Travel: Napa Valley

I have been dying to go to Napa Valley for the longest time and had high expectations for my trip. I am happy to say Napa met all my expectations and beyond, Napa is such a beautiful place and the wine makes it much better.

Napa is a short drive (an hour) from San Francisco and the view is gorgeous, greenery and rolling hills make the scenic drive.

We visited four different wineries and all were outstanding. Tip: most wineries don’t serve food, definitely make stops for lunch!

Domaine Carneros by TaittingerThis was my favorite winery we visited, we didn’t go on a tour but did partake in a tasting of their reds and sparkling. Grab a seat in the outside patio and soak in the view.

Robert Mondavi
This winery is one of the most known in the U.S. thanks to its owner, Robert Mondavi, who is crowned the “king” of marketing.
We booked a private tour, which was almost three hours, our guide went in details about the history of their vineyard, how they maintain it, detail look into their cellars, followed by a private tasting.See those branches? Those are Cabernet grape branches, the thicker the branch, the older it is – yielding better wine!Inside their fermentation room. During harvest season, the grapes go straight in these barrels.Then the “juice” of the grape goes in here for “aging”
Private room for tastings, it was paired with bite size canapes. We learned how to smell and what to look for in a “good” wine.Private tasting of their reserve wines. The wine at Robert Mondavi wasn’t my favorite but the place itself was gorgeous and worth going!

Beringer
We made a quick stop here for pictures tbh. It’s a gorgeous house with plenty of greenery and photo ops. 🙂

Mumm Napa
I am a huge fan of Mumm Napa sparkling and was so happy to visit their winery! We had tastings here out looking their vast vineyard. Our waitress was so helpful, we really enjoyed our time here. At Mumm, you can purchase bottles not sold anywhere else.

After a day of wine tasting, you MUST make your way to Auberge du Soleil a little before sunset. Auberge is a hotel with a patio restaurant connected. The food is amazing but the view here is unbeatable. Watch the sun set over the hills of Napa and you will be instantly relaxed. Tip: most restaurants allow you to bring your own bottle of wine, so stock up during your visit during the day and bring it to dinner!
I hope you found my Napa guide helpful. The best advice is go with the flow, don’t book too many winery tours that you feel rushed. Enjoy the scenery and soak in that nature. I cannot wait to come back again and stay in Napa next time!

Cheers,
Annie