Raymond Vineyards; Winemaker For a Day Blending Experience

Recently we had the opportunity to be a ‘winemaker’ for the day at Raymond Vineyards. As wine lovers we have always dreamed of making our own personal “blend”. Raymond was the place to do it!

They offer a very fun blending experience that allows you to craft their wines to your own personal Bordeaux-style red wine from actual barrel samples. Once crafted you cork it, foil it and then attach the custom named label and voila you have your wine!

During the blending process we learned winemaker’s tips, interesting facts and techniques about getting the perfect personal blend and the shocking difference between the same vintage grapes barreled in American Oak vs French Oak.  We took a good friend to this blending experience and named our wine ‘Friends’. Our host was Joseph, who was very professional and knowledgeable.  Our wine was a blend of 50% 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% 2018 Merlot and 20% 2018 Cabernet Franc.

The great thing is that you can reorder your personal creation any time and also change your customized label for holiday, birthday and special occasion gifts.

Prior to the blending appointment, the Raymond Tasting Room Manager, Bill Farmer, gave us a wonderful tour of the eccentric tasting facility created by Jean-Charles Boisset. We loved the “Red Room” which took us back to the glamour and excitement of yesteryear with red velvet lined walls lit by Baccarat chandeliers.

Raymond’s wine blending experience is a ‘must do’ to add to any wine lovers bucket list. Plan a trip to Raymond with a few friends and create your own wonderful wine. It is a memorable experience.

For more information and to make an appointment for the blending experience or wine tasting. Go to: https://raymondvineyards.com/about/

Buena Vista: Established in 1857 California’s First Premium Winery

 

Buena Vista: Established in 1857 California’s First Premium Winery

Recently we had the pleasure to experience California’s first premium winery, Buena Vista. It is located in Sonoma, an easy 1-hour drive from our home in Danville.

The Buena Vista Wine founder was Agoston Haraszthy. He proclaimed himself as the “Count of Buena Vista”.  He was described as having a colorful personality, loved life and especially great wine.  Immigrating from Europe in 1840, he sought “purple gold” and founded Buena Vista Winery in 1857

Today the winery is owned by Jean- Charles Boisset another brilliant businessman and flamboyant personality. The Boisset Family owns a number of wineries including Raymond Vineyards in Napa which we are members. The original Buena Vista winery is now a California Landmark.

Our host for our tasting was Ariel.  She was very knowledgeable and proudly informed us about their extensive selection of wonderful wines. The ambiance for the tasting was very fun. We visited on Presidents Day and the outdoor covered tasting tables were full of people enjoying the wine and a soft rain that made it feel and look mystical.  We tasted their 2018 Reserve Chardonnay, Reserve Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Charbono and 2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. All of them were excellent and very enjoyable.

Our final tasting was the 2018 Sheriff of Buena Vista. It honors the ‘Counts’ role as San Diego’s first sheriff.  It is a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Syrah, Syrah, Grenache, Petite Verdot, Mourvèdre, Merlot and Mission varietals. We took 2 bottles of this great wine home with us along with a bottle of smooth and sensational Buena Vista Port.

After our tasting, we enjoyed a great lunch at El Dorado Kitchen overlooking the charming Sonoma square.  Fresh oysters, Seared Ahi Tuna sandwich, crispy French Fries, and warm churros with caramel sauce made for a great ending to a special day.

 For more information and to make an appointment go to:
 https://buenavistawinery.com/

A Napa Tradition: Cakebread Cellars

 

Recently we had the pleasure of visiting Cakebread Cellars. It was founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread. It is still family owned and operated and produces 150,000 cases of wine each year. Jack is still alive and his wife Dolores recently passed away at age 90.

The tasting room has been recently remodeled and has an intimate warm feeling with high wooden ceilings and large bottles of their great wine proudly displayed.  Jack is also an amateur photographer and has many of his photos gracing the walls.

We enjoyed a tasting in their outside garden overlooking their grapes on a spectacular sunny warm Napa winter day.  Our host was Gabe who was very knowledgeable and passionate about the wines.

We began with their famous crisp and refreshing 2018 Chardonnay followed by 2017 Pinot Noir, 2016 Merlot, 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2017 Vaca Cabernet Sauvignon.  We especially enjoyed the Merlot that was 82% Merlot, 7% Petite Verdot, 6%Petite Syrah and 5% Cabernet Franc. The Vaca Cabernet was also a spectacular full bodied rich wine We took both of these wines back to Danville with us.

We also tasted the 2018 Rubaiyat Wine. This wine is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 49% Petite Syrah and 1% Grenache. It was named for a famous love poem by the 12th century Persian philosopher/poet Omar Khayyam. The poem is written on the back of each bottle. 

A perfect bottle for Valentine’s Day!

After the tasting, we enjoyed a great lunch at Farmstead. Hog Island Oysters, pulled pork sandwiches and their famous beignets with caramel bourbon sauce made for a great ending to another fantastic day in beautiful Napa.

For more information and to make a tasting appointment go to:
https://www.cakebread.com/

2021: Sensational Spanish Bay

Recently, our family made our annual trip to our favorite place for golf, food and fun, Pebble Beach.  The COVID lockdowns make Pebble Beach an even more attractive destination as it is an easy 1.5 drive from our home in Danville.  We have been attending the AT&T Pro Am for many years. The Inn at Spanish Bay is always full of energy and excitement as many of the celebrities and players stay there.

This year we decided to play Spanish Bay Links. We have not played it for many years. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, Sandy Tatum and Tom Watson. It has spectacular ocean vistas on nearly every hole and very good value compared to Pebble Beach. There are a variety of tees for every golf skill level and the course is in impeccable condition.  After a day of fresh ocean air and sunshine on this Oceanside Links course, we returned to our room for cocktails and prepared to watch the bagpiper play at sunset. The piper playing on the ocean at sunset is always a ‘special ‘experience and great way to end a fun day of golf.

After the piper experience, we always go to our favorite restaurant Roy’s located at the Inn.
It is always fun to dine with the golfers and celebrities and enjoy an extensive menu of sushi, steaks and much more.  After dinner, a brandy sitting in the large lobby watching the waves roll off the deep blue sea and smell crackling wood from the stately fireplace is a great way to complete your day and soothe your soul.

We have been coming to the AT&T Pro Am for 30 years and the entire Pebble Beach experience and Spanish Bay Inn never gets old.

 For more information and to make reservations go to:

https://www.pebblebeach.com/golf/the-links-at-spanish-bay/

Jarvis: Masterpiece Wine Facility Built in a 45,000 Square Foot Cave

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting Jarvis Estate, in Napa. 

The entire wine facility is contained in a 45,000 square foot cave built into the Vaca Mountains. 

Founded by William and Leticia Jarvis, much of their vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon but they also grow Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and a tiny block of Tempranillo, a Spanish Grape Variety. 

The entire tour and tasting takes place within the cave. Some highlights of the tour include a beautiful waterfall flowing into a river channel in the floor of one of the tunnels running through the cave. You must walk on large stones over the small creek to enter the tasting grotto. The Crystal Chamber contains crystals imported from Brazil and large pieces of Quartz from Arkansas.  Another cavern called the Grand Barrel Chai, can also hold up to 500 people for special events. We especially enjoyed  the bottling room where wines are bottled and Reserve Wines and large format bottles are dipped into wax, making for a beautiful bottle presentation. 

Our host was Susan, who was very knowledgeable and proud of the Jarvis wines. Our tasting included 2018 Finch Hollow Chardonnay, 2016 Tempranillo, 2014 Cabernet Franc, 2014 Merlot, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2014 Lake William Blend. We especially enjoyed the unfiltered Chardonnay and Lake William blend that went back to Danville with us. Both bottles were also dipped in wax that added class to their eloquent and excellent taste. 

Finally, Jarvis also offers a program to make your own wine from their vineyard grapes. You can choose from a half or full barrel, guided through the aging process then bottled with your customized label. It makes a great addition to your wine cellar and a ‘perfect ‘gift for your wine lover friends.

Jarvis only make 5,000 cases of wine per year, all from 37 acres of vines on a 1,300 acre estate.  The Jarvis wines are only available at the winery or through the Inner Circle membership program.

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In conclusion, this winery is a ‘must do’ to add to your Napa bucket list.

 

For more information and to make an appointment go to: https://www.jarviswines.com/

Yountville Gem: Goosecross Vineyards

Recently, we had the opportunity to visit Goosecross Vineyards in charming Yountville. Owner Christi Coors Ficeli has a 5-generation legacy of brewing beer with her Coors family roots. Her love of wine is clearly her passion creating world class wines with renown winemaker Bill Nancarrow. Although the winery has been in existence since the 70’s, Christi brought new life to it when she purchased it In 2013 and opened in 2015.

 

Today our host was Ari who shared his knowledge of these wines on the outdoor terrace of this great winery. We began our tasting with the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc chilled, refreshing and crisp. We then enjoyed the 2019 Rose for Lucy named after Christi’s daughter. The 2017 Pinot Noir boasting a dark Ruby color was also fantastic. We concluded our tasting with the 2016 State lLine Cabernet Sauvignon and 2015 Summit Selection powerful Petite Sirah. We especially liked the Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Petite Sirah and took bottles of each back home to Danville. 

We would highly recommend a visit to this ‘Yountville Gem’. For more information and to make an appointment go to: http://goosecross.com/vineyards/

Atelier Crenn: 3 Star Michelin Experience in San Francisco

In Cow Hollow, San Francisco, Atelier Crenn is a restaurant in the city that had our curiosity peeked. Based on the concept of Poetic Culinaria, we looked forward to experiencing what the The World’s “Best” Female Chef served.

The meal began with a Happy Birthday card personally signed by chef Dominique Crenn.  She also came to our table and introduced herself before our dinner. She is a worldly person who grows her fresh produce from her 4 acre farm located in Sonoma.

Our attentive server Antoine then presented us with a ‘poem’ that described each of the entrees that read:

 “Summer has come with its cool breeze

By the shimmer of black pearls, tumbling in the ashen cloud

See-the efflorescing beauty with rosy cheeks rises

And summer star’s glow, though hidden in the summer gray

As delicate creatures of green and blue surface to bloom

For the verdant bounty of the gatherer’s harvest in caring hands

Gleaming through the canopy, an orb so felicitous and splendid

Summer has come and is full of sweet surprises

Sweetness, bounty, thanks.”

The tasting menu was served outside the restaurant on the terrace that included a Kir Breton, white sturgeon caviar tart with gold essence, miyagi oyster with smoked crème fraiche, tomatoes served on top of a tomato sorbet with nori, trout mousse with bread soaked in squid ink and brioche with house-cultured butter.  All the dishes were perfectly balanced and paired beautifully with the wines. Service was beyond outstanding.

Dominique Crenn moved to San Francisco in 1988 and loved the city. She made her name at Luce in the Intercontinental Hotel, where she earned her first Michelin star.  In 2012 she became the first female chef in the US to achieve 2 stars.  In 2016 she was voted as The Worlds Best Female Chef and in 2018 Atelier Crenn earned the three Michelin stars.

In conclusion, we would highly recommend this restaurant for a very special occasion. It is no wonder that Dominique has a 3-star Michelin rating.  

For more information and to make a reservation go to: https://www.ateliercrenn.com

Pebble Beach Golf 2020: Spanish Bay Inn, Piper, Roy’s Restaurant and More

Recently we had the pleasure to return to Pebble Beach and celebrate our birthdays at ‘Gods Home of Golf’ Pebble Beach. We have a rich memory bank of experiences at this special place.  AT&T’s, US Opens, US Amateur and playing Pebble Beach is one of the greatest experiences in golf.

We always stay at Spanish Bay and enjoy the entire experience. General Manager, Rod Schinnerer runs a ‘first class’ operation.  The oceanfront Inn features world class service, pool, spa, tennis and restaurants.  We especially enjoy sitting by the fire pits on the oceanfront patio bar watching the piper play ‘Amazing Grace’ every night at sunset. Our son MJ is also a great photographer and captured a world class picture of the ‘piper‘ playing a few years ago.

This ‘piper’ experience never gets old and is a great way to relax before going to dinner at famous Roy’s restaurant.  Roy’s is one of our favorite restaurants and offers a variety of sushi creations and steaks from their open kitchen overlooking the ocean.  Last year our favorite chef Thomas Keller was enjoying dinner next to our table. He is also an avid golfer and plays in the AT&T Pro Am.

If you are staying at the Inn, you can also play golf at some of the ‘best’ courses in the world.  Spanish Bay has a challenging links course and for special occasions you can also play Spyglass Hill or famous Pebble Beach. If you are a NCGA member, you can get a great rate at nearby Poppy Hills.  Pebble Beach recently held the US Open and US Amateur.
It is a special experience of ultimate beauty and ‘rich‘ history that ‘every’ avid golfer should do one time.

The new Tiger Woods designed and former Peter Hay short course is slated to open in 2021. It will feature some challenging holes including a copy hole of famous par 3, number 7, on the Pebble Beach course.

After your day playing Pebble Beach, we highly recommend going to the legendary Tap Room.

The Tap Room is rated as one of the most famous 19th holes in the world. You never know what famous people you may see there. The food is great and it is a fun place to discuss your ‘great‘ golf shots and ‘missed‘ putts. Enjoying an ice-cold Guinness or glass of your favorite wine, Kobe burgers and coconut cake is a fabulous ending to your Pebble Beach golf experience.

To conclude your Pebble Beach experience, we recommend that you visit the charming town of nearby Carmel.  It has a variety of restaurants, inns, art galleries and full of happy people from all over the world smiling and walking their dogs.

We especially enjoy ‘Katy’s Place’ for breakfast which features the famous sportscaster and local resident Jim Nantz ‘Augusta Special’ as well as a variety of other sensational selections.

In conclusion, Pebble Beach is a ‘must do’ bucket list experience. We look forward to returning soon.

For more information and to make reservations go to:

https://www.pebblebeach.com/accommodations/the-inn-at-spanish-bay/ 

Raymond Vineyards and John Legend Making Great Wine

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena.  The late Roy Raymond Sr., who founded the winery in the 70’s with his sons, has a long history in Napa Valley dating back multiple generations to the 1930’s. In 2009, Raymond sold the winery to the well-regarded Boisset Family from Burgundy, France. Jean-Charles Boisset, president of Boisset Family Estates, owns several prominent wineries in the Napa/Sonoma region including California’s oldest winery, Buena Vista and Pinot Noir producer, De Loach Vineyards (both in Sonoma County). Jean-Charles is also married to one of California’s most recognizable winery families – the Gallo family. His wife is Gina Gallo and they own the home that Robert & Margrit Mondavi used to live in. Under his vision, Raymond has become a leading producer of luxury fine wines earning “Winery of the Year” honors from Wine Enthusiast magazine.

In 2015, Raymond partnered with Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe singer John Legend to create LVE=Legend Vineyard Exclusive collection of wines. John Legend’s friendship with Jean-Charles led him to become devoted to the art of winemaking. Raymond now makes 6 wines under the LVE label.

Our knowledgeable and energetic hosts were Ryan and Tasting Room Manager, Bill Farmer.  We enjoyed listening to the rich history of this winery as we sampled a variety of ‘reds’ outside in their heavenly and spacious gardens due to the Covid 19 rules.

Raymond has a great selection of white wines, but our preference led us to taste the vast collection of red wines. We did try the Chardonnay($45) which had tastes of caramelized butter and almond with a hint of citrus zest on this sensational sun splashed summer day.

We were especially impressed with the 2016 LVE(Legend Vineyard Exclusive)red blend($50), 2015 Merlot($40) and 2015 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($108).

We took all of these wines with us back to our home in Danville. We also joined their wine club and look forward to their parties, dinners and sharing this ‘great’ juice with our wine lover friends.

For lunch, we enjoyed deviled eggs and St. Louis barbecued ribs at Farmstead Restaurant with their cheese biscuits. We could never finish without ordering their famous beignets with warm bourbon caramel sauce which is a ‘must do’’ for dessert.

Napa rocks and the vines look very healthy. According to Bill Farmer from Raymond Vineyards, this year is shaping up to be another great vintage

.For more information and to make an appointment go to: https://raymondvineyards.com/

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe: World Class Waterfront Resort

Recently, we had the pleasure of staying at the world class Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Hotel.

From our home in Danville, it is an easy 3.5-hour drive.To break up the drive, we also stopped in Truckee for breakfast and enjoyed ‘world class‘people watching in this charming town. There are many breakfast choices. We enjoyed a hearty meal at ‘Coffee and Coffee’.

The Hyatt Regency resort features ‘something for everyone’ including restaurants, spa, pool,  beaches, casino tennis and golf at nearby Incline Village.

After checking in, we walked to the nearby beach and enjoyed a great afternoon of warm mountain  sunshine  and watching people enjoy themselves boating, swimming and lounging on comfortable umbrella covered chairs on the beach of  beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Due to Covid 19, the only restaurant open was the Lone Eagle Inn. It opens at 7 and closes at 10 serving a variety of delicious items. Reservations are highly recommended as the hotel has been full since reopening in June.

We enjoyed a great dinner on the patio of this massive restaurant just a few yards from the soothing sounds of waves rolling to the beach.

We met Chef Justin and especially enjoyed his barbecued rolled salmon with crab meat frisse on top. Linda said it was one of the best dishes she has eaten and she is a ‘salmon specialist’. 

The Baked Tahoe dessert in the shape of a pine cone with lightly browned marshmallows and filled with chocolate and toffee ice cream was also awesome.

The next day we played the Championship Course at Incline Village. The course has friendly tees for golfers of all skill levels. The Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed course is in magnificent condition and meanders majestically thru the thousands of large pine trees exhaling fresh, pure mountain air.

The snack shack offers great breakfast sandwiches before your round and great tuna sandwiches and drinks during your round.  The restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner.  It is a ‘must play’ golf course in Lake Tahoe.

After golf, we returned to the hotel and rested before enjoying a fun and unique dinner at nearby La Fondue.

Owner Jesus Hernandez has been serving loyal Incline residents and tourists for 6 years. A variety of Fondues are offered to satisfy any ‘foodie’ palate.

We enjoyed the combination special which is a great way to sample all of the choices. Cheese, beef, chicken, shrimp, lamb, meat balls and vegetables are included with a choice of soup or salad.

There is also an extensive wine and beer list and a $20 corking fee if you bring your own wine.

For dessert, we would recommend sharing the vanilla ice cream elegantly presented with a variety of sauces. It is a great way to complete your La  Fondue experience.

In conclusion, Lake Tahoe is a ‘slice of heaven and fun place to enjoy an escape from the stress and rigors of daily life.

For more information and to make a reservation, go to:
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/nevada/hyatt-regency-lake-tahoe-resort-spa-and-casino/tvllt