#Wine Collectors

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

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

Desparada Wines, A Love Letter to Paso Robles & All That Remains to Be Discovered

by nptadmin on 2021-10-09 in Filed Under: Wineries

It has been unusually hot in Napa. The weather, combined with a busy touring season has tamed us into homebodies and we find ourselves frequently enjoying quiet summer evenings at home, resting and recharging. For us, that means late nights under the stars where we partake of lovely libations and vegetables from our garden, crudité style.

Our cellars are abundant and varied, a testament to the many friends that have loved us throughout the years. The best of their harvests awaits for just the right occasion. Recently our lucky stars and a bit of serendipity led us to Vailia, winemaker of Desparada Wines in Paso Robles. It would take days to describe her aura, strength and beauty so I will skip that part; afterall it is my hope that you get to visit her and you can then personally experience the exuberance of her energy. Instead, I will focus on the magic and beauty of exploring the nuances resulting from fermentation of whites in a variety of vessels. Vailia gifted us with some of her masterpieces allowing us to have a side-by-side tasting that made our taste buds dance.

You see, Vailia’s winemaking style is playful and exploratory. Her wines push the limits and deliver radical beauty inside and out, the bottles and labels are insanely gorgeous and full of femininity. The wine is absolutely memorable.

Now, let me tell you something: The place where we rest and grow, defines our character. This is true to men as it is to wine. As my husband and I enjoyed each of the six wines featured in Desparada’s Summer Wine Collection we could not help it but be surprised by each sip. All but one of her Summer offerings are Sauvignon Blancs with the exception being a 2019 Chenin Blanc named Shell Creek; and here is where the magic begins. Cigare oak, Acacia, French Oak and even concrete serve as the resting place for her wine collection where they age sur lie under her watchful eye. The result: Delight, utter delight! I don’t even have the right words.

While we have no plan to expand our touring operation to Paso Robles we feel we would be selfish not to tell you about this gem. When it comes to women winemakers, Vailia is a super star. We are 100% confident that you will find her wine worthy of your personal wine library.

As I sat here scribbling these musings I reached out to Vailia and asked if we could do something extra for our customers. She came through with a surprising gift. If you are coveting her Summer collection please take advantage of a special 20% discount using coupon code NPT Please note that your wine won’t be shipped until environmental conditions are such that the integrity of the wine is fully preserved. For some of our friends in the south you may have to wait until November. I hear the temperatures in Texas, Florida and Louisiana are crazy

Care to stock up with their red wines? Try Soothsayer or Pegasi from their Fall collection. Fully endorsed by me. I know you will love it.

Head here to learn more about Desparada Wines https://www.desparada.com

XOXO

Javy

When Two Are Better Than One

by nptadmin on 2021-07-15 in Filed Under: Activities in Napa

Touring Napa with Javier Calderon X 2

A couple of weeks ago we had the fantastic opportunity to scout several wineries with a commonality that made our hearts smile and our mouths water. In an effort to design upgraded tours for wine buyers with significant libraries we visited wineries where Phillipe Melka is their wine maker. There are no words to describe the quality and beauty of the time we spent with some of the finest in Napa. At a later time I will share details of our experience and will give you some ideas on how we can help you design a wine tour and buying experience focused on specific wine makers.

For now, I wanted to pause for a moment to talk about my husband. If you have visited us in the last three years there is a good chance he was your host and that means that you most likely experienced touring perfection. Flako, as we all know him is obsessive about delivering the very best. He simply does not miss a beat.

The title of this post may have you wondering. You see, during our time visiting partners it was not uncommon for our winery hosts to raise their eyebrows when receiving our business cards. Here is the thing, Flako and I have many things in common but one of the most peculiar is the fact that we share first and last name. Yes, when you ask you be hosted by Javier Calderon you will be given two choices. Flako or I. We are both in love with Napa, passionate about wine and deeply in love with the idea of delivering the best possible Napa wine touring experience. But this post is not about me. This post is about Flako.

For years, all of us begged Flako to leave his 9 to 5 job in finance and join us. We knew that adding him to our team would be incredibly beneficial but we had no idea to what level. Three years ago he made the switch and we cannot begin to describe how his contributions positively impact our ability to deliver memory-making tours. His ample network has given us access to some of the most exclusive wineries in Napa. You see, Flako has a long history in the area and has throughout the years loved and served his community. His Rolodex is something to behold and a testament to his tender affection to all manner of people which has given us a golden key to many beautiful wine experiences in Napa that would be otherwise beyond our reach. He is for lack of a better word magical.

So wether you tour Javier Calderon or Javier Calderon 2.0 you can rest assured we will do everything in our power to feed your sense of discovery and adventure, delight your palate and make you, at least for a moment forget about the burdens and worries of this life by taking care of absolutely every detail.

Thank you for stopping by our page and taking time to hear me blab. I am deeply proud of my husband Flako and thank God every single day for the way he makes our little company twice as good.

XOXO

Javy

How to Purchase Napa Wines For Corporate Gifts

by nptadmin on 2014-10-17 in Filed Under: Uncategorized

Gift giving can launch any business relationship to the next level. As the holiday season approaches many key executives allocate significant budgetsto corporate gifts and holiday corporate entertaining. What you gives speaks volume of the quality, character and potential of your business relations and for that reason alone you must take extreme care in selecting presents that match the stature of your clients.

The web has significantly dropped barriers of access and provides access to endless trinkets goodies and gifts at a very low cost. Due to this trend selecting a gift that is not easily purchased may just be the key to showing your clients how your organization has an eye for exclusivity. If your goal is to deliver a gift that opens doors and consolidates relationships consider coming to Napa to secure the finest limited edition direct purchase wines.

The Best Napa Wines Are Not Available at Local Wine Shops

Some of the most exclusive wineries limit their production and manage distribution from winery to consumer. These wineries make their wines available exclusively to their club members who receive early notification regarding availability as well as priority in purchasing the wine if they belong to higher tiers such as platinum or presidential level.

The Best Napa Wines Can Be Customized for Your Brand

Many of the lead wineries are willing to work with you and design labeling that best represents your brand and corporate objective. Your logo in tandem with the best that Napa Valley has to offer will without question deliver a great first impression and create ultimate synergy.

The Best Napa Wines Can be Combined into Memorable Gift Baskets or Trios

Don’t limit yourself to a single winery. With the help of a wine buying professional from NPT you can assemble beautiful wine gifts that incorporate the best wines from top boutique wineries. Your gift of Napa wine will standout as a toughtful present that can’t be duplicated.

The Best of Napa Wines for Corporate Gifting Requires Planning

Be ahead of the game by coming to Napa early and purchasing limited edition cases of the best wines from each vintage. By buying limited editions you will have the confidence of a priceless gift that is certainly not run of the mill. We also work with several vendors and can help you create combined gifts with other Napa gourmet products such as olive oil.

How Much Should You Spend in a Wine Corporate Gift?

How much you spend is fully your decision based on your gifting budget. We recommend that you create tiers and select the wine gifts based on the overall business value of the relation. As a rule of thumb a gift should be equal to about one to four hours of income of the party receiving the gift. For doctors for example the value of the gift can range from $100 to $1,000. Special consideration should be made when gifting CEOs and COOs.

How Should I have my Wine Gift Delivered?

If you have tiered your wine gifts based on the value of the business relationship it is essential that the gift is not distributed at a public event where differences in pricing may result in a social faux pas. Napa Private Tours in tandem with our partner wineries can help you coordinate shipping to the final recipient of the wine gift.

When Should my clients receive their wine gift?

Anytime after December 1st but before December 24 is a great time for your clients to receive their wine gift.

How do I make sure I pick a wine that will satisfy and impress my client?

Our wine coaches can point you to the best wines for gifting. Additionally, when in doubt we highly suggest gifting clients a wine trio that includes a white, a red and a sparkling wine. By sending a trio you can make certain your client will enjoy at least one of three of the wines selected.

How do I make sure my gifting is inclusive of our client’s beliefs during the holiday season?

Our shippers normally use neutral wrapping for your wine gift. To personalize the gift we suggest you include a color and theme neutral card with your logo or on your personal letterhead wishing your client the happiest holiday season.

Who Should Receive a Corporate Gift From Us?

Corporate wine gifts are gestures of appreciation for prior business and a way to further the relationship for future business opportunities. When creating your list of those due to receive a corporate gift of wine account for both past business and future potential and include clients and leads accordingly.

Napa Private Tours specializes in hosting corporate wine buying trips. Let us help you make the upcoming holiday season a true success. Should you want to entretain clients by inviting them to the most exclusive of wine tours do give us a call. We will make sure their experience is flawless, memorable and business-conducive.

Looking forward to helping you,

Javy