Napa wineries not to miss!??
 

We will be spending three nights in Napa Valley to begin our honeymoon. We're trying to whittle down our list of must see wineries. PLEASE HELP!! Any advice on these, or am I missing any???? We are interested in wonderful wine, but also unique/interesting wineries/tours.

Artesa
Hegdeside (Del Dotto)
Domaine Chandon
Neibaum-Copploa
S Anderson
Schramsberg
Clos Pegase
Sterling
Joseph Phelps
Silver Oak
Montelena
Clos du Val

We are considering having a driver one day, and then driving and/or biking the other two days. Any suggestions??

THANKS!!

Since Robert Mondavi basically started the whole Napa phenomenon, I think it's worth a visit.

How about V Sattui? If I have recalled correctly, this is the one with a picnic area and a store selling all manner of things to eat. On a nice day, you can have a picnic with some wine here.

Perhaps add Rhinehouse at Beringer. Their Library wines are not to be missed.

I think the Sterling winery is memorable mainly for the tram to the beautiful building at the top of the hill. Great views of Napa Valley.

The Chandon gardens are lovely. These are good solid wineries with romantic appeal, great for a honeymoon, I think, unless you are serious winos and want more offbeat choices. LMF

Chandon, Sterling, Neibum-Coppola (Godfather movie proprs), V. Sattui (yes, beautiful picnic grounds), Sterling, are all my favorites. At Beringer you can take the tram tour around the grounds.

Valley of the Moon and Blackstone are also very nice in the Sonoma area. We're looking forward to the Healdsburg trip next month. I have not been to any of those yet, so will report our favorites when we return!! ***kim*** :)

Clos Pegase, S Anderson and Domaine Chandon are all wonderful. Clos Pegase and S Anderson both have tours of their caves and they have wonderful wines and champagne.

If you can get a reservation, the tour at Schramsburg is a great way to learning about Napa sparkling wine. The views from the winery after the tram ride at Sterling a great on a clear day. For great garden hop on over Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley and Ferreri Carano. Neibum is also worth a visit, more for the setting than the wine.

V Sattui and also Cakebread...lovely!

Clos Pegase also has beautiful artwork throughout the tasting room to enjoy. One more we really liked was the Freemark Abbey in St. Helena. Excellent Riesling there.

One more is the Stags Leap vineyard. Do their Reserve tasting. Very nice! The Yountville Inn gave us free passes to this tasting last year. ***kim*** :)

Greetings

Good grief - 3 days Napa - tooo much fun.

Mondavi - start here for #1 tour and tasting. Godfather of Napa.

Neibaum/Coppola - go upstair and see film memorabellia & car.

V.Satui - wines not so hot - Madeira fantastic. Deli/market just great.

Louis Martini - fun group/happy pourings

Beringer - great cave tour/historic house.

That was going up south/north at tip of valley - Calistogo - come back down silverado trail.

Duckhorn - neat location and unreal wines.

Jarvis - My favorite, tasting on deck overlooking vineyards

Meadowood Inn - walk around, play a round of croquet.

Stags Leap - best in area to me

Silver Oak & Groth - highend

All these wineries are expensive for tastings now. To be honest - just drive and say "Oh, that one looks interesting - let's try it." Don't bother with Sutter Home - looks are deceiving.

Highlights of area. St. Helena - Tra Vigne Rest., Market Restaurant (GREAT!!!), Martini House - go for after dinner drink in the cellar, Taylor's Refresher (old-fashioned burger joint with great shakes a local favorite).

Yountville: Bistro Jeaunty for lunch/dinner - tomato soup/coq-au-vin !!!, Bouchon's is a MUST. Go for drinks after dinner, but go. Rutherford Grill - here is a local's tip. Bring an unbagged bottle of wine in - place it on your table - and they will open it for you - no corkage and you don't have to pay restaurant prices for wine. This is a great place with outside bar with fireplace.

Calistoga go shopping for a massage. Or, at any of the other places along the way. This town is known for the mud baths, which I can not stand..... It is sulfer smelling and plan yucky to me. But, some love it. Some go up an "take the waters" so bring suit along in case that catches your fancy.

Dean & Delucca's in St. Helena. The Olive Company (name?) is new hit store, selling all that is olives.

Congratulations on your marriage. Napa is perfect honeymoon area. Tell EVERYONE it is you honeymoon. !!!!

Don't miss Ferrarri or Benzinger. Ferrari is gorgeous with gardens and a view to die for; Benzinger has a great tour - its a more down home kind of place.

Good call on Artesa! This winery is very different from just about any other place you'll go to. Very modern but coming from a very old wine tradition.

I think you have a nice balance of different kinds of wineries, and are doing the right thing by by averaging about 4 wineries a day. It sounds like a lovely way to begin your honeymoon.

The Gamay Rouge at V. Sattui is very nice and unique to the winery. Also if you go to Calistoga, go to the Indian Springs Resort. You can use their Olympic pool for the day with a spa service. We stayed the night here in an adorable bungalow. www.indianspringscalistoga.com is the web address. I think my story about my stay is still on their website. ***kim*** :)

The Taittenger sparkling wine vineyard has a beautiful tasting room, and with your (paid) tasting you get little munchies. There's a nice movie on the operation in France and California, too. Another good spot is Sterling Vineyards, where you take a cable-car up to the actual winery; the view is quite good.

Schramsberg is by far the best tour--the cavernous champagne vats are awe-inspiring, as are the grounds, not too mention the remarkable tasting at the end. Don't forget to check out some of the smaller vineyards without the trams/art/movie props...places like Dutch Henry and Vincent Arroyo in Calistoga are turning out some of the best wines in the country.

One that hasn't been named yet, and is quite unusual for its management and its excellent wines, is Goosecross Cellars (or Goosecross Winery). Trouble is, I can't remember if it's actually in Napa Valley, or one of the other valleys. It's different because it was founded and managed by all women, and they have done a terrific job. No, you won't get an impressive winery tour because the winery isn't that big; but they'll show you what they have. Try some of their wines. I think they also have a website which should be www.goosecross.com---but again haven't checked it out. We were there a few years ago when they were just getting started, and since then they have gained quite a reputation in some small "insider" wine circles.

Otherwise, I think Chateau Montelena and Domaine Chandon, plus Beringer, are all places that are enjoyable to visit. Have fun and congratulations.

Benzinger is the one with the ground tram tour.('tho it's over in Sonoma County) Sterling's is aerial.
Beringer is in Napa-not one I would go out of my way for.
Instead of Joseph Phelps-I would consider Robert Sinskey and I would consider adding Turnbull (EXCELLent big cabs). There is a really cool sniff and smell exhibit of all the other herbs/fruits/ flavors that go into wine at St. Supery along with a fine art collection. You must make reservations to tour the di rosa preserve-http://www.dirosapreserve.org/-(well, go to the website and see for yourself!)
And Artesa is close by and will make a nice compliment to the di rosa preserve!
Congrats!
R5

Not to be picky, but the man who started the Napa Valley wine industry was not Robert Mondavi. It was Georges de LaTour, who founded Beaulieu Vineyards and first planted Bordeau grapes in Rutherford around 1900.

Thanks Jack! I learn something new every day on this board!! ***kim***

Beringers for the tour (cave) and the wine, and Mumms for the "sparkling wine" process and the wine. Sterling for the cable car ride and the view - pass on the wine. Try to have lunch at the Culinary Institute.