A few weeks ago my best friend and I traveled to Napa for a little girls getaway. I wanted to share our travel experiences and how we had such an amazing time! Napa Valley recently moved into the “red tier” which means businesses are opening up more and they can now offer indoor dining!
STAY
This trip we had the opportunity to stay at the BEA-utiful Vista Collina Resort & Spa in Napa Valley and it was a dream! Every moment of our stay from check in, to dinner, to the pool & spa, the fitness center, and everything in between until check-out was so great.
Every room at the resort receives a COMPLIMENTARY bottle of wine from Trinitas Cellars. The resort also has eight tasting rooms, an artisan grocer, and a brewery on site in The Village area. We loved the plush spa robes and all the amenities included in the guest room, including coffee, high-speed internet and a premium flat-screen HD TV!
EAT
During our stay at Vista Collina we had the opportunity to dine at the restaurant Olive + Hay which is located right across the way at the Meritage Resort. This Italian cuisine restaurant practices farm-to-fresh for a truly delicious al-fresco culinary experience in their charming outdoor courtyard. Our dinner began with burrata, house-made Italian bread with whipped olive oil, and the “big Italian salad.” Now when I thought I wasn’t stuffed enough, our waiter brought out the salmon special accompanied with a full pepperoni pizza. Followed by the pan-seared New York strip steak, and the lasagna. Needless to say I was so stuffed by the end of this fantastic meal, I could barely walk out of the restaurant!
The next day we decided to eat at the Vista Collina resort for lunch and headed to their artisan grocer on property, Five Uptown Grocery. Amongst the house-made pasta, locally-crafted beers, wine selection, snacks, and gifts lies the fresh made deli section. Let me tell you the honest truth I had the best grilled sandwich that day with fresh sourdough bread, thinly sliced green apples, brie cheese, provolone cheese, and sliced turkey. To say it was delicious is an understatement! We definitely went back to Five Uptown a few times throughout our stay for snacks and other essentials for our trip including their lattes!
WINE TASTING
Now, Pine Ridge Vineyards has been on my bucket list of wineries to visit ever since I lived in Napa and I would drive by on Silverado Trail, gazing at the winery tucked away in the hills in the Stags Leap District. Known for their beautiful wine caves and divine wine varietals in the valley, it was a great wine tasting. We began our tasting with their Sparkling Chenin Blanc + Viognier and to say I liked this wine is an understatement, I went home with half a case of it! From there we continued our tasting with a line up of their featured reds, including Cabernet Sauvignons, all fabulous. As a special treat we concluded our tasting with a sip of their brand “Fortis” and the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stags Leap District. A big bold beautiful Napa Valley Cab that awakens your palate to an incredible wine form this iconic AVA.
When I lived in Napa I had the opportunity to visit the Silver Trident tasting room in downtown Yountville a few times and each time I loved our experience. This time I was in for a special treat as they have recently started their Potato Chip Extravaganza wine pairing. The selections picked by their team from small potato chip producers across the country paired PERFECTLY with their selection of wines! It definitely opened my eyes to even more creative and unique pairings you can create to showcase the wine you are sipping. It was also a beautiful sunny day in Yountville, perfect for seating outside for this wine tasting at their bistro style set up in the heart of Yountville.
If you have driven north on High 29 in Napa, then most likely you have seen the stunning sycamore trees that curve beautifully over the main entrance to Peju Winery. The iconic and unique architecture brings such character and beauty to the valley that you can’t help but want to experience a tasting at the property! I have had Peju wines before, but this was the first time I was able to visit the property, and let me tell you it did not disappoint in any capacity! From a brief tour around the property to see the one-of-a-kind artwork, to our outdoor wine tasting experience with their welcoming staff members, to the delicious food pairing prepared by Executive Chef Nic himself!
Now I have driven past the iconic victorian style home and horse pasture of Nickel & Nickel winery too many times to count when I lived in Napa. So let me tell you, I was so excited to finally experience a tasting at their winery. It was just as fabulous as I envisioned, outdoors on the back porch of the victorian home was our table set with our wine selection for the day as well as cheese samples. To the right of our tasting spot was where their rescue horses roamed and grazed. We got to walk over and say hello and sip on our wines while they munched on their hay. If you know me you know my love of horses, so needless to say in combination with the fantastic wines from Nickel & Nickel, I wanted to stay their all day.
TRANSPORTATION
This trip would not have been complete without our favorite transportation company, Pure Luxury giving us safe transportation from winery to winery. Our experiences with Pure Luxury have always been next level and a great experience. We love the comfort of not having to worry about ordering a ride share or find a designated driver for the day. We are at ease knowing that Pure Luxury will have safe transportation for us and I recommend using this company for a great experience.
HOT AIR BALLOON
We were enjoying our time in beautiful Napa Valley country so much that we decided to extend our stay by another evening. In doing this we had the incredible opportunity to work with Napa Valley ALOFT for a hot air balloon ride! Napa is of course known for world renowned wines, but if you have ever had the opportunity to drive around valley in the morning then you have seen multiple hot air balloons dance through the sky. Choosing ALOFT was great and they provided a very safe experience with current COVID guidelines. A hot air balloon ride is truly a bucket list item that I totally recommend (as long as you don’t have a huge fear of heights!). If you decide to book your hot air balloon ride adventure make sure to let me know I recommended, I greatly appreciate all your support!
Cheers friends until the next wine adventure!