My wife and I had been talking about taking a trip to California’s famous wine country, Napa Valley, for some time. Finally, after making the arrangements we were of for a weekend of wine tasting, winery tours, and some wondrous cuisine. We got an early start on Saturday morning and made the three and half hour drive from Reno to Napa. The trip was uneventful, but was clouded with spring showers along the way.
As our first tour and tasting was in the early afternoon, we drove straight to Robert Mondavi’s Winery. While the wetness of the area this day made for poor pictures of the vineyards, it certainly didn’t disturb the taste of the vino. Our tour took us through the winery, highlighting the production techniques, and ended in a fanciful tasting room with several other couples. We were given generous samples of three different varietals, and fourth glass, which was a blend. The entire selection was fantastic. Having enjoyed this first tour, we decided to get checked into our hotel a few miles south of the winery.
The John Muir Inn in Napa was nothing special as far as luxuries, but was gifted with wonderfully hospitable staff. As Cass wanted to lay down for a bit and I was mildly famished, I borrowed and umbrella from the front desk and walked around the corner to the highly recommended Fume Bistro and Bar for a light salad of pears and blue cheese. As we had dinner reservations later in the evening, I didn’t want to ruin my appetite for what promised to be an outstanding meal.
When I returned, I decided to lay down for a bit myself. The early hour and the drive had tired me as well. After a couple of hours of restful sleep, we both arose and prepared for dinner. As we are both great fans of Japanese culture and cuisine, I had made a dinner reservation at Morimoto Napa a few weeks in advance. Having been to the chef’s location in Philadelphia, I was anxious to see if the dining experience was just as fantastic. We arrived and were treated to a seven-course omakase (chef’s choice) extravaganza. Our course selections varied from sashimi to a stylistic surf & turf, from tamarind and Thai chili ice cream to a fanciful salad with amazingly fresh vegetables being dipped in a garlic and anchovy oil bath. It was a truly amazing meal and will not likely be forgotten by either of us. Having filled ourselves with such an amazing spread of food, we returned to the hotel and relaxed.
Rising fairly early the next morning, we found the day to be quite a bit nice. The sun was even visible through the clouds, and the rain was reduced to an occasional mist. We drove to the northern end of the valley for our next tour and tasting to Castello di Amorosa. As we approached, it was apparent that this was no ordinary winery. A very authentic looking Italian Castle greeted us as we parked. We would later learn that everything including the stones and masonry work was authentic. Apparently, this winery had been built only a few years before as a personal project of a wealthy vintner. Later he decided to actually make wine, though it is only privately available – no distributors allowed. Our tour of the castle included all of the expected stops: the banquet hall, the chapel, the torture chamber complete with an antique and experienced iron maiden. We were also treated to a tour of the cave system hand-carved beneath the castle, which serves as the wine cellar.
Our tour ended with a formal wine tasting of about a dozen different selections. Having visited a few wineries in the past, I must say that the overall catalog of this “castle of love” is among the finest to have passed my lips. Cass enjoyed them all immensely as well. We agreed that this will be a stop every time we visit Napa.
Our tour and tasting completed, we headed off for some lunch before the drive back across the Sierras. We chose to try the Mustard Grille, which is along the St. Helena highway in the heart of Napa Valley. While there was a quite a wait to be seated due to the crowds, the food was well worth it. Our bellies full, our spirits content, we headed home. This had been a wonderful way to spend a romantic weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment