Activities in Napa

• The picture above is from Crocker & Starr. If charcuterie is your cup of tea we will take you there. They also have a Cab Franc that will have you begging for more.

Spring has arrived in Napa Valley!  Bud Break is occurring, the mustard plants have blossomed and food is on everyone’s mind.  We’ve teamed up with four exclusive wineries and to bring you the food and wine pairing expertise of first-class sommeliers and chefs.  The subtle art of pairing wine and food has become a subject discussed with high regard and appreciation. Whether you are a novice just beginning their journey into the world of taste and favour, (and yes these are different!) or a fine connoisseur looking to refine their skills, we have the estate for you.

The Napa Valley food scene is a veritable heaven for foodies and wine lovers alike. The world’s premier culinary college, The Culinary Institute of America, can be found in the heart of Napa Valley.  This prestigious University has spawned such alumni as Anthony Bourdain, Cat Cora and Anne Burrel, whose impact in the food community has been far reaching. With its influx of new flavours, its many signature chefs and its variety of gourmet delights Napa is the place to be for a sensational taste bud treat.

Brasswood Napa Valley

This small, state of the art winery features 17,000 sq. feet of caves where they make their delightful wines and the property is home to many gorgeous tasting rooms including a sensory room curated by the Estate Sommelier and a fine bottle shop with rare wines and liquors.

Visit their world-class restaurant, Brasswood Bar + Kitchen, which serves farm to table comfort food.  Oak paneled walls, leather banquettes and black-and-white checked marble floors provide a cozy and warm atmosphere for all to enjoy.

We think you will love their Intoxicatingly dark 2014 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville, relax with a full bodied 2015 Napa Valley Chardonnay or tantilate your taste buds with a bottle of their 2014 Estate Cabernet Franc Coombsville. We just added half a case to our personal collection. Rumor has it, it will age beautifully.

In amongst their first class wine tasting experiences Brasswood has two pairing experiences with artisanal cheeses and one full lunch experience with seasonal favourites from their Restaurant such as hand pulled mozzarella or herb crusted lamb paired with premium wines. If you are wanting to include this winery in your itinerary let us know in advance, the spots are limited and are often booked way early in the season.

Davis Estates

The Davis Estate is a winery focused on wines of the highest pedigree.  Setting themselves grueling standards of passion, honesty and meticulous attention to detail the Estate creates truly exceptional wines. This is the type of wine you are likely to see in food venues that have received the James Beard Award.

Their terrace provides sweeping panoramic views of the Napa Valley countryside and their Estate grounds.  Inside of this historic property resides a welcoming atmosphere, dark rich oak furniture and inviting fireplaces.  Their Library cellar can be found deep within the caves where they host an exclusive tasting.

They have several pairing experiences in which you can partake, from light affairs with exceptional gourmet bites, to flights of their flagship premium cabernet and Phase V wines with exquisite seasonal delicacies and artisanal cheeses.

B Cellars

For a more modern feel visit B Cellars.  Their name and logo reflect the chemical symbol for degrees BRIX, which measures ripeness in grapes and indicates the structure and potential for excellence in wine. This epitomizes their approach to crafting both unique, food-versatile blends and single vineyard, single varietal wines with a sense of place.

During your visit and tour of B Cellars, their chef de cuisine will whip up small plates to pair with five wines along the journey.  The “B Bites” then get progressively more umami as the menu moves into the reds. All pairings are artfully chosen and crafted to complement a selection of their current wines and are prepared à la minute.

Knights Bridge

Knights Bridge vineyards lie between the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Rising from 300 to 900 ft in elevation on the slopes of the Mayacamas mountain range, Knights Bridge Vineyards overlook a breathtaking display of rolling hills, steep mountains and gentle valleys. With the unique range of soils and outstanding terroir, the wines are beautiful, enduring, age-worthy and very complex.

Their estate grown wines are exclusively available for tasting in The Vault, located on the first floor in the historic Calistoga National Bank Building.  Your private, seated experience will include a tasting of four wines from the limited releases of the Knights Bridge portfolio. The tasting can either be complemented by a pairing of local cheese and artisan charcuterie or you can enjoy a wine tasting paired with small bites prepared by noted local Chef Sergio Morales of Calistoga’s Sam’s Social Club.

As this is one of the only wineries to host their tastings in a venue downtown you are right next to beautiful shopping opportunities with artisanal goods, gourmet treats and gorgeous and exceptional clothing by local designers.

If you have not yet planned your early summer vacation let’s get started. Give Cynthia a call and she will put together the wine adventure of a lifetime.

You checked on Kayak and airfare to the Bay Area is a total steal. A good deal, combined with a desperate need to abandon the frigid cold of the North has you dreaming of Napa & Sonoma. If this is you, we absolutely want to be your wine host. But before you pack your bags let’s talk about the question that every wine aficionado is asking:

Is Napa Worth My Time After The 2017 Fires?

Absolutely! Allow me to dispel a few myths while you pack your suitcase:

• There are contaminants in the air: Air pollutants are no longer present in the air. Our mornings are foggy with beautiful dew and the fragrance of wet soil.
• Many of my favorite wineries were burned during the fires: Across all wine producing AVAs in California only three wineries were destroyed fully, Signorello, Paradise Ridge and Frey Vineyards in Mendocino.
• Lodging is scarce: Not at all! We can help you in locating beautiful accommodations from private villas to highly coveted hotels throughout the region
• The 2017 vintage is ruined: Not at all. Providence had appointed for more than 90% of the harvest to be completed prior to the fires. While you won’t get to taste it just yet you can rest assured it will be a memorable vintage year.
• The landscape is ugly and charred: Many of the most iconic wineries did not suffer any damage. As the winter approaches you can expect to see dormant beauty of deep green cover crops guarding the soil and the poetic elegance of twisted vines waiting to regain life in the spring.
• Culinary options will be limited: Our region is not only about wine. We are home to dining venues rated as best in the world. Not a single one of the restaurants in our preferred list was impacted by the fires.

What to do When Visiting Napa & Sonoma in The Winter?

In December you will have the opportunity to attend a variety of festivals and seasonal activities. In addition winter wine tasting can be peculiarly romantic.  During this season of calm you can embrace the following:

• Wine tastings with pairings. Slow food accompanied by the perfect wine is nothing short of magical during the winter. We can select wineries with a culinary experience to allow you to fully capture the beauty of winter.
• Spend time outdoors. Napa is never so cold as to hinder a walk among the vineyards. Bring your winter boots and hold the hand of your beloved as your explore rolling hills covered with centenary wines.
• Sit by the fire: Many tasting rooms light their fireplace setting the stage for placid and warm chatter with friends. Bring a shawl and delight in some of the most beautiful architecture and interior design in California.
• Enjoy High End Spa Services: What better way to end a day of food and wine. Book a massage or a mud bath and give yourself the gift of rejuvenation.

We can’t wait to host you. At Napa Private Tours we take pride in creating customer-focused curated experiences that inspire. We are one of the top-rated concierge style wine touring company consistently ranking among the top 10 things to do in Napa and Sonoma.

I have been dreaming of Italy. I dream of visiting every winery in Veneto, Tuscany and Umbria.Our crazy life in Napa does not allow us to get in a plane during the Spring or Summer months  but we can certainly enjoy some European flair without ever leaving Napa Valley.

If you want to book a private wine tour that leaves you with a sense of having traveled abroad why not consider these wineries:

Petroni Vineyards

Lorenzo Petroni’s dream was to be the first California vintner to grow the prized Sangiovese Grosso clone from his native Tuscany in Sonoma soil.  He sensed that California could produce stunning results with Italian varieties, similar to the new world successes accomplished with the Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  His feeling is that if done correctly, the new world can rival if not surpass Italy’s most prestigious red wines.  At Petroni Vineyards, we strive to accomplish that obsession everyday.

In searching out the right spot, Lorenzo traveled the Northern California wine country for years, until one bright day, on a one-lane, winding road on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Range, he happened on a 37 acre estate with an old double wide just below Monte Rosso Vineyard.  The red, mineral rich terrain was filled with rocks and stones, was extremely steep at 800 ft. elevation, facing due south, with an undulating pattern that looked perfect for developing multiple plots within the estate.  Lorenzo and his wife Maria Elena purchased the parcel the very next day, in the Spring of 1992.

Luna Vineyards

Our original founders brought tradition engrained by Italian ancestors, to embrace local processes that would sustain a deep and abiding respect for the Napa region. They were the first family-owned winery to plant the visionary Italian varietal of Pinot Grigio on the estate vineyard, on the eastern hillside of the Silverado Trail.

Del Dotto Vineyards

In 2007, the new Del Dotto Venetian Estate Winery and Caves was completed on our property in St Helena.  The new caves are lined with Italian marble and ancient tiles depicting the history of wine. Complete with Venetian crystal chandeliers, mosaic marble floors, and hand-painted gold-inlaid ceilings, this new tasting facility is one of the most beautiful in the world.  It elevates wine to its rightful position as a truly sacred beverage.

Signorello Estate

This is one of our favorite wineries ever. The sophistication and care of each of their wines leads you to believe that they are in the business of bottling memories of absolute perfection. The grounds are gorgeous and the pairings that are carefully selected for each of their wine will leave you wanting to never ever leave.