In
an effort to dine at 3000 restaurants in San Francisco (800 and counting) and
visit all 600 Napa wineries (350 and counting), we recently spent a
"perfecto" day in Napa Valley enjoying some great wine and food.
We
had the pleasure of visiting The Vineyardist
Winery on Diamond Mountain in Calistoga on Petrified Forest Road.
The
original owner of the estate was Lorenz Peterson, a Danish born ship builder
from San Francisco. He lost
his entire savings in the Bank Panic of 1873 except for $2,000. He used that fund to purchase the
property. He built a family home that still exists today. The rich wood of the interior reminds
one of being on a ship. He planted vines and farmed, crafted and marketed the
wine which led him to the name of "the
Vineyardist".
In 2000 Dirk Fulton, a Bay Area
lawyer, and his wife Becky Kukkola acquired the Estate and selected two
of Napa Valley's best artisans to help bring their wine project to
fruition. They spent 10 years finding their perfect gem. The
grounds are abundant with lemon trees. olive trees. organic herb gardens and
spectacular heavenly views. A beautiful tasting facility is in the final stages
of construction and should be open within the next few months.
The Vineyardist Winery is an exclusive
"collectors winery". We enjoyed a wonderful tour from the Director of
Marketing & Hospitality Mark Sherwood. The Vineyardist Wine is a singular bottling of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon produced
off the estates seven acres of densely planted vineyards. We had a private tasting of their 2011 and 2013 vintage
that was bursting with flavor and a silky smooth finish. Robert Parker rated
the 2013 a 98 plus. We also tasted LSR Lazy Susan Ranch Cabernet which is a new companion wine and takes the
original name of the historic property and the estates younger vines. All three of the wines are definitely
upcoming star wines for wine enthusiasts to seek out.
We also enjoyed a lovely lunch at
Sam's Social Club in downtown Calistoga. It was named after Samuel Brannon
California's first millionaire. Our favorite was the house made ricotta
crostini with pepper jam that went well with our Venge Cabernet that we brought
with us. Sam's has no corking fee so it is smart to bring your favorite juice.
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
Info@ thevineyardist.com
