Napa Valley winery and delicatessen - V. Sattui has it all!

  Bing.com photo: V. Sattui grapes

If you’ve gone wine tasting in the Napa Valley, surely you must have stopped at the V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena? If not, make it the first stop on your next getaway!

V. Sattui is a family-owned winery established way back in 1885. And the years since have gone into perfecting its operation and reputation. The winery itself is housed in a beautiful old stone building, and not far away is their super-delicious gourmet cheese shop and deli. Did I say yum?! The winery and deli sits on two and a half acres of shaded picnic grounds, where you can enjoy your bountiful gourmet picnic and award-winning bottle of vino.

As you enter the delicatessen, you are graciously greeted with scattered samples of dipping sauces with pretzels and/or bread cubes, and may also partake in samples of their many gourmet cheeses. If you are a true cheese aficionado, it may take you a while to pull yourself away from this section. I simply love cheese and have found some definite favorites here. If you are not a cheese lover, you can turn to the glass-enclosed fresh food area, where staff is at hand to help you with a varied selection of salads, sandwiches, and entrees that will be sure to entice you. Be sure to grab a fresh baguette or favorite bread to go with your lavish spread. If this isn’t enough and you have a sweet tooth, the shop also provides a small selection of very delectable desserts.

And now we come to the Main Tasting Room, which is reached by strolling through the “Market Place,” where you find all types of available wines, and some very nice gift ideas. The tasting area is a long beautiful, wooden counter where you can mosey on up and the staff will pour a “Classic Tasting” for only $5. This will get you a sample of six wines from a cross-section of their listed offerings. Or if you prefer to step-it-up-a-notch, you can receive a “Premium Tasting” for $10, which includes six single-vineyard & limited-production wines. You’re sure to find a favorite, and when you do, be sure to purchase a bottle or two to take home with you as V. Sattui wine is only available on-site, by mail order, or from their website. Well, at least it gives you a good excuse to come back!

Now, once you have your bottle of wine and gourmet picnic, check out at the register (where they will pop the cork for you), and head over to one of the picnic tables, or spread your blanket on the grass, and dig in!

V. Sattui offers many options, including some special treats on weekends, such as outdoor vendors, who prepare BBQ ribs, tri-tip steak, Italian sausages, and wood-fired pizzas. Vendors also provide samples of mustards, dips, and specialty oils. Hmmm, when are we going?

As you can envision, this is a winery you don’t want to miss. So, reserve a day or weekend and get out, get away from it all. Spoil yourself and your significant other at V. Sattui Winery!

http://www.vsattui.com/index.cfm