Travel Tuesday – A Little More Napa and Sonoma Wine Country

When we travel to Sonoma and Napa, there are posts that come out of it, big and small, and then there are the random photos that I take that might not fit into a certain post, but that I still want to share. Every Sonoma and Napa moment is pretty special, if you ask me, and that’s what this blog post is all about on this fine Travel Tuesday. When we stay in Healdsburg, we often drive from there through the Alexander Valley, and it is a drive I always look forward to, especially in the springtime when flowers abound, long before we see even shoots in Boston.

This time on our drive from Healdsburg to Yountville, I decided I needed to stop the car to run around in the flowers, and my handsome driver happily obliged.

Our Napa Valley day including a very special tasting at Jessup Cellars, but it also included a stop at favorite Mumm Napa, a delicious and casual pizza lunch at Pizzeria Tra Vigne after a tasting at Handwritten Wines (post coming soon!).

We shared a salad and a couple of pizzas, including the Vespa, which featured chicken apple sausage, mozzarella, oven roasted onions, and spinach. Pizzeria Tra Vigne is the perfect, relaxed place to fill up on delicious food in between wine tastings in the St. Helena area. Another Napa Valley must-visit for us is Chateau Montelena. Not only is it steeped in history and the subject of one of my favorite movies (I know Bottle Shock is not all that accurate, but I LOVE the scenery and storyline nonetheless.), but it is a stunning property, and they make beautiful wines.

Wine club members can rent out these private little islands for events, and we are seriously thinking about it. I want my birthday party on an island at Chateau Montelena. P.S. Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay is incredible, but their Riesling and Zinfandel literally made me weak in the knees. Swoon-worthy wines.

Back in Healdsburg, we loved staying in town and being able to just wander around aimlessly, stopping at various tasting rooms, attending events, trying new restaurants, and settling in at new favorites. A quick stop at Hawley Winery’s tasting room in Healdsburg revealed a luscious, tropical, heady Viognier and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. A cozy, dimly lit tasting room was a nice respite from the bright and beautiful Northern California sunshine outside.

And finally, there was our night out at Cartograph Wines where we discovered the wine of the summer for 2013, their 2012 Rosé of Pinot Noir. It is beautiful, delicious, and made with love. Order some while you still can!

Random, but important moments are what make travel so memorable for me. I don’t need something fancy or long-winded to make a mark on me forever. These are the moments that are simple and easy, and that make me smile when I look back on them.

What are your favorite little travel moments?