Napa Valley all the way for me. There’s so much to do and see here. Tons of shopping and dining, wineries, movies, the Opera House, golfing, biking, you name it. Oh, and kayaking on the river. The Oxbow Public Market just opened at least a year ago and it’s booming. And of course the Outlets, I’ve done quite a bit of shopping there. And if you get a chance, skip the Wine Train and take a hot air balloon ride. It’s absolutely gorgeous. But I’m biased, I still think Napa Valley is the most beautiful place on earth.

So I was at a Ruth Chris the other day with the boss and some of his friends, he showed be a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Wine from a winery that was six or seven letters starting with CAM….. i think it was campys or something like that. Can anyone decipher the winery and give me some good years for that wine??? Thanks

Actually, 2003 was generally a mediocre year for Napa. However, as is usually the case, top wineries can still produce great wine in a less than stellar year.
The Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stags Leap district of Napa was one of the highest scoring wines from Wine Spectator magazine, with 94 points. Unlike others in its class which are overpriced, this one comes in well under $100.
Plus, I believe Cliff Lede himself is Canadian, so perhaps I’m a bit biased!
Cheers!

I would like to take a train ride there. Anyone know of any good deals on tours or suggestions. I live in Los Angeles, CA.

Im moving to Napa Valley with my family soon…i currently live in SC so its going to be a big change.
Im only 16 years old so i cant do all of the wine tastings and such…but i was just curious what there is to do for a girl my age and what to expect…thanks so much !!

Perfect Pairings

November 2006 – as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun

By Bill Garlough

In my initial column, I outlined that I will offer two sections in each monthly column; a general wine information section entitled “Wine Speak” and one entitled “Food and Wine Pairings”. Here goes:

 Wine speak

I just returned from a 10-day west coast trip with my family, and visited several key wine regions. In Oregon, we visited the Willamette Valley (known for pinot noir and pinot gris) and in northern California we visited Anderson Valley in Mendocino and the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. As it was during the annual harvest of the grapes, nicknamed the “crush” (when grapes are picked, sorted for quality and pressed into grape juice), I was interested in the quality of this year’s crop. 

Almost every winery reported that the 2006 vintage will be above average, not only in quality but also quantity. Both the Willamette Valley and Anderson Valley reported ideal growing conditions with warm days and cool nights. However, Napa and Sonoma experienced record heat in July, which challenged the growers’ pruning skills. The leaf canopy protects the grapes. If you prune too much of the leaf canopy, you risk over exposing the grapes to the high temperatures, and they actually can get sunburned. A dense leaf canopy in a wet climate will promote mold and mildew on the grapes.

To ensure an optimal crop, what quality wineries practice is skilled cultivation throughout the growing season. This includes pruning the leaf canopy, pruning some clusters of grapes (to promote concentrated flavor in the remaining clusters), irrigation when needed and harvesting the grapes when they reach the desired sugar level. Based on this report, we can all anticipate plenty of delightful white wines in approximately nine months and delicious red wines in approximately eighteen months, from the west coast.

Food and wine pairings

To help you easily find my recommended wines, I am developing a network of local shops to act as a resource for the column. I will discuss my ideas for food and wine pairings with these neighborhood wine shop owners, and find wines they stock that accomplish the goal. The wines included will be generally available and will be priced around the $10.00 range and also the $25.00 and up range. Hopefully, this offers something for everybody.

It is November and, for many of us, that means Thanksgiving. This meal not only represents an American tradition, it is a time when the entire family gathers around the table and reconnects. This puts some stress on the meal planner and preparer, so some wine suggestions may be appreciated.

The center of the Thanksgiving dinner is, of course, turkey. Turkey as a meat tends to be neutral in flavor, which can open the door for interesting wines. However, the balance of the meal can offer complex flavors, with side dishes of savory dressing, tart cranberry relish and spicy pumpkin pie. With this in mind, I recommend:

Bill’s Picks

White wines

A more complex style of wine with good acidity and balance is my choice. A wine with good fruit and acidity can help balance this meal’s broad array of flavors. Some suggestions are:

Chateau Lamothe de Haux (a Bordeaux blend of 3 varietals), France, $11.

Chateau St. Michelle Indian Wells Riesling – Columbia Valley, Wash., $15.

Sokol Blosser’s “Evolution #9″ (a blend of 9 varietals) – Anderson Valley, Calif., $17.

Thomas Fogarty Gewí¼rztraminer, Monterey, Calif., $18.

Caymus “Conundrum” (a blend of 5 varietals) – Napa Valley, Calif., $27.

Red wines

Pinot Noir, my favorite varietal, is my choice here. This wine tends to be medium bodied, flavorful with “red” fruit notes such as raspberries and cherries and has good acidity, to tackle the various courses of this complex meal. Some suggestions are:

Mark West Pinot Noir – Sonoma Valley, Calif., $13.

Regis de Valliere Bourgogne (the area in France known for Pinot Noirs), $14.

Sanford Pinot Noir Santa Barbara – Central Coast, Calif., $25.

Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir – Willamette Valley, Ore., $28.

Cristom – Willamette Valley, Ore., $30.

(Prices are suggested retail and may vary.)

Enjoy your time with your family this holiday season and bon appetit! 

For more from Bill Garlough’s Perfect Pairings visit My Chef.

I just came across the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel’s website. It looks amazing & I aould love to go there! Has anybondy been? Is it as great as the site leads on?

In reality, there really is not any fixed definition for the term Boutique Winery. Most sales people claim that if a particular winery produces less than 2,000 cases of wine each year, then it is considered to be a boutique winery. By logical reasoning, any winery that produces less than 5,000 cases of wine per year will be regarded as a boutique winery. Most of the larger wineries produce a limited number of wine cases of a specific wine, which is then known as boutique wine. However, boutique wines can also be defined as a wine that is made in limited amounts, while expressing a certain amount of passion on the part of the winemaker.
In addition to the various well-known labels that have been crafting and producing different varieties of wines in Bay Area, you will find a whole host of boutique wineries that are treasured by the locals.
Here is a list of the boutique wineries in Bay Area:
. Bouchaine Vineyards: The legendary Bouchaine winery is situated in the southern part of Napa valley, close to San Francisco. Bouchaine is a family-owned business, which is wholly devoted to crafting and making the delicious Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties. Bouchaine wines are a heady blend of nature as well as culture, a compelling expression of grape and craft that complements the sophistication of burgundy with the liveliness of California. Established on the site of one of the oldest operating wineries in Carneros, Bouchaine is located north of San Pablo and San Francisco. The fog that surrounds the region every night largely influences the climate in this winery, and the shallow clayey loam soils that are ideal for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
. Catacula Lake Winery: Committed to crafting wines that reflect the truly wild and beautiful side of the Chiles Valley terroir, the Catacula Lake Winery has wine that is kept under the guidance of some of Napa Valleys finest wine consultants and experts. 1999 marked Cataculs first vintage at the new facility. Catacula is dedicated to producing wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot Blend that is called Rancho Cuvee, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. However, Catacula is widening its portfolio by planting new varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah.
. Graeser Winery: Located within the viticultural district of the Diamond Mountains, the Graeser Winery is acknowledged as one of the greatest regions in the world for growing fine varietals of Bordeaux. The Diamond Mountain wines can be profoundly complex, age-worthy, and generous. The Graeser Winery is prized in Napa Valley for creating wines that are full of dimension and character. These wines are detailed and lush, more elegant than overblown, approachable and balanced in its youth, while having the capacity to age well for a decade, and sometimes more.
. Regusci Winery: With Napa Valley becoming a prominent wine-cultivating region, the Regusci family was able to concentrate on cultivating a single crop, namely wine grapes. In the mid 90s, the son Angelo decided to restore a winery on this property, and a year later; both father and son crushed their first harvest of Stags Leap District wines. The Regusci Winery began operating in the late 90s, displaying its estate vintages like Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel.
. Van Der Heyden Vineyards Wines: Family owned and housed in the panoramic and world famous Napa Valley wine region, the Van Der Heyden Vineyards is situated on the prestigious and charming Silverado Trail, which lies south of the Stags Leap District. Specializing in estate bottled Cabernet Sauvignon wines, Chardonnay wines, and late harvest dessert wines, this vineyard is a treat for all wine aficionados. Reputed for being the only winery in the world to produce a late harvest Cabernet Sauvignon, the Van Der Heyden Vineyard is one of the finest of its kind.
Amateur wine enthusiasts and tourists that visit the wineries in Bay Area will be absolutely thrilled to find a personal and charming wine tasting session at each of these wineries. Sample some of these wines and you might just become a true-blue wine devotee yourself!

Want to get married in a unique venue that almost feels like you’re stepping back in time? Consider getting married or having your wedding reception aboard a train! Trains take us back to a romantic, slower-paced era, so it’s a perfect, yet unique venue for tying the knot.

Which trains might you consider for your wedding?Skunk Train – Mendocino Coast, California

Traveling at 29 miles per hour, the Skunk Train takes you and your wedding guests on the same northern California coastal “Redwood Route” that it has traveled since 1885. Leaving from the train station at Fort Bragg or Willits, California, the train takes your wedding party to either the Camp Mendocino Dining Hall, or the Northspur outdoor reception site, a remote outdoor site set amongst the towering redwoods, for a truly unforgettable wedding adventure.

The Skunk Train staff works with many local entertainers, so you have the option of providing live entertainment for your guests while aboard the train. Local entertainment includes the Skunk Train’s famed “Trainsinger,” as well as jazz bands, big bands, and rock bands. And, for great wedding photos, nothing beats the open observation train cars. Of course, the train pulls covered cars as well.

For those unfamiliar with the Mendocino area, it is truly breathtaking, punctuated by meadows, towering redwood forests and rocky cliffs. For more information about weddings aboard the Skunk Train, call 530-666-6781. Napa Valley Wine Train – Napa Valley, California

Napa Valley, California is known as a great wine producing region of California, so it’s only natural that any wedding taking place in the Napa Valley includes wine. If you’re a wine buff, gourmet diner and train enthusiast, you may want to consider a wedding or reception aboard The Napa Valley Wine Train, a three-hour round-trip rail and gourmet dining adventure from the town of Napa to St. Helena. While on board, your guests can be treated to views of vineyards and wineries from restored train cars dating back to 1915-1947. Wineries you will pass by include such fine labels as Trefethen, Clos du Val, Cardinale, Domaine Chandon, Neibaum/Coppola and Grgich Hills.

You have your choice of three dining car experiences: the Vista Dome is a glass-domed rail car which can seat groups up to 56; the Silverado Grill is a casual dining car with sliding windows, which can seat groups up to 54; one of the Gourmet Express Pullman dining cars from 1915 – 1917. If you have a large wedding party you can charter the Gourmet Express, Vista Dome and Silverado Grill for up to 370 people. For Group information, call 707-253-0920. Roaring Camp Railroad – Felton, California

Yet one more California wedding rail adventure, the Roaring Camp Railroads operates out of Felton, California, which is just north of Santa Cruz. The Roaring Camp Railroad offers wedding events at their camp, as well as Cathedral Grove, located on Bear Mountain, which is accessible by a vintage steam train. While at the Cathedral Grove site, couples exchange their vows underneath ancient, towering redwoods. For more information regarding wedding parties, call 831-335-4484.Sugar Cane Train – Maui

We’re leaving California now and heading to Maui, a favorite wedding spot for couples around the world. Maui, of course, is famous for its beaches. But, if you’re a train buff you’re also in luck, as Maui is also home to the Sugar Cane Train which can transport your wedding party along a six-mile scenic journey between Lahaina and Kaanapali. You can call toll free at 800-499-2307 for more information.Spirit of Washington – Renton, Washington

The Spirit of Washington operates out of Renton, Washington, which is southeast of Seattle, and has the distinction of traveling over the historic Wilburton Trestle, which is the longest wooden trestle in the Northwest at 975 feet long and 102 feet high. Should you choose a wedding or reception on the Spirit of Washington, you will be treating yourself and your guests to great dining, as well as a scenic ride along Lake Washington, over the Wilburton Trestle, and into one of Washington’s best wine growing regions, with a winery stopover at Columbia Winery. Call 800-876-7245 for more information on wedding parties on the Spirit of Washington.Grand Canyon Railway – Williams, Arizona

If you haven’t been to the Grand Canyon, you absolutely must. And if you’ve already been, go again, this time by train. You embark The Grand Canyon Railway at their depot in Williams, Arizona for the 2-hour, 15-minute train trip to the Grand Canyon, all the while being entertained by cowboy characters and strolling musicians. This unique wedding venue is definitely one to consider if you have children in your wedding party.

You have the option of chartering a car on the train for your wedding party, and have the choice of five classes of train service, rim tours, entertainment and food options. Prices start at $2,000 for seating of 88 people in coach class, and $7,500 for a seating of 65 people in luxury parlor car. Call 1-800-843-8723 for information on group seating.

If you want a unique wedding venue your guests will talk about for years to come, you definitely should consider train travel. It’s romantic, relaxing, and nostalgic, and suitable for guests of all ages.

I really want to live in Napa Valley CA, does anyone know about how much it is to live there, I know it’s expensive but could you give me an estimate. Also what kind of job opportunites are there in Napa, I want to be a pastry chef would it work out if I live there.