Durant & Booth has closed their Oakville tasting salon as of June 10th, 2018. However, their wines are still available on Vivino. Durant & Booth Tasting Salon is relatively new to the Napa Valley but the building that houses the tasting room is a historic gem. Located in the small town of Oakville, lies Oakville Grocery, a popular…
Category: Wine
Gatehouse Restaurant – Culinary Institute of America Greystone Napa Valley
While in town for a week in Saint Helena a friend invited five of us for the soft opening of Gatehouse Restaurant at CIA Greystone The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone just outside of Saint Helena in Napa Valley has been lately going through many changes. The Wine Spectator at Greystone has been closed indefinitely…
What Wines are Winter Wines? Wine Pairing in a Winter Wonderland
What wines do you think go best on a blustery day or night, rain and snow falling like crazy? I feel like summer disappeared so quickly, I didn’t have time to pull out the jackets and sink into hibernation mode. One thing I do notice is that my palate changes through the seasons like clockwork….
Eiko’s – Great Sushi in the Heart of Downtown Napa
Located steps away from the future Archer Hotel Napa, Eiko’s offers up some great sushi, and generous portions without the high price tag. When people think Napa Valley and sushi, they automatically think Morimoto’s, a high-end sushi restaurant off the waterfront in downtown Napa owned by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. It’s a unique place to dine, but…
VGS Chateau Potelle Tasting House & Gardens – Food & Wine Pairing
Last week I was invited to do one of my favorite things, a food and wine pairing. What could be better on a post-election Wednesday than some exquisite food bites from a Michelin-starred restaurant paired with elegant wines? After a rough week of political rants and a nation on edge, I was certainly looking forward…
Yao Family Wines in St. Helena – It’s Not Just a Name.
I was excited to get a chance to check out the fairly new Yao Family Wines tasting room located off Highway 29 in Saint Helena. If you are or aren’t a basketball fan, you would recognize Yao Ming. Standing a staggering 7ft 6in, Yao Ming played for the Houston Rockets for almost a decade, retiring…
Schramsberg Vineyards – Méthode Champenoise in Napa Valley
When friends come to town, I am always looking for a unique place to start the day; and three million hand stacked bottles of sparkling wine in a 2-1/2 mile cave is an excellent choice. Last Saturday was my second time at Schramsberg Vineyards. About 3-1/2 years ago, before I lived in the Napa Valley,…
Gourmet Buffalo & Asian-Inspired Wings in Napa Valley
As I was going from restaurant to restaurant in search of the perfect chicken wing, I found out not all wings are created equal or even remotely the same. And because like everything here, Napa Valley, finds a way to elevate its wings to a whole new level. I know what you are thinking, who…
Fantesca Estate & Winery – A Close Escape to Tranquility & World Class Winemaking
Not far from downtown St. Helena lies the less traveled path of Spring Mountain Road, encompassing off the beaten path wineries like Fantesca Estate. Only a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Highway 29 lies Fantesca Estate & Winery. Feeling a world away from the tour buses and crowds fighting for a space…
Visit to Venge Vineyards – Small Production Wines with a Relaxing Atmosphere
Venge Vineyards is a small production winery featuring many 90+ point wines and a nice quiet atmosphere for tasting by appointment only. Venge sits on 25 acres off the Silverado Trail about 1-1/2 miles south of Calistoga. The tasting room, located behind the production facility, is a quaint little cottage with a cozy sitting area…