(I know…none of us want to go there) when we were so excited to take our executive leadership to Napa to visit our vintner and experience a sliver of the what the region has to offer. Traveling cancelled and rescheduled for July 2020.
We thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite highlights from our Napa adventures.
Let the Adventures Begin!
With mandates (and our spirits) lifted we were ready for our Napa adventures to begin. A special acknowledgment to United airlines for keeping our drinks full the duration of the flight and everyone in the industry for keeping us safe during such an unprecedented time to travel.
We were greeted by the California sun in San Francisco! After securing our rental car we made our way to The Vintage House in the town of Yountville where we would be staying the week. A gorgeous drive with rolling hills all beautifully lined with vineyards was the perfect “scenic route”. We highly recommend the Vintage House. Their lavish rooms are cozy yet sophisticated adorned with a bar, fireplace, and a patio that did not disappoint.
After a long day of travel, we strolled the manicured streets of Yountville making our way to R+D Kitchen, a casual spot where we were delighted to sit on their patio and enjoy cocktails and lunch.
Disclaimer: We knew the experience would be different being that it was in the middle of the pandemic, but it is important to note that everywhere we visited took extreme precautions and sanitation measures. All wineries we visited were by reservation and appointment only.
Meeting with our private Vintner and Wine Maker
Close your eyes. Imagine you have just opened a bottle of your favorite Cab, poured yourself a glass, lifted it to your nose and inhaled to capture all the aromas. The scent in the air upon stepping out of the car was profound and GLORIOUS! Our vintner, John greeted us with a warm welcome. He is personable, knowledgeable, and incredibly passionate about the Napa Valley region and wine making process.
Our space in Napa is not particularly as fancy as you may imagine it being. We saved that for Sapphire Creek Winery. The operation is housed in a large building holding hundreds of barrels of aging varietals surrounded by massive wine tanks. Each row of barrels is part of a sophisticated aging system. All our grape varietals are curated by the top growers in the Napa Valley and then brought to this facility for the wine making. John walked us through the intricacies of our process. The bottling station located in a cargo shipping container (really!) may be one of the most fascinating sights. This bottling machine is a one-of-a-kind piece of machinery – sophisticated and efficient. (My thought was the local engineer responsible for repairs is a gem and has total job security)!
After a fascinating tour and a myriad of facts it was time to taste.
It was so special to be part of this creative process. We have some beautiful varietals on the way and we were able to taste the first glass of our new Moscato which is available to you now.
We are lucky to have John and his small, but mighty team as an extension of ours. Without their time and talent there would be no Sapphire Creek Winery!