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.