On Wednesday, Scott K had a Cabernet Sauvignon tasting, most of which were from Napa Valley.
And on Thursday, my newsletter focused on 4 Napa Valley Cabs.
As much as I love Napa, I probably won't be going back any time soon. There are just too many other wine regions to visit on my "bucket list", and I've been to Napa several times. Oregon, Washington, Paso Robles and Italy are all on the "to do" list before Napa gets another visit.
Even though Napa has changed immensely over the years, I still strongly recommend it as a wine touring destination. The countryside is gorgeous, the weather is usually perfect, there are restaurants galore, and then there's all that amazing wine.
Be aware of a couple of things though: If you go during the Summer or Fall over a weekend, prepare yourself for major crowds. My favorite time to go is during the off season in January or February. You may have to deal with a day or two of bad weather, but the whole experience is much more manageable. You're also more likely to meet wine owners and winemakers in a more laid back atmosphere.
The second thing to remember is to bring money - lots of money.
Lodging, dining, gas and souvenirs are all expensive, and just about all of the major wineries charge for their tastings - some as much as $50 or more per person.
And then, once you're there, and all caught up in the moment, you're going to buy wine and probably join a few wine clubs.
That's just what happens.
One last thing: don't "wing it". Plan your dining and wining destinations in advance. While it's always fun to spontaneously pull into a small winery you never heard of and taste their wine, many of the wineries, and certainly the best restaurants will require appointments and reservations.
Here are three of my favorite wine tours - all require appointments in advance:
Schramsberg: start your day with a tour of the caves, learn how great Champagne style sparkling wine is made and then taste some of the best domestic sparkling wines made.
Anderson's Conn Valley: wander through the caves with either the owner or winemaker tasting wine from the barrels. Then, sit in the tasting room to sample great Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends.
Chappellet: Stroll through the vineyards on Pritchard Hill sampling wonderful, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and much more.
Have a great weekend!
Tom
These are great recommendations. We've only been once, so we'll probably go back to try some of these places. When we were in Napa, we asked if we could split tastings, and that helped save money.
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