escape
Day 2
Give yourself some time to sleep in before starting another long day of vino exploration. If you checked in to The Embassy Suites Napa Valley Hotel, a complimentary breakfast awaits you. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, the sit-down affair turns to grab-and-go style, so ask the front desk when you check in what to expect. Once you’ve fueled up for the day, get in the car and drive to Clos du Val. The renovated space offers a modern tasting environment with rustic charm. Somm-hosted tastings allow for a deep education of the Clos du Val property, the wines sourced there, and more. The goal is to walk you through a line-up of wines the property is most proud of while also catering to your own tastes. Before you leave, peep the wine club here—it’s a good offer in a Valley full of them. 5330 Silverado Trail, Napa After you’ve loosened up at your first tasting of the day, head to Judd’s Hill Winery & MicroCrush to pay wine maker for the day. The wine blending experience is seriously cool. A table will be laid out for you with a collection of wines from the barrel ready for you to play winemaker and scientist, using beakers and measuring tools. A host will walk you through
the process, as you mix and match different wines together to create your own blend. After you’ve perfected the final product, give the host your blend percentages, snap a photo in the vines to adorn the label, and cork your own bottles to take home and enjoy. From start to finish, the experience is very hands-on, and allows for a break in the sip-and-talk tastings you’ll be enjoying most of the weekend. 2332 Silverado Trail, Napa For lunch, take a quick jaunt down the road to Silverado Vineyards (another place worthy of an overnight stay). The opulent grounds are lush and green, beckoning you to grab a picnic basket and sprawl out. Inside, staff puts together gorgeous baskets complete with sandwiches, cheeses, salamis, and accoutrements, plus a bottle or two of wine (depending on the package you pick) to uncork on the lawn. We can’t think of a better way to enjoy the afternoon sun in Napa, especially on a mild day. Don’t be shy, stay a while. No one will be rushing you off, and you can feel free to roam the property, glass of wine in hand. 6121 Silverado Trail, Napa
Judd’s Hill Winery
Silverado Vineyards
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JULY 2021 | SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
Clif Family
After you’ve headed back to your hotel to freshen up, and maybe taken one of those lazy late-afternoon wine naps, head to a late dinner at Brix Napa Valley. When the weather is nice enough, ask to sit outside. The big lawns are open to diners and, at the right time of day, offer a colorful sunset amidst a backdrop of the Valley’s hills. The menu here changes often so there is always something new to try. However, we dare you not to order a pasta. The house-made noodles and decadent sauces are the stuff foodie’s dreams are made of. But whatever you do, don’t leave without dessert. The chef makes a Meyer LemonTart—fresh lemon complemented by toasted marshmallow and a kiss of huckleberry—that will put you into a food coma before you can stop yourself from downing the whole thing. 7377 St. Helena Hwy, Napa