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Napa

OriginalAdmiral said:
Napa. Hotel Yountville. Would highly recommend Yountville. French Laundry, Bouchon, Bottega plus about 10 more unbelievable restaurants all within walking distance. Plus, you are pretty much right in the middle of Napa.
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+1 for Yountville and The French Laundry. The French Laundry is an "experience" but get reservations early.
 
I was in wine country a couple of months ago. We prefer Sonoma, but obviously Napa is fantastic.
 
OriginalAdmiral said:
Napa. Hotel Yountville. Would highly recommend Yountville. French Laundry, Bouchon, Bottega plus about 10 more unbelievable restaurants all within walking distance. Plus, you are pretty much right in the middle of Napa.
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Ad Hoc and Bouchon Bakery are both incredible
 
siff said:
The Carneros Inn - FARM Restaurant. Excellent.
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Just stayed there last week for a work off-site. HIGHLY recommend. They have these little "cabins" that are extremely cool. FARM restaurant was monte. I've been to a number of places in Napa over the last 8 years, and Carneros Inn is right up there.
 
DeacWatcher said:
Would Schug Winery be one where the masses would hit?
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Acacia is in the same area and much better IMHO. The Schug tasting room is nothing to speak of and the 2 times we have been there they were only pouring their entry level wines, although they do have a sparkling pinot noir that is pretty tasty for Thanksgiving dinner.

Patz & Hall is another Carneros spot with great wine, although I have not been to their tasting room.
 
After two years of being here (in the bay area) and 10+ visits to Napa - here are few of my recommendations for good wine

St. Supery - try their sav blanc
Salvestrin
Frogs Leap
Cakebread
 
Deac2010 said:
After two years of being here (in the bay area) and 10+ visits to Napa - here are few of my recommendations for good wine

St. Supery - try their sav blanc
Salvestrin
Frogs Leap
Cakebread
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All excellent choices.

Visited Newton for the first time on my last trip out. The bad news is that it was an expensive, two hour deal; the good news is that their unfiltered wines are incredible and the grounds are amazing.

Pick some that sound good, then ask, while there, for recommendations in the tasting room on nearby wineries that are good. We've always had success that way, and have found favorites like Passalaucqua, Mauritson, and others that we never would have visited otherwise.
 
Neal Family or anything up in the mountains up there.

The phelps tour is worth it for the insignia taste. And if you join the club they waive the tasting fee.
 
we did the Phelps tour and enjoyed it. the estate has breathtaking views.
 
Just a note about our experience. The bigger, more well known wineries are not as great to visit. The smaller, boutique type wineries are more personal and really take their time with you, show you everything, teach you about the wine making process, allow you to sit and enjoy their wine. We visited a couple of bigger wineries and were very disappointed with the experience (Caymus was the worst followed by Silver Oak). I would also highly recommend Nickel & Nickel for the experience and wine, both of which were excellent. I will agree with the others that the wine at Cakebread is very good but the experience at the winery was very mediocre.
 
OriginalAdmiral said:
Just a note about our experience. The bigger, more well known wineries are not as great to visit. The smaller, boutique type wineries are more personal and really take their time with you.
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This is the secret to enjoying wine country. Unless you're in that fraction of a percent of wine drinkers with an absurdly refined palate, if you visit quality winemakers, the wine you taste will be pretty good no matter what. Stressing about whether you're at "the best" or whatever is an exercise in futility. The real question is whether you want to have a good time while you're doing it. You want to be where you're going to be taken care of, and where you don't have to deal with snooty people (patrons or staff), and where you can kick back in beautiful country with great wine and great food and have fun and relax. If you're not having fun in Napa or Sonoma, it's probably because you picked a gigantic winery or a snooty winery. In that case, peace out ASAP, because that's not how it should be done.
 
I'm all for what the guy just said about smaller wineries. My wife has a thing for Schug, but that doesn't mean I want to waste 1/2 a day with those clowns. I'd rather be with folks at smaller wineries that REALLY care and like taking the time to take care of potential new customers.

There is some really good info on this particular thread and I'm hoping some more post. A couple of really nice places to stay have been mentioned. Is $350 and up the going rate for hotels or BnB's? I consider this to be like going to NYC as I don't plan on spending a whole lot of time in the room.
 
I enjoyed the tastings at Honig, Outpost, and Pride as well.

Best tasting in the area is Frick, in Sonoma. Sonoma rocks.
 
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