On a recent trip to San Francisco, we ventured north for a Napa Valley Wine Tour. The Napa Valley is just about an hour from San Francisco. A Napa Valley wine tour is just the kind of activity to while away a California day. Wineries can really do no wrong in my book. What better way to spend time with or making new friends, take in a little history, architecture, culture and art and then there’s great wine. What could be better than a Napa Valley wine tour? Here are a few of my favorite wineries from Napa Valley.
Can you call the last stop on a Napa Valley wine tour the best, or is that all the other wine talking? Either way, I loved Silver Oak; it was the overall favorite of our group. Silver Oak is known for their cabernets. After swirling, sniffing and tasting, we can see why. Truly the yummiest wine (not official wine speak) on our Napa Valley tour. The historic dairy barn that housed the original winery burned down in 2006, but the new facility and tasting room is now open.
With five sparkling wine makers in Napa Valley now, it can be hard to decide which one to visit. Of the winery’s we visited on our tour, Mumm’s had the overall best tasting area. The patio outside was magnificent; the art gallery is renowned for its spectacular exhibits and worth a visit even if champagne isn’t your favorite. Trees covered in moss keep the area cool, and the deck overlooks the vineyard…Napa Valley nirvana. I am a fan of champagne, and Mumm’s was affordable enough to bring home a bottle or two.
The Rutherford Winery, part of the scenic Silverado Trail on our Napa Valley wine tour, was beautiful as expected and had an old-world charm. Our group got a behind-the-scenes tour of the wine cave by a very informative guide. The estate has 100-year old olive orchards and the winery and estate vineyards are 100% certified organic. We also had a chance to eat lunch and escape the heat in the shade of some trees. The lunch was great, and the wine was good.
Rubicon Estate was founded in 1880 as Inglenook winery . This historic and one of the few remaining family-owned wineries was our first stop on our Napa Valley wine tour, and probably the most scenic. The vaulted stone cellars and hand-carved staircase are amazing features of this restored legacy. The elegant Rubicon Estate and Chateau is owned renowned film director Francis Ford Coppola, who has restored it over the last 31 years. The estate has something for everyone – history buffs, movie lovers and wine connoisseurs alike. Visitors have a chance to see movie memorabilia, and taste wines not sold to the general public.
Which one of your favorites did I miss on our Napa Valley Wine tour?
