Sensational Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

Recently, we visited Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars winner of the 1976 Judgement of Paris. The 1973 SLV Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded the highest honor at this prestigious blind tasting.

This award quickly vaulted Napa Valley  to be recognized for making outstanding world class wine. It established  Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars as an international superstar.

This Napa Gem was founded in 1970 by Warren Winiarski. It was situated on 44 acres of pristine beauty next to a vineyard owned by wine growing pioneer Nathan Fay.  In 1986 he doubled the size purchasing the Fay Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard.

In 1996, he purchased a Chardonnay vineyard named Arcadia owned by winemaker Mike Grgich.

Mike was the winemaker at Chateau Montelena.  His 1973 Chardonnay was the winner at the 1976 Judgement Of Paris.

In 1986, a law suit with Carl Doumani owner of Stags’ Leap Winery was decided by the California Supreme Court.  The two wineries were founded in the same year and both claimed first use of the name Stags Leap.

The court decided  the wineries were named after the area and both were allowed to use the name. The judgement included that Winiarski would keep the apostrophe before the ‘s’ and Doumani  would keep the apostrophe after the ‘s’.  

In 2007 Winiarski sold the winery to Chateau Ste. Michelle and Marchesi Antinori for a reported $185 million.  It included the winery facilities and SLV and Fay Vineyards. The Arcadia vineyard was kept by the Winiarski family and provided fruit to the winery.

In 2023, Marchesi Atinori bought Ste. Michelle’s 85% stake and became the sole owner.

The Estate was designed by Spanish architect Javier Barba. The Fay Outlook and Visitor Center was built with stone gathered from the property and combined with sapphire glass showcases the serene beauty of the vineyards and Stags Leap Palisades.

The 35,000 square foot wine cave offers a memorable experience for any private event. The cave showcases extraordinary architecture, art and design pieces throughout the Arcade, Great Room and Round Room.

Since 2013,  Winemaker Marcus Notaro and his team continue the legacy at Stag’s Leap producing world class wines. 

We began our tasting with our passionate host, Patrick, and enjoyed the 2023 Elia Rose with a touch of Cabernet Franc.

We then had a side by side tasting of the 2021 Fay Cabernet, 2021 SLV Cabernet  and 2021 Cask 23. The tasting was outside in the members lounge overlooking the sensational vineyards.  

The wines were all very special and we took home a  couple bottles of the 2023 Elia Rose and a 2021 bottle of the Fay Cabernet.

In conclusion, Stag’s Leap has a rich history and a ‘must do’ Napa experience.

For more information and to make a reservation go to:

https://www.stagsleapwinecellars.com/

Little River Inn: 5 Generations Hosting Guests Wanting to Unwind, Play Nine and Drink Wine

 

When you talk about the top 100 Golf Courses in the world names like Augusta, Pine Valley, St. Andrews, Cypress Point and Pebble Beach are always mentioned and discussed. Having been on all these courses, one that should be included in the conversation is a 9- hole course perched proudly on the deep blue Pacific Ocean called the Little River Inn.

Recently, we had the pleasure to stay and play golf at this warm and friendly refuge. Cally Dym is a 5th Generation Innkeeper. Marc Dym has been Executive Chef for many years.  According to Cally, “The Inn sits on our original home built by my great grandfather Silas Combs in 1863. My grandparents Ole and Cora Hervilla turned our house into an Inn eight decades ago and the family is still happy on the job doing what it takes to make you feel more than welcome.”

Situated on 225 Acres, there are sixty-five ocean view and Ada rooms, a dining room and bar, and a nine-hole golf course with pro shop and day spa. The Inn also offers free lodging for kids 16 and under and will provide pet-friendly accommodation.  This is also a beautiful place for a romantic getaway, executive retreat, or wedding.

From our home in Danville, California, it is a 3.5-hour drive unless you stop at one of the many wineries in Sonoma, Alexander Valley, or Anderson Valley.

We took our time and began in Sonoma at Viansa. This beautiful winery overlooks the valley with an extensive gift shop, deli, and some nicely priced wines. The Viansa Italian Cherry Chutney is a must purchase. The winery also has a library that offers private parties, tastings and filled with some great wines. It is a wonderful place to celebrate a special event. We especially enjoyed their Sangiovese Reserve.

Next, we visited Jacuzzi Family Vineyards that offered tastings of a variety of pressed olives. We also enjoyed the Fig Balsamic Olive Press and sampled their various wines.

Husch was our next stop on the winding and picturesque Highway 128. The Husch property has picnic tables and a small wooden tasting cabin that accommodates up to ten people. We especially enjoyed their Mendocino Zinfandel.

Across from Husch was Roederer Estate. The elegant tasting room sits high on a hill and has panoramic views of the valley. They produce over 100.000 cases annually and we sampled their sparkling wines. We took home a couple bottles of Rose that was recently served at a White House dinner with the French President,

Our nicely stocked wine van was now ready for the balance of the Grand Prix like drive through the stately redwood trees. The combination of the various tastings and afternoon sun glistening through the massive trees was like being on the highway to heaven.

Arriving at the Little River Inn, a special feeling of calmness surrounds you as you enter the circular driveway of the moon Ray white painted Inn perched high above the deep blue Pacific Ocean.  The rooms are clean and spacious and the first thing you notice is the large windows with a fireplace, deck and rocking chairs to soothe your soul watching the beauty and sound of the ocean right out your door. Our room also had a refrigerator to stock some of our wine purchases.

Breakfast is served daily in the restaurant, and you can also have it delivered to your room.

The famous Ole’s Whale Watch Bar opened in 1939. When the bar opened, beer sold for 10 cents and scotch and bourbon for 25 cents Today the bar is famous for Bloody Mary’s and Martini’s.  It is also the best place on the Mendocino coast to watch for whales. It opens at 4 pm and is full of energy and feels like you were in a pub in Ireland full of lots of happy, friendly people enjoying life.  After some of their hand shaken martini’s, many claim to have even spotted some whales.  They have outstanding calamari, and a few other items to snack on before dinner.

Nearby the Inn is the iconic town of Mendocino with shops, restaurants, and the Botanical Garden walking tour. The tour is a relaxing way to enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Coast.

The Little River Inn Golf Course is a place where God would choose to play. Like everything at the Little River Inn, it has a colorful history. Ole Hervilla was watching Arnold Palmer on TV in the 50’s and decided a golf course would draw more patrons. He opened the course in 1957. It is an Audubon-certified sanctuary with deer wandering around the greens and blue heron, frogs, rabbits, raccoons, enjoying life in the pastoral setting of regal redwoods and pine trees. There are also 2 lighted tennis courts next to the golf course.

The challenging 9-hole course is friendly for all skill levels. It can play like 18 with 3 tee placements and dual greens on number 7 and 9.  Number 8 and 9 overlook the Inn and have a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean for a memorable finish. Green fees are $30 for 9 holes and $45 for 18. A fully stocked pro shop with golf carts, pull carts and rental clubs are also available. It is a terrific way to start your day at the Inn.

After golf, you can arrange for a massage to insure you look and feel great. The spa service is available from 10-5 each day and a perfect way to relax, indulge and rejuvenate your aching bones and tired mind overloaded with the high-tech communications in our modern world.

Dinner is served every night in the spacious dining room.  We enjoyed a great bottle of Rafanelli Zinfandel to go with our dinner that included clam chowder, rigatoni. fish stew, fish and chips, and a delicious fresh berry dessert.

We would highly recommend that you add the Little River Inn to your “must do” bucket list.

For more information and to make a reservation go to:

https://www.littleriverinn.com/