Love #7 I Heart Napa

And On the Seventh Day they Rested…

Well, not really.  Sunday was a special treat as Jeff & I kidnapped my sister and brother-in-law for a quick trip to Napa.

Took us longer then we thought to get out of the house and on the road, but once we hit the freeway, we were four giddy kids on a road trip.  Pretty comical as we all tried to figure out just the right spots to visit in a short amount of time.  Napa was our destination and Silverado Trail was our one stop shop.  Our list was long but our timeline short, so we focused on two tastings and emerged ourselves into the experiences….and boy were they one of a kind.

Napa’s Stags Leap Region awaits us as we hit our first stop known for their Cabernets.  They have hosted many a barrell tastings with my sisters friends and I can see why they all keep coming back.  The colorful vineyards welcomed us to the Cape Dutch inspired winery of Chimney Rock.

Owned by the Terlato Wine Group, a Chicago based family company- this place is a genuine find.  Especially when you have staff like GM/Winemaker Elizabeth Venetto, Richard Hurwitz and Mike Morf bringing the family feel right to you.  It is evident that this crew truly enjoys what they do everyday.  The place was bustling and they still took the time to shared stories about the days of old.

We leave one family inspired vineyard to enter another…but with a complete different feel…only minutes apart.  I HEART NAPA for it’s diversity. We enter the winery “Darioush” a Persian inspired winery.

This opulent property made a statement as you entered the grounds and it never stopped.  As we walked in, you get a feel of a hip L.A. vibe….who knew?  I am welcomed by Mark at Concierge who checks us in, then leads us to our private tasting area.   Pretty impressive from the start and it continued throughout our visit.  Kate was our personal wine host who walked us through the history and all the pours.

Kate toured us all over the property which recently hosted the Fiesta Del Sol, with likes of Donna Summer and Baby Face in attendence.  Everything from the Pistachios to the Persian mottos etched throughout the halls, this place was a day in of itself.  Darioush and his family live on property, constantly interacting with the guests and hanging with the staff, whom they all adore him!