I have quietly been reading and searching these boards over the past couple months trying to get ready for our trip over Memorial Day weekend. I have to say, what a fantastic wealth of information and thanks to all who contribute. If I may ask you to look over this general itinerary and make suggestions or answer a few questions- I would be very grateful.

Friday- We arrive into Oakland around 9 a.m. and will be getting our car and heading straight up the Napa Valley. We thought if time allows to stop at Stag's Leap or Pine Ridge on the way to Rutherford. We are going to grab lunch at the Rutherford Grill (I have heard it has good food??) Next stop will be Cakebread Cellars, we have reservations for a 2 o'clock tour and tasting. We would like to visit Domaine Chandon and Trefethen then head up to St. Helena (we are staying at a friends home) and we have dinner reservations at Tra Vigne.

Saturday - Today we are planning on spending the day in Sonoma County (hopefully smaller crowds then Napa Valley??). We definately want to visit Chateau St. Jean, Ledson, Kenwood, Matanzas Creek, and Benziger or Ravenswood. Since we are sticking close to the Santa Rosa/Kenwood area what would be the best route to go from St. Helena to avoid the most traffic. Should we go Napa to Sonoma then north or take the smaller roads from St. Helena like Spring Mt. Road to St. Helena Road? We have dinner reservations at the Martini House this evening. Any estimate of what dinner for two will cost with a bottle of wine? Should I hold my breath?

Sunday - We want to grab picnic supplies at Dean and Deluca or V. Sattui and head north to Sterling or Chateau Montelena for lunch. Recommendations on which place is better for a picnic lunch. After that we can either head south back through the Napa Valley stopping at a winery here and there to make our way back to the city, hopefully by five in the evening. OR loop around through Geyserville, Healdsburg, then go south to the city. Would it be to ambitious to make the loop around with Memorial weekend traffic?

Thanks for humoring me with this lengthly post. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Angela

It all sounds good to me. Chateau Montelena is incredible for a picnic, but I'm pretty sure you need to call ahead and reserve. Beautifully landscaped, ducks, swans etc in the ponds. When you get there, you'll appreciate that they keep the numbers in check. I don't like Sterling at all--think it's very commercial and out of synch with the rest of the Napa Valley--just one person's opinion, mind you. Ravenswood is one of our favorites.You might like to have lunch that first day at Domaine Chandon---lovely food with champagne by the glass. Trefethen and Cakebread are both real winners. In Santa Rosa you might want to pick up a box lunch at Lisa Hemenway's---I think you can call ahead and order and she must have a website. I'm sure your friends in St. Helena have told you---reserve everything now! Have a great weekend and drive carefully.

kam-
Thanks so much for the advice. I will call Chateau Montelena ahead of time. Any guesses on what the drive time would be from Calistoga to Geyserville through Healdsburg then down to San Francisco? Too much driving for one day? It will be Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.
Thanks again

Sounds like a great week-end but you're right about the traffic. Interstate 5 will be packed with people returning home from Lake Tahoe back to the bay area. Highway 101 from Healdsburg to the Golden Gate will be very busy in some places as well. Even Dry Creek Road will probably be bumper to bumper with travelers from Lake Sonoma.
Calistoga to Gyserville, then Healdsburg, then south to San Francisco would probably take about 4 - 5 hours. If there is a wreck anywhere along the way you're in big trouble.
As long as you know what to expect you'll be fine. Have snacks and drinks (non-alcoholic of course) in the car. Listen to great music, an interesting audio book, or play word games, etc.

Enjoy - and don't let the traffic spoil your trip.

I never hear anyone talk about it - but one of the best trips I've taken to California's wine country (out of MANY) included a stop at the Hess Winery to see their art gallery. How can you beat sipping your great wine while perusing a private art collection?

Check it out: http://www.hesscollection.com