1/2 day in Napa. Rookie Trip

[TheEngineer]

I was unexpected in San Francisco again this week and ended up with a few hours after work so I made a run for Napa (avoiding all CHiP activity though). First time I've been to Napa, so a Rookie I was.

I went to visit just three wineries (but that was really enough) and they were Cakebread, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and V. Sattui Winery. Had a good time there and then found a Dean and Deluca before we headed to Bouchon for dinner. TN's will be posted on some of the wines.....the later ones I could not remember.....

At Cakebread, got to try the 2004 SB, 2003 Chard, 2002 Chard reserve, 2003 Rubaiyat, 2002 Merlot, 2002 Syrah and 2002 CS. Tasting was $10 with a glass but not discounts.

At Stag's Leap Wine Cellar, got to try the 2002 Artemis CB, 2002 Chard (really the first CA Chard that I've really liked), 1998 SLV CS, 2000 Fay CB, 2001 Fay CS, and 2001 Cask 23 CS. Nice wines up and down. Tasting was a bit steep at $30

AT V. Sattui, 2003 Dry Riesling, 2003 Off-dry Joh. Riesling, 2001 PN, 2003 PN, 1999 Port, 2004 Rosetta, 2002 CS (three types including Monsoli, etc), 2002 Henry Merlot, etc..... This was a bit longer.

Dinner at Bouchon's was nice. Good simple food for decent prices.

I think I may go back next week... Camus was booked solid until July 8th..... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] Plus wanted to try the restaurant Brix.


[This message has been edited by TheEngineer (edited 07-08-2005).]

[winoweenie]

We loved Cindys' Backstreet in St. Helena. Same girl who started Mustards. WW

[wondersofwine]

Sounds like a good tour. I've heard lots of good reports on the Fay Vineyard (many have tried one at the Pinehurst Wine Festival). I have the Bouchon coffee table cookbook but have never dined there.
When you put CB do you mean Cabernet Sauvignon? I would expect CS for Cabernet.

[TheEngineer]

Oops....fixed that....I did mean CS.. brain freeze (or more likely brain f@rt).

Thanks for the pointer to the other two restaurants WW. Gonna go back up in another few weeks so I'll look for this.

I really like the FAY wines. At $75 a pop, they are not cheap but are a bit of a better value than the $110 SLV's. The Cask 23's are wonderful and I would buy over the SLV's as they have a nice complexity that I did not find in the SLV's, but at $150....not sure that I would pick that over a nice bordeaux. Nonetheless, really nice wines. Bought a few FAY's home with me so will hang onto them for a bit.