Never Say No to Napa

Napa is tricky for me. I’m allergic to red wine. My throat closes up, my migraines kick in, my tongue swells and sometimes bleeds. It’s not a pleasant experience for me, so I avoid more than a cursory sip or two. The big bold Napa cabs are like begging for me to go to bed in misery, so it’s never been terribly high on my wishlist. I’m a craft beer and cocktails girl at heart, but I enjoy a glass of wine now and then.

My mom and I went for my first visit to wine country five years ago for my 30th and her 50th birthdays. She rented a convertible, said she would drive, and I laughed since I’m twice her size and easily have quadruple her tolerance for alcohol. As predicted, I wound up doing the planning and driving, but we had a wonderful time. It was stressful- I collected hundreds of recommendations and was so obsessed with routing us efficiently, making reservations at the best places, and making the most of the trip. It wasn’t relaxing, it was a marathon I wasn’t particularly passionate about finishing, but we had a marvelous time.

We loved the Del Dotto wine cave, the great Gun Bun tour, bringing home bubbles from Domaine Carneros, a delightful trek to Duckhorn with my college friend Ben, Darioush to see the beautiful grounds, a marvelous lunch at the CIA, an overrated birthday dinner at Bottega, a quick snack at Morimoto (which we both agreed we would need to revisit because it was beyond good.) We enjoyed ourselves but didn’t feel the need for round 2 anytime soon.

That special occasion bottle of Domaine Carneros survived the trip home in my suitcase and was tucked away for a special occasion. My sister and I cracked it open when the 2020 election was called and we felt like perhaps the end was near for a racist xenophobe who put targets on the backs of every Asian American in a global pandemic.

Timing and wildfire season made housesits in Napa and San Francisco tricky, but everything worked out the way it was supposed to with my time in Sacramento. Napa is about an hour away and I made a quick fieldtrip when I found myself with an extra day. My last trip was agonized over, and this one was spur of the moment and completely random. Reservations are recommended, and in covid pretty much required- but somehow things worked out just fine for this solo traveler.

Mustards Grill has the most beautiful patio and garden, and after passing Domaine Chandon, I pulled over to try to make a reservation and explore their sunflower fields. I arrived just at opening so Chandon fit me in for their Adventure Flight, it felt appropriate. I told the host I was also into rosé, and two tastings also appeared. Their property is incredible, they have a regular rotation of exciting events and activations. I absolutely loved my experience. I really just wanted to drive around and enjoy the views, maybe eat something delicious, and take some photos. I popped into Peju, Cakebread, and Castello di Amorosa for a little walk around, full access to the grounds are only available with tastings. Honestly, it was a beautiful afternoon.

I made it pretty far north up the valley, almost to the Coppola Estate, which I was hoping to see, but I had to turn around to meet my sweet friend Ben for a drink. A fellow Texan, we met at college orientation almost 20 years ago. He went into music PR and decided he really loved wine and would rather try his hand at that. Now he’s a brand manager for an amazing label, and was kind enough to meet for a drink when I sent him a text that morning saying “Hey, I’m randomly going to be in Napa today. Let me know if you can meet up and I’ll plan around it!” We had the best catch up and conversation, I also left with some stellar recs. Locals always have the best tips, especially ones that have known you for half of your life.

Vintner’s Collective is in a beautiful historical building (formerly a brothel) and one of the most unique tasting experiences I’ve ever had. It’s like pulling up to a best friend’s house that happens to be a somm with very cool boutique winemaker friends that like to pop in for a visit too. They stop by, pour you a glass, and talk to you about the wines they are most excited about. Your host talks to you about your preferences and just starts pulling wine they think you’ll enjoy. It was $50 and I lost count of all of the amazing vintages I sampled.

I can’t help but visit Oxbow Public Market whenever I’m in Napa. It’s like a mini Pike’s Public Market or Chelsea Market. There are tons of fantastic vendors and great picnic supplies. I stopped in for this incredible charred Brussels sprout/cauliflower/caper/Calabrian chili salad at Live Fire Pizza and contemplated a few Hog Island Oysters. Ben and everyone at Vintner’s Collective had suggested them, but since I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, I wanted something a bit more substantial before driving home.

I have never regretted a decision so much so quickly before. I drove back to Sacramento to get some rest for another adventure day. I planned to drive practically to Oregon the next morning to cross Sea Glass Beach and the Chandelier Drive Through Tree off my wishlist. I remembered I had to stay to let the lawn guys in and pay them for their work, so I was heading out on a delay. I had The Chef Show on while working on a blog when Roy Choi and Jon Favreau went to Hog Island. I was kicking myself for not stopping when I was literally standing right in front of it the night before. I consulted the map, and it only added ten minutes to my drive to go through Napa, hit Hog Island, and added bonus, the Coppola Winery was also on my way north to Fort Bragg and Mendocino.

I arrived back at Oxbow Market’s Hog Island Oyster Co ten minutes before they opened and exactly two hours after seeing their feature episode. I grabbed an oyster sampler, thanked my lucky stars for miracles and mollusks, and went on my way for my action packed adventure day. I called Coppola to make a reservation before I left the parking lot and was told they were all booked up for the day, but I could still tour the grounds and movie memorabilia. Worked for me! And so did the winery, since they were able to find me a spot when I arrived. I had a wonderful time. The estate is gorgeous, the movie memorabilia is displayed wonderfully, and the portfolio was pretty good. It’s still not my favorite wine, but there white flight was pretty great and my cheapest Napa tasting to date. They really are living up to their tagline of wine, food, adventure. What’s not to like?

That pretty much sums up Napa for me. Bring me wine, food, adventure in no particular order, and I’m a happy girl. It really doesn’t matter what you do there, it’s all pretty fabulous. Just don’t stress about it. You’ll never feel like you saw or did enough, so don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself. Make a couple reservations, relax, and enjoy.