My we-won't-say-which birthday!

Yesterday I was lucky enough to go to the Napa Valley with a group of my girlfriends. It was just a day trip but it was so much fun! We got started out early and arrived in Rutherford around 10:30. We got started with our tasting around that time too. We started out at my favorite winery (thus far). It's called Grgich Hills and everything I've tasted from there has been delicious! I don't often buy wine but I now have two bottles from there. One from a previous trip and one from yesterday. They are a biodynamic winery and I find it fascinating. I got to chat with our pourer about it for a while and took some literature which I'll be reading up on later and hopefully sharing here.

I tried an old vine Zinfandel that is so so good. The vines are 120 years old! I also tried my first dessert wine. It's called Violetta. I have never had anything like it before, it was delicious.

After Grgich we went to Tamber Bay, another very good winery. From there we got a late lunch at Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Refresher) where we tried fried green tomatoes, and had more wine.

We picked up a few friends on the way and headed to Sullivan. The experience at Sullivan was great. It was very casual and we got a special treat. The pictures below are from Sullivan. 

This is Renee getting to taste the juice after the first or second pressing, I can't remember which. It was unctuous and still had pulpy chunks in it.

We got to taste what you see above. It was grapey and warm. Awesome. It's so neat to think of the processes that happen that turn delicious warm grape juice into delicious wine.

Eating grapes right off the vines

I have known this wonderful friend for more than 25 years, I love her.

So completely beautiful

cheers!

Hm, we didn't buy much wine...

Yummy, it smelled like rain and fermenty grapes

I'm so bummed that this picture turned out fuzzy. It would have been super cute! I had to share it anyways.

We had dinner at Farmstead in St. Helena. I was really excited to eat there and it didn't dissapoint!

This was a gnocchi dish. It was yummy.

I had chicken and dumplings, and surprise surprise more wine.

All in all, it was a great day! I love that I'm learning more and more about wine and I'm able now to discern what I like and what I don't. I'm not a big fan of merlot or of cabernet sauvignon, they are too peppery. I like most wines that end with a "blanc." Sauvignon blanc and fume blanc are some of my faves. I also find that I like some chardonnay's but it really depends on their flavor profile. I think if I had to pick a favorite red I'd say zin would be at the top of my list right now. I plan to go back soon I hope. I'll be adding to my repertoire.