Silhouette, Soups, and Dolce: Merryvale Holiday Pick Up Party and Far Niente Wine Tasting Double Date

 

A great benefit of being a wine club member is being about to enjoy the fun events that are thrown by the wineries, Merryvale is no exception. We planned a day trip to Napa with our friends Joost and Karen to attend the Holiday Barrel Tasting & Pick Up Party and check out one of our most recent wine clubs at Far Niente. We drove up to Napa early enough to grab a delicious breakfast sandwich at Dean and Deluca. Splitting a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich on rosemary focaccia, has become a ritual for Alex and I to kick off a day in wine country. Joost and Karen really enjoyed theirs as well and at 10AM, we were off to our appointment at Far Niente. We arrived to a beautiful gated driveway and made our way to the Far Niente estate. Our names were posted on a welcome sign and we walked into a lovely glass of Chardonnay awaiting our arrival. The tour was informative and very structured. Our guide had a walkie-talkie and kept the property well informed of our next moves! We enjoyed seeing the amazing car collection, football field of caves, and heading back to a seated tasting of 4 wines paired with cheeses. The wines were all very nice, but the 2006 Dolce ($85) dessert wine, was out of this world! Personally, I am not a huge fan of sweet wines, but Dolce was something special. I now understand why it is called “liquid gold” by the locals and I’m so glad that we did not gift the bottle we received in our December shipment. The tour and tasting at Far Niente is pricey at $50/person, but if you are looking for a formal tasting and want to taste very nice and expensive wines, it is a great place to try.

Tips – Far Niente:

·       Book well in advance, this winery is appointment only, if you try to book in less than 2 weeks you may not get your desired date.

·       Be on time! They begin their tastings promptly and you don’t want to keep the other 8-10 people waiting!

·       If you love the wine, join the wine club and save $50/person on tastings for up to 4 people. You can also visit their sister Nickel & Nickel with up to 4 people.

·       Plan your total experience to last 1.5 to 2 hours, that way you do not overbook yourself and feel rushed.

Once we had made our purchases, we drove back to St Helena and over to Merryvale for the pick up party. We picked up our 3 bottle shipment and checked in. This event was free to wine club members and $25/person for additional guests. We started off with a glass of the 2009 Silhouette Chardonnay and entered the Cask Room for soup, barrel tasting, and library magnum tasting. The two soup offerings were incredible! There was an Asian beef stew and a butternut squash puree that were the perfect balance of sweet and savory depending on your palette and current tasting. We tasted the 2011 Silhouette, then the 2000 library tasting of it. They both were delicious. We then made our way over to reds with tastings of the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon and several library tastings of the Profile. The four of us enjoyed the event in the Cask Room because it was very nice, not overly crowded, and it felt very intimate. These are my favorite types of events because you can actually relax, instead of spending your entire time waiting in lines. I really enjoy my time at Merryvale and will have more to say about them in the future. One tip about finding great events to attend at wineries is to go the events section of wineries that you are interested in visiting. Going to an event rather than a tasting can be an equivalent or better experience for the same cost or less. I know that Joost and Karen felt that way while joining us at Merryvale!

Yountville for the Holidays: The Festival of Lights

The day after Thanksgiving we had absolutely no intention on making it over to wine country...but when Cole Haan in Vacaville didn't have Alex's shoe size and Napa would hold it for just two hours...somehow we found ourselves in the vines again!

After picking up our purchases at the Napa Outlet Mall, we decided to head over to Yountville. As we approached the crowded town, we had no idea that today was the 23rd Annual Festival of Lights! The streets were filled with white booths featuring local boutique wines and small bites from delicious restaurants such as Ad Hoc, Redd, and Bottega to name a few. We bought a wine glass and 6 tickets for $10...being rookies at this event, we were not aware of the 1-6 ticket per taste cost, which had us quickly running back for more! The event was fun, and you can spend as much or as little as you would like to because you are paying per taste with tickets.

Once we were ready to escape the crowds, we walked over to Napa Style, a boutique market by Michael Chiarello, to taste the Eileen Cabernet Sauvignon that we loved from Flavor! Napa Valley. It was just as wonderful as we had remembered, so we purchased two bottles and made our way back home. Next year, we will plan to stay in Yountville the night after Thanksgiving and enjoy this event (and the town) to the fullest.

This may be a little in advance, but mark your calendars for Taste of Yountville, which takes place on March 24, 2012 from 12-5pm. This event is bound to be similar, - the lights, + better weather!

FREE and 2 for 1 Tasting and Tour Deals in Napa and Sonoma

I get paid once a month from work...so as you can imagine, close to the last week, my funds get pretty low and I have to start getting creative and thinking smart to plan an inexpensive good time (who can budget for an entire month anyways?!?). The deals that I have found for tours and tastings over the years are detailed below and will help you plan a very winetastic weekend, without spending more than a week of lunch money on tours and tastings for your entire trip! Cheers to that!

1) The WineTastic Weekend Twitter and Facebook Pages - follow me on Facebook and Twitter for the latest discounts and deals. I typically post several a week ranging from deeply discounted wines to amazing experiences in wine country for a great price.

2) Tasting Pass Finder - this app (available for iPad, iPhone, and android) is amazing! Not only do they have tons of free and 2 for 1 deals, but it will filter the deals by their distance to your current location. This comes in handy when you are looking for that one last room to check out, or if you are trying to kill an hour or two before a booked appointment. It's important to call prior to heading to the tasting rooms, but many will take you that day! No smartphone or tablet? No problem! Their website with printer friendly coupons is econcierges.com. Some of my favorite deals from this app are for the following wineries: Etude Wines, Long Meadow Ranch, Simi Winery, and Landmark Vineyards.

3) DS Deals App - This new app shares incredible discounts at Napa wineries that you will rarely come across a deal for. The list is short right now, but powerful, with wineries such as: Cakebread Cellars, Corison Winery, Chappellet, Hall Wines, Duckhorn Vineyards, and Chateau Montelena to name a few. I'm sure that the list will keep growing once word of this new app spreads across the valley. The benefits range from 2 for 1 tasting fees to free tastings, plus discounts on your wine purchases.

4)Visa Signature - Cardholders receive all kinds of benefits ranging from free tastings, 2 for 1 tastings, discounted wine bottles and more at 60+ wineries in Sonoma. Alex and I went to Trione and enjoyed an entire flight of tastings and a 10% discount on our bottle purchases! This link provides a detailed guide of all winery benefits, if they are requiring an appointment, and the contact information for each winery. Some of my personal favorites are: Stephen & Walker, Trione Vineyards &Winery, and Foppiano Vineyards.

5) Lexus Driver Benefits - now this one doesn't apply to everyone, but it is a special treat to anyone who owns or leases a Lexus. There are amazing benefits offered at over 20 wineries in Napa. Alex found this when registering our new car for online automatic payment. We have enjoyed great experiences ranging from barrel tasting, private tours, and special bottle pricing for FREE at Hall Rutherford, Tres Sabores, and Merryvale to name a few...another great thing about this benefit - Lexus has its own concierge service that books the appointments directly with the winery, then calls you to confirm your appointments. After visiting all 3 of the wineries, we have told everyone we know about the incredible chandelier at Hall Rutherford (and delicious Jack's Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon), purchased 4 bottles of wine at Tres Sabores, and joined the Merryvale wine club. The wineries that offer Lexus benefits are top notch, and we are so glad to have found it!

6) LivingSocial, Groupon, Gilt City and Travelzoo, or any daily deal site with San Francisco/Napa/Sonoma discounts - I've found some great tours, tastings, and sometimes even a free bottle of wine by checking them out as frequently as possible. Most of these deals you have to plan for in advance, but it is usually a great way to experience a more expensive tasting at a very reasonable price! Also, these are great places to find dining and lodging deals, or vacation packages that include tastings, dinner, and a hotel. Earlier this year we found a deal on Travelzoo for a night's stay at the Vintner's Inn, $100 dinner credit at John Ash, breakfast, and wine tasting passes at two wineries for $199. It was an amazing date night for less than half of what we would have paid if we booked everything on our own.

Now plan your next weekend in wine country, so that you can take advantage of these deals too!

Flora Springs and Honig: A Delicious Day Trip

After deciding to try something different for breakfast, I yelped during the drive to downtown Napa and came across Grace's Table. Once we saw that the reviews seemed consistent and the menu looked delicious, we made our way to Napa and stepped into the restaurant around 9:30AM. We were shocked to get there and be immediately seated during prime weekend breakfast time, but we were so relieved not to be rushing through our meal to make the first tasting appointment! As I scanned the room, I noticed a cute chalkboard filled with Daily Specials and wines by the glass, a bar filled with an array of pastries - and our neighbors had just received their french pressed coffee. We had a feeling that this was going to be good, and it was better than we had imagined! I'm not sure what I liked more - the fresh baked doughnuts, cinnamon roll, or the chilaquiles with fresh lime creme. They were all so different and wonderful that Alex and I were fighting over the last bites! 45 minutes later, we settled the bill and began our short trek to St Helena for our tour and tasting appointment at Flora Springs Winery. During the drive, we couldn't stop taking about who we wanted to take to Grace's Table, and what we thought they would love to try!

As soon as we arrived at the winery we were greeted by Travis, our tour guide, and he poured us a generous amount of Sauvignon Blanc to get us started. It was very light and refreshing! Travis was very personable and shared a great mix of information about the winery, history on Napa wines, and some personal tidbits that made us feel relaxed and comfortable throughout the tour. People in our group were asking him all kinds of questions...ones that were so out there! He handled them well and tried his best to win the tasting group's "wine trivia". We walked around the vineyards, explored the wine making process, and tried the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon out of the barrel in a side-by-side tasting of the wine in French vs American Oak. Our glasses were never empty, and the time just seemed to fly by.

The highlight of the tasting for me was during the formal sit down tasting back in the main house. We tried all of the special reds at that time, including the 2008 Holy Smoke Single Vineyard Cabernet. It was truly something, and at $85/bottle it was definitely a wine to buy and hold for a special occasion. I would recommend planning a tour and tasting here, if you want to try different varietals and have a few hours to enjoy and relax at this winery. I learned a lot during my time at Flora, and I felt like it was a great way to spend my day. Three hours and ten (or more) tastings later, the experience casually ended.

Once we realized that we had 10 minutes to get to our next tasting, we kicked up the pace and made our way over to the car. We were off to Honig! After driving through the fall leaves and making our way to the tasting room, I immediately felt warm and relaxed as we arrived and settled in. Everyone tasting and working at the winery was super friendly and laid back. Our tasting experience here was in and out in 30 minutes. We tried 4 wines, one Sauvignon Blanc, two Cabernet Sauvignons, and a port. I really liked that Honig only produced 2 varietals. The wines are well balanced, and the finish was very nice. I feel that this type of quality is typically is achieved more often at wineries that specialize in certain varietals and the winemakers really spend time perfecting them, as they do at Honig. Although our tasting was very short, we were able to taste, chat about the details of the winery, and buy a bought a bottle of there delicious 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($40) within that time. Also, after spending so much time at Flora Springs, it was nice to have a shorter experience to end our day! We left Honig and made it back to the city before dark, with plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Tips - Flora Springs:

• If you're going to try Flora Springs, book an appointment at the winery- not the tasting room. They are both completely different experiences, but the winery not to miss!
• Plan to be there for 2-3 hours, our appointment was at 11:00 and we barely made it out by 2:00.
• If you are driving, taste and dump! You will receive a lot of tastings on the tour, so pace yourself. Also - they will give you as many water bottles as you would like, I drank almost 3.

• If you want to try a specific wine, don't be afraid to ask! I have a coworker who is a wine club member here, and she mentioned how amazing the Rutherford Hillside Reserve ($100) and the Holy Smoke ($85) were. I asked to try them both and Travis pulled them out for a tasting treat.

Tips - Honig:

• The tasting fee was $10 a person, and the wines were tasty - I especially loved the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Note: Fee will be waived if you buy a bottle for $25 or more (if you end up buying the napa cab, it's almost like getting a 25% discount).
• Book an appointment here if you are planning multiple stops and want to taste somewhere that you could potentially get in and out quickly. This will work well with other longer tasting appointments (like the one we had at Flora Springs), if you have them booked on the same day.
• Remember, this winery is appointment only. Call in advance to make sure that there is availability.

Napa Wine Clubs 101

Wine clubs were something that I researched a lot once I decided that I enjoyed tasting and experiencing local wines. Almost every winery offered at least one club, and from an initial look they seemed to be a good deal if you like the wines and wanted to visit. Becoming a member at a winery that has tasting fees of $20-$50/person can pay for itself after one or two complementary visits for you and up to 3 additional guests.

Since there are so many wine club options (and great wines all over the valley) Alex and I typically join 2-3 wine clubs a year at the wineries that we LOVE all of their wines. This allows us to visit with our friends and family, check out the members only events, receive special wine club only allocations, and keep things interesting by rotating after we've received 9-12 bottles from a particular winery.

What I consider when deciding to join a club:

1. Do I LOVE the wines? 
• If you don't love the wines, don't join! There is no way that you are going to feel good about a winery that you are constantly gifting their bottles, and you won't want to visit and taste there more than once or twice!

2.  What are the different club options?
• Most wineries have club options that range greatly in the amount of bottles that you receive, and the overall price.
• Some wineries offer a club with bottles that are difficult to find, single vineyard, small production vs a general club where you will receive both some of their mass distribution and small production. 
• I tend to gravitate towards the small production or "winery exclusive" wines option (the slightly higher priced one), because I like receiving discounts on wines that I will not be able to match the price by going to Costco or BevMo.
• There usually is a mixed, white only, or reds only club, with a 3, 6, or 12 bottle offering per shipment.

3. What will my discount be?
• Unless you are saving a minimum of 15%, it might not be worth joining. I look for 20-25%, but will make exceptions if it is exceptional wine that I can't find online for less.

4. How much is this going to cost?
• Many clubs will show you a typical cost per shipment and a shipping cost. Once you calculate how much this will cost you a year, you can decide if you can afford this club? Do you want to spend your money on this?
• One way to reduce costs is to ask to pick up your shipments at the winery. We always choose this option, it's a great way to save $20-$30 each shipment and an even better excuse to get out to a tasting!

5. Do I like the people who work there? 

• I've joined a couple of wine clubs in the past where I really didn't connect with the people that worked there. Just like friends or acquaintances, who wants to spend time with people that they don't enjoy their company?

6. How many people can I bring to the winery for free?

• Being able to take a total of 4 people to enjoy a complimentary tour or tasting really will encourage you to visit more often. We take family when they come from out of town, or friends who want to take a day trip. It's a great thing to do to entertain and without having to pay.

7. What is the typical cost for tasting?

• If a typical tasting is over $20/person, then it definitely entices me to join. Otherwise, I could just visit the winery and pay the tasting fee.

8. How many events do they have each year and what is the cost?

• Many wine clubs have great events that are at a discounted cost or free for members. Some of the best events that we have been to are Fall Release Parties at Cakebread Cellars, serving gourmet bites paired with delicious wines. Other great events are quarterly Merryvale pick up parties, featuring local catering and barrel tastings.
• If the events look like something you want to attend, this may be another reason to join!

Did I miss something? If you've joined clubs in the past, what are some of the things that you have considered in your decisions? Please comment!

Below are links to some of wine clubs that we have joined over the years:

Cakebread Cellars

Cellar 360

Schramsberg

Merryvale

Nickel and Nickel

A November to Remember: Recap of The Appellation Trail Event Experience

Last Friday, The Appellation Trail was finally here! We drove up to Napa and checked into the Westin. After relaxing, changing, and mentally preparing for the evening, we made our way downstairs to take advantage of the free local wine tasting and appetizers during the hosted happy hour. The wine wasn't to my liking and I really wanted to save room for the food pairings at The Appellation Trail so we ended up just relaxing until our driver arrived. As soon as we met Janette, we jumped into the backseat of our car and were off to the Culinary Institute for the event. Once we were dropped off, we entered a bright white tent and the madness began! Beringer, Stags' Leap, and Etude, were some of the first wineries that we laid our eyes on while scoping out the first hall of the event. As soon as I tasted my first sip of the 2008 Etude Heirloom Pinot Noir, I looked up and saw Richard Blais (Top Chef All Stars Winner). Immediately, I found myself standing next to him asking for a picture. Afterwards, I tried his small plate offering of lamb and polenta...it was delicious. I quickly realized just how lucky I felt to be there and was ready to continue along the appellation trail, taking it all in with every step.

Once we saw how many wineries were there in person, Alex and I decided to try one wine at each winery that we had not tasted at before, and split our tastings. We would check out different booths and meet in between them to swap glasses. We often shared the small plates as well, with a few exceptions...some of the standouts were: The Restaurant at Meadowood and Ad Hoc, but truly - they were all delicious! The wines were outstanding as well, we fell in love with Chiarello Family Vineyards Eileen Cabernet Sauvignon and loved tasting wines such as Joseph Phelps Insignia, Spotted Owl, Dutch Henry, and other wines that we would rarely or never have the opportunity to taste. The event was a really fun and special time, after a few rooms, and many tastings, it was difficult to differentiate between the wines, but we kept going anyways! Along the way, we ran into the innkeepers from our favorite bed and breakfast in Napa...we will reserve raving about their inn, because blogging about it the next time we are there is a great excuse to go back soon :) 

This event was like going to Disneyland for wine lovers and foodies alike. We both felt that is was worth every penny and have already marked it as an event to return to next year. A little past two hours of wining and dining, we were stuffed and ready to head back to our hotel. We texted our driver, and we were back in our car and off to the hotel within 10 minutes! She gave us great recommendations for a few wineries to check out, took us back to our hotel, and we were happy to fork over the $35/hr for a quick, safe ride!

After downing a liter of water, to hydrate for our tours and tastings scheduled for Saturday, we both were fast asleep as soon as our heads hit the bed!

Tips

• Buy your tickets as far in advance as possible, they sell out!
• If you want to book your stay using Starwood, Marriott, any type of points, try to book immediately for the best chances of availability.
• If you do not have a designated driver, look into your transportation options quickly. This is Napa and cabs won't be as easy to come by.
• Hydrate and share tastings! You probably still will not remember the majority of the wines, but this way you won't need to be carried to the car!
• Have Fun! This is not the type of event to take serious tasting notes, but there will be some very seriously delicious wines and dishes...enjoy it!

Taste of Planning

I love heading to wine country during this time of year, because it is so beautiful. The valley is full of colorful bright red leaves and green and golden vines. For California, it truly feels like fall as you drive through the vineyards. This is also the time right after harvest season, when there are really great events for the holidays.

In June, I was looking for a fun Napa event and stumbled upon Flavor! Napa Valley. It appeared to be one of the biggest food and wine events of the year. It was a ways away in November, but it looked like something that would sell out quickly. Reading into it, I saw that there were four crazy days of amazing Michelin star rated cuisine, paired with premium California wines. The events ranged from cooking demonstrations, to winemakers meals, to guided wine tastings. I was really excited after reading the event summaries and seeing names that I recognized like Thomas Keller, Michael Chiarello, and wineries like Schramsberg, Merryvale, Duckhorn, Silver Oak, Nickel & Nickel...I had to know more about the events so I could decided which one to go to.

After further research of the past events by googling Flavor! Napa Valley, I decided that the Appellation Trail, a wine and food tasting event featuring 30+ restaurants and over 100 wineries segmented by their Napa neighborhood, was THE EVENT to attend. It was a little pricey, at $150/person, but it seemed worth while. Once we had decided to go, I bought the tickets and the planning began! I wanted the focus of the weekend to be on the event, and was willing to find budget options for the rest of our trip to make this a great weekend without burning a huge hole in our pockets.

Planning 

First, I booked the hotel. Since I planned this trip so far in advance, we were able to use Starwood points to book a room at the Westin Verasa Napa. We have other places in Napa that we LOVE to stay at, but this worked in our budget for the trip.

Next, it was time to figure out what our best option for getting to and from the Culinary Institute. It was located about 20 miles away from our hotel, and it was not an event that either of us were willing to give up our good time to be a responsible driver for. I came across a service while deciding between a cab or a sedan called My Napa Valley Driver, which provided a driver to meet you at your hotel and drive you in your car for $35/hour. There was no minimum time required and they were extremely flexible about drop off/pick up times - so we booked it!

Lastly, I knew that the next day we would want to visit a winery or two on the way home so I booked tastings at two wineries, Flora Springs and Honig. Once the planning was complete, I was able to relax and get ready to enjoy the exciting weekend to come!