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Girls Night In ft. Risata Wines

September 22, 2019October 10, 2019Uncategorized1 Comment

GNI is the new GNO!

Today is the second annual GIRLS’ NIGHT IN Day! This is an opportunity for women to come together and celebrate friendship. As my fave TV character Leslie Knope once said, “anytime a group of women get together, we embody the spirit of the holiday.” Similar to Leslie, female friendship means the world to me! As a navy wife, my husband and I spend weeks or even months away from each other because deployment life sucks! There’s no way I could get through the time apart without a supportive, fun-loving squad. I love and adore my friends – they are basically like family to me. We’re constantly in group texts, tagging each other in memes, and show up when it’s needed most. That’s why I wanted to bring something special to the table this year. Luckily, my inner circle of women love wine as much as I do! This year, we popped bottles of Risata sparkling wine because it’s a freakin’ celebration anytime a group of women get together. Risata produces wine with grapes sourced from top vineyards in Italy. Our weekend line-up included Sparkling Rosé, Prosecco DOC, and Moscato d’Asti DOCG. Lets dive deeper into each of these, shall we?

Sparkling Rosé

What’s better than a bottle of bubbly? A bottle of pink bubbly! Our wine tasting started off with Sparkling Rosé because rosé is a state of mind! The varietal composition is 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. It is made in an extra dry style with only 17 g/L of residual sugar. This is exactly what you want out of a rosé and is very easy to drink! It’s incredibly crisp and refreshing with notes of strawberry, raspberry, and layers of florals plus a touch of brioche. Ever wonder how rosé gets its beautiful pink hues? I will tell ya! Grape juice is typically free of pigment, so the color comes from grape skin contact during the first fermentation when base wine is produced. Sparkling Rosé is typically a little more intense in structure and flavor because of this. This one paired incredibly with chicken salad!

Prosecco, please

Next up: Prosecco DOC. I’m a big advocate of Prosecco and think this bubbly is simply delightful. The grape in Prosecco is Glera, but it hasn’t always been that way. In the 80s, Prosecco was the name of the grape as well as the region until this wine grew in popularity and the varietal was renamed. This wine is produced using the tank method which is rather affordable, this contributes to the accessibility and reasonable price point of this wine. In the tank method, there are 2 fermentations, no oak aging or extended time on the lees. The first fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks to preserve fruity and floral flavors that could potentially get overpowered by oak nuances. The second fermentation takes place in a sealed tank that can withstand the pressure of CO2 as it’s dissolved into the wine. Risata Prosecco is classic with notes of pear, peach, crisp apple, and citrus. There’s slightly more RS in this one, but I’m here for it! Paired well with popcorn and sushi!

*@stayclassywalter loves girls night in!*

Moscato d’Asti for dessert

Last but most certainly not least, we popped open some Moscato d’Asti! I tasted my way through Piedmont, Italy back in May and fell in love with this wine! Every time I sip on this I’m immediately transported to cobble stone streets and vineyard covered hilltops. It was fun to share this one with the gals and chat about travel destinations. Risata Moscato d’Asti DOCG is slightly sweet and offers flavors of peach, melon, lemon citrus, and honeyed apricot. This is made with 100% Moscato Bianco di Canelli and is low in alcohol which means you can drink two bottles instead of one! This pairs perfectly with dessert – especially tiramisu!

*pop, fizz, clink with @travelandchampagne*

Here’s to good friends, great adventures, and making moments sparkle. I hope you are spending today and tonight with some of your besties! Be sure to pick up a couple bottles of Risata sparkling wine – available at Target! Cheers!

Thanks for sipping with us,

The Social Grapes

Library Magic

April 16, 2019UncategorizedLeave a Comment

You never drink the same wine twice.

Have you ever sipped the same vintage of the same varietal produced by the same winemaker and somehow it tastes like nothing you’ve had before? I’m a firm believer that there is philosophy in wine and that tasting can be subjective and influenced by experience. Recently my husband and I took a trip up to Napa Valley for business and pleasure. I was scheduled to take my Level 1 WSET exam which happened to coincide with two events at wineries where we are members. I experienced two very different tastings at each respective winery. One event was fun and educational, because that is what I was looking for going in. The other was emotional and dare I say spiritual? There was an exact moment at event #2 that summoned the philosopher in me which completely took me by surprise.

Our first wine event was an “Open House” at Nickel & Nickel Winery which was an opportunity for members to get together to enjoy some of the greats and maybe sample some new things as well. On the morning of I was reviewing my notes in preparation for the exam later that day. Aromas and flavors in wine were dancing around in my brain along with principal grape varieties and their classic characteristics by region. I was in full-on education beast mode as we made our way to the shuttles. The event transpired in the place where all the magic happens with each station setup along the production line. We sipped chardonnay by steel tanks and savored pinot near the cork lab. We’ve come to know the staff and enjoy seeing familiar and friendly faces each time we visit. The wine is always exceptional and the combination of an amiable ambiance and unparalleled vintages continues to draw us in. As we tasted our way through current-release single-vineyard wine, I took my time and analyzed the glass. Was there spice? If so what kind: baking or pepper? Are there notes of vanilla coming from oak? Is the wine high in acidity? What about the tannins – how smooth or structured were they? Did my notes align with the experts pouring for us? In addition to looking for these components I was doing my best to pair food with wine using the WSET standardized pairing chart. When food is salty a wine will taste less dry and bitter, more balanced in acidity, and full in body and flavor. If there is umami (aka savory foods) this will increase bitterness, dryness, and acidity while making wine less sweet. The result was me hovering over the cheese table for an embarrassing length of time. In my defense, there was an array of different cheeses to pair – from creamy goat to aged gouda-ness (see what I did there) and sharp cheddar. My stomach was having the time of its life while my brain and critical thinking was put to work.

Open House 2019 at Nickel & Nickel Winery

Event number two was a Library Tasting hosted at Groth Family Vineyards. The founders of Groth Vineyards & Winery are Judy and Dennis who have been rooted in the wine industry for almost 40 years. To this day, the production is family owned and operated in the heart of Oakville. We were welcomed with a glass of their most recent Sauvignon Blanc direct from the tanks since the wine hadn’t even been bottled yet. This was followed by an opportunity to sample a new undertaking that will only be available for their wine club: a rosé of merlot with the palest of hues and the richest of flavor. Historically Groth offers three varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was incredibly special to taste a brand-new release before it hits the market and provide honest feedback to the Cellar Master. While we loved the wine, of course, the experience made it even more enjoyable. I’ll just go ahead and say it, that welcoming will be tough to top! I was full of gratitude and feeling the buzz of cheer all around me. We continued to make our way from table to table tasting their Oakville and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons from 2006, 2009, and 2011. We’ve tasted the same varietals and vintages a few times, all in different settings, and with different people. But, there was something about sipping the 2011 Reserve Cabernet in the cellar with my husband surrounded by barrels while overlooking the vineyards that elevated the wine to a new level. We were there for my WSET exam and at that moment I was reminded of how incredibly supportive my husband is. We also had so much to celebrate – the hardworking vintners, viticulturists, winemakers, and wine community filled with likeminded enthusiasts. I swirled, sniffed, sipped and repeated. I gave the wine detective in me the afternoon off and let my hair down! The wine was silky smooth with layers of green bell pepper that nearly dropped me to my knees. This was a moment that lasted forever, but in the best way. It’s a moment I will always remember and one that elevated my wine tasting.

In the end my faculty of reason and perception of wine tasting was annexed by emotion and passion. Approaching these events with two drastically different mindsets left me feeling incredibly balanced, surprisingly. Like in winemaking, balance in life is vitally important. When it came time for the exam, I was steady and ready to pour myself into this next phase of appreciating and learning about wine.

Thanks for sipping with us!

The Social Grapes

IG: @smashleythegrape

Digital Wine Boutiques

March 5, 2019March 6, 2019UncategorizedLeave a Comment

For the Modern Wine Lover

We’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: experience and connection are two of the greatest components in tasting wine. We love visiting wine country because of the hospitality, passion, scenery, and history. That’s also where we purchase 90% of our wine. So what do we do when the cellar is dry, our next wine club shipment is pending, and we’re craving something new? Glad you asked! In our house there are only 2 acceptable shopping methods: our local bottle house and online wine shops. Sure, BevMo has some great deals and a few good staples – but you can do better! There’s a community of passionate people who have curated a worldly and well-rounded wine offering. So, today I’m writing to encourage you to “be better than the Gap” (#CrazyStupidLove fans where you at?) and shop for wine online with a small business!

Shopping for Wine Online

There are plenty of big retailers on the web where you can buy wine, but as you all know, we prefer a more personal touch. We’re excited to have found a great option and to share with you all some background deets on one of the friendliest online wine shop owners out there: Mike Melançon at www.winesplurge.com

Wine Splurge and The Social Grapes share a common beginning: an appreciation for wine. Mike started out by hosting wine tasting events at work. With each tasting Mike was asked where the bottles could be purchased – short answers include Wine Exchange, Hi Times, Total Wine, or directly from the wineries. Since he was doing the selling, he wanted to launch an online store to compliment the tasting events. In 2018, Wine Splurge received a license to sell wine online. Since the launch they’ve added over 100 different wines with a couple of verticals. Mike’s family is involved too. His wife Pam helps sample wines before purchasing for the store. Their son Andrew samples wine while their daughter Rachel takes photos for the website and social media. We love family operated wine businesses and this one fits the bill!

If you’re like me, online shopping gives you a thrill! Idk why – perhaps this is something scientists should study – but it’s true. I’m particularly interested in seeing what happens inside my brain when the words “free shipping” flash across the screen. Wine Splurge ships wine free of charge to CA, LA, NH, NM, NV, OR & WY.

There are two wino friendly ways to shop for the perfect wine:

Wine Type (Red/White/Sparkling) -> Grape Varietal -> Bottles
Country -> Wine Region -> Sub-appellation -> Bottles

If that still seems intimidating or you’re not entirely sure what you’re looking for, Wine Splurge can help with that too. We started chatting with Mike about the types of wine we like and mentioned some varietals we are interested in exploring a little. He curated a list of three bottles and sent them our way! Now that’s the kind of wine buying experience we love. Thanks Mike!

Wine Splurge Wine Reviews

Here are some of the wines we recently tasted from www.winesplurge.com

2014 Albariño which is a white wine from Rías Baixas, Spain
Produced by Marques de Vizhoja
Torre la Moreira Albariño

Appearance: clear, medium intensity, straw-yellow
Nose: green apple, pear, honeydew melon, citrus zest
Palate: herbaceous, grapefruit, earthy minerals, dry, light-bodied, high acidity
Conclusion: Very good- especially at this price!

2012 Estate Pinot Noir
Produced by Irvine Family Vineyards
Rogue Valley, Oregon

Appearance: clear, medium intensity, ruby
Nose: candied red cherry, spice, vanilla, earthiness
Palate: plum, cherry, vanilla, forrest floor, dry, light-bodied, high acidity
Conclusion: Outstanding – silky smooth!

2015 “Sweetwater” Cabernet Sauvignon
Produced by Levendi Winery
Oakville AVA, Napa, CA

Appearance: opaque, intense, deep purple
Nose: red cherry, fresh floral, hints of green bell pepper, sweet oak
Palate: blackcurrant, cherry, coriander, floral, dry, full-bodied, high acidity
Conclusion: Outstanding – velvety soft tannins. Great price for a Napa Cab!

This is one of our go-to spots when we’re interesting in trying new varietals from new places. Stay tuned for our next shopping post – we will share our favorite wine boutiques in real life!

Thanks for sipping with us!

The Social Grapes

IG: @smashleythegrape

Navigating Napa Valley

February 26, 2019June 25, 2019UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Traveling to Napa: Just do it.

Hello everyone! It seems @smashleythegrape is a tad occupied with her studying for WSET Level 2, so you get my voice and insight for this post. Let me introduce myself. I’m Greg, the man behind the camera (aka “Instagram husband”), the one usually holding Walter’s leash, and full-time Naval Officer. Nice to meet you all! Thank you for joining us. Today we’ll be putting my military experience to good use and exploring a very important subject: logistics! Hopefully I can share some tips that will help everyone make the most out of a visit to Napa.

Photo taken outside our patio at Wine Country Inn & Cottages

Make a Plan and Crush It!

The first time Ashley and I visited Napa, we drove up the coast from SoCal and made it to the Valley after stops in Monterrey (otters!) and San Francisco (clam chowder in bread bowls!). Driving to Napa can be great for a couple of reasons. First and foremost: plenty of trunk space to bring home some fantastic wine. On that first trip, we joined a couple of wine clubs and were able to take home our first batch of shipments (plus a few extra bottles our hosts threw in). Second benefit: flexibility. There’s nothing worse than getting a great recommendation for a winery from someone and not being able to take advantage of it because you have to catch a flight. Driving allows you to keep an open schedule and that’s the best way to take advantage of the hospitality of Napa and social aspect of wine-tasting.

Our second trip to Napa was our first time flying up and renting a car. We booked flights into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) from San Diego. After checking in and getting through TSA, we learned that our flight was delayed due to the weather in San Francisco. The rather well-known bay area fog was limiting the number of flights that were being routed into SFO… and this was in July when the skies are generally clear and blue! After a delay of a couple of hours on the tarmac, we were finally on our way. The last hurdles we overcame were the slowness of getting our rental car and then having to navigate through “The City” to get out to the valley. After finally getting to Napa several hours after we had expected to, we swore to ourselves: never again.

Since that first fateful airline trip via SFO, we have probably flown in and out of Sacramento (SMF) at least half a dozen times. We. Love. That. Airport! Sacramento is much smaller and sooo easy to navigate. There are NEVER lines at TSA or the check-in kiosks/counters. It’s a quick shuttle from the terminal to the rental cars and then about an hour drive into Napa. The drive in through the Davis area always renews my appreciation for the agricultural aspect of wine-making. Plus, there’s virtually no traffic going into the valley from the east. So easy. Highly recommended by these social grapes. We’ve heard that Oakland is a comparable experience just with a little more Bay Area traffic involved, but we’ve never tried it so don’t quote me.

Hotels so nice, you’ll want to stay twice!

Let me start this section by being as up-front as possible… Napa is an expensive place to visit. There are some very pricey hotels that I can tell you very little about because I have never been to them, let alone stayed there. What I can tell you about are some of the pros and cons of staying in town or farther north in the heart of the valley.

The city of Napa has some great options for hotels, restaurants, and bars. We’ve stayed at the Westin Verasa and the Andaz. The Westin Verasa was great because it is walking distance to the Oxbow Public Market (tons of amazing food, drink, and shopping options) and also had complimentary tastings in the lobby on Friday and Saturday. We have gone back to the Andaz a few times now – they always welcome with a glass of something great and we usually get upgraded thanks to the AMEX. While we think the Andaz is a better value, we also like how close it is to some great restaurants (Ca’ Momi and Allegria come to mind) and bars (lobby at the Archer Hotel and Stone Brewing). The Andaz also has a great outdoor patio bar for when the weather is nice (any time except winter). The only downfall to staying downtown is the 20-30 minute drive to the wineries. This makes getting around between wineries and back at the end of the day somewhat challenging (see more below).

About 30 minutes north of downtown Napa is the town of St. Helena, centrally located in the heart of Napa Valley. There are several hotel options in the area including Harvest Inn and the Wine Country Inn and Cottages. Usually these spots are a bit pricier than the downtown hotels, but we love how accessible all of the wineries are. Like downtown, this area boasts some great restaurants (Cook, Farmstead, Archetype, and Gott’s Roadside) and bars (Goose and Gander, Saint). Harvest Inn gave us a half-bottle of wine in our room when we checked in and both of those hotels invite wineries to provide complimentary tastings on the weekends. Of the two, Wine Country Inn and Cottages is our favorite with a great breakfast spread in the mornings and coffee in the lobby 24/7.

Another great hotel we plan on returning to soon is Senza, which is conveniently located about halfway between downtown and St. Helena. Right around the corner from there is Don Giovanni (legendary Italian cuisine) and it’s a short uber/drive to Brix or Mustards (two great contemporary American options).

Photo of @smashleythegrape taken at SENZA Hotel

Hotel Highlight Reel:

Wine Country Inn & Cottages: very nice pool area, surrounded by the vineyards of Duckhorn, super quaint/quiet, you can walk to Freemark Abbey (worth a visit), dog friendly (they even supplied Walter with a huge/fluffy dog bed and treats), rooms/cottages are spread out so you don’t feel like you’re at a hotel, complimentary wine tastings on Fridays/Saturdays.
Senza: nice pool, discount for Hall Winery members, plenty of vineyard views, much like Wine Country Inn the rooms are spread out and you don’t feel like you’re at a hotel, breakfast buffet included bubbles/juice for mimosas/hibiscus, dog friendly, fireplaces in most rooms.
Andaz: hospitality is great, cool vibe/atmosphere, lobby bar/coffee stand, outdoor mezzanine bar, breakfast/lunch restaurant is quite good, fireplace and freestanding bathtub in the suites.
Harvest Inn: quiet/quaint setting in the midst of large trees but super close to St. Helena, two pools/jacuzzis were open late, nice lobby bar and restaurant, complimentary wine tastings on Fridays/Saturdays, spread out rooms so you don’t feel like you’re at a hotel, some rooms have vineyard views (but not all).
Westin Verasa: really great lobby bar, the restaurant – La Toque – has a Michelin star, complimentary wine tastings on Fridays/Saturdays, we got upgraded for joining SPG rewards club, nice pool.

Getting Around

Let’s face it: driving and wine-tasting do not mix. Especially if you’re fully embracing your inner “social grape” like we tend to do. Usually when we are visiting, I will drive to the first couple of wineries and after that we go into uber/lyft mode. That’s why we love staying up near St. Helena; with shorter distances to wineries, we can get to more tastings and ubers are much more affordable. When we stay downtown, we start our day with the wineries that are farthest north. After we drop the car off at the hotel, we can then usually uber to one or two more that are farther south in the valley. The great thing about downtown is the option to continue tasting wine at one of the many bars or restaurants – including Restoration Hardware Wine Vault which is beyond trendy and has incredible wine offerings (they offer wine tasting all night). While the wine is still enjoyable in a setting like that, for us nothing can compare to the experience of tasting a wine while looking out on the vineyards where the grapes are grown or next to the crush pad where they are brought during harvest or in the cellar where the recent vintages are still aging in oak barrels.

Live Your Best Wine Life!

When planning your visit, make sure you have a strategy and map out vineyards by AVA (American Viticultural Area). This will allow you to make the most of a trip to Napa and maximize your inner social grape. Hopefully some of these tips and pointers have given you a few ideas and will lead you in the right direction as you plan your own trip. Happy travels and thanks for sipping with us!

The Social Grapes

Instagram: @smashleythegrape

Sunday School

January 28, 2019June 25, 2019Uncategorized2 Comments

Happy Sunday, friends! Hope your weekend was full of wine and good company. This next week is a biggie for yours truly. I’m one week out from taking the WSET level 1 exam! While I cannot wait to be back in Napa Valley – especially because we have a couple events on our schedule (obvi) – I’m also incredibly anxious about this test. But hey, how cool is it that I get do this? Even better… I get to share with all of you! So, thank you for following along. I wanted to write a high-level intro on wine types for those of you who really wish to learn the fundamentals, like me! Thanks in advance for reading with me!

The Essentials

There are three types of wine: sparkling, still, and fortified. What factors determine the style of wine? To paint with a broad stroke, there are four key elements that contribute to the style of a wine – color, aroma, flavor, and structure. As many of you know, there are three classic colors within these categories of wine – white, rosé, and red. There’s an endless sea of creative and talented winemakers out there producing interesting blends with all the varietals! My tip for you is to find a varietal you love, explore the many producers and regions of that varietal, and get comfortable. Then move onto your second favorite grape, learn, explore, and ask questions. Continue to get your toes wet in this vast and ever-growing wine world. Never. Stop. Exploring.

What’s Your Type?

Let’s chat about bubbles. Sparkling wine is refreshing, crisp, and perfect for celebrations. There are sooo many sparkling wine styles out there – sparkling Pinot Noir, Blanc de Noirs, sparkling Chardonnay, sparkling Pinot Meunior, sparkling Red cuvée, etc – I could get lost in a never-ending list and that would make me happy as a clam! What makes this wine sparkle? Glad you asked! This wine type is the most labor intensive as it requires 2 fermentations. Beauty is pain, after all. Fermentation #1 is to make the wine, fermentation #2 adds the bubbles. Natural sugars in the juice of pressed grapes are converted into the boozy good stuff by yeast. BOOM… we have alcohol! Then comes the fizz aka carbon dioxide that gets trapped inside the wine during fermentation #2. There are various methods used when making sparkling wine, prosecco, cava, and champagne. The method determines what classification a bottle can claim and not all bubbles are equal. Stay tuned for a deeper dive into each method! Regardless of method, the pop sound that makes a crowd go “woo!” is the escaping of trapped gas. Next time you need an excuse to pop some bubbles, just say there’s gas trapped inside that needs to be rescued! #notallheroeswearcapes

What style of wine does @smashleythegrape drink the most of? Still Wine! I just love it so much. A majority of still wines range in the 11.5% to 14% abv – those are some good ratios. Naming conventions are important in this vino category and can work in a couple different ways. Many still wines are named after regions like Chianti in Italy or Bordeaux and Burgundy in France. In other parts of the world it’s named after the grape varietal used to produce the wine: i.e. Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and so on. Have you ever noticed another title on the bottle? If so, that’s called a “fantasy name” and I just realized what my dream job is. I’d like to sit around sampling delicious wines of the world while giving them fantastic fantasy names! Who’s coming with me? Getting back on track now. One example of a fantasy name that is regularly on my mind is Turnbull Wines’ “Josephine” Sauvignon Blanc. This is my fave sauv blanc on the market rn, just FYI. It’s aged in terracotta and cement giving it an amazing minerality. I mean come on! In addition to these nuances another key element of still wine is color. Color in wine comes from grape skins and grape varietal. Did you know that a white wine can be made with a red grape? Crazy, I know. The grapes are pressed to obtain the juice and immediately removed from the skin in order to achieve this. Typically the skin remains in the grape juice during fermentation and that gives us all kinds of beautiful shades of red wine and white wine in addition to greater depth, complexity, and nuance. Ever wonder how rosé gets its pretty pink color? Just a couple hours of contact with red grape skins at the very start of fermentation is enough to provide that gorgeous hue.

I saved dessert for last! Type #3 is fortified wine which includes distilled wine, dessert wine, vermouth, etc. This type has the highest abv rating which usually ranges from 15% to 22% because extra alcohol is brought into the fix during fermentation. Late harvest grapes are ripe with extra sugar and the yeast isn’t able to ferment all of it, leaving an added level of sweetness in the wine. Another way to kick up the sweetness and abv is by adding in distilled alcohol. Adding in the hard stuff kills the yeast, stops fermentation, and increases the hangover. I’m not a big fortified wine gal, but on my first visit to Far Niente in Napa, the tasting included some Dolce which quickly converted me! I will gladly substitute chocolate lava cake for Dolce any day of the week!

There you have it! Your first intro and a brief beginners lesson on the different styles of wine. Thanks for helping me study! Hopefully this helps make wine a bit more approachable for you. But remember, the best way to learn more about wine is through hands-on enjoyment and talking about it with the people you share it with! Stay tuned for more Sunday School lessons in the not-too-distant future.

Thanks for sipping with us,

The Social Grapes

IG: @smashleythegrape

New to Napa

December 28, 2018December 28, 2018UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Two months after we were engaged Greg was preparing for a 6 month deployment. We decided to spend some quality time together and drive up the coast to Napa Valley with stops in Monterey Bay and San Francisco along the way. Upon our arrival, Napa welcomed us with rain for days. That wasn’t going to keep us down, because rain or shine we taste wine.

Being new to the scene, we only had one reservation on the books and decided to wing the rest of the trip. This wouldn’t fly during peak season, but we learned you can get away with this in the middle of December. As we googled vineyards, the top search result was Hall Rutherford. Little did we know, this is a private and very exclusive tasting room for members only. We didn’t get past the gate, but it led us to our very first Napa appellation… Rutherford! FYI – Napa Valley is made up of 16 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) and Rutherford is one of them.

In the midst of our unsuccessful first attempt we did end up finding a small winery on the same road called Rutherford Hill. Success! Mark this hilltop establishment as our first tasting experience in the mecca of vineyards and wine. We shared a classic tasting which offered Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet. All delicious and already higher quality than the wines we were used to purchasing from BevMo. Aside from the delicious wine, we found the grounds quite picturesque with a great vista of the valley. Rutherford Hill is quaint, rustic, cozy, and elegant.

After Rutherford Hill we cruised down to Mumm Napa. Err. Mahh. Gerrd. We immediately fell in love. Like most lushes, we had tried Mumm before, but the stuff in grocery stores doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of what they do. What we soon found out was just how many different varietals and wine options they produce… including sparkling AND still. This was the first time we had ever even heard of sparkling Pinot Noir (it’s even more amazing than it sounds). Also, our host was incredibly sweet and made our experience fun and less intimidating. We joined the club and re-visit every time we’re in Napa. That was it for our first day.

The highlight of our trip, and what we were most excited about, was tasting at Reverie Wines. Our close friends were referred by a close friend who was referred by a close friend and so on. That’s how it works at Reverie. It’s a small vineyard that focuses on producing fantastic wine and marketing flows through word of mouth. You definitely need a reservation and each tasting is private for you & yours. The history of the vineyard and passion for Napa viticulture was contagious. Our tasting was inside the barn which looked out over the hillside vineyard as the rain poured down. It was cozy and welcoming. We talked and sipped for a couple hours, feeling like we were at home with friends. This was the second wine club we joined and we’ve been in a committed relationship for 2 years. We never miss an opportunity to visit our friends at Reverie.

After Reverie we popped over to Chandon to get a fix of our bubbles in for the day! As the rain poured outside, the wine poured inside. We sat next to a fireplace and tasted a few varietals… rosé being my fave which is produced using Chardonnay & Pinot Noir. The experience was less personal but the grounds makeup for that. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take advantage of the outdoor picnic-like vibe, but we’ve re-visited and highly recommend you do as well!

We ended our first (very short) trip with a visit to Clos Du Val. We sipped at the bar and enjoyed the elegance of the wines in their cozy tasting room. The rain was really coming down at this point and we nearly got flooded in. Would not have been the worst place to be stuck in at all! Sadly, we were able to leave and admired the well-maintained vineyards as we waited for our uber driver.

This was all it took. We like to think back on our first trip because it reminds us of how little we knew. To be honest, I was intimated at first. But, we had such a positive experience and have continued to grow more passionate about Napa and wine-making with each return visit. Our advice for those making their first trip to Napa is to have reservations set up at 2-3 wineries per day, but leave a little room in the schedule. That will allow you to take advantage of any recommendations you might get along the way. One of our favorite parts of Napa is engaging with the people pouring our tastings – they all have their own love of wine they are willing to share and that usually includes their own favorite wineries. Once the wine starts flowing, so does the conversation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be social!

Thanks for sipping with us,

The Social Grapes

IG: @smashleythegrape