About

Welcome to The WineTastic Weekend! My wine country guide to experiencing delicious wines and unique places to check out while planning your day or weekend trip to Napa Valley wine country.

Being a San Diego native, I was more of a Grey Goose girl than a Silver Oak lover when I made my way up to San Francisco four years ago. From my first tasting experience in 2008 at Cellar 360 in Fisherman's Wharf (the chocolate and wine tasting class was a fun date for my palette), and I knew I wanted to try more!  Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe my business education kicking in, but I also joined their wine club that day.  Sixty bucks for six bottles a quarter and free tasting for up to four people anytime I wanted, how could I not sign up?  Wine tasting started as a social experience for my friends and I, learning the difference between Pinot and Syrah became a weekly occurrence. What I enjoyed even more than comparing the wines, was that some wines started standing out more than others.  I was so curious to find out what made one pinot taste so different than another.  I knew I had to start visiting these wineries.  Little did I know how amazing of a place was sitting right in my backyard, NAPA! Through trial and error, this San Diego girl finally got the hang of a true Napa experience.

The WineTastic Weekend was created!  In my search for fun and exciting adventures in wine country, I rely heavily on sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor.  The sites provided a variety of reviews from many people that went to Napa looking for different experiences than I.  This made it very difficult for me to find the places that I really wanted to visit.  For example, I would read the one star review of a fantastic winery that someone did not want to pay the $20 tasting fee. On the other end of the spectrum I'd find a five star review of a place that had unappealing wines and were full of pretentiousness. I'm a 20 something corporate professional with a budding wine collection and a desire to explore. I needed a list of wineries to go with my boyfriend (Alex), suggest to my friends for a bachelorette party, or take the family when they come up to visit.  And this all needed to be in one place.  The WineTastic Weekend will encompass all of those experiences and maybe something off the beaten path for your Napa Valley Wine Country and San Francisco planning.

I wanted to create a blog focused on the winery experience and what type of occasion or budget would make it a great option.  You should expect information about the winery, a quick overview of pros and cons, tasting fees, tips, and who it would be recommended for. Get ready for low key days in your lululemons and sneakers, fancy weekends with your cute boots and designer jeans and amazing places for friends and family. If you have any questions about the wineries, please feel free to send me a note at: TheWineTasticWeekend@gmail.com. 

Now let's begin the exploration!

Michelle