Napa/Sonoma: A different type of happy place
Yes I know this trip was designed to hit national parks, but I can't drive by Napa/Sonoma without stopping. If you know me well, you know I love visiting wineries. I like wine, but I love visiting wineries to see how each is different. The setting makes the winery for me. The setting includes the person doing the tasting, the atmosphere of the winery (inside and out), if they are dog-friendly, and if they have food for you to enjoy. Also I always seem to go to wineries with family or friends so that makes them more enjoyable too. I can normally find wine I like everywhere, so honestly that doesn't usually come into my factoring on wineries. I set aside 3 days for the wine region and convinced my dad to fly out and join us. He is a real wino so it was about time he made it out here.
And got to check out the demo vineyard
Having fun in the vines
I never knew that vines turned so many colors in the fall
My perfect spot next time
Yes please!
13 October: Somehow my planning post-Portland wasn't as tight as pre-Portland so I found a random unaccounted for day. It was perfect for us to drive down to Napa since it was around an 8 hour drive. We would then be there in time to pick up dad the following day easily instead of getting up very early to make it in time. We drove two scenic Redwood roads on the way down the coast and both were impressive roads and in much better shape than the one we took the day before. They both traveled alongside highway 101 so we didn't lose much time driving down them. Once we left the Redwood areas, my mom and I were not impressed by Northern California. The views were fine, but we found it sad how much the drought was having an effect. The river beds were mainly dry and things were not as green as they should have been. Mainly we were amazed at how poor the area seemed. There were limited towns and the two we stopped in for gas had very little to offer and seemed a little sketchy (signs asking to please stop vandalizing the bathrooms at a gas station aren't good). Then about an hour out from Petaluma (the city our KOA was in), wineries started appearing everywhere. I really debated stopping at some, but we hadn't been able to find food for lunch and I had the trailer. Instead we went right to the KOA and were amazed at the size of this one. Most campsites we had stayed at so far were preparing to close for the season and had limited amenities. This one is open year-round and was having its Halloween festivities weekend. There were kids everywhere enjoying the petting farm, rock climbing wall, jumping pillow, pool and hot tub, and the playgrounds. They had trick or treating on Saturday for the kids and other events. It was strange being in a KOA with life to it. The downside to that was waiting in line for the bathrooms and showers and limited/no wifi. But we were in Napa so it was all fine. Mom and I reheated some burgers and made Pasta-Roni and enjoyed the nice weather (since again...it was going to rain a lot that weekend).
October 14: Dad was flying in today and taking a shuttle scheduled to get to Napa around 2. Mom and I enjoyed a lazy morning since it was raining and we didn't want to hit wineries without dad. I had planned to possibly hit a nearby park, but the rain destroyed that idea. Then dad called to say he caught an earlier shuttle and would be in at noon, which worked perfectly. We had no plans for the 2.5 days of wineries, but since I was picking him up in Napa, I figured we would hit the Silverado Trail and randomly select wineries. Callie was joining so if we could find dog-friendly ones that would be ideal. I also suggested that we split tastings so we could enjoy the wine and more wineries. I learned that lesson last time I was in Napa.
Winery 1: Luna
Luna was a great first winery. The lady working our tasting was great. She was friendly, informative, and helpful (of course she was from the Midwest). Sadly dogs were not allowed inside and it was still rainy outside so Callie got some car time. We were able to sit in comfy chairs around a small table and she came to us with the wines. We split two tastings between the three of us. The wines were also very good (I have the Sauvignon to remind myself of that later). I recommend this one.
Winery 2: Clos du Val
I had read this was a dog-friendly winery so we decided to stop here. I had actually been here on my last visit but I had forgotten the name of it. They had also removed all of the vineyards in front of the winery (where we had done a photo session last visit) so it looked different until I got into the tasting room. Luckily, Callie was able to join in the tasting room and one of the ladies really liked her and gave her a dog treat. She also got a photo with the crazy large wine bottle. They had two different tastings so we got one of each and split them. The wines were ok, but we didn't think they were anything special (although the last red I tried was actually pretty good). Worth a visit if you have a pup.
Clos du Val winery fun
Winery 3: Stag's Leap
Yep, we had to go here. I had been on my last visit, but they have opened a new tasting room with large windows looking over the vineyards and hills. As soon as you enter, they take your name and put you on the list for a tasting. While you are waiting, they provide a tasting of the Chardonnay, which was a nice touch. We didn't wait long and got a spot at the tasting bar, right next to the window. I am pretty sure our tasting person was not happy to hear we wanted to split one tasting, but oh well. This had the most expensive wine we tasted ($260 a bottle) and luckily that was our largest pour. Also it is nice that the pours in Napa are larger than the pours in Virginia but we were paying significantly more so I guess it is deserved. I think we enjoyed the views just as much as the wine. Also interesting to see the information about the winning wine in France that put Napa on the map.
Enjoying the views
View from the tasting room
Wow this would be expensive
Winery 4: Pine Ridge
This was just down the road from Stag's Leap and looked nice from the road so we stopped. We were able to get a tasting right away and again we split one between the three of us. The guy serving us was really great. My dad had many questions about Napa wine and how he ended up working there. This guy was patient and answered all of his questions and provided extra info (and wine) when possible. We were very impressed and of course walked away with a few bottles of wine. My dad is a sucker for buying wine if he thinks the tasting was informative or the person was especially helpful or friendly.
Checking out the informational part of the vineyard
Winery 5: Miner Family
We had just enough time for one more winery before they all started to close. Again, we picked it because it looked nice from the road and I thought I remembered seeing them on the dog-friendly list. Callie was allowed in the tasting room and got a lot of attention, as she does wherever she goes. We were able to pick five wines to taste and were happy to see two white wines. The wines were good, but again, I was more impressed with the view. They had a wonderful balcony overlooking vineyards that I wish we had time to enjoy. Instead we got a few extra tastings since we needed to let one of our red wines air out. I never turn down extra wine, although my sips were very small since I was the driver. My mom and dad discovered that all of the wineries in the area carry nice stone coasters with the name of the winery on it and they decided that is a useful souvenir (since my dad is banned from getting more wine glasses since they have too many). Sadly we had already visited four wineries that day and would need to find time to go back. Overall, it was a nice winery and worth getting a glass of wine to hang out on the patio.
View from the patio
Yes that is really filled with wine
We were extremely hungry by this time so we went into St Helena to find food. My mom had commented that she was craving pizza so we found that for dinner. The garlic bread, pizza, and pasta were very good and probably exactly what we needed after a day of drinking. We didn't have a Cubs game to rush back to watch so we had a lazy evening (and by that I mean early to bed after figuring out how to fit three people and a dog in the trailer comfortably).
October 15: We were meeting my friends today for lunch and wineries so we could take our time getting ready that morning. Since lunch wasn't until 11:30 in Napa, we had time to go back to Silverado to pick up the coasters from the four wineries we visited the day before. They are a pretty cool souvenir to bring home for a reminder of where you went.
We met Kate, Nick, and Eric for lunch at a nice restaurant called Fume Bistro. I had told my parents how much I loved the food in Napa and this place didn't disappoint. I was so excited to see my friends since I don't see them often since they moved from DC to San Francisco. It was a wonderful lunch catching up. It was made even better with a slice of pumpkin cheesecake to finish the meal. (This is my only pumpkin treat this October).
Winery 6: Kate and Nick belonged to the Girard wine club so that was our first stop since they were able to get some free tastings. It is located in the heart of Yountville and a nice tasting room. They sat us down at a table and gave us plenty of time to enjoy each wine. We even got an extra wine thanks to Kate and Nick. The wines were good and even more important to me, they were affordable. I even bought myself a red wine, which is a big change for me. I will have to save it for a special event. They were even a dog-friendly winery, but I had left Callie at the trailer for the day, hoping that she would get some more rest.
Winery 7: What do you do with your triathlete friends when in Napa, you go to Clif Family Winery of course! I have been wanting to visit here for year since I depend on Clif for all of my nutrition when racing. So it would make sense that I would like their wine too. Everything is bike themed in the tasting room which made it even better. There were two different tastings again so the three of us split it again. They also had a bruschetta truck out front so Eric and Nick went to get us some. The wines were good and we all enjoyed them. Ok, it didn't hurt that the labels have bike chains on them. Basically it was heaven for 4 of us and my parents were along for the ride. I have never signed up for a wine club, until now! Hopefully I continue to enjoy the wines and I know I have plenty of friends back in DC that will help me drink them. The only down side was that they didn't have a coaster for my parents to buy, but maybe next time.
Always great to catch up with friends
The rain started to pour at this time and I had to say bye to my friends. It was a great afternoon catching up and I can't wait for the next reunion. We hurried back to the trailer to start streaming the Cubs game. The lunch was so big that my parents weren't hungry so I finished the cold pizza from the night before. They were able to watch the game on my mom's phone while I was able to listen from my bed. This was an amazing game to watch with a grand slam late in the game. Always fun to watch them win. Even better watching these games on the west coast since they end at a decent time and we can get plenty of sleep.
How we watched the Cubs game
October 16: This was our last day in wine country so we were sticking to Sonoma and we made the most of our day.
Winery 8: My dad's absolute favorite wine is Kendall Jackson Chardonnay so this was stop one. We brought along Callie hoping most wineries would allow her in. We were at KJ actually before opening (yes, we were that excited). Again, they had two different tastings, so my mom and I had the lower level tasting and my dad did the more expensive one, but we all got to try the different wines. Josh led our tasting and he was wonderful. He truly made the tasting enjoyable with stories and information. I made sure he knew how much dad loved KJ and after the tasting, he asked me what dad's favorite wine was. He then opened a $100 Chardonnay for us to taste (and even gave us two tastings of it). My dad was already sold on joining the club before we got there, so he will be enjoying more KJ soon. He was like a kid in DisneyWorld and it was so fun to see. Not to mention the winery was beautiful. They have a full garden on the grounds to make the food tastings. We could have spent the whole day there, but of course we needed to move on and try new places. I do think dad will be back though. I highly recommend going here if you are in the area. It was beautiful with great wines and atmosphere. If you go, ask for Josh.
Like a kid in a candy store
Callie enjoyed herself
Beautiful grounds
Winery 9: My dad then directed us to Rodney Strong winery since he enjoys their wine and we had a coupon for tastings. The entrance to RS was beautiful. They even have a self walk tour to see all the stainless steel and oak barrels. We did two tastings but the guy mostly gave us a mix of several different wines after hearing we preferred white wines. They had the first and only Riesling that we saw during our trip. The wines were good and dad again joined this wine club (and just received his first shipment today). The only bad part about this winery is since they serve food in the tasting room, dogs aren't allowed. We still had fun and even got some hot apple pie cookies which are incredible and have a nice kick to them. They were perfect later for colder evenings.
Beautiful entrance
Enjoying some time before the next winery
Winery 10: We had mentioned we were looking for food at RS and he recommended heading to Davis Family Vineyards just down the road because they have a food truck there that specializes in dishes with bacon. We were sold and immediately went there. This food truck was amazing. They raise their own pigs and cure their meat. I had a grilled cheese sandwich with broccolini and bacon. Yum! We all desperately needed the food break and enjoyed eating outside. The winery was small and we split one tasting. The wines were good, but I was definitely more impressed with the food truck. Callie was also allowed inside which was always nice.
Interesting courtyard where we enjoyed our bacon lunches
Winery 11: We pulled out a Sonoma map and looked for a road with many wineries on it so we could pick another one. We unknowingly ended up heading towards the Zinfandel region. One winery had balloons on their sign which caught my attention so we stopped (shows how randomly we picked our wineries). Mazzocco was a beautiful winery. They had an excellent outdoor seating area, that we didn't take advantage of, but would have enjoyed it. My dad and I split the tasting and Callie was able to join. Neither of us are big Zinfandel fans, but agreed that these wines were really good. Sadly we didn't get a bottle since neither of us thought we would ever reach for a Zinfandel, but it was a nice winery and well worth going if you plan on hanging out.
Winery 12: We looked at the map again to get us back to the Russian River Valley area since they specialize in Chardonnays. As we started driving down the road, I was drawn to a water wheel attached to the winery. Mill Creek Winery again had beautiful grounds. There were multiple dogs at this one so Callie kept close (she is very shy/afraid around other dogs). The two ladies pouring were wonderful and we chatted a bit while trying the wines. Again, dad and I split the tasting (mom was taking a short wine break). The wines were good, but again, I preferred the views. Nothing would have made me happier than sitting outside with a glass of wine on the Adirondack chairs. Definitely a worthwhile vineyard.
Loved the views
Winery 13: We were aiming for one more (or so we thought) and dad wanted to get to Arista, but we passed a winery up on the hill that I couldn't resist. So we turned around and went to MacRostie. As we walked in from the parking lot, a very nice lady met us with glasses of wine since "it is a long walk in." I have to say that started the tasting right. I asked if I could bring Callie in and instantly they were thrilled to have a dog and fawned over her. She got at least 4 treats from them. We asked to sit outside despite the threat of rain because the views of the vineyards was too much to resist. The weather was perfect for us too since it was hanging out in the mid 60s. Everyone here was very warm and welcoming and stopped to say hi to Callie and ensure we didn't want to move inside since it started to rain a little harder. We remained outside and enjoyed the tasting that we split. The wines were good and the service even better. This might have been one of my favorites for the day since the atmosphere was so enjoyable. Highly recommend this one if you are in the area.
Views from the balcony outside
Winery 14: We left MacRostie around 4:30 so we had 30 minutes to make it to Arista. Luckily it was just down the road so we pulled in quickly. This is the one winery that I truly didn't enjoy. Dad was thrilled to taste the Chardonnay but they had no white wines available for tastings. Instead we were rushed through 4 or 5 red wines. There was little discussion or friendliness at this winery. The only positive for me was that they had a small but cute backyard area that I took Callie back to. I wouldn't recommend visiting here. There wasn't a good atmosphere (yes I realize we got there 30 minutes before closing). We were in and out in less than 10 minutes which was unheard of for our tastings out here.
Finally, it was after 5 and the wineries were closed. We were also exhausted as our wine excitement was gone. We returned to the trailer to drop off Callie and go find dinner. We went to downtown Petaluma and found a nice Italian place. We were all mostly tired and not as hungry as expected so we were able to take home plenty of leftovers. We did drink an incredible amount of water too. After dinner, we returned to the trailer to watch the Cubs game on my mom's phone again. Sadly they didn't win and we all went to bed a little disappointed.
This was the end of my mom's trip with me since I wanted to have a little time with dad and then some time alone. She was catching a shuttle to San Fransisco airport the following morning and my dad and I were continuing on to Yosemite. It was an incredible three week trip with mom. Amazingly, we didn't kill each other or even get annoyed with each other. We found the perfect rhythm for the trip and I know we both enjoyed it. It was fun catching up and hearing new stories from her. Also my Cubs knowledge increased so much. I loved it since that has dropped off since I moved to DC. I cannot express how thankful I was for this time with my mom and that she was able to join. Not sure if I will ever get that much time with her on vacation again. I know I also pushed her on a few things like camping and heights and she managed them all willingly (sort of) and embraced the experience. So much of this trip was possible because of my parents and I cannot thank them enough.