Long Trip Report--Napa and Sonoma Valleys
Jun 4th, 2004, 06:24 AM
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Long Trip Report--Napa and Sonoma Valleys
We just got back last night from 6 days in Northern California, and I thought I would post my trip report while it's all still fresh in my mind! I relied so much on the advice given here, so thank you all! It was a WONDERFUL trip--absolutely perfect!
Sonoma Hotel: The time we spent in Sonoma was with a wedding party, so much of the itinerary was set up by the bride. We had a lovely time. We stayed at the Lodge at Sonoma. I really liked the hotel--our room was in one of the "cottages" and was large, clean, well decorated, and comfy. The bed was SO comfortable. Bathrooms were big, nice shower heads, but not immaculately clean. The grounds of the hotel were really nice. Lots of flowers and plants, the pool was warm and not crowded, even on a warm day. Had a massage in the spa that was WONDERFUL...great treatment and pretty facilities. We ate a couple of meals at the hotel, one was the wedding dinner, which was great. The other was breakfast at Carneros restaurant, and the French Toast was SUPER yummy. The service at this hotel was also fantastic. People holding open doors every where you went, going out of their way to fulfill requests. I would highly recommend it.
Wineries in Sonoma Valley: Went to four, liked them all. First was Mantanzas--small, nice tasting room/shop. They grow lavendar there, too, which was nice for me since I'm pregnant and didn't do much wine tasting. The lavendar was just starting to bloom and was so pretty. Next, Viansa--larger winery, had a nice outdoor lunch at their picnic tables. The food was good from their shop, and there was a LOT to choose from. While the others had a wine tasting, I tasted all kinds of sauces and dips in the large shop. The tasters liked the wine, but did not get good service from the pourer. We then went on a tour of Benzinger--the "tram" (actually a tractor and a trailer with benches) was informative and entertaining. We saw the vineyards, caves, and other production facilities. Tastings were good there, and everyone was friendly. Last, we made a stop at Landmark. The wedding was held here the next day and was SO beautiful. The grounds are wonderful and the service great.
Restaurants: The only restaurant we went to in Sonoma was Mary's Pizza Shack (which was a good, casual meal). All of our meals were planned for us, and we ate at the hotel a lot. We did eat at the Bay Leaf in Napa for the rehearsal dinner. The service and food there were excellent. Loved my meal!
Napa Valley Hotel: After the wedding party left, my husband and I moved over to Napa Valley for three days. We loved it! We stayed at the Petit Logis in Yountville. I would HIGHLY recommend this charming B&B to anyone who wants a nice room and some privacy. It's not a traditional B&B...each room has it's own entrance and bathroom, and we never even met the owners. We loved the room...large, great decor, HUGE bathroom with a large whirlpool tub. There was a fireplace (switch-on) that was a nice romantic touch. Breakfasts are optional at the Petit Logis, and I would recommend only paying for the room itself. You eat across the street at Pacific Blues cafe, and we LOVED the food there. However, we found that the $20 extra per night to cover breakfast was more than the amount of food we were getting. So, I would say just pay for your room, and walk across the street in the morning and buy your own breakfast. You'll save a few bucks. All in all, we loved the quaint, private feel of the Petit Logis and would send our friends there in a snap!
Napa Valley Wineries: We visited four wineries in a day in Napa Valley, too. Started at Neibaum-Coppola. Beautiful grounds, very grand buildings. We walked around in the "museum" that showcases the history of the winery, as well as Francis Ford Coppola's movie making. It was fun to see the Oscar's and movie paraphanilia. We didn't do a tasting there...at $12, it was a little much! Next, we went to Domaine Chandon in Yountville. The grounds and tasting room/shop here were also very nice. We went on the "tour", but were disappointed to find out that the regular tour (which was highly recommended) was not available due to their preparations for the big charity Wine Auction coming up this week. We still saw some of the grounds and learned about Sparkling Wine, but didn't get the full treatment. The tasting was nice...I actually sipped a little here and enjoyed all of the sparkling wines. Next, we visited Robert Keenan winery. This is a very small winery, but was recommended to us. We were so glad we went! It involves a trip up winding Spring Mountain Road, which is scenic and fun. The winery is small, but the wines and friendly service can't be beat! We had a tasting outdoors overlooking a great vista and met some nice folks from Kansas (we're from Kansas, too). The wines were all great according to those tasting, and it was nice to get away from the large groups of people for a relaxing chat with our pourer. I'd definitely recommend a trip! We stopped at V. Sattui for a picnic. It was okay--very BUSY and crowded. Didn't have any wine there. Moved on to Sterling in the afternoon. As newbies to wine country, we really enjoyed the self-paced tour there. It was informative without being boring. The aerial tram ride was fun...not that earth shattering if you've ever been on a ski lift, but a nice change of scenery. Tasting was nice and friendly.
Restaurants in Napa Valley: Our first night was at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. We loved the small, quaint setting. The crowd was lively, but not overbearing. Our service was pretty good, but not great. The food, though, was GREAT. We both had the Tomato Soup in a Puff Pastry and it was delicious. I had the Beef Stew for an entree and it was also delicious. All in all, probably our favorite dining experience. The next night we ate at Don Giovanni's in Napa. Maybe it was an off-night for them, but we didn't have a great experience. Our table was WAY too close to the other's around us, & our server was rude and acted annoyed at our every word. The food was good, but not outstanding. From the raves I had heard about this place, I was disappointed. The next night we ate at Mustard's and I really enjoyed that meal. The service was friendly and attentive, the atmopshere was casual, but unique. And we both enjoyed our food. Oh, and we also enjoyed a movie at the St. Helena theatre that night...a very cute little theatre with a lot of history.
We also spent a day driving to the coast (a novelty for us land-locked Midwesterners). The drive (recommended by razzle dazzle here) was beautiful. So many wonderful vistas!! We drove up highway 1 through Bodega Bay and Jenner. We wanted to stop at the River's End for lunch in Jenner, but found out upon stopping that it's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. A disappointment, but we drove up the coast and found some eats. We drove back to Yountville via the Russian River, which was pretty, but got really crowded and annoying by the end.
Sorry this is SO LONG! I just wanted to share every detail! We had a wonderful time in both valley's and will be enjoying our memories for a long while. Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the places we stayed or visited! Thanks again to those of you who gave such great suggestions!
Sonoma Hotel: The time we spent in Sonoma was with a wedding party, so much of the itinerary was set up by the bride. We had a lovely time. We stayed at the Lodge at Sonoma. I really liked the hotel--our room was in one of the "cottages" and was large, clean, well decorated, and comfy. The bed was SO comfortable. Bathrooms were big, nice shower heads, but not immaculately clean. The grounds of the hotel were really nice. Lots of flowers and plants, the pool was warm and not crowded, even on a warm day. Had a massage in the spa that was WONDERFUL...great treatment and pretty facilities. We ate a couple of meals at the hotel, one was the wedding dinner, which was great. The other was breakfast at Carneros restaurant, and the French Toast was SUPER yummy. The service at this hotel was also fantastic. People holding open doors every where you went, going out of their way to fulfill requests. I would highly recommend it.
Wineries in Sonoma Valley: Went to four, liked them all. First was Mantanzas--small, nice tasting room/shop. They grow lavendar there, too, which was nice for me since I'm pregnant and didn't do much wine tasting. The lavendar was just starting to bloom and was so pretty. Next, Viansa--larger winery, had a nice outdoor lunch at their picnic tables. The food was good from their shop, and there was a LOT to choose from. While the others had a wine tasting, I tasted all kinds of sauces and dips in the large shop. The tasters liked the wine, but did not get good service from the pourer. We then went on a tour of Benzinger--the "tram" (actually a tractor and a trailer with benches) was informative and entertaining. We saw the vineyards, caves, and other production facilities. Tastings were good there, and everyone was friendly. Last, we made a stop at Landmark. The wedding was held here the next day and was SO beautiful. The grounds are wonderful and the service great.
Restaurants: The only restaurant we went to in Sonoma was Mary's Pizza Shack (which was a good, casual meal). All of our meals were planned for us, and we ate at the hotel a lot. We did eat at the Bay Leaf in Napa for the rehearsal dinner. The service and food there were excellent. Loved my meal!
Napa Valley Hotel: After the wedding party left, my husband and I moved over to Napa Valley for three days. We loved it! We stayed at the Petit Logis in Yountville. I would HIGHLY recommend this charming B&B to anyone who wants a nice room and some privacy. It's not a traditional B&B...each room has it's own entrance and bathroom, and we never even met the owners. We loved the room...large, great decor, HUGE bathroom with a large whirlpool tub. There was a fireplace (switch-on) that was a nice romantic touch. Breakfasts are optional at the Petit Logis, and I would recommend only paying for the room itself. You eat across the street at Pacific Blues cafe, and we LOVED the food there. However, we found that the $20 extra per night to cover breakfast was more than the amount of food we were getting. So, I would say just pay for your room, and walk across the street in the morning and buy your own breakfast. You'll save a few bucks. All in all, we loved the quaint, private feel of the Petit Logis and would send our friends there in a snap!
Napa Valley Wineries: We visited four wineries in a day in Napa Valley, too. Started at Neibaum-Coppola. Beautiful grounds, very grand buildings. We walked around in the "museum" that showcases the history of the winery, as well as Francis Ford Coppola's movie making. It was fun to see the Oscar's and movie paraphanilia. We didn't do a tasting there...at $12, it was a little much! Next, we went to Domaine Chandon in Yountville. The grounds and tasting room/shop here were also very nice. We went on the "tour", but were disappointed to find out that the regular tour (which was highly recommended) was not available due to their preparations for the big charity Wine Auction coming up this week. We still saw some of the grounds and learned about Sparkling Wine, but didn't get the full treatment. The tasting was nice...I actually sipped a little here and enjoyed all of the sparkling wines. Next, we visited Robert Keenan winery. This is a very small winery, but was recommended to us. We were so glad we went! It involves a trip up winding Spring Mountain Road, which is scenic and fun. The winery is small, but the wines and friendly service can't be beat! We had a tasting outdoors overlooking a great vista and met some nice folks from Kansas (we're from Kansas, too). The wines were all great according to those tasting, and it was nice to get away from the large groups of people for a relaxing chat with our pourer. I'd definitely recommend a trip! We stopped at V. Sattui for a picnic. It was okay--very BUSY and crowded. Didn't have any wine there. Moved on to Sterling in the afternoon. As newbies to wine country, we really enjoyed the self-paced tour there. It was informative without being boring. The aerial tram ride was fun...not that earth shattering if you've ever been on a ski lift, but a nice change of scenery. Tasting was nice and friendly.
Restaurants in Napa Valley: Our first night was at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. We loved the small, quaint setting. The crowd was lively, but not overbearing. Our service was pretty good, but not great. The food, though, was GREAT. We both had the Tomato Soup in a Puff Pastry and it was delicious. I had the Beef Stew for an entree and it was also delicious. All in all, probably our favorite dining experience. The next night we ate at Don Giovanni's in Napa. Maybe it was an off-night for them, but we didn't have a great experience. Our table was WAY too close to the other's around us, & our server was rude and acted annoyed at our every word. The food was good, but not outstanding. From the raves I had heard about this place, I was disappointed. The next night we ate at Mustard's and I really enjoyed that meal. The service was friendly and attentive, the atmopshere was casual, but unique. And we both enjoyed our food. Oh, and we also enjoyed a movie at the St. Helena theatre that night...a very cute little theatre with a lot of history.
We also spent a day driving to the coast (a novelty for us land-locked Midwesterners). The drive (recommended by razzle dazzle here) was beautiful. So many wonderful vistas!! We drove up highway 1 through Bodega Bay and Jenner. We wanted to stop at the River's End for lunch in Jenner, but found out upon stopping that it's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. A disappointment, but we drove up the coast and found some eats. We drove back to Yountville via the Russian River, which was pretty, but got really crowded and annoying by the end.
Sorry this is SO LONG! I just wanted to share every detail! We had a wonderful time in both valley's and will be enjoying our memories for a long while. Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the places we stayed or visited! Thanks again to those of you who gave such great suggestions!
Jun 4th, 2004, 06:35 AM
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Long?
I want MORE!
Sounds like a great time. You have us ready to go back to Sonoma or Yountville this weekend!
We love Pac Blues Cafe. They and Gordon's, up the street from PBC have some GOOD breakfasts.
But, are you really sure you want to admit to eating at Mary's while you were in Sonoma?
I want MORE!
Sounds like a great time. You have us ready to go back to Sonoma or Yountville this weekend!
We love Pac Blues Cafe. They and Gordon's, up the street from PBC have some GOOD breakfasts.
But, are you really sure you want to admit to eating at Mary's while you were in Sonoma?
Jun 4th, 2004, 09:30 AM
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How could I forget this? We also went to visit the Jelly Belly factory--it was a hoot! We both like to see how things are made, and we both like Jelly Belly's, so it was a great stop for us. The tour was informative and fun, and we loved the "tasting bar" in the gift shop! Some people here said it was a "waste of time", but we had a blast. It was a nice "silly" break from all of the serious wine tasting.
Some people here said it was a "waste of time", but we had a blast. It was a nice "silly" break from all of the serious wine tasting.
Jun 4th, 2004, 12:47 PM
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JAS--It's in Fairfield, CA, and it took us about 30 minutes tops to get there from Napa. Once there, the free tour is about 30-40 minutes long, and we only spent about 10-15 minutes browsing around the shop and "tasting". I would say a couple of hours in the morning or afternoon would be a perfect time frame for it. I loved it--a fun diversion!
Jun 4th, 2004, 12:59 PM
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So happy to hear you had such a nice trip! and dang I am sorry you didn't
get to eat at River's End-I thought they only closed during late fall and winter-used to be 7 days after Easter!did you at least stop for the view?
Next time I will give you the "secret"
way to avoid the traffic in Santa Rosa!
Boy, it's gonna be crowed in Napa this weekend-I don't think there's a limo left in either county!
Great report!
R5
get to eat at River's End-I thought they only closed during late fall and winter-used to be 7 days after Easter!did you at least stop for the view?
Next time I will give you the "secret"
way to avoid the traffic in Santa Rosa!
Boy, it's gonna be crowed in Napa this weekend-I don't think there's a limo left in either county!
Great report!
R5
Jun 5th, 2004, 06:45 AM
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Thanks for reporting! I told you you'd like Viansa, LOL. I think I gained 3 pounds that day, and brought home LOTS of goodies, which are also available on the internet! Sounds like you got to experience several types of places, which is great. After you have that baby, you and hubby go back for an anniversary and you do the chugging!
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