Saturday, March 24, 2012

Please critique my itinery...Suggestions welcome...

I%26#39;m heading to the napa valley area at the beginning of August and have thoroughly researched and planned out the days...please see if I blatantly missed something and please recommend different wineries and restaurants if I am making a mistake.





Day 1 - arrive at Old World Inn around 5:00pm from San Fran...dinner @ Bottega





Day 2 - Napa Valley Balloons til 11:00am



Oakville Wineries (Miner Family, Franciscan Estates, Robert Mondavi)



Lunch @ Mustard%26#39;s Grill



Yountville Winery (Domaine Chandon)



Napa Wineries (Hess, Artesa)



Dinner @ Allegria





Day 3 - Sonoma (Nicholson Ranch, Ferrari-Carano)



Lunch in Sonoma



Calistoga Wineries (Castello Di Amorosa, Sterling, Dutch Henry)



St. Helena Wineries (Rombauer, V. Sattui)



Rutherford Wineries (Mumm Napa, Cakebread, Caymus)



Dinner @ (Ad Hoc, Celedon, or Redd





Day 4 - Napa Wineries (Acacia, Domaine Carneros)





Is this doable...or too hectic? We also want to relax and enjoy ourselves...please help...THANKS!



Please critique my itinery...Suggestions welcome...


DRsMama,



I just posted a similar question for my trip next week. Then I read your post. The similarities are scary! I think that means we%26#39;re both on the right track.



I%26#39;ll post some feedback after I return.





PS. I have a daughter in medical school. Something else we have in common???



Please critique my itinery...Suggestions welcome...


Haha nice...please get back to me once you get back from your vacation. Let me know your recommendations!





And No I do not have any kids...I guess it breaks the streak haha





Have a good time




It sounds pretty hectic to me especially if relaxing is one of your travel priorities. Are you planning on just doing the tastings or do some tours? Mondavi and Domaine Chandon has some of the best informational tours. Castello di Amorosa is worth the $40 tour/tasting IMO.





Day 2. We did a hot air balloon ride earlier this year. We got up at 5:30 am so we can arrive at the meet up location by 7. I would schedule some nap time if you want to enjoy your dinner.





Day 3. Ferrari-Carano is at least an hour and a half from the Old World Inn and an hour away from the town of Sonoma. I think you%26#39;ll be able to do just one of the Napa wineries on your Day 3 iterinary. If you are having lunch in the town of Sonoma, I would spend another hour or two exploring the square. Ditto for Healdsburg if you plan on having lunch there instead since that is where Ferrari Carano is located.




Sorry. I thought your user name might mean you were a ';doctor%26#39;s mama.'; My bad.





On the other thread you asked about the cooking class. We%26#39;re not chefs, just people who enjoy cooking. The class is part of the program called ';Saturdays at the CIA';. Do a google search for ';Culinary Institute of America'; any you%26#39;ll find their web site. CIA is, arguably, the premier culinary arts school in the US.




Pretty hectic schedule. This is what I would do:



Day 2: I think the Napa Valley Balloons includes brunch at the Red Hen - you may want a late lunch.



A tour and tasting at Robert Mondavi will take 90 minutes per their website - and you really should take their tour- it%26#39;s only $25 -loads of history, they taste 3 or 4 wines. Try to get on the 11:30 tour.



Maybe by 1:15 you%26#39;ll be hungry for lunch?



3:00 Tasting at Franciscan (Hwy 29)and then 4:30 Miner (Silverado Trial)- end at Domaine Chandon (Hwy 29)- they close at 6:00



Dinner at 8:00 at Allegria



Day 3 - Carneros region



Get a boxed lunch from Napa General Store or Christopher%26#39;s Fine Food



10:00 Acasia, 11:15 Domaine Carneros, 1:00 Nicholson Ranch - have lunch by their lake; 3:00 Artessa; 5:00 Hess



Day 4 Calistoga



10:00, Castello Di Amorosa, 11:30 Sterling, go to Palisades market pick up picnic supplies - 1:00 Dutch Henry -picnic lunch 2:30 Rombauer; 4:30 Mumm Napa




thanks a ton...recommend any must try wines from these wineries?




The Pinot Noir at both Nicholson Ranch and Domaine Carneros! Try to do the private tasting at DC in the main room by the fireplace, a little more personalized than the tasting downstairs. :)

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