fredag 29. juli 2011

Long way home


At last we could have a sleep in our own bed in Houston. The more than 2200 miles from Napa to Houston took us the 4 days as expected.


First lap was from Napa to Wendover, a city on the border line between Nevada and Utah. Strange in the evening walking from the Inn at the Utah side across to where we got our food on the Nevada side and some smaller gambling at the slot machines.



Next morning early up for a 705 miles lap from Wendover to Colorado Springs, it was interesting to pass on the first lap both Nevada and Utah, and even more so when we crossed Salt Lake and Utah as well Wyoming and into Colorado.


Many interesting stops at gas stations and “restaurants” some with acceptable hamburgers and some with not that acceptable “food”, was good with Pringles along the drive.

From Colorado Springs we was driving to Oklahoma City, or just passed it so we did not have to do that first ting in the morning. One of the signs we passed on our drive this day we saw 114F (45,5 deg C) so it was a hot day and we noticed as we stopped to fill and eat at Taco Bell/KFC that evening.

It was good to see the sign of Texas yesterday, so was the scenery and counting down the miles until we turned onto Town & Country Blvd.
Home Sweet Home, it was a fantastic journey, and I will do it again in addition to at least visit some of these places and stop at the places we stopped.
Look forward to be back both in Temecula and Sonoma in addition to Pablo Robles. More about rating of our stays will follow.

søndag 24. juli 2011

Last day in Napa


Again it is surreal to have vacation and at the same time think about what happened in Norway on Friday. It will forever be in our thoughts and memories.
But we are having a last tour around in California wine counties and it all ends in Napa.

For me it was to be back to my early days of “alcohol” 18 years or so and celebrating New Year with a bottle of champagne. Label I remember was MUMM and yesterday I noticed we passed MUMM NAPA, so today our first and only stop at a vinery was MUMM NAPA. (http://mummnapa.com)

We wanted to enjoy the outdoor Patio and wanted a taste of three of their DVX sparkling alternative. It was Sunday morning and what could be better than have a wonderful view out across wine yards and zip to a glass of sparkling wine.

Special sitting at one of Napa’s best tasting areas, the Patio. The wines was just delouses, and could be and can be used to different food, but most of all to enjoy like we did with good view and a relaxed time.

Special the 2005 DVX Rosé but also the 2003 DVX and the 2001 DVX, preferred the 2003 ahead of 2001.

After the tasting we enjoyed a tour around in the MUMM NAPA Fine Art Photography Gallery. With one exhibition of amazing art by Robert Bueltemann and also an exhibition from Matthew Adams privet collection with pictures taken by his grandfather Ansel Adams. (http://mummnapa.com/visitmummnapa/galleryExihibitInformation)




Yesterday was passed on our way the nice little town of Calistoga and wanted to have a walk around to see if this was a better place to stay next time or for others to recommend.


I must say I enjoyed it more than where we stay in Napa. It had an atmosphere we can’t find in Napa.




This was the same with St. Helena, not a big place, but had an atmosphere and I will say to those who want to look around in Napa and need a place to stay, look first to the two mentioned places along with Yountville. In addition you are not so far away from Sonoma and that could also be an alternative and hit both areas at the same time.

In our stroll up the main street in St. Helena we came across an art gallery.

The Christopher Hill Gallery (http://www.chgallery.com) was very nice and they will also for those who are interested a gallery in a week’s time in Austin. Shorter for us to head to that one, I look forward to visit Austin with an additional thing in mind, visiting the art gallery.

The person behind is Austrian and run an art gallery in Austria too, and to what we saw it was very interesting and diversified art shown in the gallery.
I special fall in love with the paintings by Mario Garcia Miro, the combination of the new and the old way of creating and way to use the colors made my fantasy and imaginations get out of itself.

Very much worth visit for those who want a visit to a gallery with unexpected tease for the imagination.
Time for late lunch or early dinner today too and a new stop at Yountville and Bistro Jeanty, (http://www.bistrojeanty.com) it tasted so good yesterday that we just needed it reconfirmed.



We knew from yesterday that we wanted the Terrine de Lapin as appetizer,

and for main course Laila wanted

Salad Nicoise and I

Cassoulet. To accomplish the food we had the same Rosé wine as yesterday and for desert vanilla ice-cream, shared for a good reason.
My Daube de Boeuf from yesterday won the competition, today it was too warm for me, but as it should be. Only thing than it is difficult to enjoy the taste that is in it.
But again they showed great French traditional food and it was good to have this and the Italian food in Sonoma without what has become both in California and Texas to much Chili.
So when the checked was paid, shopping for our travel, snacks, that is needed in the car tomorrow along with water. Almost ready, just need to  find the route home to Houston.

lørdag 23. juli 2011

A Saturday in Napa Valley


It was a bit strange today to start another day of our vacation and knowing the tragically happening in Norway. We just needed to hit the road and try to forget for some hours and we did.
We were thinking of do the Silverado Trial today and do the 29 on our way back home.

First winery we stopped at come suddenly, due to we had forgotten the recommendation from Chef Dean and his wife in Temecula. DARIOUSH (http://www.darioush.com), nothing like it in Napa I must say. Noted for its Bordaux style estate wines, implements old world labor-intensive, micro-vineyard management and new world state of the art technology to craft fine wines from its estates located in the appellations of Napa Valley. Under direction of Darioush Khaledi and wine maker Steve Devitt, precision and quality are of the utmost important at the winery.

Darioush Khaledi grew up in Shiraz, one of Iran’s prominent wine-growing regions. His father was a hobbyist winemaker and as a young boy, Khaledi used to sneak sips from the barrel; as a young adult he became a devoted collector of fine wine.
Darioush is the culmination of the worldwide search for the ultimate vineyard estate. The Darioush Estate’s ninety-five acres are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Malbeck, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay and Viognier.
At Darioush we tasted the 2007 Darioush Signature Chardonnay*Napa Valley. Fruit sourced from Darioush’s cool vineyards in Napa Valley, Oak Knoll and Carneros supports slow, even ripening which result in a wine that balance light acidity and gorgeously textured fruit. Cool climates with very little rainfall in 2008 resulted in their lowest Chardonnay yield this decade.

There after we sipped to the 2007 Duel. Grown from two designated blocks on the Darioush estate in Napa Valley and Oak Knoll, Duel is the idyllic marriage of two distinguished varietals: 60% Cabernet and 40% Shiraz. The finished wine offers unique attributes of both varietals; a rich chocolate core and earthy minerality is lent by Cabernet Sauvignon, while Shiraz reveals its inherent exotic spice and ripe red fruit. Good reasons for us to bring home a bottle.

Next stop on the road was Chimney Rock, crossing the street with the same name is to me a good enough reason to check out the winery. Nice building, nice surrounding, but not a mach on the wine.




When hitting the road again we decided to go to the end of Silverado trail, up in Calistoga we found the beauty of a Chateau.


Chateau Montelena (http://www.montelena.com), and we got the complete fascinating story by Mannette Diederich who today assisted behind the bar in the tasting room as we tasted 5 wines on the “menu”.

They have a great small lake in the garden bellow the tasting room and Chateau that original was build as storage for the wine back in 1882. We got the story about owners and not at least the Chinese couple who took over in the 50’s and created the Chinese garden where you today can enjoy your special event in some of the Teahouses at the islands on the lake.

Being in China last year we felt we were back to vacation a year ago.
I am not going into details of the 5 wines we tasted just the Zinfandel, Montelena Estate 2008. It is bright ruby-red in the glass with good clarity and intensity of color, the 2008 Zinfandel draws you in, delivering rich aromas of bright red berry, slightly earthy briar berry, alluring spice and rhubarb pie. All complemented by soft, well-integrated oak tone. Dried currants and ripe blackberry are accompanied by notes of fresh vanilla bean while the finish echoes the rhubarb pie from the nose.
We brought a bottle to our Inn so we could enjoy the evening with it, we were tempted to have a bottle of each of the other once like the great Riesling Potter Valley 2010, Chardonnay Napa Valley 2009, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2006 or the excellent Cabernet Sauvignon Montelena Estate 2007.

29 was the road back to Napa, we had some thoughts where to have lunch so it would fit in with a stop at Beringer.

For those who read my blog back from Marsh 9th know we met chief winemaker Laurie Hook than. We learned a lot from her with regards to the Beringer wines but at this time we were curious to have a look around and have a deep breath of the atmosphere at the place.

It was a great place for a Saturday or Sunday visit. They had many tasting rooms and to too packed even there was a lot of people around they had the space. I will do some more on the different vineyards later, so with this.

When we saw the new wines we had not seen before or noticed in the grocery stores back in Houston we was even more tempted to taste the low cost wines.
What about a White Merlot 2010

or a Red Moscato 2010,

good starter wines for those who are not too used with wine also the blend Premier Vineyard Selection White Zinfandel/Chardonnay 2010 was for the, but I enjoyed them too. Price range $ 7 and 8 US dollars.
The Red Moscato 2010 is a wine bursting with signature honeysuckle aromas of Moscato combined with delicious fruit flavors and a smooth and refreshing finish. Stated as a perfect for poolside sipping it is dangerous, we already talked about how to keep it cold when being there.
The perfect sparkling wine for a Sunday Mimosa is the Sparkling White Zinfandel. Created in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the first release of Beringer White Zinfandel, this wine has wonderfully bright strawberries aromas and flavors backed by a sweetness balanced with vibrant bubbles. Also a perfect for parties and gifts! ($ 12 USD)


My plan was to go to V. Sattui Winery & Italian Market for lunch, but it was so crowded with people that after having a look around I was thinking first of all to noisy for a tasting room have all these people around with the market next door.

 I am sure they have good business, but something important was missing for me to stay. Atmosphere was not as expected, but Ok their choice so jumped into the car to find the recommended Bistro by Chef Dean. Bistro Jeanty (http://www.bistrojeanty.com) was the name and lay central in Yountville. We found the larger parking and popped into the local market place with shops and a few restaurants, one too nice and it was just after 3pm so lunch was stopped and dinner not before 5pm.

Than we was sure to find the Bistro, walking along Washington Street we did see it, nice and ready with a table for two.

It was a long time since I had Escargots

so at this recommended restaurants when I saw it on the menu it was tempting so both Laila and I went for that as an appetizer. With Quiche aux Poireaux for Laila


and Daube deBoeuf for me,


yes we got dessert to along with a little bottle of Chateau du Rouet “Cuvee Reservee Tradition”, Rosé, Cote de Provence 2010.
This matched the Italian restaurant in Sonoma. Thanks for the recommendation; they have kept the purity of the French food, they taste to the mouth and as we could have the food melt on our tongue, it was just heaven again, in a way we have had it on special occasions on this vacation.
Make sure to visit this place if you ever is in the area of Napa or Sonoma it is worth it and not expensive either.
After an espresso it was to find the car and head back to the Inn and update us on the latest news and do the blog.