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How Much Should I Budget For a Wine Tasting Trip to Napa?

by Javy on 2022-03-16 in Filed Under: Uncategorized

This is a pretty common question and one that has multiple answers. Because our area of expertise is luxury Napa experiences we want to help you get a better picture of how much to budget to fully maximize your experience.

If you are here, visiting our page it is very likely that you are not new to wine tasting. In fact, the majority of our customers have visited the California Wine Country three or more times and are now looking for an upgraded experience that will help them deepen their wine knowledge and will allow them to garner some of the most exclusive boutique and cult wines available in the valley. With this in mind I will try to answer the most common questions we receive via our concierge informational email:

Should I hire a private driver when visiting Napa?

There are many options when visiting the valley. Some people Uber, others resort to using the wine train and there are some daring parties that visit wineries while riding their bicycles and motorcycles. Hiring a professional wine touring company in Napa affords you and yours several advantages, among them the freedom to drink as you please knowing that you will not get a DUI or jeopardize the safety and health of others. A professional driver ensures timely arrival to wine tastings. It is not uncommon for those using Uber to have tasting reservations canceled due to late arrival. For us, our work is not simply to drive our guests from point A to point B. We strive to make every single minute experiential and delightful. Our luxury vehicles are comfortable, well cared for and always stocked with delightful surprises. Our commitment to superior hospitality has kept us among the top ten luxury touring companies in Napa.

How much will I end up paying for a private vehicle and driver in Napa?

Luxury experiences range between $80 to $200 or more per hour depending on the size of your party. Experienced wine collectors generally spend three to four days in Napa and utilize their hired vehicle and driver for 6-10 hours per day. Gasoline surcharges are one-time fees added on top of the hourly rate and tips are never included. Tolls, parking fees and other charges are inclusive to the hourly rates featured by Napa wine touring services.

What about the cost of hotels and lodging in Napa?

In reviewing the historical data and preferences of our client portfolio we identified the following preferences when it comes to picking a place to stay in Napa: Couples often select luxury hotels such as Bardesonno, Solage, Chandler Hotel, McClelland House, Poetry Inn, Auberge du Soleil, Meadowood, Four Seasons and Vintage House. Guests can expect to pay between $500 to $1500 per night depending on the season. Larger parties with four or more often select exclusive catered residential lodging often integral to luxury vineyards and available only to their best buyers. These properties feature comforts such as private chefs, butlers, in-house sommeliers and dedicated staff. These properties offer significant privacy and confidentiality rates ranging from $2500 to $10,000 per night. Certain wineries will offer complimentary stays to wine collectors and wine investors when their visit is fully focused on purchasing new vintages to add to their library.

So, How Much Should We Budget for Dining In Napa?

At the core, Napa is all about eating and drinking. Experiencing superior food is essential to the experience. If you are here you will not want to miss the opportunity to visit several Michelin-rated restaurants. Your visit is also a great opportunity to explore upcoming culinary stars freshly graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. Many of our top restaurants require reservations six to eight months in advance. In Napa, lunch tends to be a more casual affair, usually satisfied by grabbing a gourmet sandwich. The wine cellars featured at top restaurants in Napa are nothing short of delightful. If the plan is to dine out and explore top-rated Napa restaurants we estimate that you need to budget about $300 to $500 per day per person. This estimate is inclusive of wines and cocktails. If instead, your arrangement includes the use of a private residence, the cost per cover for a four course chef-prepared meal is usually in the neighborhood of $200 per person. Having a private chef host your in-residence dinner is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the wines you have purchased during your tastings.

How Much Will I Spend Purchasing Wine?

As a luxury transportation provider we have selected our fleet with the idea that we will carry multiple cases of wine for your party. Highly rated Napa wines start at about $75, wines with ratings between 97 to 100 are in the neighborhood of $360 per bottle. Cult wines, when available, will go for over $1000 per bottle. Our wine coach can help you select wine that is likely to add value to your wine library while staying within a target budget. We spend significant time doing research and tasting wines from small and newly discovered wineries; hidden treasures that will impress and surprise all your guests and associates. One thing to note is that many high-end wineries will waive your tasting fees when you make a significant purchase. We suggest a minimum of six bottles. About four times per year my husband and I spend full weekends visiting wineries to restock our personal wine library; on average we purchase three to six cases. This ensures we have enough wine to share with a little extra to collect allowing it to age to perfection.

How Much Will I Pay For a Tasting?

The pandemic resulted in increased demand for California wines; with increased demand the price for wine and tastings is not what it used to be. Tastings for small boutique wineries are in the neighborhood of $70 per person. High-end wineries can cost as much as $250. While we are happy to share the price of tastings it is important to note that most of our clients have their tasting fees waived given the size and nature of their purchases.

Should I join a wine club or several?

The main reason to join a wine club is having access to wine allocations. Our recommendation is that you only join clubs from wineries that fully align with your tasting preferences. That is, you find all of their wines to be magnificent. Joining a club comes with a variety of perks aside from allocation access. Our favorite and most important perk is having access to their harvest parties and special events. Before you join, ask me, my husband or Cynthia. We will do our best to point you in the right direction.

What is The Cost of a Pick Up When Arriving via Charter Flight?

Napa Private Tours provides confidential transportation for VIP customers arriving via private plane at our hourly rate. If your party requires an additional vehicle for luggage and gear we are happy to coordinate additional transport. Similarly, we will ensure your wine purchases are ready to be transported or we will make arrangements to securely ship your purchases.

I am typing these notes to paint a clearer picture of the costs associated with visiting Napa Valley. Please keep in mind that our data assumes your goal is to have experiences that are exclusive, and you are accustomed to receiving five-star service. There are many ways to visit California Wine Country. The approach that you take will impact costs as well as the quality of your experience. Napa Private Tours has been in the business of excellence and luxury for over ten years. The data shared within this FAQ is based on data compiled from our client portfolio.

As always, my husband and I are eager to host you. Let us put together a Napa experience you will always remember.

Always Yours

Javy

What is Better Than The Best Wine? The Friends With Whom We Share it. Martha Soledad Hernandez. You Are Our Galentine!

by nptadmin on 2022-02-13 in Filed Under: Uncategorized

This love letter has been forming in our hearts for a very long time. Truth be told, more than a letter it should be a chapter book. More than a decade ago destiny placed a woman in our lives.Some of you might remember Bistro Sabor by Ariel Ceja where he would host super popular Salsa dancing nights. On a certain occasion his friend Sol drove from Oakland to check out the place and dance the night away. At that time I had recently completed my training as a wine educator at Ceja Vineyards. That same evening I decided to go for tacos at Ariel’s place. On my arrival my sweet friend Amelia spotted me right away and made it a point to introduce us. That was the start of a lovely evening of dancing and a friendship destined to last a lifetime. We have grown and evolved; a relationship that initially was all about having fun, has blossomed and I cannot count the ways in which Sol has impacted our personal and professional lives. At the time the idea of dominating the market of hyper-luxury Napa wine tours was simply a dream. This dream which is now a reality is only possible because we had friends like Sol willing to dream with us.

Martha Hernández aka Sol has walked by our side for over a decade. Sol has been unwavering in her affections, loyal, encouraging and tender. Sol shows up, she is there, sleeves rolled up ready to do what it takes. Now, you may think that Sol is on our payroll but what makes her so special is that she is not. Her wisdom and expertise as a consultant has been given freely and unconditionally. Her encouragement and perspective is ever-present in everything we do.

Now you might wonder why my husband and I are setting our thoughts on paper and why there is so much flattery in our words. Here is the thing. No flattery in the world will ever fully express what she means to us and how she influences our personal lives and business.

Some of you know Sol and have learned to love her because she has a way about her that makes it impossible not to welcome her into your heart. If you happen to be among those that have not yet had the privilege of spending time with her, take a moment to visit her personal page.

Sol is a singer, author, speaker, entrepreneur, mother but most importantly she is a friend. A friend that shows up.

Sol,

For all that you have been to us, and the many ways you have impacted our lives we want to thank you and remind you that again and again you will always be our Galentine.

XOXO

The Javys

A Q & A With Ramiro Herrera, Master Cooper

by nptadmin on 2021-12-14 in Filed Under: Activities in Napa, Wine Barrels

How does the child of Mexican immigrants with no wine or woodworking background discover a passion for wine barrel making?

I love the word serendipity. Not exactly a vocable that one learns through schooling, more of a Hollywood thing for most of us. Serendipity or perhaps providence is the cornerstone of my calling. I wanted to be a soccer player but I also wanted to eat. At a very tender age I started working at Seguin Moreau, never imagining that a job that I saw as transitory would be transformed into a life calling. There I was surrounded by incredibly gifted woodworkers and tonneliers, the fragrance of the toasting process spoke to my soul. Eager to learn every aspect of barrel-making I would shadow everyone attempting to absorb as much knowledge as possible. My hunger for knowledge and passion for the trade did not go unnoticed. I was quickly granted better opportunities for learning and was eventually sent to Cognac, France where I underwent one of the most stringent apprenticeship programs which refined my skills but also deepened my love for the trade.

Ramiro Herrera working on log selection and purchasing in France

Tell me more about the way wood and fruit converge to shape the flavor of a wine?

The barrel is often overlooked if not invisible by wine drinkers but of deep essentiality to the winemaking process. A properly fabricated and appropriately toasted barrel adds flavors like vanilla, coconut, mocha and clove that compliment the fruit-like characteristics. A well selected oak that has been seasoned and toasted with the final product in mind will allow for the slow ingress of oxygen which minimizes tannins resulting in a smoother and creamier wine. The barrel also creates the proper environment for malolactic fermentation in simple terms this fermentation is the process in which malic acid which is naturally present in the juice and has a tart flavor is converted into a smoother softer tastic lactic acid by a process of decarboxylation which basically is the liberation of carbon dioxide.

Now, one must realize that the flavor that the barrel imparts on the wine starts from the moment the acorn is planted and the conditions such as terroir, rain, altitude, humidity and environmental stressors in which the sapling becomes a tree. Wine barrels are mainly made of french oak mainly from Berce (Jupille) {The king forest }, it is important to note that the varietal known as Quercus petrea is specifically preferred for barrel making because of the finer grain of the wood. It is also far more scarce in comparison to the common french oak (quercus alba) which is quite common across Europe.

Every year I head to France to attend auctions and secure oak logs with the most desirable characteristics. The wood cures for years in carefully stacked pallets where environmental conditions and exposure to certain microbes is managed to obtain an ad-hoc flavor and wood porosity. As a Master Cooper I am responsible for every stage of construction from the selection of the tree/log all the way to testing the final product for permeability and final toasting characteristics. Afterall, every single aspect of this process will directly impact the quality of the wine.

I see barrels of multiple sizes, Can you help me understand why?

Absolutely, the size of the barrel impacts how much of the liquid within it is directly exposed to the wood. The smaller the barrel the higher exposure to the flavors of the wood. However, here in Napa we mainly use the barrique or bordelaise barrel which holds approximately 225 liters. However, in the world of wine and spirit making you will likely encounter a variety of sizes from a firkin which holds 40 liters all the way to a tun cask which holds 1000 liters. To give you an idea of volume a barrel full of wine can weigh up to 600 pounds. It is super important to construct the barrel in such a way that it can be moved and repositioned with ease during the fermentation process as master coopers we are attuned to details such as the importance of transportability when shaping each of the barrels we fabricate.

Are there barrels made of other woods that can be used to ferment wine?

Yes, in the past and presently wine makers and barrel makers have explored other woods such as acacia, hickory, maple, walnut, cherry and even chestnut. What that said, French Oak remains the go-to ad-hoc wood for wine fermentation

Presently you are the exclusive cooper for Caldwell, where do you see yourself ten years from now?

As a barrel artisan that is deeply in love with the craft I always want to learn and be more. In addition to constantly refining my skills I often visualize myself partnering with wine innovators to explore the potential of their wines and customize the toast of their barrels. I would also love the opportunity to develop a barrel-making programme serving Mexican wine makers as well as professionals developing other spirits that benefit from well defined fermentation.

Tell us a bit more about your role as a consultant when helping a winemaker determine the best approach to barreling their wines?

This is a fun question Javy and it is perhaps the most thrilling part of my job. As a Master Cooper I have had the opportunity to partner with several wine makers. My goal as a barrel maker and consultant is to get to fully know the juice that will age within my vessels and make appropriate recommendations that will maximize the flavor objectives set forth by the winemaker. Often the consultative process includes barrel size selection, toasting strategy and even the aesthetics of the barrels if the partner winery offers cave tours and deems it necessary to have barrels that are visually pleasant and brand-aligned. When it comes to fabricating barrels I am often selected and recommended because of my ability to deliver consistency across multiple barrels, afterall, the goal is to help winemakers create legendary wines that will be consistent year after year.

Let’s finish with a personal question. Tell us about your passions. Outside your artisanal vocation what is it that makes you smile?

Javy, you may be expecting a really romanticized answer but to be candid with you what I love as much as I love my work is soccer.

QUE VIVAN LOS PUMAS!!!!

As wine touring experts we are always on the lookout for new people and new wines that you must get to know. We can’t wait to introduce you to our friend Ramiro, we are pretty confident you will love him as much as we do.

With much love,

The Javys

A Story About Barrels, Friendship & The Mysteries and Flavors Imparted by Both

by nptadmin on 2021-12-14 in Filed Under: Barrel Making

This post has been months if not years in the making. Partly, because of the complexity of the topic and partly because it seems; as hard as a try there is always something more to learn.

If my husband or I host you with frequency there is a good chance you have visited Caldwell Vineyard. Afterall; John Caldwell is indeed a legend and meeting him truly adds dimension to your wine experience. When John is not available to host you may just get lucky enough to visit Ramiro Herrera the in-house Master Cooper.

It is about Ramiro and his craftsmanship and trade that I have been meaning to write for a long time. Ramiro has the peculiar task of fabricating the barrels used to age Caldwell wine. Barrel-making or cooperage is a centuries old art that is quickly disappearing. There was a time in which barrels made of various woods were the main means of storage for shipment as well as land storage. Historians tell us that barrels were designed to be dry for the storage of goods that were not easily damaged by humidity, Drytight for water-sensitive goods like flour or sugar and wet, which is the only barrel tradition that remains. Wet barrels, the kind utilized for the fermentation and aging of wine and spirits generally require deep artistry and technical knowledge. Cooperage is a trade learned not through schooling but rather through a rigorous process of apprenticeship. Becoming a master cooper demands a deep love for woodworking, a strong understanding of nature and a tremendous olfactory talent able to predict the potential of wood through the curing process and throughout the toasting process.

Out of professional curiosity and shared passions I have made it a point to spend time with Ramiro listening and observing. The time spent together gives me a profound appreciation for the way a barrel influences the flavor and consistency of wines. In fact, about 50% of what we recognize as flavor in a wine is not the result of the fruit, the yeast, the terroir or any other factor involved in wine making. Half of the flavors come from the barrel. Within the oak there are endless nuances that are released to perfection when a Master Cooper carefully toasts the wood. Flavors like vanilla, mocha, coffee, chocolate and coconut as well as tannic characteristics are released from the wood when exposed to carefully managed flame. By the way, the fire toasting the barrel is made exclusively from the same pieces of the oak left from shaping the staves that make up the barrel.

I was feeling geeky so I opened a book I received as a gift that talks about the art of barrel toasting. I decided it would be good to share with you so we can geek out together. In oak barrels you will find the following flavors:

Oak lactones: The two main aroma constituents of raw oak, often described as fresh oak or coconut.
Vanillin: A phenolic aldehyde resulting from lignin degradation. It is the main aroma compound of natural vanilla.
Eugenol: Volatile phenol produced in the oxidative breakdown of lignin during air drying; possessing spicy, clove aromas.
Guaiacol: Volatile phenols, resulting from further thermal degradation of phenolic aldehydes, with smoky aromas, char aromas, spicy characters.
Furfural: Produced by the degradation of carbohydrates by heat during barrel toasting. These compounds possess aromas of butterscotch, light caramel, and faint almond. Barrels should be carefully selected for a specific purpose.
Spirits/Wine: Used oak will also impart flavors of it’s previous life.

If nothing else, this list will prove useful when trying to impress your friends when you are partaking of lovely wines together.

Ramiro discovered his passion as a tonnelier while working at Seguin Moreau, his gifts and inclination for the trade did not go unnoticed and he was promptly sent to France to apprentice under the very best. His four-year apprenticeship had a cohort of forty. At the end of the training only two of the forty apprentices that had started acquired sufficient expertise to receive the title of Master Cooper. This my friends, is a personal achievement comparable with graduating from an Ivy League institution at the very top of your class!

There are endless aspects of Ramiro’s journey that mimic mine. He is a self-made man whose skills have flourished through sacrifice. He is deeply in love with his profession and is always looking for ways to improve in what is already a superior product. As the only Master Cooper of Mexican-American ethnicity he is a role model to many and a man of great generosity always willing to teach and reach out.

Making barrels is no easy feat. For starters, barrel makers engage in bidding to purchase 100+ year old logs from selected forests in France. Once logs are secured they are shipped and prepped for a 2 year curing process aimed at drying of the wood to diminish tanic characteristics as well as the absorption of microbes that will ultimately shape the flavor of the wine. This is just the beginning. Once the wood is cured the Master Cooper must carefully shape the staves in a multitude of widths to facilitate the curvature and bending of the barrel which will be shaped through the tightening of steel ropes and held by hoops which in the past were made of flexible wood known as withies but are now made through the forging of iron. The structure of the barrel must allow for expansion and contraction of the wood while remaining impermeable.

I am a curious person and always eager to learn. That means I could potentially write a book just based on all the amazing conversations and time spent in Ramiro’s workshop. Instead, and in order to give him a personal voice so you can get to know him better I decided to ask him a few questions. My hope is that you too get to know and understand the essentiality of his work in the making of consistent and flavorful wines.

How about you join me on this post so you can get to know Ramiro better as we chat with him about barrel-making

Click here for a really fun Q & A with Ramiro

Tyler, TX, We are Bringing Napa to You

by nptadmin on 2021-12-10 in Filed Under: Gifts from Napa, Vineyards, Wine Pairings, Wine Tasting

How about you join us for Happy Hour at Villa Montez ? We plan to be there on December 16th and 17th 2021 Starting at five in the afternoon and hanging out with new and old friends until we run out of wine and stories.

We love traditions, and going to Tyler and spending time with each of you has become an almost yearly pilgrimage that fills our heart with happiness. Our goal is to introduce you to some of the finest Napa Wineries Our hope is to help you become a well-rounded wine aficionado. We want to sit by your side and help you discover what it is that makes a wine special and discern your personal preferences.

On Thursday we will have a selection of carefully curated Napa wines that are not normally featured in 1836’s wine list. Some are so rare, we will only offer them by the glass. You will also have the opportunity to purchase bottles normally only available by allocation. This is your chance to stock up for Christmas and impress your friends with wines that are absolutely not available at your local wine purveyor.

Mundo tells me he has asked chef to craft off-menu small bites that will absolutely enhance the wines we have selected for you and yours.

On Friday we will focus our time and energy in helping you become familiar with the wines offered by Scalon Cellars.

Scalon Cellars is very dear to us and has consistency offered beautiful wines guided by the expert hand of winemaker Julien Fayard. Suffice it to say that Julien is an icon in the winemaking industry.

You will have the opportunity to purchase wine by the glass, by the bottle or we can help you join as a member to have exclusive access to limited releases.

So, leave the office early, grab a friend or two and join us for one evening or both. No need to dress fancy, you will be among friends.

We can’t wait to see you. If you plan to enjoy dinner following happy hour we encourage you to book a reservation. The holidays are around the corner and things are crazy. You can call 903-592-9696 The Montez Brothers will do whatever it takes to make you feel at home.

See you soon,

Javier & Javier