i need a little napa
Posted by laralynnian on 17 Nov 2008 at 09:10 pm | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Our last wine country getaway included a tiny, 2.5-month old Melina. While toting her around to various wineries and even patio seating at a fancy, square-side restaurant in downtown Healdsburg was pure joy as parents of a newborn, this year we decided to leave her home with Grandma and Grandpa Weiss so we could enjoy our first uninterrupted weekend alone in almost 18 months.
Yes, it was fabulous. Yes, we did talk about the Jelly Bean (and Kai), but not the whole time. Yes, I did call my mom to see how she was doing, but only twice in two days. Yes, Melina and my folks had a blast, though it sounds like she took a little longer to warm up to Grandpa than Grandma.
We had two fabulous dinners in Napa (one by candle and holiday lights on the patio of Bleaux Magnolia, and the other at Celedon in the old Grist Mill). And we tasted a fair amount of wine. Along with most local-ish folks, we’ve firmly solidified that Highway 29 is “the Disneyland of wine country,” overcrowded, over-priced, and while fun on a certain level just not quite what we we’re seeking.
Francis Ford Coppola’s gorgeous and tasty winery has been re-named Rubicon and now charges $25 a head for tasting and a tour – so you can’t even opt to split. So many tourists swarmed V. Sattui’s picnic lawn it looked like it had been over-run with giant ants. Luckily we did enjoy a more subdued cheese and wine pairing at one of our favorites, Paraduxx, on the Silverado Trail.
And the next morning we visited two wineries (Artesa and Folio) in the Carneros Valley that made up for all of Saturday’s fluff. Artesa sits high on a hilltop overlooking the bay. Several angular fountains lead up to the large, post-modern tasting room. The service was friendly, the pours generous, and the wine delicious.
We ended up joining our first wine club here – it’s under an hour’s drive from Berkeley, after all, and picking up our quarterly shipments will give a good excuse for day trips to wine country. I have grand visions of inviting a couple friends to join us for complimentary tastings on the terrace, while the kids explore all the fountains without annoying the other patrons…. Hey, anything’s possible, right?