Gandona Estate: A Must Do Napa Experience

 

Manuel Pires has farming in his blood and is living his “Dream”. A Connecticut native, originally born in Douro Valley, Portugal, he made his fortune in guard tour and key management systems. The story of Gandona is rooted in transforming the land into something extraordinary.  The site is located on prestigious Pritchard Hill with 120 acres and sensational views of Lake Hennessy and the Napa Valley.  The winery was completed in 2010 and wines are barrel-aged in the caves located within Pritchard Hill’s rocky interior. Renowned winemaker Phillipe Melka crafts the Gandona wines. Wine neighbors include cult wines Colgin and Chappellet..

The name Gandona was Manuel’s grandfather’s nickname as known by villagers. He did many acts of “kindness” for the locals in his hometown. In English the word gandona translates to ‘humble man’.

Our hosts were Estate Director Peter Greerty and owner Manuel Pires. We began with a stroll around this heavenly property enjoying a glass of Rose Cabernet Franc. We then moved to the elegant tasting room with sensational views of Lake Hennessy.  Part of the charm of the tasting room in the winery is the black and white stone flooring patterned in a wave. It is a pattern that was inspired from 1849 in Lisbon’s Rossio Square. This wave pattern atlternates black and white waves composed of small stones cut and laid by hand by a team of craftsmen from Portugal.

We tasted the 2017 Chardonnay Encosta, 2018 Meia (95%Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon), 2016 Encosta (76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petite Verdot) and 2016 and 2012 Gandona (100% Cabernet Sauvignon). Each of these wines were crafted to the high winemaking standards of Phillipe Melka.  We completed the tasting with the 2013 Gandona Fraga Do Arco Port. It had the aromatics of black currants, raspberries and hints of herbs and licorice. We enjoyed all of them and took a bottle of each home with us

The wines reflect the beauty of this sensational piece of property. It is a ‘must do’ to add to your Napa Wine Experiences.

 For more information and to make a reservation go to:

www.Gandona.com

 

Sensational Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

 

We recently had the pleasure to travel to Sonoma and stay at the fabulous Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.  From our home in Danville, it is an easy 1-hour picturesque drive.

Upon arrival at the Fairmont Sonoma, guests are welcomed with a glass of perfectly chilled Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut from their champagne cart that is proudly displayed out front. It is a great way to begin a magical stay at this elegant Sonoma oasis. The iconic Hotel is within a 10-minute drive of Sonoma Plaza and Mission San Francisco Solano, 3.5 miles from Sonoma Train Town Railroad and 11.1 miles from Domaine Carneros.  The world seems far away which is the whole idea of this laidback yet elegant resort.

 

The resort’s 226 rooms are nestled in the trees and have private outdoor areas that provide for the ultimate in relaxation. The décor is Spanish Mission inspired style with dark wood, stone floors and warming fireplaces scattered around the property and in the rooms. The grounds include a pool with cabanas and a bar. The full-service spa has several different treatment selections including massages, facials and its own source of thermal mineral water.

 

Complimentary Wine tasting is featured at 4:30 in the lobby from various local wineries each day.  Food and drink feature prominently at the Restaurant Sante where we experienced an upscale dinner prepared for us by Chef Jared Reeves. Scallops, Blackened Cod and a wonderful dessert selection provided for a perfect end to our day.

 

The next day we played the Sonoma Golf Club winding through this sensational property. It was in pristine condition and had a variety of tees to challenge all golfing skills. The course was designed in 1928 by Sam Whiting, architect of San Francisco's prestigious Olympic Club Lake Course.  The Sonoma Golf Club was the former home of the PGA Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup Championship. The golf experience is set on 177 acres of rolling terrain highlighted by massive oaks, lakes and sweeping vistas, and neighboring vineyards.  Golf at Sonoma Golf Club is reserved exclusively for Sonoma Golf Club Members and guests of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.

 

For dinner, we enjoyed great food and superior service at the highly acclaimed Girl and the Fig in downtown Sonoma. We were not disappointed and enjoyed watching many ‘happy’ people strolling around the Sonoma square without masks.

 

In conclusion, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is a great place to enjoy a long weekend and break from the stress and rigors of daily life.  The service staff, accommodations, world class spa and restaurants are all first class. The staff is very friendly and makes guests feel very special.

 

It is definitely a ‘must do’ to add to your bucket list. The best part is that it is a short drive from our community in Danville.

 

For more information and to make reservations go to:

https://www.fairmont.com/sonoma/

 

Round Pond Estate: Rutherford Gem

 

Recently we had the pleasure of visiting Round Pond Estate located in Rutherford.

In the early 1980's, Bob and Jan MacDonald bought this rich, and fertile piece of 460 acres overlooking the Mayacamas mountains. Today brother and sister Ryan and Miles MacDonnell continue the dream of their parents, making world class wines.

We were escorted to the second story of the winery to the tasting lounge which is a covered terrace with panoramic views of the vineyards.  Our host was Victoria, who was born and raised in this beautiful part of the world, and generous with her wealth of wine knowledge.

Estate Chef Ryan Searl created an elaborate gourmet food board to enjoy with these fine wines. We especially enjoyed the ‘barely buzzed’ cheese that went well with the wines.

We started the tasting with the 2019 Proprietary White Wine that was a perfect blend of 73% Semillion and 27% Viognier. Next was the 2018 Super Proprietary Tuscan Blend with 54% Sangiovese and 46% Cabernet that was a medium body wine with an eloquent expresso finish. Finally, we tasted the 2017 Bovet Reserve 100% Cabernet with dark fruit and supple firm tannins recently rated at 97 points.

All of the wines were fantastic but we especially liked the Proprietary White and Super Tuscan and took a couple bottles of each back home with us.

Finally, Round Pond has their own Olive Mill where they freshly press the olives to produce wonderful aromatics and fresh flavors.  We took home a bottle of their Meyer Lemon Olive Oil made from their 2400 Olive trees gracing this spectacular piece of wine heaven

This winery is first class and a ‘must do’ to add to your Napa wine bucket list.

For more information and to make a reservation go to:

https://www.roundpond.com/