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Lodi, Napa, and Sonoma

 

Rutherford Hill

Having a milestone birthday in 2020 is a bitch!  We had two cruises cancelled this year due to COVID-19, so when it came time to figure out how to replace my birthday cruise in October, we chose Napa.  Because... duh.  We visited many repeat wineries where we are wine club members so I will not re-iterate those again; rather, I will add the new-to-us ones in this blog post.

For those who haven't travelled here since COVID-19 started, here's a couple things that were different on this trip:

  • All tastings were by appointment only, no more than 6 to a group
  • All tastings were conducted outside with no tours
  • It was HOT but the smoke from the Glass Fire was gone
  • Restaurants were still at 25% indoor capacity, with almost all offering takeout or outdoor seating
  • Masks required all the time except when sitting for a tasting and eating
  • In Lodi, all tastings were done in a flight format.  VERY different than what we have seen anywhere in wine country, thanks to COVID.

Lodi (And if you haven't been to Lodi before - go!  It's what I imagine old Napa was like.)

Klinker Brick was such a wonderful stop!  This one REALLY blew me away.  The staff and atmosphere are very friendly and welcoming, and there is plenty of outdoor seating.  The wine is incredibly good, especially when you consider the price.  A $12 patio pounder (or pool lounger) that rivals my consistent, pricier go-to?  Yea, we added several of those to our friend's new wine club order.  Fantastic wine, very affordable - definitely a must-visit when in Lodi.  

Berghold - Hmmm, so this one is interesting.  The wine itself is good but a bit on the pricier side of Lodi wines.  It felt very wanna-be Italian garden-esque, and the clientele on the day we visited was of the more formal, refined category.  It was good, but I can take it or leave it.  

Berghold

Van Ruiten has a cute little courtyard patio for outside seating and the staff is friendly.  I wasn't blown away by the wines, and we tasted a LOT of them!  So if you are looking for something cute, swing by, but it isn't a must-visit.

Napa

Friends of ours are members at Vincent Arroyo, which offers a futures-based club experience.  They are known for Petite Sirah, so if you are looking for a lovely, inky splash, this is your place!  Jeffrey was a fantastic guide and tells the best stories!  He is so passionate about the wines and just makes you feel comfortable and welcome right away.  We enjoyed almost everything we tasted and brought home a bottle of the dipping oil, made from olives grown on property.  Folks, please give this one a shot!

Hagafen was our last stop heading out of the valley at the end of our trip, and gosh darn, it was a nice way to end.  The patio is so beautiful, the wine is just fantastic, and the atmosphere is serene and chill.  

Tedeschi is a small, family-owned and operated winery, with a small but solid offering.  Our tasting took place under the trees, next to the rows of cab.  Such a darling little place.  Ashley led our tasting, and we had the chance to say hello to Emilio.  Love the quaintness of it!  If you are up in Calistoga, you need to visit both Tedeschi and Vincent Arroyo as they are only 5 minutes from each other.

Sonoma

When one needs to eat lunch in Sonoma between wine tastings, what does one do?  Why, schedule a food and wine pairing at the Mayo Family Reserve Room, of course!  Is it as cheap as the sandwiches we bought from Safeway for lunch on the go a couple days?  Nope, not even a little bit.  But here's the deal - $70 for a 7-course food (small plates) and wine pairing, prepared by a chef that loves his job, is funny as hell, and knows his away around local and seasonal recipes.  John is super knowledgeable about the wine itself with just that little bit of narcissistic flare that accompanies most executive chefs that know their shit.  For those of you who have worked in hospitality, you know what I'm talking about.  We laughed so much, and just had a great time.  

Mayo Family Reserve Room

We were very plain-jane for food on this trip so the two notable places were Mustard's Grill for the pork chop (OMG) and Sushi Haku for takeout.


Don't want to read the rest of my blog posts about Napa, Sonoma, and Lodi?  No problem!  Here's a quick rundown of our favorites:

Lodi: Mettler, Klinker Brick
Napa: The Terraces, Peju, Rombauer, Honig, Conn Creek, Raymond
Sonoma: Campana Ranch, DeLoach, Buena Vista, Ledson, Martin Ray

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