Caldwell Vineyard the "Maverick" legend of Napa Valley

In an effort to eat at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(700 and counting) and visit all 600 Napa wineries(300 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Caldwell Vineyard in Napa.

Caldwell Vineyard  is about a 45 minute drive from our home in Danville. It is proudly perched on 123 rolling acres of serene beauty and post card like majestic vistas overlooking the rich Napa Valley. The elegant wine tasting, done in the caves, includes a wide variety of cheeses, meats and crackers to enhance the wine tasting experience. It was 100 degrees outside the day we choose to taste, so the caves were a 'cool' way to taste the wonderful Caldwell wines.

Our host Cristina was very knowledgeable and passionate about the 28 different clone-specific grape varieties and the 23 wines that Caldwell makes. We began with a 2014 Sauvignon Blanc that was very refreshing and paired well with the Ewephoria cheese that was my favorite (Whole Foods sells it locally).  The 2014 Chardonnay and 2014 Syrah Rose were a great way to cool down from the sizzling outside temperature.  The 2012 Gold 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon was sensational and silky smooth. We also tried the 2012 Cabernet Franc and Tannat that is a favorite of many loyal wine club members.

Our favorite was the 2012 Carmenere that is deep in color, with tannins gentler and softer then the Cabernet, and is a medium bodied wine. This wine has a cherry like fruity flavor with smoky, spicy and earthy notes. Carmenere grapes have an interesting history. The origins go to the Medoc region of Bordeaux, France. The vines were struck with the Phylloxera plague and for many years the grape was presumed extinct. It was so good we took 2 bottles back to Danville with us.

The highlight of the tasting was when owner John Caldwell joined us. He is a high energy guy with a zest for life. His tales of how he smuggled many of these varietal vines from France is worth going to the website (www.caldwellvineyard.com) to read the Smuggling Story.  Caldwell is also one of the first U.S. wineries with its own on-site barrel cooperage that produces their own French Oak wine barrels. 

He said, "I love to be a part of the private tastings and share the interesting stories, love of the property and wide variety of wines." His passionate personality makes you understand the high quality reflected in all of his wines.

After the tasting, we enjoyed lunch at the nearby bustling Rutherford Grille where every day is like a Saturday night at most other restaurants.

There are no reservations and it is always full of happy foodies and wine lovers. When you enter the restaurant the smell of their favorite knife and fork baby back ribs gets your food senses tingling. They are served with cole slaw and fries. That is always my choice but all their food is great. They also serve generous pours of wines by the glass and reasonably priced bottles. The bar usually has open seats and it is a fun place to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere.

For a special cave tasting and great food, we would highly recommend Caldwell Vineyard and Rutherford Grille.

To make a reservation go to: CaldwellVineyard.com

Special Olympics World Games 2015 Opening Ceremony. By MJ McColgan "Inspiring Greatness"

Special Olympics has been an important part of my life.  It allowed me the opportunity to compete on a National and Global basis in the wonderful game of GOLF!  I loved the time I spent on the golf course trying to win the game by shooting the lowest scores at the many events that I competed in.  The favorite times for my Mom, Dad and me were the World Games. 

In 2003 we attended the World Games opening ceremony in Dublin, Ireland which featured many Irish stars including Bono and his band U2.  In 2007, we were in Shanghai, China and met founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver

shown in the picture with my Mom and Dad.  In 2011, we were in Athens, Greece at the same stadium where the first Olympics took place. All of these special places had inspiring opening ceremonies that will stay in our memories for a long time.

On July 25th, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games Opening Ceremony was held in Los Angeles.
at the LA Coliseum.  This is home of the University of Southern California football team and site of the first Super Bowl.  7,000 Special Olympic Athletes from all over the world were the real stars as they proudly marched into the stadium being cheered by the 100,000 happy fans.

It was a fun night for several reasons. Michelle Obama was there to open up the games.  She put aside  politics and was there for the athletes. She gave a great speech saying "These games show us we're all in this together and we can bring out the best in each other."   

A lot of great music was played by Mike D from the legendary Beastie Boys. It was cool that he was there. He was the DJ for the night. Stevie Wonder,Nicole Scherzinger and Jimmy Kimmel also added to the inspiring venue.  The fireworks show was spectacular as you can see in the above picture.

One of my favorite things about the World Games is I get a chance to meet a lot of nice people from all over the world. It is a focus on ability not disability.  It is about life not being perfect, but with hard work and confidence the athletes have a chance to show the world their abilities in the sports that they excel in.

When I was at lunch, I met a person from Ireland and she gave me a "Go Team Ireland" hat and wrist band.  It was a thrill since the first World Game I competed in was in Dublin, Ireland.

The people from Special Olympics are special people and I am honored to be part of this great organization.

Let the games begin.

Tokyo 2019? Will we attend? Time will tell........

Spring Mountain Magic

In a effort to visit all 600 Napa Valley wineries(300 and counting) and eat at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants(700 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently did a "Day Trip" to charming St. Helena.

St. Helena is the home of Spring Mountain Vineyard which is off the beaten path.  The picturesque hillside winery sits on 845 acres of beauty and is close in size to New York's Central Park. The 225 acres of vineyard extends in altitude from 400 to1600 feet and produces some fabulous wines. The owners aim is to produce wines that are immediately drinkable, but also age-worthy. The grounds are meticulously attended to among the caves, vineyards, greenhouse and gardens. The Victorian home on the property was used as a backdrop for the soap opera Falcon Crest of the 1980's.

Valli Ferrell, Public Relations Director, and Lindsay McArdle, Tasting Room Manager, were our gracious hosts. From the web site, "Winemaker Susan Doyle collaborates with world renowned French Bordeaux experts to craft both European-style wines with the subtlety, complexity and long life of France's grand chateaux as well as classic Napa Valley Cabernets."

Having recently been to Bordeaux, these wines are elegant and rival many of the wines we tasted in France. Our stand up tasting was outside followed by sitting in comfortable Adirondack chairs overlooking the serene and magical Spring Mountain property.

We tasted reds including the Elivette signature wine, 2011 Pinot Noir and 2008 and 2001 Cabernet. All of them were great but we especially enjoyed the 2008 Estate Cabernet and 2001 Cabernet Library selection. The 2008 is a full bodied blend of Cabernet, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot and delivers a mix of black and red berries, plums, cranberries with a chocolate and spice finish.

The 2001 was a blend of  85%Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot. Both of these estate wines were perfectly blended, rich and full of flavor.  We made sure that we took a bottle of each back to Danville to enjoy with our foodie and wine friends.

After our tasting, we went to downtown St. Helena and enjoyed  shopping at several of the creative stores followed by lunch at Market on Main Street that offered a classic soup and prime rib sandwich with a homemade cookie. The 100 year old Mahogany bar was also very impressive and gives a warm feeling to the bustling restaurant filled with happy patrons.

We highly recommend a visit to Spring Mountain Vineyard for a private tasting of their estate wines and to enjoy the elegant and peaceful setting of heavenly grapes and gardens.

To Make a tasting reservation go to:

reservations@springmtn.com

or call 707-967-4188 M-F

707-967-4186 Saturday and Sunday

Lake Tahoe American Century Golf Tournament 2015

July in Lake Tahoe is the place to be as the 26th American Century Celebrity golf tournament takes place at the serene and sensational and Edgewood CC.

The elegant and well manicured  golf course is a heavenly experience of unmatched beauty of towering pines and majestic mountains on the edge of the deep blue water of massive Lake Tahoe.

The ski lodge club house design is always full of excitement and has heavenly views of Lake Tahoe from the deck of world famous 19th hole Brooks bar. Some specials include Mahi Tacos and Mojitos while watching the golfers play the famous Lakeside 18th hole.

This is a special 3 day tournament televised on NBC filled with former sports heroes musicians and actors as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Justin Timberlake and current Golden State Warrior World Champion and NBA MVP Stephen Curry to name a few.

Even former Vice President of the United States Dan Quayle is a regular participant.

We have played in this pro-am for 10 years and enjoyed all of the various celebrities.  One year we won the pro-am with former Super Bowl Champion Quarterback and Notre Dame star Joe Theisman.

This year was also a special treat and new tradition for MJ's mom  Linda and our good friend Sue Acquisto.

On Monday afternoon before the pro-am, they played the course and enjoyed a perfect sun splashed afternoon of fresh mountain air.

They were beaming with joy and already have plans to do it again next year.

Hall-of-Famer and National Special Olympics Golf Champion MJ and I were paired this year with former Oakland Raider wide receiver and Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown.

Tim will be inducted into the 2015 NFL Hall of Fame this August in Canton, Ohio. He was a joy to play golf with and had some great stories about his outstanding football career.

We asked him if he had his speech written for the induction ceremony and he said he was ready. He plans on not using any notes and speaking from the heart. His mother, family and 25 former teammates plan on attending. He was very close to his father who passed away 4 years ago. He said, "I hope that I will be able to get through that part of the speech when I honor my Dad for helping me to achieve all my success."

Lake Tahoe rocks and we look forward to returning to play in this tournament next July.

It is an addictive experience and very fun to watch your heroes in sports and life try and play the difficult game of golf.

If you have not been, add this event to your bucket list. The pure beauty of Lake Tahoe is a joy to experience.

Hit Em Straight.

"On Top Of The World" Jules Verne Eiffel Tower

Recently my wife Linda and I and foodie friends Patti and Mark Kussman had the pleasure to experience an elegant dinner at Le Jules Verne located at the top of the famous landmark Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. 

Renown chef Alain Ducasse says, " a restaurant in the heart of the Eiffel Tower has always been a dream for me. Even today, at each one of my visits, I still feel the same emotion when starting the ascension to the second floor. I want to share this feeling of happiness and ensure that the experience at Jules Verne remains in the memory of everyone. More than a restaurant, it is a place of dreams and memories."  We made a huge deposit in our foodie memory bank as we enjoyed a 6 course thoughtfully paired wine and food experience.

The meal began with a toast of French bubbly appreciating our good fortune overlooking the fascinating city of Paris.
The white wines included 2013 Condrieu Rouelle-Midi Domaine Vallet, 2013 Pessac-Leognan Les Hauts de Smith and 2011 Chassagne-Montrachet 1 Cru Les Chaumees-Phillippe Collin.
The red wine was Vin Rouge Red Wine 2008 Saint-Julien Clos du Marquis.
The dessert wines were 2009 Sauternes Chateau Haut-Bergeron and 1989 Rivesaltes Gerard Bertrand.
The meal began with Believue-style blue lobster followed by preserved duck foie gras strawberry rhubarb gelee which was fantastic.
Warm white asparagus with citrus mousseline sauce was served before the roasted turbot two ways artichokes and both were soothing with the white vino.
The red wine was served with the delicately prepared and perfectly seasoned seared pigeon franchise fava and green beans.
For dessert we enjoyed raspberry rose contemporary vacherin and crispy tower nut chocolate from their factory in Paris.

As Alain Ducasse says, this is more than a restaurant, it is a place of dreams and memories." Our memories will be eternal from this top of the world gastronomical heavenly foodie experience. Viva La Paris!
For more information and to make reservations go to:

www.lejulesverne-paris.com

O'Shaughnessy Winery.. Napa Howell Mountain Magic

In an effort to explore all 3000 San Francisco restaurants and having been to over 500, my wife Linda and I recently traveled to Napa for a private wine tasting at O'Shaughnessy Winery and Meadowood for an elegant lunch.

The winery is located on Howell Mountain and sets on 110 acres of pristine beauty. Betty O'Shaughnessy Wools and Paul Wools are the proud owners of the estate winery. Sean Capiaux is the founding winemaker and has consistently made world class mountain and award winning big bold cabernets.

Our wine host for the day was Luke who was very knowledgeable and has been with the winery for 4 years. We began our tasting with the 2013 Oakville Chardonnay. Flavors of orange blossom, honeycomb and hazelnut cream was very refreshing and memorable. It is 100% Chardonnay and retails for $50.00.

Next we enjoyed the 2012 Howell Mountain Merlot. It's purple color and was powerful yet soothing on the palate with wild plum, black tea and rum raisin aromas. This sensational Merlot retails for $68.00.

We concluded our tasting with the 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2011 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon.  The 2009 is a varietal composition of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, St. Macaire, and Cabernet Franc and retails for $110.00. The 2011 is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and retails for $100.00. Both carry the O'Shaughnessy's trademark of balance and power.

We enjoyed all of these great wines and purchased a bottle of each for our trip back home. 

After our tasting, we enjoyed lunch at the world famous Meadowood Grill. It is a beautiful and winding short ride from the winery.

 For lunch,  we sat on the balcony overlooking the executive 9 hole golf course that was just renovated. The view reminded us of being in Lake Tahoe with the serene hills and well manicured golf course.  I ordered the Mahi Tacos Baja style with corn tortillas, manila mango and chipotle aioli.  4 perfectly seasoned tacos was more than enough food to satisfy any appetite.

Linda ordered the Cuban Sandwich made with braised pork shoulder, Kurobuta ham, provolone, Meadow Garden pickles, yellow mustard on perfectly grilled bread with fries. This was Linda's first experience with a Cuban sandwich and definitely won't be her last as she was all smiles enjoying each bite.

For dessert we shared an elegant cheesecake presentation that was a glorious ending to a great day in the Napa wine country.

For more information and to make reservations go to:

Click here: O'Shaughnessy Winery

Click here: Meadow - Napa Valley Luxury Resort and Spa - Napa Luxury Resorts

Maykadeh "Perfect Persian Pleasures In The City By The Bay"

In an effort to eat at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants and having been to over 500, my wife Linda and I recently had the pleasure to enjoy a special foodie experience with our great Persian friends Louise and Pete. 

Maykadeh is a Persian name that means Tavern. The ancient feel of the restaurant provides an old world ambiance of Persian tradition and a thousand year history. Maykadeh is located near the famous North Beach section of San Francisco. Chef Adolfo and owner Mahmood have been satisfying sophisticated local and visitor palates for over 30 years. The delicate, healthy, tasty creations are a pleasure to experience.   

We began our dinner with a refreshing Shirazi Salad that soothed your senses in preparation for a Persian feast. It was made with diced cucumber, tomato and onions and splashed with olive oil and lime juice. 

We also enjoyed the Greek Salad with organic hearts of Romaine, cucumber, tomato, feta cheese and olives and Baba Ghanoush. The Baba is smoked roasted eggplant with garlic and Tahoni and was fabulous. 

We decided to share these Persian pleasures and began our entree with Ghorme Sabzee which is a lamb shank cooked in finely chopped onion, leek, scallions, chives, herbs, dried lime on a Basmati rice crust that was tender and seasoned perfectly. It also paired very well with the VJB Cabernet we brought from a great winery in Sonoma. 

The food kept coming as the next entrees were the Maykadeh thin slices of filet mignon and boneless chicken thigh kebabs marinated in lemon juice, onion and saffron with rice and seasoned with sumac. These were slowly cooked to "melt in your mouth and softly seasoned to perfection." 

To complete this heavenly Persian food experience, we ordered Bastani (Persian Ice Cream) and Creme Caramel that would satisfy any sweet tooth junkie. To cap the evening, we all enjoyed a cup of steaming blended tea. 

The true test of the competitive San Francisco restaurant experience is simply would you return again? The  answer is a definite yes to Maykadeh as many have returned to this San Francisco foodie treasure for over 30 years and hopefully many, many more. 

For more information and to make reservations go to: 
https://www.google.com/search?q=maykadeh+sf&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari

2015 Masters "A Tradition Like No Other"

In 2006 our famous son MJ, National Special Olympics Golf Champion and Halloffamer, was invited to the 70th Masters. We wrote one of our 5 golf books about this great experience. We renamed all the holes and followed Tiger around in the third round of the tournament. Ala "Walking 18 Holes With Tiger" was written. This year we returned with MJ's avid golfer mom Linda and experienced a sensational Southern trip that began in Sea Island, then to the "Magical Masters" in Augusta and ending up in Savannah.

Some of the highlights on this trip that will be etched in our memory banks forever included 3 glorious days at Sea Island. We played golf at the Seaside course(there are 3 other courses) where they play the PGA tour McGladery Open that resident Davis Love runs, fine dining at many of their 9 restaurants, a tennis exhibition with  resident pro golfer Matt Kutcher and Venus Williams, learning about the history made in the George Bush's G8( top 8 powers of the world) conference room held in 2004, and watching the sun set over the Atlantic each night to the sound of the bagpiper soothing your soul. The spectacular resort is a only 1.5 hour drive from Jacksonville and offers something for everyone. It is great for family vacations and business meetings. I have attached an article for more information and to make reservations.

Augusta is a 3.5 hour drive from Sea Island. If you are not fortunate to be invited to the tournament or don't want to spend the money for tickets, you can submit your name in the lottery for tickets each year. It is an experience every golfer or non golfer should see one time. The colorful flowered grounds are immaculate, the food and drinks are 1960's prices(example 1.50 sandwiches and 3 dollar beers) and the history is unlike any other and full of tradition in its 79 year history. The tradition begins with famous golfers hitting the opening tee shot. This year Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus did the honor. They are all former Masters winners and have done great work on and off the golf course raising millions of dollars for various charities. It is an emotional and special tradition to begin this great event.

This year we had dinner at one of Ben Crenshaw's favorite restaurants Luigi's in downtown Augusta. It one of Augusta's oldest restaurants being established in 1949. It is a combination of homemade Italian pasta and Greek dishes with perfectly seasoned meat balls and a variety of pizzas. It is open every day at 5 p.m. for dinner. The patrons enjoy the walls with many pictures of special Masters memories. They have a collection of coveted Master badges proudly displayed at the entrance. There are no reservations but they serve you drinks outside as you wait for dinner. It is also across the street from the Augusta Museum. The museum is filled with golf history and pictures of former Augusta resident and rock and roll Halloffamer James Brown. As James used to sing, "I feel good" and Luigi's will make you feel real good.

The Masters was a special moment for former 2 time winner and Ryder Cup captain Ben Crenshaw. It was his 44th appearance and last time playing at Augusta. On each hole of his final round, the patrons gave him a standing ovation. He shot a 91 and 85 but was quoted as saying, "I felt like I won the tournament with the overwhelming and kind appreciation from the knowledgeable and classy Augusta patrons." 

Our Southern trip continued with a 2 hour drive to Savannah. This is charming seaside town full of rich history. You can take a 90 minute trolley tour that is highly recommended. Over 60 movies were made here including Tom Hank's Forrest Gump. They also say many of the old houses are haunted and offer interesting ghost tours. There are many great foodie spots to dine including Paula Deen's famous Lady And Sons. They require reservations and serve lunch from 11-4 and dinner from 4-10. They have a buffet of Southern treats that features her famous Southern Fried Chicken. She has a store next to the restaurant where you can buy many of her sauces and kitchen utensils. Her motto is "put some south in your mouth" and a food experience that is a "must do."

For more information and to make reservations for your Southern experience go to:

Click here: Mike's Green Grass, Corks and Forks: SEA ISLAND "A Place To Go To Soothe Your Soul"

Click here: Luigi's Restaurant | Est. 1949 | Augusta Georgia's Oldest Italian Restaurant

Click here: Amazon.com: Walking 18 Holes With Tiger eBook: Mike L. Mc Colgan, MJ Mc Colgan: Kindle Store

Click here: Paula Deen's The Lady and Sons Restaurant - Savannah, Georgia

Carmel...God's Home of Golf

Having played golf courses all over the world, many people have asked me what is my favorite place to play? In a simple answer, Pebble Beach is always first on my list. The problem with Pebble Beach is that is costs $500.00 to play the course. I would highly recommend that every golfer do it one time. If you don't have the financial resources, there are other options that are much more affordable in the area.

For example, you can play the Peter Hay Golf Course located next to Pebble Beach with fabulous ocean vistas. You can play this challenging par 3, 9 hole course all day long for $30 for adults, $10 for 13-17 year old juniors and free for under 12.  Rental clubs are available for $5. This is a fun track and ideal for families and all skill levels. After you are done, you can have lunch at the historic Tap Room at the Pebble Beach Lodge overlooking the world famous 18th hole.

Next you can take a short scenic drive to the Inn At Spanish Bay and order drinks sitting outside by the gas fireplaces to watch the Piper play the bagpipes as the sun sets over the deep blue Pacific. Having experienced both, "the Piper playing on the Pacific Ocean at sunset at Pebble Beach is better than Mass at the Vatican."

Carmel by the sea is a short distance from Spanish Bay and there are many affordable places to stay and enjoy in this refined and special town. Downtown Carmel is like being in a live movie. Happy people from all over the world stroll down the street breathing fresh sea air as they enjoy the many art galleries, restaurants and wine bars.

After eating at one of the many great restaurants, nearby Mission Ranch is a fun way to end the day. Owner and local celebrity Clint Eastwood is often at the Ranch. Last time I was there, he sang along with the many patrons at the circular piano bar late into the night.

After getting a good nights rest, there are lots of other golf courses to play. Two courses that are very interesting and affordable are Pacific Grove Links voted in the top 50 courses in America to play for under 50 dollars and Poppy Hills.  Pacific Grove is located near 17 mile drive and the back nine has beautiful ocean vistas on almost every hole. Two time US Amateur Champion Chandler Egan designed the first 9 holes. Jack Neville, who also designed the Pebble Beach Links, did the spectacular back nine.

Poppy Hills was one of the 3 golf courses played during the ATT professional tournament for many years. Famous designer Robert Trent Jones Jr. did a multi-million redesign that was completed in April of 2014. If you are a member of the Northern California Golf Association, you can play this world class course for under 100 bucks. If not, you can play for around 200 bucks which is a lot less than Pebble Beach and getting rave reviews from avid golfers and professionals. Five time ATT Pebble Beach winner Mark O'Meara said, "I think it is amazing. Nothing beats being on the Monterey Peninsula. It is beautiful. It is really nice."

The bottom line is that golf on the Monterey Peninsula is the best in the world. Spending a few days in the Carmel area is a great way to recharge your batteries, play golf at God's home of golf and soothe your soul from the rigors of the rat race.

For more information and to make tee times go to:

Click here: Pacific Grove Golf Links

Click here: http://poppyhillsgolf.com/

Mike L. Mc Colgan has been writing about golf, food, wine and travel for 20 years. He has written 5 successful golf books with his son MJ who is 3 time National Special Olympics Golf Champion and has been inducted into 3 Hall Of Fames. They have played golf all over the world. In addition, he also has a food column with his wife Linda and trying to hit all 3000 San Francisco restaurants and have been to over 500. His email address is lmccol3525@aol.com

Perfecto Day in Wine Country...The Vineyardist Rocks

 In an effort to eat at all 3000 restaurants in San Francisco and having been to over 800, my wife Linda and I recently spent a "perfecto" day in Napa Valley enjoying some great wine and food.

Our foodie friends Josie and Ron Hable joined the fun. We had the pleasure of visiting The Vineyardist Winery on Diamond Mountain in Calistoga on Petrified Forest Road.

My friend and Bay Area lawyer Dirk Fulton and his wife, Becky Kukkola, spent 10 years finding their perfect gem, a hidden 1879 Victorian farmhouse. The house has a fabulous renovated kitchen as a result of the previous owner, a professional chef.  The grounds are abundant with lemon, olive trees, organic herb gardens and spectacular and heavenly views. We enjoyed a wonderful tour from the Director of Marketing & Hospitality Mark Sherwood.  The 100 percent 2013 Cabernet is rated 98 by Robert Parker and a  worthwhile treat even for the most sophisticated wine lovers. We had a private tasting of their 2011 and 2013 vintage that were bursting with flavor and a silky smooth finish. Both of these vintages were so great that a bottle of each made it back to Danville with us.

We also enjoyed a lovely lunch at Sams Social Club in downtown Calistoga. It was named after Samuel Brannon California's first millionaire. We started with house made ricotta crostini with pepper jam that went well with our Venge Cabernet that we brought with us. Sams has no corking fee so it is smart to bring your favorite juice. Ron ordered the in house cured Reuben sandwich that brought an eternal smile to his face. Josie had the tuna sandwich that was also tasty and nicely presented.  I had the chicken soup with dumplings and thin crust pepperoni pizza that was  fantastic and large enough to take home for dinner too. Linda ordered their famous cheeseburger and fries on a homemade bun and said "it was the best she had ever eaten."

On the way home, we stopped at The Olive Oil Company.  This tiny white house at the end of the street from the former Tres Vigne Restaurant is a hidden St. Helena gem. The Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salami and pantone from Italy is something not to be missed.  This place has been around since the 1930's and a "must do"  to complete a perfect day of Napa wine tasting.

Whether it be winter, spring, summer or fall, the natural beauty of Napa is always a ball.

For more information go to:

Info@ thevineyardist.com