Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Does wine count as a serving of fruit? :)

Last weekend my parents and Josh and I drove up to Napa for a day full of wine tasting! I pretty much grew up on wine because my parents absolutely LOVE it (as do I)! I would say we are winos but when I looked up the word "wino" on urban dictionary to see what a wino really was I got:
"A man on the street with no home, addicted to alcohol for example wine or beer." and "an ill-behaved or belligerent person who is psychologically addicted to alcohol." and even "A girl addicted to free wine. While intoxicated a wino will often spend their free time roaming aimlessly around the French country side and hooking up with guys in sleezy Paris hotel rooms. A wino can be identified by wearing a money belt".

So according to these definitions we are definitely not winos... we just like wine.


The drive to Napa is a little over an hour and it was an absolutely perfect day! Blue skies and 80 degree weather sure beats the heat of Arizona! If you haven't been to Napa you absolutely have to go someday... and I will happily accompany you too ;). It is so beautiful and so relaxing there... I loved it!

The first stop on the trip was Del Dotto winery. The wine there was so good... I think it was my favorite wine of the whole trip. While there we got to tour some of the "caves" that they store wine in. They are these underground tunnels (so the wine stays cools) lined with wine barrels. The caves were hand dug in 1885 and they have been used ever since. It's amazing how different barrel linings can give the wine a completely different taste.

After another stop at a different winery we headed up to a picnic area to have some lunch. On the menu was cheese, crackers, meat and fruit. The perfect snacks to pair with our day in wine country. At the picnic spot we had a breathtaking view of Napa Valley!!


View from our picnic spot

We couldn't complete a trip to Napa without stopping at Sullivan vineyards. Driving into Sullivan's was fun because you actually drive through the vineyards to get there. Sullivan vineyards is pretty small (it's all family run) and the wine tasting is done in the backyard of the house that the people who own the vineyard (The Sullivans) live. I loved the homey feel of the place! We sat under a hug tree in comfy chairs and just relaxed leisurely while we drank wine. It was the perfect end to a perfect day! I think I probably could have stayed there all day and we did end up spending about 2 1/2 hours there! The wine was pretty good (not as good as Del Dotto), but the atmosphere there was definitely the best!


Under the Big Tree at Sullivan's


Papa Sullivan enjoying some vino
(in a rocking chair.. haha)


Trying the grapes off the vine
(they were kinda sour, not what I expected)


The Sullivans at Sullivan's vineyards :)

The day at Napa was absolutely perfect!! Wine, lounging around and a picnic = my idea of a relaxing day! I can't wait to go back there someday (hopefully sooner rather than later).

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