Wine menu value: Out to dinner Telluride, CO

Enjoying family vacation in beautiful Telluride, Colorado and headed out for an “adult” dinner with friends, Maren and Michael Doherty (of FLAVR Fame) and Jennifer and Brett Kennedy. Maren set us up with reservations at the New Sheridan Hotel, a hotel and dining room that is more than 100 years old and great place for dinner out with friends.  The atmosphere was great, the food was all excellent, and the wine list was extensive, but plenty of overpriced wines to catch the excited vacationer. I chose to look for some value on the list. I ended up picking out two great selections for a fraction of the price of the normal “Go-To’s” like California cabernets, many of which were well over $200 a bottle. I chose to go with something a little less popular and picked the 2016 La Fortuna, a Rossa Di Montalcino. Often you can go to the Italian section of the list and pick a medium priced Montalcino and get a pretty good wine. This one was only $65 and was definately the favorite of the group. Relatively young and still plenty of fruit, but this was a great option for the money.  Next, I picked the 2014 Azelia Barolo from Luigi Scavino.  The Barolos are often the more pricey Italian selections, but his one was $85, well below those Cabernet prices, but no one complained. Great dinner and experience at the New Sheridan Hotel. Thumbs Up, check it out next time you’re in Telluride.

Jennifer and Brett Kennedy and Meredith McBee

And next time your out to dinner, look for those less popular options and find the value. Don’t be afraid to let the sommelier help you with this, they are often happy to help you pick a value find, they enjoy that.  

A Night Out at The Charles - Dallas

Chas Martin’s “The Charles” is absolutely amazing.  From the second you enter the restaurant you feel almost transported back in time or maybe off to a small cafe off the Amalfi Coast. It feels like Art Deco meets Italian fine dining.  The staff’s attire and the decor are really just great, I do love this place. The clientele range from the young hip foodie crowd to the older sophisticated wine lovers.  The place was packed full, but not too loud.  There is also a great bat with seating.

The appetizers were great, including the special house special flat bread (if you call it that) and we tried the octopus and the baked oysters, both a hit. We opted for family style ordering an basically tried half the menu, the pastas and the fish were all perfect. Now one of my favorite things about The Charles is that they have a large moderately priced wine list, with a few high dollar guys in there just for good measure, but the wine list here offers some really fun great options, for restaurant prices at $60-70 which is pretty good in Dallas these days. The waiters are super helpful in helping make a choice.

Probably too big for a starter, but couldn’t resist starting out with a Montapulciano, the Marina Cvetic D’ Abruzzo. For the price, this one was about $63, this was a great wine. It had a dark ruby red color and some tobacco and other dark flavors. Probably a little too much with the octopus and baked oysters but the wine was great, so who cares, but should probably just save this one for the entree.

Second I picked the Terre Nere Edna Rossa.  This is a lighter option, a Sicilian style wine. We all agreed this was a great wine and a nice compliment to the main dishes, especially the fish, but I think I messed this up, should have flipped the order of these two.  Nevertheless, bright fruit, berries and some spice made it a great second wine.

You heard it here, check out The Charles!

Wine with the Plano Group - Napa Cab Face-Off

Fun dinner with the Plano group Saturday. Now, no one actually lives in Plano, but without getting off subject here - this is an old name that has just stuck. This group knows and enjoys wine, mostly because I drug them along early on my wine journey. Now they are all wine lovers themselves, and getting together for dinner is always fun as you never know what someone will bring along.

Tracy and Lee hosted in thier amazing new outdoor living room. Lee opened the event with a “Born on Date” May 2018 Miller Light (by the keg mind you),.  Beautiful evening as we toured the new pool and Las Vegas style fire features, seriously you could lose an eyebrow at any second.  Kevin, Rob and Clint each brought some wine to the party, nothing real exotic this time, but there were some classic Napa Cabs.  Plenty of good apps and conversation and then it was on to dinner.

We had options but decided to start dinner with the 2008 Quintessa, i mean it was just too hard to see it sitting there waiting to be opened. Thanks Kevin - this was a winner - but who was surprised.  2008, still big and plenty of fruit, not letting anything go, the 2008s still have some time.  If you have not seen or been to this winery, click on the link above, this may be one of the prettiest wineries in Napa.  Check out the website - seriously!

Once the Quintessa ran out, it was on to the Nickle & Nickle Regusci Ranch Cabernet, thanks to Clint and Donna's monthly wine membership from Far Niente. Clint staked this as his favorite vineyard in the Nickle & Nickel collection. Who was I to argue, they don't have a bad one out of that place.  It was great, just one year younger than the first, but packed a bit more punch.  Carrying it's age much stronger than the Quintessa, it had lots of dark berry and a real balance but satisfying oak.

Now, I felt a bit overplayed at this point, didn't know it was going to be a Napa Cab Face-Off.  I wanted to share something simple and new - something that they had not had before and something they might want to start stocking up on.  I brought a 2015 Adaptation.  This has become one of my favorite moderately priced wines.  fI was introduced to this wine by none other that the founder John Conover, of Cade and Plumpjack Fame of course.  This wine was out of their Odette Operation, which if you have not had the chance to try - try it. Probably my favorite find on my last trip to Napa. Thanks to my good friend Marc Sachs by the way.  Adaptation is one of his newer projects and it is really special - especially for the price. I was able to pick up a case of this for just under $40 a bottle as Specs Wine, which makes this a great value for what you get in my opinion.  We finished up dinner with a bottle of 2010 Faust thanks to Rob and Michelle. Another solid wine, consistent and great but a pretty popular. This is another reasonable bottle, Quintessa 2nd Growth you might say, but always consistent.   Honestly by this time it was not as easy to identify all that this wine had to offer, but everyone seemed to enjoy it just the same.

Anyway, great dinner and company, check out any of these wines above if you're looking for a Napa Cabernet Classic. Cant wait to be with the plan group again - who knows what we get to try next time. Harlan Estate maybe?

Dallas’ Al Berniet's North

I was able to visit the new Al Berniet’s North this weekend.  Both brother-in-laws were in town for Mother’s Day, but it was just the boys Friday night, so we decided to try out Dallas’ newest steakhouse, but one that bears an old name.  I think they did a really great job on the renovation. So many of us enjoyed the Del Frisco’s location for years, so it was really cool seeing it reborn under a new name. Food, service and the Somm, all great, great job!!   So, Ill get to the point... the wine.  Wine list was extensive, with many of the usual suspects, but there were 5-10 pretty unique Napa names to look over. I gave the sommelier a couple of wines I was considering, but as usual, i wanted to try something and was open to suggestion.  He suggested the 2014 La Jota Vineyards, Howell Mountain Cabernet. I was familiar with this label, but had not had the wine before. They priced the wine at $165, which is a bit higher than I like to spend at dinner, as I am generally looking for the best value on the menu. However, this wine is sold for just under $100, so the markup seemed reasonable and I wanted to try the wine.  Brother-in-law, Porter, also eager to split, so it made this the right choice. The wine was great, lots of black cherry and berries, with a bit of smoke, mild oak and a soft finish.  Perfect temperature on the wine as well, thanks to the wine team at Al Berniet’s. Next time you visit, considering the wine, and the value to retail - I suggest this one.  A really good dinner at the new Al’s,  paired with good company and a great wine.

Wine with friends

Had dinner with great friends this weekend. Scott and Erin enjoy the same things we do, great wine and fresh cord in Jackson Hole. Well, we had quite a bit to catch up on and that is a serious understatement...  great conversation and spectacular wine marked the occasion.  Scott opened the evnening with a 2015 Textbook, a Pey family special realese out of Oakville, CA. Textbook is a liable from a small production winery and this label is offered in a limited production, only 2 barrels were bottled of this blend - so we were all excited to try it. It was great, quitisential Napa blend, with plenty of fruit, but I found the wood notes to be subtle despite the  reference on the bottle to more than 20 months on new frenck oak.  This was quite the crowd pleaser And it didn’t last long, so off Scott goes and “Boom” back he comes with the encore, a 2012 Ovid. Ovid is a another Pritchard Hill star, with a winery that impresses all who get the opportunity to visit. A full landscape view of the Napa Valley can be seen from thier expansive tasting table complete with massive metal doors that lead to a wrap around patio. Ovid is probably one of my favorite wines from the Napa area right now. THis BIG napa cab has plenty to offer, just the right amount of fruit and with almst 15% alcohol, it delivers big taste and character. Add this selection to your menu next time you want to impress your friends or get in good with your new boss.

3rd day in Napa...   Worn out and tired from the last two days, it was time to rally and get out there and enjoys our last day.   We were not messing around this day either.   Started the day with a tasting at 10AM

From there we headed North on the Silverado Trail to Duckhorn.   A place that we have visited many times, every time we go we are reminded why awe continue to visit this beautiful tasting room.   A far cy from the massive structures at Quintessa and Palmaz, Duckhorn's tasting room is a quaint house with sprawling landscaping and manicuring gardens.  The architecture is simple, it's a farms type home with a wrap around porch and covered outdoor tasting patio.

Your greeted at Duckhorn with their famous Savignon Blanc, on of Meredith's and my late mother, Camille's, most favorite.  You can belly up to a tasting bar and enjoy your wine while they prepare a table for your tasting flight.   You have the options to taste indoors, out on the patio, or even in the gardens.

This tasting we were offered a number of Duckhorn Cabernets and Merlots and we were given quite a history lesson on the Decoy Brand as well.   I had always mentally categorized the Decoy brand as sort of "Duckhorn Light" or "Duckhorn Second Growth", but I was quickly corrected by our wine guide.   She explained that Decoy was a brand that simply featured Sonoma vineyards and grapes, and by design was offered at a lower price point.  Sonoma wines often receive a lower price, but more importantly, this differential allows the Duckhorn brand to reach different grape varieties, different palettes and ultimately different wallets.  We had many side by side tastings of the two wines and I now have a new appreciation for the Decoy brand and its place in the offering in the Duckhorn Family.

We were also treated to one of the newer brands offered by Duckhorn,

Santa Barabara Wine Tour

Well, I consider myself a well seasoned wine guy, having logged hours and hours and days and days of wine tastings, but never in Santa Barbara.  Now, i have seen the movie Sideways no less than 100 times.   Mainly for two reasons, one, I love everything about this movie, and two, it is the only movie I have ever figured out how to rip off a CD and save to my iPad.  I am not even sure how i did it, but it is the only movie on my iPad, so I watch it on pretty much every plane ride.  Anyway, the movie is based on tasting wine in the Santa Barbara wine country. Now I get to see some of those places, which is fun.

We arrived today, just after lunch, grabbed a car and headed straight for Los Olivos.  Had lunch at a great little sandwich shop in town, Panino.  Solid tuna salmon ad sandwich and an eclectic crowd.  To accompany our lunch, we stopped into Larner Vineyard tasting room for a Savignon Blanc.  Following lunch we headed straight out to the tasting rooms. We visited the Gaines Family's Evan's Ranch Winery, where we tried a couple of interesting Pinot Noirs and two really good Syrah. We learned the interesting story about how the Josten's family, of high school ring fame, used thier fortune to start this winery thirty years ago. Next, we then ventured down the street to Blair Fox Winery, where we tried a few wines, including a pretty good Chardonnay, and a really great Syrah, the 2014 Petite Sirah. (Yes, spelled with the I)

Before heading out we stopped in for a quick glass of wine at a little bar called Community Craft.   We met the owners, Andrew & Erin - great couple, each of which are chasing successful careers in the Santa Barbara wine industry, one as a sommelier  and the other as a wine maker. I would consider this place a "must do" in Los Olivos if you want to get the inside track about where to go in the area. This couple has some great recommendations and is full of little wine surprises.  We were able to taste some small production wines here and left with Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc and an awesome Bordeaux style Cabernet from Grassini Family Vineyards. I made a really great contact here and hope to trade some great wines with this store going forward. Stop in and meet Andrew & Erin the next time you're in Los Olives.

Community Craft, Los Olives California

New Wine Review

Attended a business dinner this week and had a wine that I wanted to mention.    We had a 2013 Seavey Cabernet.    Great bottle of wine and I looked it up online after the meal.   Retail prices range from $80-100.    It was an impressive wine.   I know this is not the most value oriented suggestion I have made, but I visited their website and this is the cheapest of their Cabernets; one is listed for over $1,200 for the bottle, which makes this one a steal in comparison.

This was a big Cabernet, but with a nice subtle finish.   I was not familiar with the wine, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but immediately upon just smelling the wine I could tell I was going to like it.

Next time your in the wine store, maybe looking for a gift for the wine friend.   Here is a not so popular idea that I promise will impress.

Napa Trip 2016: Second Day and Still Going Strong

Hit the day running on day two with a quick stop into Napa Wine Company.   I became a member at NWC years ago and do my best to stop in every time I'm in town.   They always take good care of their members and this time was no different.  One of my favorites this time was a 2013 Oakville Zinfandel.   The wine is really big with lots of fruit, but it was reasonably priced and give this Napa Zin a few years and it will be perfect.  Great value option, buy a case and fill your wine fridge!

After this, a stop into Oakville Grocery to pick up a quick bite before the big tastings started.

After that, it was on to the Silverado Trail and Quintessa.  A super VIP tour, thanks to our friend Marc, opened the tasting.   Then on to a full tour of their Super Cabs.    A tasting at Qunitessa is essentially a rainbow of wine glasses, each filled with a 2 once sample of some of the finest Bordeaux inspired Cabernet blends in the world.  

They take you through a tour of serveral vintage years and blending recipes so that you can get a feel for how impressive each of these factors can be on a vintage.   It never ceases to amaze me that you can have 6 people at the tasting table and everyone will get a different impression, different taste or different result from each glass.   As much as you want to believe that wine snobs know more about how wine tastes than you do.... You have to remember that wine taste really is in the eye of the beholder.   When the wine snob is paying... Drink, enjoy and compliment the choice.   When you are paying....   Drink what you like!   This

Qunitessa remains time and time again one of the best wineries in the valley and we had some great ones here.    The wine steward was great, fun and knowledgable.   I highly recommend seeking an appointment on your next trip.

The equipment and facilities at Qunitessa are mind boggling.   The massive oak fermination tanks are big enough for a small family to live.   The cave system is massive and one of my favorite parts of any tour.   I love the temperature and the smell of all the barrels of wine aging.   

 

Napa Trip 2016 - First Day in the Valley

Just got back from this year's Napa Adventure. Attended this time with our good friends the Sachs and the Roberts. Started the trip as usual with a champagne toast at Domaine Carneros, left with a double magnum, not sure when we will pop that one open, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Finally, after many attempsthis trip we were able to arrange a tasting and tour of Palmaz Vineyards.

 I have been wanting to tour this place since reading their story a few years back. It was an awesome tasting, with an amazing food bite accompaniment. The food pairing was so impressive, we had no choice but to buy the Palmaz family cookbook. Palmaz's story of American entrepreneurship and winery founding is not singular in the valley, but Dr. Palmaz's invention of the heart stint, is certainly unique. The ultimate gravity fed wine process is on display and not sure how much that plays into the final product, but the wine does not disappoint. We had an amazing Cabernet among others and the group was also impressed with the label design, which to me was a first. Next time your in the valley, try to get into this place, you'll love it!

How to Plan the perfect Trip to Napa (Day 3: LATE Afternoon)

Western skies at Obrien Estates, Yountville, CA.

Well we had time for one more stop.    On the way back to the hotel, in the Yountville area off Oak Knoll, there sits a small winery called, O'Brien Estates.    A winery known for its' small production, amazing winemaker and most notably it's wine bottled adorned with love poems.


I have been to this winery dozens of times, my family has been wine members there for years and we just felt that this group had to experience the O'Briens personally.    And personally is what we got.   We were greeted by none other than Owner, Barb O'Brien and winemaker, David Yorgensen.    They set up a casual tasting in the backyard of their adjoining residence.    We tasted all of their popular labels and Barb read  and then gave background the labels of each of the wines.


They allowed everyone the opportunity to walk through the vineyards, and just enjoy the afternoon and each other's company.    It seems that everywhere we went on this trip seems to top the last place; not in a bad way, but like every place just made the trip that much more memorable.      Every winery offered a unique experience, some were offered a white glove and crystal experience and others, like O'Brien offered a more relaxed atmosphere where you feel like you were in your family's backyard for a holiday.    All the wineries outdid themselves, I could not have been more pleased.

O'Brien Estates, a tasting everyone will remember!

Paul Jackson with the perfect pose!

Felt like home

Barb O'Brien delivers a personal tasting

Unique decorations everywhere

Libby Jackson listens intently

Kevin Jackson enjoys "Seduction"

Erin and Scott MCNeil walk the rows of grapes

Melissa Pogue and Laura Craddick chat in the vineyards

How to Plan the perfect Trip to Napa (Day 3: Afternoon)

View from the veranda at William Hill Estate Winery

After the morning tasting the buses drove us over the Silverado trail up on a mountain where we arrived at one of my favorite wineries, William Hill Estate Winery.    I have been to WIlliam Hill many times, we have been members there for years, and the staff is always friendly and eager to help.    When we called and said that we have 30 + Guests, the response was "Bring em on, we will make it work!" And they did!

They set up an out door picnic overlooking the valley under a wisteria cover veranda.     I really could not have asked for a better setting.    We were all at the point, after visiting many very high end wineries that we just wanted to have a relaxing lunch under the perfect wine country skies.  

They had box lunches prepared and delivered by the Soda Canyon Store, which is just down the road on the southern end of the Silverado Trail.  Standouts from the boxes where "The Best Sandwich", smoked turkey, with gorgonzola topped with a fig and olive spread and served on on sourdough and "The Tourist" smoked turkey served with a mound of double creme brie and avocado on fresh focaccia.    William Hill had the outdoor area all set complete with wine glasses and servers.   They served two wine options by the bottle, a 2008 Bench Blend Chardonnay and a 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet.    This might have been the highlight of the trip.     Just a perfect day, the forecast had called for rain, but Camille was looking down over us making sure the whole day went off without a hitch.

Rob Rickman enjoys the Chardonnay

Everyone was able to relax and enjoy the wine.    I had tons of compliments on this place, everything from comments on the view to comments on the staff.     A few guest somehow talked thier way into a private facility tour.   Not quite sure how they pulled that off, but with this group, nothing every comes as a surprise.

Side note: They allowed us to bring along a cooler full of bottled water for everyone.   It is the little things like this that makes venues like William Hill so easy to deal with.    This made things a lot easier on everyone as their staff didn't have to deal with this and we were able to save our group a little money.



William Hill is a must see for large groups of for just for one.    Their pleasant demeanor and casual style makes this place one of my favorite stops in Napa.

How to Plan the perfect Trip to Napa (Day 3: Morning Tastings)

1800s barn conversion at Nickel & Nickel

Day 3: First Tasting of the day was at Nickel & Nickel in Oakville.    This was my birthday day, so only seemed fitting to stop at one of my all time Napa favorites.  The bus dropped us off and we were escorted into a remodeled 1800s era barn that currently serves as their corporate offices and wine laboratory and tour area.   We were then led onto the grounds where they were still crushing grapes for the season.    Everyone was able to see the process first hand and get a real sense of how busy things can get during the harvest.



Following the crush tour, were were led through their caves and were able to see many vintages as they rested in barrels.    Nothing beats the smell of a wine cave with rows and rows of wine barrels.   Hundreds of wine barrels are stacked, each containing a certain vintage.    Generally you will find French oak barrels that have been burned (or toasted) to the winemakers specifications before they are filled with the red wine.   Most the barrels will hold wine for 12 - 20 months depending on how much of the oak taste the winemaker wants to seep into the wine.







Our tasting took place in the basement of the farmhouse which is located on the front half of the property.    Two long tables were set for 30; the setting was amazing.   Nickel & Nickel really knows how to entertain a big group.

Michelle...  save some for us

The tasting was elegant and educational but they certainly allowed us to have a good time.  

It is never a good idea to drink too much in Napa and turn the tasting into a party...    But our group knows how to have to good fun and the staff at Nickel & Nickel loved playing right along with us.    

Brandon Moore and Cody Lummus had a good time sampling the Red Wine.  We sampled 4 red wines and a Chardonnay.  

Our host explained how the the different soil types in the Napa region can influence the grapes.  He referenced a table in the room that held soil samples from all over Napa.  Kara Hannon and Ashly Cothern enjoyed the Chardonnay and the company.   Even Mike Cothern seemed to be getting into it by this point!






Ken Monk and Scott McNeil both joined the Nickel & Nickel / Far Niente wine club.     This is not the cheapest wine club in the valley, but you will be hard pressed to find a better wine club.    The wine is always amazing and everyone involved with this organization is a complete pleasure to deal with.   I always love introducing friends to this winery.

For your reference, appointments are always required when visiting Nickel & Nickel and Far Niente.



After Nickel and Nickel we were off to our next tasting...

How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Napa: (Day 3: Morning)

We started the third day off with a breakfast taco bar in our "Orchard Home" at The Carneros Inn.    The houses here are perfect for entertaining small groups which was yet another plus when we were deciding on accommodations for everyone.     There are a lot of small details that are included such as a Bose stereo and docking station that pipes music throughout the home, gas grille and a full kitchen.  The sliding french doors in the back of the cottages fold back completely opening the living area up to the covered patio where guests can sit at the outdoor table or relax on the couch by the wood burning fireplace.  

Melanie and Paul enjoy the breakfast tacos

Michelle fired up for another day in Napa

The design is a kind of California / Modern & Farm all melted together into a super cool place.   Plenty of couches and seating options and a large dining table made for a perfect serving station.   As our guests moved to the patio, they found a dark stained teak deck leading onto a flagstone lined garden, a hot tub for relaxing after a long day on the wine trail and various seating areas that seem to invite an afternoon nap.   As you can see by the pictures, our two bedroom house provided plenty of room, even for a party of 30.

Laura Craddick and AMy Moore relax by the fire

We kept the breakfast pretty simple...  the point was simply to get the day started in a casual setting and enjoy some time together before another packed day of tastings.    I think everyone liked the in-home setting where they could relax.    We all sat around and told stories and lies of the day and night before.    There were a few foggy heads in the room, but for the most part everyone seemed ready to attack the valley once again.  

Kara Hannon

My brother, Clay, and his wife Betsy ordered in the breakfast tacos complete with chips and salsa from Tres Hermanos, just down the road in downtown Napa.    Clay had been there before and insited that they were some of the best around.   I feel quite certain that everyone agreed.  We provided some juice and fresh berries.   The Carneros Inn also not only provides a 10 cup coffee machine, but a Nespresso Cappuccino/espresso machine, which came in handy.    

This morning was one of my favorite memories from the trip; just hanging out and talking over a morning coffee looking into the Carneros Vineyards.

Mike Peschel and Mike Mikeska

After breakfast we loaded onto a 40 passenger Limo Bus - So Cool!    Upon arrival at the resort, each of our guests received a small monogramed cooler filled with bottled water, fruit and other locally sourced snacks.    Anyone that knows my wife, knows that EVERYTHING must be monogramed, so it seemed a fitting gift for everyone.  Truthfully, this was the perfect accompaniment for todays adventure.   (Thanks to Meredith for coming up with this idea)  It would be a long day of tastings and making sure your guests have some water and other things to snack on between tasting is a good idea.    Even though most tastings are pretty tame activities, after a while most people will need a little something other than wine to fill their stomach.   

Paul Jackson loading the bus for the day

Lee Constantino sporting his monogramed cooler!

Deciding on renting a bus is a tricky thing when planning your Napa trip.    Many wineries will not allow buses so you have to do your homework in advance or you might have some surprises.  We choose to only do the bus one day for our guests.    For most tastings and activities, it made sense to have everyone just try to consolidate and take a few cars, but for this day we had some special events planned and we really just wanted everyone to be comfortable.   Plus, it was hard to deliver some surprises to everyone if they knew in advance where they were going.

- And just like that, we were off to another day of tasting in the wine country...

Paul Jackson and Scott McNeil 

The Perfect Trip to Napa (Day 2: Afternoon & Evening-)

AFTER LUNCH AGENDA...   MORE WINE!

I have mentioned that big groups are not welcome at most wineries, so that afternoon we split into three groups.    We made reservations at three wineries, each one highlighting a different area of the valley.    The first group headed off to Carneros where they would be greeted by some familiar accents at Truchard Vineyards.   This is a large sprawling winery, with a long Napa History and a quaint, friendly tasting room was a perfect option for those looking for a laid back tasting experience.     The winery owners are originally from Texas, they live on property and enjoy having visitors, especially Texans.      As happened to our guests, you will often get special treatment when you mention you are a native of the Lone Star State.

The second group was set up with a private tasting at Cakebread Cellars.    This well known winery does a great job with their tastings and is a good fit for a group that has had their wine in the past and wants to learn more about its' heritage and its' many different varietals.   This is another rather casual, yet scripted experience as you walk through their facilities and get to understand the winemaking process at Cakebread.    You will taste many wines from Chardonnay to Cabernet and will have the opportunity to see their barrel aging process in their barrel room.  

Modern Architecture at Qunitessa starts at the door

View into the vineyards at Quintessa

The last group visited Quintessa, which is a real special experience for those looking for a more boutique or specialty winery experience.  You are greeted by a massive modern winery with gravity flow design that aides in the winemaking process.    Yo get a real understanding of how the juice travels from the vine to the barrel as they walk you through the harvest process.  

Their tasting includes a walk though their expansive property, where the tour guide gives an education on "Green" winemaking and the processes used throughout the valley to conserve the environment and use nature where there is a need to combat nature.   Many of us don't think of all the natural predators there can be to winemaking.    Bugs, animals and fungi are always concern of the vineyard manager and the winemaker.    You sip on a special Sauvignon Blanc, Illumination, as you look across acres of grapevines and man made lakes.  (pictured above) Quintessa is a beautiful winery...   the pictures are worth 1000 words.

LATER THAT EVENING...

After another day of wine touring we headed to St. Helena for dinner at PRESS, a California steakhouse.     We arrived to a private reception on an outdoor patio in from of a natural wood-burning fireplace.   Most of us had had enough grape juice for one day...   a nice single barrel scotch seemed to hit the spot for the boys.

Tommy, Me, Mike, Hunter and Brandon - brings back some GOOD memories boys!

The girls took a seat by the fireplace and caught up about "who knows what" but they certainly had a good time doing it.    It was a nice relaxing break from the long day.    

Libby and Taylor

The girls catching up by the fire

After the reception, the staff seated us a two long table alongside the fireplace under a canopy of lighted trees.    The setting was awesome and the food was absolutely great.  PRESS features great wood fired steaks, adult mac 'n cheese, great green and salads and a lengthy wine list, delivered via IPAD of course.   The staff was excellent, but they always are at PRESS.   This is one of the reasons that PRESS was a must for this trip.   They always take very good care of their guests and we wanted ours to experience that for themselves. 

Patio Dinner at PRESS, St. Helena

2 tables set for 12

We never miss this restaurant and neither should you.   Next time your at PRESS, don't forget to ask for Charles, he is the best waiter in town!

Lee, Kevin and Donna