Napa Valley

Okay, readers, as promised, the long-awaited Napa Valley experience.  For those of you who have been, you probably already know much of what I am about to explain and can therefore appreciate it from an entirely different perspective.


For starters, I official experienced San Francisco fog.  Not the cold, only the fog, and woah. You guys definitely aren't messing around out there.  For a moment my friend and I thought we might not actually get to see any of the vineyards because the fog was so thick.  Luckily, by around noon the fog started to lift, so I was able to see the scenery in all its beauty.  The hills and cyprus trees reminded me of Italy, but then two seconds later I pass all these pine trees and can't help but think of Washington State, and then suddenly five feet later the street is lined with Palm trees and I'm in Florida.  It was so weird.  I was so confused; I didn't know where I was supposed to be!  Still, the scenery was breathtaking and just looking at it made me breathe slower and forget all of the worries bubbling about in my outside San Francisco world.  


So the first stop on our list? Frog's Leap, a cute little winery on Conn Creek, and it came as a recommendation from my boyfriend's persistent search for highly rated wines.  He'd never been, but their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon won an award, and after showing my friend and her noticing they were LEED certified, it was a dead certainty we were heading there.  In fact, we were the first to arrive and we drove up to the home styled vineyard and sat on their wooden back porch in high chairs overlooking the countryside.  We had generous pours and nibbled on cheese and breadsticks.  The story of how their name came to be was charming and the service and company divine.  They even put out bags (cornhole if you're from the Midwest) and we totally made a fool out of ourselves playing in front of all the guests, but we didn't care.  It was the best 2 hours we spent all day.
Notes:  The Zinfindel = delicious.  Not jammy or spicy or rich like many, but extremely delicate and easy to drink.  The Merlot I found leathery.  Wine tasting = $20.


Artesa was next, and while it was supposed to be this Barcelona-inspired modern art meets wine tasting and environmental architectural "wow"-sperience, it receives negative points in my book.  The service was awful, and after coming from a "pay when you're done with the experience" winery to a "Card and ID" upon arrival was a quick turn.  Plus, the interior looks like a college cafeteria:  metal tables and chairs, sparse decorations, and just a very unfriendly atmosphere.  The wine, though, was delicious, but the view from the balcony unimpressive.
Notes:  The Cab Sav Reserve = DELICIOUS!  Highly highly recommended, but via the store, not the actual winery.  Tasting price?  $15.


Third was Jacuzzi because I wanted the Olive Oil tasting.  Both the Olive Oil tasting and the wine tastings were free, but the samples reflect said free-standing.  Though the wines are good, and it is more welcoming than Artesa, it is still very commercial and consumer driven, so I felt like I was in any old wine store, not some special Napa Valley hideaway.  The atmosphere reminded me of Carraba's Italian restaurant.
Notes: the olive oils were amazing.  Tasting Price?  $FREEEEEEEEEEE :-)


Fourth and final stop?  Gloria Ferrer, a beautiful sparkling wine winery, and the perfect ed to the day.  After all the wines I was starting to be able to only distinguish them as "white" or "red" because the tastes all blended together and I wanted nothing more than to sit and have space to look out over the land and chat with my friend, so she recommended this place.  And it was great!  A) the views from the balcony were stunning and perfect  B) the sparkling rosé was the best thing I'd had all day  and C) they came with complimentary red-pepper flaked almonds.  A-MAZING!!!!  And all for around $6-10 a glass.  De-lish!
Notes:  LOVED the rosé.  Price for mine?  $8.


Overall, a beautiful experience.  I understand why people love to visit and I can't wait to go back and spend a whole three or four days just seeing and experiencing everything.  I have also decided I want to get married there.  Done and done.  Wine and weddings?  Maybe someday in the next 20 year future.  :-)