Christmas in Calistoga, Part II

View from Joseph Phelps Winery

Our second day in Napa was all about food and wine-tasting. We started at Duckhorn Vineyards, which had a lovely tasting room, but the wines were not very good, even their reserve wines. Mark's nose wasn't working, so I had to do most of the discernment. Since Mark is much more knowledgeable about wines than I am, but since his nose was out of commission, I had to take my job very seriously, and took profuse notes.

Our next stop was Joseph Phelps. If you like wine, I HIGHLY recommend going to this winery. Joseph Phelps is famous, although we knew virtually nothing about it going in. Their "Insignia" wine, which is a red wine blend, continually gets 94-96 points from Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. And at $100, it is considered to be more affordable than other cult reds with comparable scores, such as Screaming Eagle. Also, their 2002 Insignia wine won the #1 Bottle of the Year from Wine Spectator for 2005. Meaning: it was ranked the best bottle of wine in the whole world for that year.

But we knew nothing about all of that. We meandered up a hilly road for a good 5 minutes before arriving at a large barn house in the middle of a pastoral scene. For $20, you get to taste 6 incredible Joseph Phelps and Fogdog (sister winery) wines, including their famous Insignia wine, on their beautiful outdoor terrace. The terrace has some of the best views of Napa period. The price of the tasting is worth the solitude and the view. The Insignia wine that we tasted was excellent of course, but for $100, just a bit too steep for our budget. We ended up buying their low end 2006 Fogdog Chardonnay and their 2005 Joseph Phelps Merlot.

Beaulieu Vineyards (affectionately known as BV) has been our consistent visit through the years. Mark collects their Beauzeaux red wine reserve blend every year, so we bought a case of this year's offering (named Fideaux this year).

William Hill was our final stop of the day. A friend gave us a wonderful bottle of William Hill reserve Chardonnay as a gift, and it was probably the best Chardonnay I have ever tasted in my life. We bought two of the William Hill 2006 Reserve Chardonnay.

What to Wear/When to Go

If you've never been to Napa Valley before, here is some information to get you going. Any time of year is suitable for visiting Napa, but I find Fall and Winter particularly nice times to go. February is a great month to bring a loved one because, not only is it romantically apropos for Valentine's day, but the vineyards are scattered with yellow mustard seed flowers, so it is very scenic. It is also warmer in Napa by a few degrees than in San Francisco Bay Area, so it isn't necessary to wear a coat.

Dress in Napa is very casual. Most people wore jeans, warm fleeces, and comfortable shoes. The light in Napa is so fantastic that everyone glows and looks beautiful, inspite of their casual wear.

Information for all Stops Mentioned:

NapaStyle
6525 Washington St.Yountville, CA
(707) 945-1229
Hours: Monday thru Saturday: 10am - 6pm
Sunday: 10am - 5pm

Bouchon Bakery
6528 Washington Street
Yountville, California 94599
Phone: 707.944.2253
Open everyday, 7:00am to 7:00pm

Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs Resort
1507 Lincoln Ave. Calistoga, CA 94515
Phone: (707) 942-4102
Spa Treatments: 8:30 am - 3:45 pm

Duckhorn Vineyards
1000 Lodi LaneSt. Helena, California 94574
Phone: 888-354-8885
Daily: 10 am -4 pm

Joseph Phelps Vineyards
200 Taplin Road St Helena 94574
Tastings are by appointment only (although you can sneak in)
tel: (707) 963-2745
Mon-Fri: 9 am- 5 pm
Sat, Sun: 10 am- 4 pm

William Hill
1761 Atlas Peak Rd Napa CA
Tastings are by appointment only
Phone 707-265-3024
Daily: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m

Beaulieu Vineyards
1960 St. Helena Highway Rutherford, CA 94573
Toll free: 800-373-5896
Daily: 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m