Touring the Parents

Since it is the holiday, I'll make this one short and sweet. Plus, I had the 'rents in town for Thanksgiving an it was more of a tour-day for them. However, that did not deter from a wonderful day out and about some places that I was already familiar with and people that I currently do business with.

Anyway, a full day of tasting and dining in the valley...

We started at O'Brien Estate and met with my friend Bart O'Brien the proprietor there. They are a super-friendly comfortable picnic style tasting in the heart of Oak Knoll district where you are right in the vineyards. They are known for their 'Seduction' wine that is a Bordeaux style red that is ultra-delicious.

We moved on to Auberge du Soleil Hotel on the east side of Rutherford for a quick lunch. If you've never been to Auberge, it is a must visit if for nothing else the views. But, the food is always amazing and I had one of the best mushroom soups I have ever had...and I do not love mushrooms! I recommend the "bar side" for convenient and easy fare.

Then on to ZD Winery for a quick stop before our 3p appointment. ZD does a great job with their base Chardonnay and they are also know for their super high-end solera-style red called Abacus ($450) that they have pioneered and been making for 12 years mixing previous vintages with current vintage productions.

Our 3pm appointment was at Paraduxx, a sister property of Duckhorn that does almost exclusively Zinfandel blends. It is unique in both presentation and style of tasting. It is a very contemporary designed facility that serves you in an outdoor lounge setting under giant oak tree amongst the property. My favorite was the Howell Mt. blend of 65% Zin and 35% Cab...super juicy and delicious.

After taking a few pictures at the French Laundry for the folks, we ventured over to the newest property in Yountville, the Bardessono Hotel for the best coffee in town. This is one of the most talked about places in town as it positioned itself as the ultra-green enviro stamp benchmark for hotels in the future. Fully sustainable and taking in to account everything "green" from top to bottom.

We ended up the day the Rutherford Grill as toted our wines in with the "no corkage" policy and enjoyed a always consistent dinner with our own wines from the day.

I wish a Happy Thanksgivng to all and may you enjoy the true meaning of what this holiday represents.

Until the next sip, swirl ya' later!

James
Chief Wino