Wine Country

I haven't even done my last post of our Disney trip, and I am sharing our latest mini vacation!  I thought I had better do this trip while it was still fresh in my mind.  It's absolutely amazing to me how little I remember any more!


   We were invited to go to Napa Valley to meet some good "old" friends.  We have known Kathy and Mark since high school, and that was a looong time ago!!

I always love getting to the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge.  {a little scaredy cat about big bridges}  We stopped so I could get a picture, but I wasn't able to get the angle I wanted, but there it is!

Gateway to Napa!

 We stopped at our very 1st vineyard ~ never heard of it, but it was quite large and had a lovely gift shop.  We were able to buy some food and sit out on the terrace and enjoy a bottle of wine and the view!  Our friends are from Minnesota, and so they were really enjoying the 60 -70 degree weather.  We were a little chilly:-)

We stayed in Napa at a new to us place.  Of course, not a single picture.  But in all honesty we weren't there much.  We got up and got ready in the morning and headed into Yountville to have breakfast every morning.  It was a great way to start the day.  


Our first full day we headed to Sonoma and toured some wineries there.  These were 2 of them, they happen to be side by side.

We are members at Arrowood, which just means they send us wine about 4 times a year, and at the winery we got free tastings!  We have been to Napa a couple of time, and those tastings just keep going up.  We always share a tasting. {Bob and I} No one needs that much in one day anyway!

Arrowood

I just love the view, and the fact that the tasting room just looks like a comfortable family home.

This fire was welcome ~ kind of a dreary start to our day.  I also loved the "stuff" on the mantel.  Simple and pretty.

Hmmm, which way next???

                                             Oh ~ that way!

At the end of the day we ended up in a town ~ I think Healdsburg ~ and we did a barrel tasting.  That was new fun!  They just stick the pipette into the barrel and give you a little sample.

The next day was bright and sunny and I just loved this little spot out in front of one room.

On our second day we headed up to the Alexander Valley to find a vineyard that Mark remembered from a previous trip.  We found it, but it had changed names and was closed, and as we headed back to the main road we saw a sign that said Robert Young and pointed down another little country lane.

Well, you can tell we are children of the fifties, because we all said "Father Knows Best!"

Wondered if Jim Anderson was making wine in his golden years!  {and yes I do realize he would be about 150 years old by now!}

Well, look at that house!  Doesn't that look like a house the Andersons could live in??

                          Talk about a beautiful property!


The house is the family home and the property started out with plum trees.  At some point they made the switch to grapes and added this cave to store the barrels.  Wouldn't you just love to sit in this little courtyard any time you wanted?

We were the only people at the tasting room and the gentleman manning it that day spent a lot of time telling us about the ins and outs of farming and tending the vines.  It was very interesting, and they made a really good chardonnay too.  {and I don't even drink chardonnay!}

Another beautiful property.

I took this picture for my sister ~ she wants a rooster for her garden.  Sorry I couldn't fit it in my suitcase Amy!

Look at the view.

We had lunch here ... I guess some show about dives and diners {?} did a piece on them and it will air in the summer.  I had a ham and brie sandwich ~ yummy.

                            We ate amidst the antiques!

I just took this picture to show they grow something besides grapes in Napa Valley.

Our last stop was fun too ~ this was an appointment only place, and the owner himself took us on a little tour.

I just loved the name.

He had a little grove of redwoods that just needed a little cottage to make it perfect.  You know, for Hansel and Gretel or the 3 bears.

Can you imagine looking at this every morning when you wake up?

Lastly he took us into the cave for a tasting ~ that was fun!

Well, if you made if through all of those pictures I think you deserve a glass of wine.  We brought back a bottle or 2 and I wish you could all stop by for a taste!