Our merry band of eight wine-seekers are on a quest to discover the true "King" of the Napa Valley mountains. Of course, we know it will be a Cabernet Sauvignon, but there are many candidates from different mountains, vineyards, winemakers and blends. But this group is not easily daunted - we plan to leave no grape leaf unturned.
The plan is to visit four high-elevation areas: Pritchard Hill, Howell Mountain, Diamond Mountain and Spring Mountain. We have started the list of wineries in these AVAs based on familiarity, recommendation and curiosity. We will also visit other wineries off the mountains - these are mostly our "favorites" along with a few we have always wanted to visit but just haven't yet.
First step: Secure accommodations in a convenient location. We usually stay in one of the chain hotels. They are nice, but the experience isn't very unique. This trip we wanted to find a house to rent - we thought it would save us money and provide us a place to hang out, enjoy the experience of being in wine country. Ideally, we wanted a house with a view and vineyards nearby. Thanks to VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner) we found a great house on Howell Mountain, with a huge deck and... vineyards!! We are really looking forward to staying here!
We have been on many trips to Napa & Sonoma; planning the trip is half of the fun for me. This blog will be a way for me to chronicle the stages of this trip.
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