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Five fun things to do in Napa (part I)
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Yes, we have all spent time in Napa. A lot of the wineries produce boring, overpriced wines. And the traffic on 29 is a killer during summer weekends. It's best to get away during the week, but if you can't these deals are still good on the weekends:
1) Taste wine for free at Frank Family Vineyards. Sip their lovely, refreshing non-vintage Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine, made from Pinot Noir, in this rec room of a tasting room with slopping ceilings. Chat with winery legend Dennis Zablosky, the tasting room manager, who says he has been there for more than 20 years because no one else would hire him. Taste Frank Family's spicy, earthy Sangiovese and try to sneak a peak of their stunning Winston Hill Vineyard with an incredible view of the Valley.
The custom blending experience at Bennett Lane.
2) Peruse fancy wines, salts and hand-cured pork products at celebrity chef Michael Chiarello's new NapaStyle boutique in Yountville. He's actually at the store most days and is every ounce as charming in person as on TV. You'll know if he's there by the red Vespa parked in front. Check out his swank new restaurant Bottega, or grab a drink on its lavish patio, when it opens in the late fall.
3) Blend your own wine at Bennett Lane Winery. Their benchmark red Maximus is made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah but you can put any mix of the three (or two) in your own blend. Prices run from $175 to $225 a person and you get to take a bottle of your custom blend home. Don't miss their sexy, crisp white Maximus--made with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Muscat--and if you are lucky you might even see a NASCAR car (they are sponsors) in the winery.
4) Taste six lovely wines for $7 at Summers Estate Wines, a price that will get waived if you buy a bottle. Don't miss their sensational, intense, rich and spicy Charbono, a grape which is reported to have both Italian and French forerunners. Summers is the self-styled "Charbono King" with reportedly the largest production of the grape in the state. Don't miss the cute pink rubber duck in the fountain out front, obviously placed there by someone who got a little "Charbonoed."
5) Cool off at the Napa Health Club, just south of St. Helena. A day pass during the week is $25 and gives you access to a lovely lap pool, lounge chairs and a gym. Watch out as the group of women who meet for swim lessons in the morning are a fierce bunch.
Cheers,
Liza the Wine Chick
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