wine taste was good; it was nice to walk around and look at the museum while tasting, we didn't have to stand by the bar the whole time. I did not like the Claret (but then, I think this is the first time I tried a Claret.<BR><BR>Whitehall Lane ($5) - Actually, nothing too terribly memorable here. It was a very "modern" looking tasting room. We mainly stopped because our travelling cohorts had tried to stop here 3 years ago and they were closed. You get to take away the glasses though. I think we will havea nice collection by the end of the trip!<BR><BR>Freemark Abbey (free) - This was a special stop since our friends are members. Sue gave us a very informative private tour and barrel tasting. They have redone their tasting room/gift shop and have a nice couch and set of chairs to lounge in while you taste. Freemark has recently undergone a partnership change.<BR><BR>Beringer ($5) - Good selection of breads, crackers & dipping mustards/sauces/oils. We never ended up paying for our taste…and it was a good one. Purchased 2 bottles of 1999 Chardonnay, Private Reserve for my brother-in-law.<BR><BR>Robert Sinskey ($10) - We showed up 15 minutes before they closed, so we got to talk to the Wine Teller a bit longer. According to my husband: "They had good olives". Good taste and we got to keep the glasses for free (normally $$, it helps to talk up the Teller)<BR><BR>Merryvale (free) - Last stop of the day: we were running late (had dinner reservations at 5:30pm) so we only stayed for one taste. They were super-busy and did not want to help you if you were not ready to buy. Did not leave with a good impression, but then again it could have just been the time of day.<BR>

PART III Friday - Sonoma Valley - Winey Hopping<BR><BR>Matanzas Creek ($?) - First stop of the day! Beautiful lavender gardens. Most everything in their gift shop is lavender or oriental. They have recently redone their tasting room/gift shop as well. They have a good display of how grapevines are trellised and pruned. They also have extensive maps of the appellations and wine regions. We chose a Matanzas Creek wine for the first few courses of our dinner at the Laundry. The only thing I have to remark about here is that the Teller commented several times, "this wine is tasting well today." (And yesterday it was not?) **grin**<BR><BR>Ferrari-Carano Winery ($3) - Awesome grounds, building, fountains, and gardens. They have an extensive underground cellar as well as framed menus of numerous White House Dinners featuring their wines.<BR><BR>Kenwood ($5) - Well, lets just say that when the Teller says, "this wine goes great with burgers" you have to be wary! It was okay, but I think my taste was tainted by his burger comment. The reserve wines were far better than their estate and table wines hands down.<BR><BR>Kunde Estate (free) - Good taste, nice variety between their Zins. Tried the Claret and decided I definitely do not like Clarets. However, I did see a lady in a dress that reminded me of a sofa my parents used had. Other than that we moved on.<BR><BR>Quivira ($?) - Could have been a better experience. We were the only ones in this out-of-the-way place, but the Teller was busy decorating for the weekend 'Passport to Dry Creek Valley' event. We did not stay long.<BR><BR>Lambert Bridge Winery (free) - This was a quick stop on the way to finding Everett Ridge. Good selection of reds. (I particularly enjoyed the 2000 Zinfandel.)<BR><BR>Everett Ridge (free) - Nice surprise in another out-of-the-way place. We were a bit rushed since we wanted to make it back down the valley to stop at Ledson before they closed at 5:00pm. We discovered an excellent Port. Purchased 2 bottles of Port and 1 Cab.<BR><BR>Ledson ($5) - Last stop of the day, we barely made it. Whew! This place is stunning; a beautiful castle that was originally intended to be a private home. They have a large gift shop/deli called the Market Place. We purchased their 1999 Legend, a Merlot/Zin blend. The pour was heavy, but then again, it was the end of the day and the Teller wanted to finish off the bottle. <BR>

PART IV - Saturday - Finished up Napa Valley, Pope Valley<BR><BR>Carneros Creek (free) - First stop of the day! Exceptional wine, the nice guy waived the tasting fee since we planned to purchase. They had 30% off some selections since it is their 30th anniversary.<BR><BR>Hess Collection Winery ($3) - all I can say is 'awesome art collection'. Mostly Swiss artists (not surprising since Hess himself is Swiss); a very enjoyable self-guided tour through his collection. You have to check out the burning typewriter! Only winery we visited that gave you mineral water between tastes, nice touch. This place is a bit out of the way…through windy roads, but definitely worth the extra time. They poured a great 1997 Cab.<BR><BR>Silverado Vineyard ($?) - There was a tour bus when we arrived, which could have meant: 'bad time for all'; however, that was not the case. We had a great time with the group that was there and enjoyed Silverado's selection of Cabs and Merlots.<BR><BR>Pine Ridge ($?) - Not Pine Trees but Douglas Firs, ask them about it when you are there. We had a nice lunch at their picnic grounds; well shaded and near the grapevines. They have a demonstration vineyard in front of the building which explains rootstock, trellising, irrigation, etc. We had a good time teasing the Teller since she had just started 2 weeks ago.<BR> <BR>Deer Park (free) - Oh what, oh what could I say about Deer Park? Well, this small winery only produces about 600 barrels a year and that is an amazing thing. If they have a bad year they sell their stuff to larger wineries and just don’t bottle that year. They only make what they like, since they have to drink it if it doesn't sell. (I like that philosophy!) Joe was quite a character and said, " you won't find any white here, red only!" We totally enjoyed this stop and would highly recommend it for people who are looking for a fun-non-hyped-non-commercial taste! We purchased 2 bottles.<BR><BR>Pope Valley Winery (closed) - shucks! We drove way out of our way to get there. The place looked deserted although the sign said they were open! I think I will call them.<BR><BR>Cuvaison Winery ($5) - Another crowded tasting room (to be expected on a Saturday). Good taste; however, they stopped giving their glasses away (and they used to have stems that were gold spirals) so we convinced the Teller we needed a couple of the new ones free. It worked! Showed her how to play backgammon on the board they have sitting on the bar.<BR><BR>Nichelini (free) - Ahhhh, it pains me to say this but I have found a winery I DO NOT like. It takes a lot to find a bad wine in either Valley, and unfortunately we were successful. When they mentioned that they age their wine outside or in the barn (not in a cellar or caves) we bolted. The brown tinge should have tipped us off. To their credit Nichelini is the oldest family operated winery in the area (founded 1890) and they do have the only Roman Wine Press still standing in the valley.<BR><BR>Note: We also tasted at Stag's Leap Wine Cellers ($5), Silver Oaks Cellars ($10) and Chateau St. Jean ($?); however, I don’t have notes from these stops.<BR>

PART V - Where we ate...<BR><BR>Wednesday Night: Marioni's, Spain Street, Somona Square. They serve seafood, pasta and steak. Not too spectacular but the food was good, the atmosphere was nice and we were tired. I had their French Onion soup and Fettuccine Alfredo. They have patio seating as well. <BR><BR>Thursday Lunch: Lunch? What lunch? We don't have time! We're burning daylight here! Next Winery please! Just grab some munchies and press on. Besides, dinner is at the Laundry tonight!<BR><BR>Thursday Night: French Laundry, Yountville. FABULOUS! We all had the Chef's Taste menu, which consisted of a pre-appetizer (Salmon Tartar cones with buttery cream - yummy!), 9 courses, and an extra follow-up dessert course of candies, tarts and meringues. Our waiter Joe was wonderful, funny and quite accommodating. One person in our party did not like caviar so they substituted a Custard dish for the standard Oysters and Pearls. Each course was presented in a wonderful unique way. We worked our way through 2 bottles of wine and a 1/2 bottle of Port by the time the 3-hour dinner was finished. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and did not feel like the restaurant was stuffy or uptight. (However, when I returned from visiting the restroom I found the napkin I had left on my chair was neatly folded next to my plate!) This is a definite "keeper" on our list of things to do when we return.<BR><BR>Friday Lunch: A&W, along the highway on the way to Dry Creek Valley Wineries. What a hoot! I have not been to an "A&W" since I was a kid on road-trip with my parents. After the awesome dinner the night before, we decided we just needed a quick stop before pressing on North in Sonoma. As you can tell, lunch is not a major activity for us when we travel!<BR><BR>Friday Night: La Casa, Spain Street, Sonoma Square. A local and visitor favorite. Not upscale, but not cheap either. We started with Macho Nachos and Margarita's. I had the Mexican Flag entr&eacute;e (3 enchiladas with red ranchero sauce, sour cream & green chili sauce) and my husband had the Chili Verde. La Casa has good food, lively atmosphere and a nice walk around Sonoma Square.<BR><BR>Saturday Lunch: Picnic lunch at Pine Ridge (purchased at Albertson's). We dropped by a grocery store on the way to the Silverado Trail to get picnic supplies. Pine Ridge has a great picnic area on the side of a hill that picks up a nice breeze. Spent 30 minutes people watching and enjoying the view.<BR><BR>Saturday Night: Fat City Bar & Caf&eacute;, Old Sacramento. Reminds me of the Old Market in Omaha. We had a great time walking around the area before we decided on Fat's. A fun throwback to a turn-of-the-century decorated restaurant. We enjoyed a late dinner. I had the French Onion soup and a Caesar Salad (complete with anchovies thank you!), husband had the Quesadillas.

So, do I need a vacation to recover from my vacation? Nayh! We really had a great time. We ended up not going on the HotAir Balloon ride this time...and will definately plan that for the next trip. Also, since we went with another couple, we didn't do some of the things we would normally do if we vacationed alone. (ie: spa, horseback riding, etc.) <BR><BR>So, we have a plan for the next time we go to Napa to do these activities. Finally, since we hit such a huge range of wineries on this trip, we have picked out the ones we would return to, freeing up more time to spend on spa activities and/or a course at CIA or Ramekins.<BR><BR>Sheli

Sheli:<BR><BR>Great report. My wife and I will be there in two weeks. Will definitely use your post as a reference. I hope we have half as much fun as it sounds like you had.

Thanks, Sheli. Great report! We're going to Napa in a couple of weeks. You've given me some great ideas. Do you know anything about a bike route between Napa and Sonoma? It may be along the shoulder of a road, perhaps the Silverado Trail? Just wondering if it's a narrow, busy road.

Sandy,<BR> We saw bikes on Silverado trail, but I would NOT do it! i found the average car/truck (big ones) to be going well over the speed limit, often drifting to the sides. I ran on the trail a few times, but would bike elsewhere. There are many bike stores there with lots of back-roads trails as well as organized rides. We will definitely do that next year upon our return.<BR>Sheli, glad you had a great time. We did as well, and are planning our return next year. So much wine.....so little time!

Sandy: I have to agree with Linda...I would not bike the Silverado Trail...many cars and not much of a shoulder. <BR><BR>There were many bikers on Hollow Mt road on the way to Pope Valley...but it is definately not flat and wasn't the easiest drive with all the twists.<BR><BR>Have a good trip!

Sheli,<BR>Great report. Just wondering...where did you fly out of for $250 pp rt?

Rachel:<BR><BR>We flew out of Omaha via Phoenix on Southwest. Purchased the tickets in February.<BR><BR>Sheli

Sheli, Great report thanks! How many miles did you travel each day? Are these wineries close to each other? How far is the Laundry from the B&B you stayed in? How well did the wines you purchased travel?

Stella,<BR> I don't know about Sheli- but after toting home wine from NY last year, we had our wine shipped from Napa/Sonoma.Many states don't allow shipping, but there are ways around it! Some wineries can ship it to a business. In our case, we had it sent to an adjacent state. You can go to Mailboxes and ship to yourself. Expensive, but worth it if you can't purchase the wines back home. Be sure to ask if they are available in your area before you bother purchasing. You really don't save any money buying wine at the wineries unless they have close-out specials.

Stella:<BR><BR>Linda is right regarding the shipment of wine to your state. (I checked the web before we went to find out if there were limits, etc) Each winery we went to had a list of what state they would/would not ship. In addition, if you are visiting Beringer or Coppola, etc you can order their wines online or call their 800# and have them shipped after you return (which is what we are doing.) I just noted which wines I liked and plan to purchase now that I am at home. We only brought back 8 bottles (purchased mostly at the small non-web or non-distributing wineries or on huge sale), which we hand carried on the plane in the 6-pack carry boxes. We also hand carried a full box of wine glasses we had accumulated from tasting.<BR><BR>I really cannot tell you how many miles we travelled per day. Most wineries (like the ones in Napa Valley) are on the main road which runs north thru Calistoga, St Helena, etc and are next door to each other. We backtracked a couple of times and crossed the valley to get to the Silverado Trail a few times too, depending on when a certain winery closed. (some at 4:30pm, some at 6:30pm) We started tasting at 10am and finished by 5:30pm each day.<BR><BR>When you get there pick up one of the many local valley visitor guides/maps/magazines. They list each valley seperately and then alphabetically by winery the hours, tastes, tours, etc. You can plan your day based on where you want to go.<BR><BR>Our B&B in Somona was about 40 minutes from Yountville/the Laundry.<BR><BR>HTH!<BR><BR>Sheli

Wow. This is a terrific report. I am saving it because I would love to do a similar trip next year. I am in awe of how much ground you covered in such a short period of time! I really enjoy your writing style, unpretentious tone, sense of humor, and especially the details about your experiences at each winery. And anyone who can go from French Laundry to A&W in less than 24 hours must be a good egg!

deserves topping.

Hi Sheli, great trip report! We are going to Napa/Sonoma(five days) at the end of May, then to Tahoe, then Yosemite for 8 more days. <BR>I am definitely taking notes from your winery visits! I'd like to include Villa Mt. Eden(love their Pinot)with the Silverado trail. Did you see if it was crowded? <BR> If you could pick just one winery that has it "all", which one would it be? <BR>Hate to pin you down like that, but I am curious.<BR>Thanks again, Judy :-)

Judy:<BR><BR>I had not noticed if Villa Mt Eden was crowded or not. The Silverado Trail is more spread out that the main road up the valley. Wineries were not as busy on Thursday as they were on Saturday. If you want less crowd go during the week.<BR><BR>Okay, narrowing it down. Well, you need to know that I only drink red, so I am not picking my wineries based on all their wines. Out of the 26 we tasted at...I think I can pick out 5 that I really liked. Not one single place had it "all" for me. (yeah, as if I am an expert..not!):<BR><BR>Matanzas Creek - the Teller didn't know it all, but its a good wine, informative display and even though the lavender gardens were not in bloom, all you had to do was run your had over the tops of the green plants and it smelled awesome!<BR><BR>Freemark Abbey & Cakebread Cellars - We are considering joining one of their wine clubs since we enjoyed both places so much. I am I sure I focus on these two because of the tours. There is nothing like walking into a cellar with the cool smell of oak and wine all around you and then getting a taste fresh out of the oak.<BR><BR>Ledson - their Legend is a really deep taste wine, and I like that. Almost over-ripe.<BR><BR>Deer Park - This place was just too strange to not like. Joe had some really good reds. He was incredibly friendly and full of information. It might be a bit over the top for some people (he had to go wash more glasses since there were 14 of us there at one time!) Too funny!<BR><BR>Guess I can't just pick one!<BR><BR>

Great report on one of our favorite parts of the state. My liver is aching just reading it!<BR>Going to go watch Good Morn Amer. now since they are in Napa this a.m.!<BR>Kal

Nice Good Morn Amer from Napa.<BR>I'm ready to buzz down to Napa for lunch. Durn job STILL getting in the way.<BR>Sheli, 2 of our favorite wines are anything from Cakebread (we have a few bottles of '97 "3 Sisters" aging in the wine cellar, aka: "our closet" and their Chards.) and the Pinots from Carneros Creek. "Sir" Francis Mahoney at Carneros Creek makes a good 'un. If the guy who waived your fee was in his 70s, short and wore a sports car/golf hat, it was probably him. Very underrated wine.<BR>Sad to hear about Nichelini's. They used to put out some good red years ago.<BR><BR>Good move flying into SMF. Easy airport to get around in...I'm sure they'll screw that up shortly!<BR><BR>As for biking in the Napa/Sonoma areas, we've been biking there for around 10yrs now and, knock on wood, haven't had a prob., other than a flat tire, with traffic. There have been a few almost close calls but we usually try and stay off the Hwys and the Silverado Trail, even tho the Hwys and Sil'Trail have large shoulders in most spots. Where they don't, you hug the side.<BR><BR>We plan "figure 8" routes and go back and forth thru the vineyards (Oak Knoll, Yountville Cross, Oakville Cross, Old Rutherford Crossing, etc from Hwy 29 over to Sil'Trail and back. That's why we like the central location of Yountville.<BR>Then a nice pedal over on the Old Sonoma to Napa road onto Sonoma. Sometimes busy but most of the people on the roads mentioned are locals and know how to look out for us boneheaded riders. <BR><BR>And Howell Mtn Rd and Pope/Chiles Valley Roads are "Calf Busters", baby!<BR>In August, the Napa Cycling Club puts on a good tour called Tour of Napa Valley. First class operation. Here's the site:<BR>http://www.napanet.net/~eccweb/tour.htm<BR>We'll be in Chicago the day of the ride so we'll miss our first one in years.<BR>OK. Now I'm thirsty AND hunrgy.<BR><BR>AAA has a good "Napa Sonoma Valleys Winery" map. "MapEasy's Guide to Napa and Sonoma Valleys" is also a very useful map.<BR>Kal<BR>PS to lisa2...Sheli must have gotten some trip report pointers from reading some of your good 'uns!

Kal:<BR><BR>Don't know what to tell you about the job. Guess you'll just have to quit. Only sane thing you can do. When the vino is calling, you cannot ignore! :-)<BR><BR>Carneros Creek was quite interesting for us. Francis Mahoney did not help us (it was a young guy, in his late 20s looked like) but the couple we went with to Napa, well, their last name is Mahoney. So, of course we had to go out to the Mahoney vineyards and get a pic in front of the sign. AND we had to get some extra bottle labels that had Mahoney Vineyards on the front. It was fun!<BR><BR>You are right...it is Howell Mtn Road. (and it was killer on my stomach...I was in the backseat for this leg of the trip and kept on eating crackers!) We had quite a fun time with the twists and hills.<BR><BR>Glad you liked the report. I thought I might be getting to detailed, but then HEY! Its my report! <BR><BR>Sheli

Thanks, everyone, for the bicycling information. We're driving over to Napa this month from Phoenix and my husband has his heart set on bringing the bikes. Having traveled with them bouncing up and down behind our SUV on our Zion and Bryce Canyon trips last fall, I wasn't as enthusiastic, especially when a few of you pointed out that the Silverado Trail route was not recommendable (I pictured us, having a few too many "tastes," among vehicles driven by drivers with a few too many "tastes," in a weird kind of car-bike ballet). I'm happy to know there are other, safer routes that are well worthwhile.

Sandy,<BR> There are backroads, yes. Also, you would probably like biking in the Dry Creek area of Sonoma Valley. There's a lot less traffic there. As I mentioned, stop by a bike shop (there's a good one in Calistoga on the main drag) and get a map of bike routes. Have fun!

Sheli: I agree with Lisa's review of your reviews! Thanks so much for posting. I'm printing out to save for futue reference!<BR>

Sheli<BR><BR>Great report. I want to know what personal possession you had to sell in order to get the reservation at French Laundry? That is a tough ticket but worth every hour you have to spend calling...at least it was for us.

I can't imagine visiting 27 wineries in 3 days! After 5 (and only tasting one or two wines at each) I can no longer distinguish one wine from another and I'm totally wiped out! Whew. You amaze me.<BR><BR>Anyone interested in cycling amoung the vineyards, consider Alexander Valley, Dry Creek or the Russian River wineries. The roads are much more bike friendly and the wineries and restaurants and inns every bit as delightful as Napa.

Sheli<BR>I think you may be a candidate for our program...what do you think?

Mary: We had two people here at work speed dialing for a couple of hours. We ended up getting 2 reservations on the same day under different names(originally we had one at 9:00pm, but then there was a 5:30pm cancellation and they called us to see if it would work.) and called back to cancel the late one. The dinner was fabulous and I'm so glad we were fortunate enough to get in.<BR><BR>Grasshopper: Well, I didn't have as much wine as perhaps my report implies. Just because we visited so many places doesn't mean we all tasted. In most instances my husband and I shared a taste (we paid for one and used the same glass)...which comes out to about 1/2 of a glass per person per stop. Total about 4 glasses over the course of 7 hours. Even then, we had crackers, trail mix and water in the car to break up the flavors. And, you have to have a decent breakfast or you won't last until lunch! :-)<BR><BR>AAA: So, I should go to a Triple-A meeting? For what, travel tips? I think you were suggesting AA, and if that is the case, you are sadly mistaken. Taking a vacation to taste wines is hardly a reason to label anyone as an abuser. Now, if I had just stayed at one place all day and kept drinking...then I would be concerned!

Hey Sheli!<BR> Let's go to that "AAA" meeting!Sounds great to me- after all, I'm addicted to traveling, LOL!!!