Wine Country and The Coast
Sep 19th, 2015, 12:21 PM
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Wine Country and The Coast
Hello Friends,
I am planning a return visit to Napa - actually staying in Callistoga.
I have a few questions:
1. We want to go out to the coast and drive a short (45 minutes) along the best cliffs and stop at a couple nice wineries on the way and on the cliffs. When I did this years ago, I vaguely remember stopping at Ferrari Canaro on the way - and there was a wonderful winery (not sure if it was great wine, but it was an amazing view) right on the cliff. Any help with a day trip to the area would be greatly appreciated.
2. Favorite wineries to visit with reservations. We want to do Chalk Hill and Sterling for sure. We plan on taking the Wine bus tour. Since we're staying in Callistoga and will have a car, we can do some wineries there.
3. Any favorite wineries/tours/suggestions.
THANK YOU
Ellen
I am planning a return visit to Napa - actually staying in Callistoga.
I have a few questions:
1. We want to go out to the coast and drive a short (45 minutes) along the best cliffs and stop at a couple nice wineries on the way and on the cliffs. When I did this years ago, I vaguely remember stopping at Ferrari Canaro on the way - and there was a wonderful winery (not sure if it was great wine, but it was an amazing view) right on the cliff. Any help with a day trip to the area would be greatly appreciated.
2. Favorite wineries to visit with reservations. We want to do Chalk Hill and Sterling for sure. We plan on taking the Wine bus tour. Since we're staying in Callistoga and will have a car, we can do some wineries there.
3. Any favorite wineries/tours/suggestions.
THANK YOU
Ellen
Sep 20th, 2015, 07:36 AM
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Well, if you really want to taste wine, I recommend driving and just have the designated driver spit.
Personally, I am not a huge fan of the wineries in the Calistoga area, but you are within 30-40 minutes from some other areas. In Northern Sonoma, you could hit Fritz, Bella, Rafanelli, maybe Seghesio, maybe Ridge.
Heading down into Napa, my favorites are probably Miner and James Cole. Pride Mountain is nice too and does a cave tour. Others I would return to (off the top of my head): Sinskey, Pine Ridge, Chimney Rock, Alpha Omega, Whitehall Lane, and Paraduxx.
A bit further afield (maybe 1.5 hours from Calistoga), but a different experience would be to head North from Calistoga up to the Anderson Valley. Much more laid back than either Napa or Sonoma - mostly Pinot, mostly small producers. Favorite producers: Black Kite (don't believe they have a tasting room at this time), Drew, Foursight, Goldeneye, and Knez. Roederer Estate is possibly the best US sparkling wine producer and they have a nice tasting room outside Philo. Scharffenberger is up there too and also produces good bubbly (FWIW, Roederer and Scharffenberger are both owned Louis Roederer, makers of Cristal).
Personally, I am not a huge fan of the wineries in the Calistoga area, but you are within 30-40 minutes from some other areas. In Northern Sonoma, you could hit Fritz, Bella, Rafanelli, maybe Seghesio, maybe Ridge.
Heading down into Napa, my favorites are probably Miner and James Cole. Pride Mountain is nice too and does a cave tour. Others I would return to (off the top of my head): Sinskey, Pine Ridge, Chimney Rock, Alpha Omega, Whitehall Lane, and Paraduxx.
A bit further afield (maybe 1.5 hours from Calistoga), but a different experience would be to head North from Calistoga up to the Anderson Valley. Much more laid back than either Napa or Sonoma - mostly Pinot, mostly small producers. Favorite producers: Black Kite (don't believe they have a tasting room at this time), Drew, Foursight, Goldeneye, and Knez. Roederer Estate is possibly the best US sparkling wine producer and they have a nice tasting room outside Philo. Scharffenberger is up there too and also produces good bubbly (FWIW, Roederer and Scharffenberger are both owned Louis Roederer, makers of Cristal).
Sep 20th, 2015, 01:12 PM
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Thank you. We are big white drinkers so we do like some in Calistoga (clos Pegas comes to mind). But we agree about Napa and Sonoma and plan on getting a limo for that day so no one has to spit.
Going out to the coast we hope to stop at Ferrari Canaro on the way out to Fort Bragg where we know there's a nice winery on the coast (Pacific Star - I'm sure not great wine, but great view). We won't do a lot of drinking that day, but really want a great coastal drive. Is the drive from Fort Bragg to Point Arena beautiful or do you have another suggestion?
Going out to the coast we hope to stop at Ferrari Canaro on the way out to Fort Bragg where we know there's a nice winery on the coast (Pacific Star - I'm sure not great wine, but great view). We won't do a lot of drinking that day, but really want a great coastal drive. Is the drive from Fort Bragg to Point Arena beautiful or do you have another suggestion?
Sep 25th, 2015, 04:46 PM
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Ferrari Carano is at the end of Dry Creek Valley. There is a road from there over the mountains to the coast, but its pretty twisty and would make me car sick. Don't know about doing it in a limo. I'd head back to #101 and go north and then cut over to the Anderson Valley or up towards Ft. Bragg. But I'd question why all that time driving when there are so many wineries around the area's you plan to visit.
Sep 25th, 2015, 08:35 PM
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It's Ferrari-Carano.
http://www.ferrari-carano.com
http://www.ferrari-carano.com
