What time is it there?!

Sunday was our first of 2 visits to Napa ( ..... no we hate wine and the 120 bottle rack in the kitchen is just for show!) Apparently the tastings used to be free (as we found in Australia last year) , but this is no longer the case and everywhere we went charged for wine tasting (anything up to $20). You usually get a free glass at the end of it, but those clearly aren't going to survive in the ruck sacks for the next 11 months!!!

We tasted the high life in Domaine Chandon and that was it for Nikky as she was the designated driver, having picked up our car that will serve us well for the next 4 weeks.

A winery called V Sattui was very interesting and we were given a full briefing on Cabernet Sauvignon by a very enthusiastic lover of said grape. It did mean that we got to taste alot that was off the official tasting list and it was free (always a bonus!) We had a delicious picnic lunch in the grounds as the fog hadn't followed us up from the city luckily although we probably spent more on Cheese in the Deli than most punters did on wine!

Our second visit to Napa was to some 'off the beaten track' wineries in search of a red wine without tannins and something which could not be bought anywhere else. A tall order for Steven who was our guide for the day but one that he fulfilled perfectly. Nikky ended up with a dessert wine called 'Once in a Blue Moon' where only 400 cases have been made and it is only sold from the Chateau Potelle winery in Napa. She is now waiting for an opportunity to drink it!

We were also given a great bottle of red which was only about the second red wine that Nikky has ever liked. Unfortunately this was a one off, made a few years ago by Steven, Dan (who has kindly lent us his car), and some other friends of theirs, so we won't be getting any more!

We found out lots of interesting facts about wine making and the Napa Valley in general which will be stored in Marks' wine memory bank for use at a later date. Other wineries we visited included Artesa and Hess which also had an art gallery so Nikky was happy with her dose of culture. All in all, it was a fantastic day.