My San Francisco trip included one night in Napa where we made last minute wine tasting reservations, but it turned out to be the best part of the trip.
Read on for where we visited and additional recommendations to plan out your future trip.
Morning Coffee + Treat
On the drive up, we first stopped in downtown Napa at Ritual Coffee. Reviews were great and the coffee was delicious. We grabbed a croissant and glazed donut which was nothing to write home about, but the nitro coffee and iced lattes are exactly was needed to caffeinate before we indulged in a day of wine tasting.
The coffee shop is located inside Oxbow Public Market where you can shop at least a dozen vendors including a mini grocery area with fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese merchants, chocolates and more. Plus, there’s a scenic deck along the Napa River where you can sit with your coffee and treats.
For more coffee recs, check out Napa Valley Coffee with a location in Napa and St. Helena or Southside Cafe (a beautiful cafe for coffee and breakfast that I wish I was able to visit!)
Wine Tasting: Where I went (and where I’ll go next time!)
We kicked off the wine tasting in Rutherford at Honig Vineyard and Winery with an outdoor tasting led by a knowledgable staff member who served the wine individually with detailed descriptions of each wine and even added a couple extras for us to sample. It was smaller scale than the next two we visited and loved that this more educational wine tasting was the first on our list to visit.
Next, we visited Robert Mondavi Winery. The estate was stunning and we were seated outside, surrounded by breathtaking views of the vineyard. You walk up to large sculptures and an arched entryway that makes quite a big first impression. We ordered flights of wine and snacked on the charcuterie board and the artisanal cheese board–both equally appetizing.
Our last stop was at Domaine Carneros, a singular winery known for their sparkling wine and the chateau. Another eye pleasing spot to sip wine outside although it is right off the highway and the noise is just a little distracting. That aside, I enjoyed my flight of sparkling wine and it was the perfect spot to end our wine tasting adventures.
Additional recommendations I didn’t get a chance to personally visit include Stag’s Leap, Chateau Montelena and Inglenook.
Dinner + Exploring
After receiving multiple recommendations, we hoped to get a reservation at Bouchon Bistro and lucky for us, they had open tables on their patio which I’m sure is unheard of for a Thomas Keller restaurant. The restaurant is located in downtown Yountville, another adorable downtown area. I ordered the roasted chicken–so incredibly flavorful and Jasper ordered the steak and frites with truffle oil which I couldn’t help but snack on throughout my own dinner. And the fresh bread and butter they bring out once you’re seated..delicious. A photo of the meal below!
There isn’t too much shopping here, but still fun to walk around and explore after dinner. If so inclined, grab a macaron and other bakery treats from Bouchon Bakery after!
Additional dining recommendations include Brix, Zuzu and Bistro Don Giovanni for amazing pasta.
Looks like so much fun! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Looks amazing! I’ll for sure go one day!
briana
https://b-wear.org/