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March 13, 2013

Unique Winery Experiences in Napa

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Oh, how I enjoy Napa. Just like there is a wine for each palate, so is there a winery for each personality. On my first visit, I got to check out some pretty incredible wineries, but going back made me realize I didn’t even begin to cover the tip of it all. And truly, it would take a lot more than just a long weekend to check out the over 450 wineries in the region, all of them so different from each other and many with incredible stories to tell.

The following are some of the wineries, each with something unique to offer guests. Note, all listed tasting fees are as of date of this publication and are subject to change. Please check the vineyards websites for more information and reservations. 

Raymond Vineyards

Owned by the Boisset Family Estates, one of the world’s leading family owned wine companies. They have wineries in Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Rhone Valley, the South of France, and expertise in French sparkling wines. Mr. Jean-Charles Boisset serves as president and was a lovely host, sharing his family’s history and his growing vision for the winery with us.

Dressed in true roaring 20s fashion, we gathered in the Red Room, an area exclusive only to wine club members. It is an a sight to behold, with its red velvet sofas, curtains, and walls, lit with ornate Baccarat crystal chandeliers.

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There are several event spaces at Raymond Vineyards to cater to whatever the crowd, mood, or occasion. Whether it be the Barrel Room, the Gold Room (which I absolutely LOVED), the Blending room (where guests can be wine makers for a day), or the Crystal Cellar, which is the main event space, visitors are treated to a one-of-a-kind experience. As far as wines, Raymond Vineyards mainly produces Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, all of which I truly enjoyed.

Chappellet

Located in the beautiful slopes of Pritchard Hill the Chappellet Family has been producing some of the most celebrated wines here since 1967. We met and toured with second generation members of the family along the breath-taking winery, with views of Lake Hennessey.

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Chappellet_Winery_GirlGoneTravel

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This award-winning estate produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chenin Blanc. Visitors can schedule vineyard tours and tastings, as well as seated tastings in the barrel room in the fabulous main building inspired by Molly Chappellet’s love for pyramids and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Quintessa

The best way to start a tour of Quintessa is by going up to the top of the slope and take in the views of the pond and vineyard. Starting your tasting right there will immediately connect you with the estates’ ideologies and commitment to the land and the wines they produce. Located on 280 acres, only 165 acres are allotted for planting, leaving the rest of the property in its natural oak woodland state.

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Quintessa_Vineyards_GirlGoneTravel

Quintessa_Vineyards_GirlGoneTravel

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The commitment to producing “healthy wines” starts in how Quintessa honors and works with the land and its surrounding nature. This has resulted in multiple accolades and awards, and through the various events and tours hosted at the estate, community members and visitors can personally enjoy the Quintessa experience.

Palmaz

Julio Palmaz, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, found success in his medical career which led him to the Inventors Hall of Fame as the inventor of the Palmaz Coronary Stent. But his love for wine and dream for creating his own brought him, his wife, and their three children to Napa Valley, where every member of the family is currently involved in various aspects of running this refurbished and redesigned, state of the art winery.

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Palmaz_Winery_GirlGoneTravel

We met with Florencia Palmaz, the first-born of the Palmazes’ children, and an avid foodie (and food professional) and wine connoisseur. What I most enjoyed about this vineyard was in seeing how Mr. Palmaz’s love for technology and science has been passed down to his children, and how they all have been able to incorporate it to help maintain the perfect balances in the process of wine production, without altering the natural elements that affect what we taste and how experience the wine itself. It’s truly a remarkable process, and though I can’t say I understood all of it, I was quite fascinated by it all.

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Palmaz_Winery_GirlGoneTravel

Palmaz_Winery_GirlGoneTravel

Touring the property is also a lot of fun, and experiencing a tasting in one of the caves was a highlight.

Domaine Carneros

The Chateau at Carneros is the landmark centerpiece of this beautiful landscape. When I visited, it was beautiful, clear day and the views of the vineyards and all the surrounding greenery was stunning from the outdoor terrace.

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Domaine_Carneros_GirlGoneTravel

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Our group met with CEO and Founding Winemaker Eileen Crane, who also oversees and directs wine making and operational duties. She is an inspiration to female wine makers everywhere and a leader in the industry – meeting her was a true honor.

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Domaine Carneros was established in 1987 by Champagne Taittinger, along with partner Kobrand Corporation on this 138 acres located for the sole purpose of producing sparkling wines.  This is the same year Claude Taittinger selected Eileen Crane to oversee the planning and development of the property, as the winery’s first and only winemaker.

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In the beginning the focus was to produce just sparkling wines, such as their Brut Vintage and luxury cuvée Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs. But in 1992, the production of Pinot Noir was added and is a must try when visiting the vineyard. Visitors can also enjoy table service and tastings, and a small shop on site is available for purchases and delivery of your favorites bottles.

For more wineries to visit while in Napa, CA check out my Napa Winery Guide for The Clueless Wine Lover.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Wine Sisterhood Gathering 2013 and their sponsors during my visit to Napa, CA. I received no requirements or requests to review any particular experience. All the opinions expressed here are my own.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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3 Comments
  • Beduwen
    March 14, 2013

    Nice article! I linked to it from my own post about Wine Tasting in Napa Valley – http://beduwen.com/2013/03/14/wine-tasting-in-nap… Cheers!

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Beduwen
      March 15, 2013

      @Beduwen: Thank you! Your post was great too! I tweeted it!

      Reply
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Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a des If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a destination for you. This list of good eats were all within close proximity to each other and spots we made time for during our short weekend visit. So definitely note that this doesn’t even begin to cover the tip of the iceberg, but makes a good starter list!

📍@ShortStackEats in the heart of Downtown Madison is clearly a UW favorite. Loved their pancakes! We thought it was a pricey for breakfast, and only offered drip coffee, but the scene was fun, food was good, and service was friendly.
📍@SardineMadison is a waterfront French bistro that has stood the test of time (we’ve been coming here since we lived in Madison!). It can feel very corporate some nights, but their Happy Hour and brunch are definite highlights and it’s a really nice dining experience overall.
📍@EatattheAudrey impressed us! It’s not your usual “hotel restaurant” and I would say it easily stands alone as an eatery worth checking out in Madison. Great breakfast options, cozy vibes, nice bar, and good service!
📍@RamenStation1124 good, affordable ramen.
📍BlindShotSocialClub We really loved this spot for brunch (sorry, was enjoying the company and totally spaced out on capturing food images!). Golf fans will love hitting the putt here (you can reserve a private room too), and what I though was most cool was the delicious and wide selection of non-alcoholic cocktails to choose from. This place is a total vibe!
📍@StringsRamen is a chain, but I have to say it is some of the best ramen I have had in a long time. I especially loved how you can choose your ramen but heat level but also by Japanese region which allowed us to taste a couple of new flavors!
📍@Parthenongyros has been around awhile (hubby recalls coming here during his college years!) and was voted #1 take out in Madison! Though we indulged inside and away from the snow. A delicious, quick bite when strolling around State Street.

And again, this is just a starter list. There is so much more to eat and enjoy in this top foodie city! What other spots would you add to this list?

#madisonwi #foodiegram #foodiedestinations #goodeats @destinationmadison
I love to travel. It has always been important to I love to travel. It has always been important to my family. My parents got my first passport weeks after I was born. They couldn’t afford to travel like I do now, but they understood, as immigrants, the absolute privilege that comes attached to having that shiny blue American booklet and they wanted me to have it.

I was yet again reminded of my privilege when my travel back home on this last trip was delayed over 24 hours. I have a village in place to make sure my kids were ok. Having my own business meant I didn’t have to report in to anyone, and was still able to work remotely so none of my clients were inconvenienced by it. Though the airline covered our hotel and food, we never worried that we couldn’t do it ourselves otherwise. While we were annoyed, we weren’t stressed.

So while I love to travel, and I love sharing my travels with you, I acknowledge that being able to do so, and dealing with the consistent travel disruptions so prevalent today without worries is a privilege…one that started with a little blue booklet that gives me more access to the world than some others do.

And I want us all in this travel space to be reminded of this. Of how lucky we are. Of our privilege to access and time and money.

So let us travel with grace and awareness. Let us remain rooted in reality and perspective. Acknowledging that our escapism isn’t one so easily accessible to others. Understanding that this is also why local stories have as much value as those to exclusive destinations, if not more. And, never forgetting, especially in the travel influencer and media space, that were it not for hosted campaigns and paid-for travel opportunities, most of us wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle we so beautifully curate online.

It doesn’t matter how often you travel, or how far. Just that hopefully you will be able to gift yourself the experience of doing so and experiencing something new.

#travel #travelmedia #travelinfluencer #wheretonext
As I work on compiling all the good eats I experie As I work on compiling all the good eats I experienced in Madison, WI, I have to ask: what is your favorite meal of the day, and where did you experience a highlight of the same?

I am a huge fan of breakfast. This beauty was a blueberry pancake order from @shortstackeats. Pancakes are not a big thing for me, but these were pretty perfect. I am craving them still. 🥞♥️

#madisonwi #goodeats #travelingfoodie @destinationmadison
We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a qui We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a quick trip to Madison, WI - my first time back in 14 years! Though we were here for family matters, we did take a moment to explore a bit of what used to be a place we called home.

We couldn’t do anything else until we drove around Lake Monona, where we once had a home, and took in the wintery views (there is an epic 13.2-mile trail that loops around the lake that is worth exploring if you visit!). Though our time was limited, we were able to enjoy some of it along State Street exploring the shops, eateries, the FREE @mmocamadison, and the beautiful architecture of the WI State Capitol Building (the Dane County Farmers Market will soon pick up again - Saturdays, April 15 thru November 11, 2023 around the Capitol Building and it is one of the best farmers markets anywhere!). 

We booked a room at the @hiltonmadison Monona Terrace to be within walking distance of all the downtown fun (tip: for a room with a lake view make sure to book at the upper levels above 10th floor for an unobstructed view of Lake Monona). 

Madison, WI is a skip and a hop from the Finger Lakes so this short and sweet visit didn’t feel difficult at all. And we absolutely loved the winter scenery and seeing what has changed (a lot) since we lived here.

Stay tuned for my list of where we ate!

Have you ever been to Madison, WI?

#madisonwi #weekendgetaway #wisconsin @destinationmadison
The joy of that first sip of the day. #randommom The joy of that first sip of the day. 

#randommomentsarethebest
I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t be I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t believe how easily I’ve been waking up in the early mornings since our last trip. Not sure how to shake it, or if it’s temporary, but here it is: the rare sighting of me up and moving early in the day. Am I a morning person now? Has travel ever permanently changed any of your habits?

#morningperson #lifeinthecountry #newme <-😂

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