Napa Valley wine trip trip report

[mattsey9]

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reno,

That sounds like an awesome list for my next trip that I'll actually plan ahead for and make a bunch of reservations. Stag's Leap and Far Niente are two others I'd like to taste at.

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We went to Far Niente last Memorial Day weekend and I recommend it highly. I'm biased, as they make my favorite wine, but we had a thoroughly enjoyable day. The grounds are immaculate, and they have an incredible antique car collection that you can check out. They're not giving the wine away, but I've always found it worth the cost.

The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable. She told us she had worked at some of the other wineries in the area so she was able to recommend some other places for us to visit.

[suzzer99]

El D, just out of curiosity, did you split the limo evenly? I love the idea but I don't think I'll ever have 6-8 friends that balla.

[El Diablo]

suzzer,

Split evenly, limo from SF is usually about $100 to $150 per person for a full day Napa trip.

[Spleen]

This has got to be my next trip. Much too poor to have all the wine I would like but I am opening a '97 Stags Cab this weekend for g/f bday, looking forward to it.

[milliondollaz]

since i mentioned the french fries at bouchons in my trip report, i figured i would post this article i just found.

Thomas Keller uses Frozen French Fries from Sysco in that restaurant! They still rocked.

[mike l.]

solid. 2+2 napa wine tasting trip/drunken bay 101 limited mix game weekend anyone? will you help us set it up diablo if i get gabe and death donkey and whoever else riled up for it?

[J.A.Sucker]

mike,

Wine tasting is better in the Santa Cruz mountains than Napa to tell you the truth. You can go to Testarossa, Ridge, Savanahh-Chanelle, and Pachetti in one day. All this is 15 minutes from Bay 101. It doesn't get any better than this, and yes, I'll be in for sure.

Sucker.

[Gabe]

I hope it'll be better than that wine tasting in pasadena that you set up and didn't end up going to. LMD, Joe, and Death Donkey were the youngest people there by several decades, and people were giving speeches.

[mike l.]

i tried some wine tonight with bakku, death donkey and stinkypete:

2005 winner's tank shiraz. smells like raid, tastes worse. astringent is the first word that comes to mind. not much else going on here just a rubbing alcohol flavor. really really bad. did not improve after a few hours.

2001 aries los carneros merlot. more of the lysol astringent tone going on here, this one opened up a but after 3 hours but was still basically undrinkable swill.

2004 evesham wood seven springs pinot noir. boring pinot, very traditional and floral nose and taste. not awful but not embraceable either. 85 points.

2004 melka CJ cab sauv. cocoa puff/coffee/mocha nose as always, little chalky but great long finish. 91+ points. need to restock on this one.

[El Diablo]

Sucker: "Wine tasting is better in the Santa Cruz mountains than Napa to tell you the truth." No it isn't.

mike: Sounds like a plan.