There are a startling number of wineries with abominable websites. It’s jarring when I know for a fact that the properties, the people, and the wines (for God’s sake) bear no resemblance to the websites. Dear Wineries, please update your sites! Like it or not, the website is often the first impression your business gives … Oh, you know this, and I am sure the plans for overhaul are in the hands of your capable designers.

Before illness struck, I was, at least, able to spend a glorious day just north of St. Helena with my friend and her boyfriend. We ate BLTs, drank margaritas, lounged by the pool–and then, later nibbled on the front deck and sipped some lovely wines while taking in a spectacular Napa Valley view.

Well, it’s been a cool summer, and we’re finally beginning harvest–my first harvest while working at a winery. Auspicious, I think, and definitely deserves a toast, once this cold has cleared.

Photo courtesy my iPhone

If you had only had 3 days in Napa to hit the wine scene, what 3-5 wineries would you put on your list, if your objective is to have fun, mix it up at unique properties while sampling (and of course buying) some good wine? Not looking for anything too stuffy, but wineries that reflect the Napavore vibe.

Pfft! Easy! I thought and wrote down a few favorites.

And then I realized that no answer I give is going to be satisfactory to all (any?) of my readers. There are hundreds of amazing wineries in Napa Country (never mind beyond!) and selecting a very few means I will leave many of the best out.

So before I share my list with you, two important caveats: this is by no means a Best Of and if you asked me the same question next week, I would probably choose a whole new selection.

My criteria? The list below represents a range of house styles and geographical location, and I’ve chosen this list for the people at this wineries–as much as for the wine they produce. An important note: most of these wineries require arrangements made in advance, especially during the harvest season. (With smaller wineries, harvest crush is an “all hands on deck” situation.)

Some wineries are larger, and some are itty bitty, but you couldn’t go wrong by visiting any of these wineries:

• Paraduxx: Located just off the Silverado Trail between Yountville and Oakville Cross Roads, this sister winery to Duckhorn is as easy on the eyes and the wines are lovely on the palate. Paraduxx produces a range of tasty Zinfandel and Cabernet blends (here’s the full offering). Note: Harvest Celebration on Saturday, October 9!
• CADE: Located on Howell Mountain, this gorgeous winery is one I look forward to visiting. That’s right–I’m recommending a winery I haven’t been to! Numerous friends and associates have visited the winery, however, and have assured me this is a place to see with great wines on offer.
• Schramsberg: This Napa Valley sparkling house is a must-visit–a true gem, nestled in the mountainside north of St. Helena with lovely, sparkling wines.
• August Briggs: This small winery just south of Calistoga proper packs a lot of punch. I joined a friend of mine for a wine club event a couple of years ago and had a great time tasting the wines and talking to club members and winery staff.
• Pride Mountain Winery: Don’t be intimidated by the winery’s location at the tippy top of Spring Mountain. The staggering mountain-top views and terrific wines are well worth the windy road.
• Behrens Family Winery: This winery is also located at the top of Spring Mountain with incredible views. The wines are great, and I love the label artwork, which reflects the wit and good humor of the entire team.
• Fisher Vineyards: The winery location in the Mayacamas Mountains is also remote (I wrote about my visit here) but I loved the spot so much–and the people were so great–that I really have to include this on my list. Unfortunately, I didn’t taste the wines much when I visited (another reason why I must get back!) but judging from the other guests’ enthusiasm, the wines are enjoyable.

So there you are: a few great spots which reflect some of the variety, adventure and great wine that can be found in the Napa Valley. A few more than the requested 3-5, but I couldn’t hold back!

If you’ve visited any of the above, I’d love to hear about your experience–or tell me about your Must Visit winery!

Gott's Chef Rick's tomato, zucchini and chevre tart--delish!

Are you tomatoed out? Good. Me neither, and I am totally inspired by all the tomato-themed recipes I’ve read these last few days. If you haven’t stopped by Away to Garden and Margaret’s tomato post, I highly recommend it. Great info, delicious links to delicious recipes and a meaty (in a tomatoey sort of way) comments section. Good stuff.

This weekend I am looking forward to catching up on mundane things like housework, fun things like reading (currently David Mitchell’s The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet–love!) and even funner things like celebrating Julie’s birthday by enjoying a Sunday showing of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding at the Napa Valley Opera House.

What are up to this weekend?

Photo courtesy my iPhone, snapped Monday evening at the Gott’s fiesta

Candy on the vine

And so last night I gathered with some of the Napa Valley’s most amazing for a Tomato Fest, courtesy Gott’s Roadside. (I know, I slip and say “Taylors,” too.) Experts Christopher “Landy” Landercasper (Garden Manger) and Rick Robinson (Executive Chef) treated us to a tour of the lovely, verdant Gott’s garden and a to-die-for meal.

Is there anything more perfect than a tomato plucked from the vine? Whether a sweet, little jewel of a thing or a hefty heirloom, I have to say: it’s difficult to improve upon a freshly picked tomato.

That said, I have gained a stout 5 lbs after sampling (no, devouring) Rick’s feast. (I adore exaggeration! God, may this be an exaggeration.) In retrospect, I should have daintily sampled each offering instead of snarfing it up. Well, live and learn–I bear no regrets because, kids, every bite was amazing.

What did we have? (Aside from mini tomatoes, fresh beans and bites of the sweetest corn consumed on the garden tour.)

Pa amb tomàquet: Essentially grilled bread rubbed with garlic, tomato, olive oil and salt. Heaven, should it exist, is as simple and delicious as this!

Gazpacho: I admit, I was hesitant. I had this once in Spain. In Valencia, no less, and it was overly acidic and not at all refreshing. However, the devil is in the details, and I believe I purchased that particular gazpacho from McDonald’s. Therein lies the problem, I am sure. This gazpacho–Rick’s gazpacho–was perfect: tomatoey with the perfect depth, consistency, acid. I would eat it again. (And I will because it’s on special at Gott’s from time to time.)

What came next is a blur (perhaps I had sampled too freely of the Bieler Pere et Fils Rose), but I think it was the Panzanella. Light, refreshing and full of flavor. Definitely a panzanella to keep around.

Then Tomato, Zucchini, and Chevre Tart: Perfection on a flakey, buttery (but not too) crust. Time permitting, I plan to make this for book club next week. (Ahem. Ladies, I call dibs!)

Scalloped Tomatoes: This, apparently, is a Southern dish. I lived in the South for four years during college and never encountered this amazing dish. Be assured that I am not calling Rick’s description into question at all; rather, I am calling my college experience into question. Simple with a hint of heartiness that’s so nice. (Recipe to follow)

Duke's Mayonnaise, imported via FedEx from North Carolina

Rick then surprised us with something he called the “Southern Kitchen Sink Sandwich.” Why? Because you have to eat it over the kitchen sink. (Points to me for not getting a drop on my white shirt!) The recipe?

Two slices Wonderbread (I know, I wasn’t allowed to eat this as a child, either) with generous smears of mayo on each slice. The ripest tomato you can find, sliced.

That’s it.

“Transcendent,” Rick said, and I agree.

Some of my compatriots couldn’t handle the mayo, and I admit–Duke’s is rich. (And amazing! And, again, new to me–not part of my Southern, college experience. What gives?) But this simple sandwich took me back to childhood, with grandma’s whole wheat bread and Best Foods mayo and fresh, hot slices of just-picked tomato. To this day, I grow nostalgic at the taste of mayonnaise and tomato. Sue me.

And then, as if we hadn’t had enough, Rick treated us to tastes of cheeseburger (or veggie burger)–with fresh tomato, of course. The burger has been revitalized at Gott’s, and for you burger fiends out there, trust me when I say this alone is worth your visit to your nearest Gott’s. (St. Helena, Napa or San Francisco–them’s your choices.) I was so full at this point that I was at the verge of tears, but I took a bite and was a goner. I et the whole quarter-burger.

Landy slew freshly picked melon, so I had to oblige–vanilla ice cream accompanied, of course. I (and my waistline) will never be the same.

Here’s Chef Rick Robinson’s recipe for Scalloped Tomatoes, verbatim:

A Southern Sunday dinner staple, slightly updated.

4 c fresh bread crumbs
6 – 8 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 c chopped parsley
1/4 c chopped basil
1/3 lb butter melted
butter for dotting on top
1/2 c parmesan cheese

• Melt butter and toss with garlic, shallots, basil, parsley and bread crumbs
• Place half of bread crumbs on bottom of large roasting pan, press down to form a crust and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes
• Layer tomatoes and bread crumbs until dish is full, topping with bread crumbs and parmesan and dotting with butter
• Bake at 350 until browned and bubbling

The butter content in this recipe strikes me as over-the-top, but then again, this is Southern. And delicious. And tomatoes are involved. Do it–don’t give it a second thought.

Important note: Beginning in September, Landy will be offering tours of the Gott’s garden in St. Helena – Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. Such a treat and well worth it!

Also, pay my friends a visit. They each have their own take on our enchanted, tomato-filled evening:

Napafarmhouse 1885
Inspire Your Lifestlye
Flourish
Literary Legacies
i heart napa
Media-Ant
Healthy Napa (Give Laura a warm welcome–this is her first blog post!)
Hedonism Ink (A second post for Deirdre; show her some blogger love, too!)

Images courtesy my iPhone.

Thursday afternoon I and my friends Julia and Julie drove down to the South Bay for the Swell Season concert at Mountain Winery. The weather was perfect–that is, much warmer than Napa–and we stopped by The Basin for an early dinner and cocktails. (The cucumber martini is perfect on a summer day!)

The concert venue was also perfect. Lovely intimate setting, great view, Blue Moon on tap. And the concert itself was amazing. We had good seats, above the right side of the stage. We soaked up the music, loving every moment of it, and I thought, “What a night!”

What a night indeed. Around 10:00 it happened, and unfortunately our seats gave us a clear view.

I don’t know what to say other than this is something no one should ever see, and it’s taken quite a bit to process such a selfish, disturbing, public act.

Julie and I saw the Impressionism exhibits at the De Young and Legion of Honor Friday, and that helped a lot–seeing what beauty the human race is capable of and the good that can live on for generations. Still, it’s hard to get certain images out of my mind, and disheartening how the brain seems to want to replay the events of that night over and over.

All this said, I look forward to the Swell Season’s return to California. I will definitely be at that concert and will splurge on center-stage seats.

(The Napavore will return in a couple of days with an exciting, Summer Fest post featuring my favorite summertime fruit: le tomato.)

Image courtesy my iPhone.

A couple of weekends ago, after catching a performance at the Napa Valley Opera House, I joined friends at Carpe Diem, a new wine bar on 2nd Street, right around the corner from ZuZu. The atmosphere was lively, warm and even (dare I say it?) hip. Julie and I decided to walk over to Bistro Sabor (a new eatery specializing in “Latin America’s favorite street food and snacks”) for salsa dancing. Would you believe it? At 11:00 at night, people were everywhere! It was a very “We’re not in Kansas anymore” moment.

One of Napa’s newest hot spots is, of course, Morimoto. And, no, I haven’t been. Just looking at the website makes my heart beat with the fear that this spot is somehow too cool for Napa. The interior shots make me want to splurge on an impossibly swank outfit and go there on a date. (Any takers? ) Ah, never mind. The girls and I will just perch at the bar one day soon.

Napa is a good place. I miss St. Helena and up-valley life, but Napa is worming its way into my cold and calculating heart.

One of those risks is that silence perpetuates silence. See, if one tiptoes away from her blog long enough, the task of catching up will loom large and insurmountable. For example, in this case, how can I fill you in on the last three months–on all the good and great things going on in my part of the world? (All those things you should go, see, do, eat, drink.)

I can’t, is the truth. So, to assuage my keenly felt guilt and to make the next post easier (the one where I dish), I am offering this transitional post. It’s a first step.

Be back soon!

“Perfect” is not too strong a word–especially on Sunday, when the old crew got together again for a girls’ day out. We started off with a Pilates class–the effects of which I am feeling keenly today. (It hurts to laugh. How sad is that?) We changed into stepping out clothes and piled into Robin’s baby-blue convertible VW bug. We zipped up Washington St. in Yountville looking very much like tourists (I even had a camcorder in hand) and went to lunch at Cantinetta Piero.

I like the cantinetta for it’s simple, delicious fare. The asparagus (grilled with a heap of something or other on it–pancetta is worked in there, perhaps parmesan) was wonderful. So was the burrata, the frito misto, the salad, the funghi pizza … the two bottles of prosecco. (Rachael joined us for our leisurely lunch, so there were four of us–and I don’t think we quite polished off the second bottle. Do I protest too much?)

After much eating and much conversation (during which we hashed topics such as men, flirting, work, the future, the past, the delightful present) Robin, Natasha and I sped up to Nickel & Nickel for a tasting and tour. We were given tastes of the 2008 Medina Chardonnay as we walked into the glorious air-conditioning. (Is it possible for Californians to forget what real June weather is supposed to be like? Apparently so.) There isn’t anything better than coming in from the piping hot outdoors and enjoying a refreshing pour of cool, delicious Chardonnay. No, there isn’t. (Unless there’s a pool involved–I won’t argue with you there. )

Yes, this is Chardonnay weather. I’ve never been a Chard lover, but my recent foray into the wine world has taught me a thing or two. Primarily, for my palate the key is no malolactic fermentation (cursory description here). If you are a Chardonnay skeptic, let me know–I’m happy to introduce you to the world of tastier Chardonnays. I was so inspired by the warm weather and that first taste of Medina Chardonnay, that after the tour and tasting was over (all great, by the way) I bought 2007 Truchard and Searby Chardonnays–one bottle each.

Back in Yountville, we bid Natasha adieu and decided we should grab a spot of java at Bouchon Bakery. Except we wandered into the Page Wine Cellars tasting room on a whim. And there we stayed for quite awhile–long enough to get a text from Natasha letting us know she was back in the city. If you haven’t stopped by Page, I recommend you do: solid wines and chocolate (Recchiuti!) and rock n’ roll!

By this time, Robin and I were hungry (again) so walked down the street to Redd. I hadn’t been in ages. We scooted into a bar table and people-watched to our hearts’ content. I realized that there’s something about all the natural light and simple, clean architecture of the building: everyone looks better. Even the group of 20-somethings at the bar with their blurred tattoos, poor skin and cautious eyes looked almost hip–if out of place. The food was so good–we shared crispy shrimp and each had fish tacos. And then coffee. And the bartender sent a few treats our way, so when we finally left, we had no choice but to waddle through the neighborhood a bit before driving back down to Napa.

Now that’s a day I would re-do, if I could.

Well, pictured left is an accurate representation of my Saturday afternoon. (This following a long walk along the Napa River and a leisurely lunch at Oxbow Wine Merchant.) What Memorial Day weekend is complete without a green, freshly cut lawn, ice-cold pool and ramshackle poolhouse? Robin and I sunned ourselves in those chairs and filled the table with cheese, bread, grapes and strawberries–and filled our glasses with rosé.

A pleasant afternoon, for sure, even minus the grilled eats–just the sort of afternoon that will carry me through this week’s mad prep for Auction Napa Valley.

(But I’m dying for a good barbecue!)

Robin and I took off for San Francisco to visit Natasha–recently escaped from the Napa Valley. We came bearing humble gifts: Robin, a bag brimming with the reddest strawberries (from the roadside stand along the Trail) and I, a leggy but fragrant thyme plant. (This was risky because if anyone would have a thyme plant, it would be Natasha, the consummate foodie. As it happened, she actually needed fresh thyme–shocking!)

Natasha lives in the Marina. (Cue serious jealousy.) She can walk to the waterfront, walk to any old restaurant or nail salon or Pilates studio. She can walk to a bus stop, too, thereby negating the need to fight traffic in her own car each morning. Napa this is not. And as we took a long walk (in the bright sun) along the bay I marveled at the young people.

Yes, I actually said, “Look at all the young people!” And then observed, aloud, that I sounded just like my grandmother, who I’ve often heard say, (with the sweetest smile on her face) “It’s so nice to be around all these young people!” Well, gosh darn it, it is. It’s nice to see loads of people my age. (Yes, imagine it, my Napa Valley friends!)

After our long walk, we perched in Natasha’s living room (which has a view of the Palace of Fine Arts and the Golden Gate–more envy!) and refreshed ourselves with Schramsberg Brut Rosé. And then we walked (oh the novelty!) up the street to Delarosa, a bustling restaurant and one of Natasha’s new faves.

I am trying to remember what we ordered … Arugula and fennel salad, I think. Tempura (after a fashion) asparagus. Eggplant caponatina (I looked that one up!) with burrata–except they forgot the burrata. (The dish was so delish, we didn’t notice.) Orecchiette with broccoli pesto–to which we added rock shrimp. Oh, and chicken, white beans and mushroom spiedini. This sounds like a lot, but the dishes were small–don’t despair. I want to go back soon. I’d look for an excuse to go tomorrow, if I could.

It just does this country soul good to get into the active, bustling, lively city scene. In fact, I’m meeting family for dinner city-side tomorrow night. What luck!