Photo of Signorello by Kim Palacios
The traditional tasting room concept doesn’t quite work. While it embodies a straightforward way to match potential buyers with wine samples, the sensory overload that results from back to back tastings at winery after winery not only defeats the purpose of try before you buy—it also extinguishes some of the enjoyment to be found in the tasting itself.
There is an alternative. The Enoteca Signorello Experience at Signorello Vineyards is a 90-minute tasting adventure that will leave you sated and refreshed, educated and confident, in possession of some recipes and maybe even new friends.
Next to its members-only patio that boasts spectacular views of Signorello’s own gardens and of the Napa Valley below is a private dining room that can host up to ten guests as they experience the harmony of the winery’s most notable vintages with masterfully paired foods. In this room, a Wine Educator will share Signorello’s history and winemaking philosophy, give details about each wine, and lead a discussion about food and wine pairing while guests enjoy hand crafted small bites to accompany each of five sampled wines.
But, make no mistake—this isn’t a class. While your Wine Educator will introduce you to each pairing, and field questions about, Signorello, the overall tone is fun and familial. By the end of my journey, I knew where all of my fellow participants grew up, how many pets they had, and what they loved about wine; I’d heard about the French style of wine making from the winemaker himself, who wandered into the room by happenstance and stopped to engage with our group; and I learned the stories behind some of the formidable culinary creations of Winery Chef Rodger Babel when Rodger himself popped in to chat.
In addition to being wowed by the impeccable plates, and the splendor of being treated to small lot wines that are usually unavailable for tasting outside of the wine club, the “cheat sheet” that showed our exact pairings in the order they were presented helped in choosing what wines to bring home. Priced at only $65, The Enoteca Signorello Experience offers a sublime journey at extremely good value.
Related Articles:
Series: Five Things You Haven’t Done in Wine Country
Ever Heard of Camp Schramsberg?
Playtime for Foodies: New Programs for Non-Professionals at Culinary Institute of America
Interactive Wine Education with Meadowood’s Master Sommelier
Petite Weddings at Auberge du Soleil
Comments