Sunday, May 31, 2015

Going (for the first time) to Cali, Cali

There is no better time to write a blog post about wine than when you are currently imbibing in a glass yourself. Am I right?

Just go with it! 

Following our taxing (but fun) trip to Yosemite National Park, we hopped back in the rental and headed toward Wine Country. First stop on our list was Domaine Carneros.


Domaine Carneros is known for award-winning, organic Napa Valley sparkling wine ("California Champagne"), and Pinot Noir. It was beautiful, but truth be told, we didn’t taste any wine there. Yikes! We had an entire day ahead of us, so it was crucial to stay focused and prioritize our tastings. But again, still so beautiful and reminiscent of chateaus we’ve seen upon our trip to Paris.

Second stop ended up being one of my personal favorites, with a view that would make you melt. Perched high up on a hill, Silverado Vineyard had the friendliest staff, delicious tastings, and once more a view that was AMAZEBALLS. Adding to the experience, J and I were the first once there that morning, so we were able to have the place all to ourselves for a while. #WINNING


After pulling ourselves away from that view, we did a little scenic drive toward Napa Style in Yountville.  It was where I had planned our refuel stop, as it known for their delicious artisanal specialty foods. J selected their Turkey 4 Citrus Dijon Marmellata and Currant Chèvre Panini with roast turkey, wholegrain Dijon citrus marmalade, black currant chèvre, mesclun with blood orange vinegar reduction on sourdough. I ventured for the Cubano Italiano Panini with
porchetta, prosciutto cotto ham, soppressata, provolone cheese, Calabrian sweet pickles with honey dijon on ciabatta. I can’t even put into words how good it was, so I won’t even attempt. Just trust me.


Stop number three was the only winery we actually had a schedule appointment with. Before leaving these parts, we def wanted to book a tour in addition to tastings in order to get the “full all access experience” - and Castello di Amorosa was where we chose.




It’s Dario Sattui's (of the V. Sattui wine family) authentically-built 13th century Tuscan castle and winery. As you can imagine, this was also quite freakin' cool. Led by a knowledgable guide, we were able to explore multiple levels of the Castello followed by a tasting of five of their premium wines, and their high end reserve wines.


So, after the consumption that took place at Castello, we collectively decided that one more official wine stop would put the icing on the cake. This was going to be a stop that was smaller than all of the places that we had visited, but certainly the most cozy and impressively beautiful. Located in Sonoma, Benziger Winery is a eight, same-generation family winery that manages every aspect of the grape- growing and winemaking endeavor. Here, J and I enjoyed a glass of their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while taking it upon ourselves to stroll through their rolling vineyards.



Before we got caught, we clinked our glasses to praise God for this amazing trip and then skedaddled back up to the clubhouse to purchase a few bottles to take home with us.





 That marked the end of our beverage tour and we then embarked on our 1-hour jaunt toward our final California destination: San Francisco - where we did all the typical tourist(y) stuff. Beach, Muir Woods, Clam Chowder, Pier 39, Seal entertainment, Giants game, the obligatory Golden Gate bridge selfie.



I'm not the smartest woman in the world, but I'm smart enough to know that God's hand had everything to do with orchestrating this incredible trip with my best dude. I am so grateful. WE are so grateful. Praise him!

And just for a fun takeaway - if you've ever wondered what it looks like to sip a strong wine - this is your demonstration: Sorry, J!





Now go out and get your travel on!
XOXO - The Dossers

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