Napa/Sonoma

[nardibynature123]

Going out there in October for a wedding in SF and want to do a day trip out there. I know there is a machine that I can type in a question and get a an answer, but looking for BW advice from insiders.

Day trip.
Van
8-12 people.

 

[Mr. Wade Garrett]

Get a house on Airbnb. Do a winery tour, buy at least two cases of wine. Bring a date. Guaranteed to get laid.

If their standards arent to your liking, threaten to write a negative review until you get a partial refund, like a Philadelphia scumbag.

 

[\|/ Toe]

Go to French Laundry in a sleeveless Utley shirt.

 

[bgranc02]

Eberzz would probably have the best Intel. I personally have enjoyed the Sonoma area more than my time in Napa. They felt a little less stuffy. Healdsburg was a cool town we home based out of there then Sonoma. Seperately spent some time in Napa and Calistoga.

With that size group you will probably want to either get food and go to some of he bigger vineyards with a lot of space or pony up and do a tour at one of the bigger vineyards with some eats. Chalk Hill and Jordan both have some nice options for that. Sebastiani is a big spot close to Sonoma and Gundlach Bundschu

 

[NickleDimer]

Put your head in a plastic bag and breathe deeply. Your life is over once you start taking bland trips to wine country.

 

[FreddyShoop]

Never been there but can't imagine a more boring place to go. Only been to SF 3x but each time I came away thinking it was a filthy city.

 

[Mr. Wade Garrett]

These two losers wouldnt know a good time if it landed on their ugly faces.

Napa is fun as shit if you go with a good group. Rent a driver and a big house, hit up 3 or 4 wineries, get nice and drunk, come back loaded up with cases of wine, fire up the grill and drink the entire night.

 

[LizReed]

Put your head in a plastic bag and breathe deeply. Your life is over once you start taking bland trips to wine country.

Any non-bland recommendations?

 

[bgranc02]

Nardi listen to these guys. Northern california is terrible. Nothing to see there.

Bag San Fran and book a tour of the tastykake factory. Heard they do some interesting pairings of Kandy Kakes with chocolate milk and Krumpets with almond milk.

I imagine the view is reminiscent of bodega bay or what you see while eating oysters at hog island or a tri tip sandwich at the Marshall store off the PCH.

 

[Eberzzz]

I prefer Sonoma to napa. Easier to get to/from the city and the vineyards are much more chill. If you've got some ladies with you it's not bad to hit a table at Gloria ferrar for some bubbles to kick things off. Then I head to Larsons, which is the vineyard I belong to. Usually pickup food from the Fremont diner which is less than a mile away. Be aware that there's usually a wait so best to try to get there early or go place your order then post up at Larsons and have someone swing back 30 minute later to grab your order. Food is legit.

Anyway, I like Larsons because they have cornhole, ladder golf, bocce (although not a great track), you can walk through the vines, etc. usually groups of schmokes running around all tips in their sundresses.

gundlach mentioned above is also nearby and solid setup to post up looking over a man made lake.

 

[\|/ Toe]

I prefer Sonoma to napa. Easier to get to/from the city and the vineyards are much more chill. If you've got some ladies with you it's not bad to hit a table at Gloria ferrar for some bubbles to kick things off. Then I head to Larsons, which is the vineyard I belong to. Usually pickup food from the Fremont diner which is less than a mile away. Be aware that there's usually a wait so best to try to get there early or go place your order then post up at Larsons and have someone swing back 30 minute later to grab your order. Food is legit.

Anyway, I like Larsons because they have cornhole, ladder golf, bocce (although not a great track), you can walk through the vines, etc. usually groups of schmokes running around all tips in their sundresses.

gundlach mentioned above is also nearby and solid setup to post up looking over a man made lake.

At what point do you all do Molly and have an orgy?

 

[NickleDimer]

Any non-bland recommendations?

Shout angrily into the abyss.

 

[FreddyShoop]

S

These two losers wouldnt know a good time if it landed on their ugly faces.

Napa is fun as shit if you go with a good group. Rent a driver and a big house, hit up 3 or 4 wineries, get nice and drunk, come back loaded up with cases of wine, fire up the grill and drink the entire night.

Sounds like a great time if you're a woman.

 

[Mr. Wade Garrett]

S



Sounds like a great time if you're a woman.

Zing!

A woman joke! Ya got me!

 

[Mr. Wade Garrett]

S



Sounds like a great time if you're a woman.

Shoop, im surprised a big tech guy like you doesn't have more to add re: fun times in Silicon Valley. Italian Ice money just rules things out there right now.

Can't throw a stone without finding some venture capitalist looking to pour dough into the next TCBY.

You fukking clown.

 

[FreddyShoop]

I thought we were talking about wine country? That is what seems criminally boring to me. My wife has been talking for years about taking me to a real winery in Napa. I usually change the subject so fast it would make your head spin.

I'm actually sitting on an Amtrak right now jotting down some new ideas in a notebook. We're parked in 30th street station. Just saw a fat kid in an Utley shirt walk by on the platform. Had to be 350 lbs.

 

[LGBlue]

Prefer Sonoma over Napa as well. Also was a big Gundlach B. fan when I lived out there. Great outdoor venue for whatever event that they are having, not too big -- beautiful surroundings. Like to start the day a little before noon at the town square area, maybe check out the cheese factory and get a sandwich, then do some winery touring, with GB last or at least a good resting area for some extended tasting and hanging out. If there's a concert there that day all the better.

 

[danmcguire]

It is de rigueur to prefer Sonoma to Napa, but I cannot ascertain why. The wineries are similar in variety both sides, but the hotels are nicer on the Napa branch and there is no Yountville equivalent in Sonoma. Maybe if I liked Healdsburg better I would get it.

 

[nardibynature123]

any of you guys ever done a specific day tour and have some recommendations?

 

[\|/ Toe]

any of you guys ever done a specific day tour and have some recommendations?

No.

 

[FreddyShoop]

Google bachelorette parties in Napa and I'm sure you'll find some great stuff.

 

[nardibynature123]

Google bachelorette parties in Napa and I'm sure you'll find some great stuff.

I know the Mets got swept, but lighten up.

 

[NickleDimer]

I saw a guy in the CoP today wearing a bright orange T-shirt that read "Don't Trade Reyes" in the Mets uniform font. It got a cap tip from me.

 

[HereComeTheCats]

I've been to both Napa and Sonoma and love both. I went on a family trip to Napa when I was at Nova and it was incredible. My Dad was/is a big fan of Napa cabernets so we went nuts. We stayed at the Meadowood which is a great resort. We went to Grgich Hills, Cakebread, Joseph Phelps, Anderson's Conn Valley, Mumm (they have a great tour), Silver Oak. I would recommend all of the wineries. My suggestion is to do research on their tasting packages in advance. Some will give you a special tour or tasting if you're a club member. If so, join in advance. You might get to do cave tours and/or barrel tastings which is a unique treat. It was pretty awesome. Ended up sending home 15 cases of wine as a family.

The second time I went to Napa was with coworkers. We were working in SF and got a van to drive us out from the city. We had a "meeting" in the van on the way out then went to 3 wineries. Got a few bottles at each winery and had a picnic lunch at one of the many gourmet grocery stores in the area. Some wine shops/grocery stores and even vineyards have picnic areas that are a nice place to chill and drink a bottle of wine. After the wineries we got dropped off at a ferry which took us through the bay back to the city. That might have been the highlight.

My only time in Sonoma was for a friend's wedding. They got married in a small church and the reception was in a vineyard. We stayed in Healdsburg and did like 5 wineries the Friday before the wedding. We did a morning tour/seated tasting with food pairings at Ridge. Their premier vineyard where they make Monte Bello is not in Sonoma but they make some great wines in Sonoma. I really like doing a tour and guided tasting at least once a trip. We also hit up Robert Young (had some great winery only wines), J Vineyards and Seghesio. Seghesio has a nice picnic area, bocce courts (better than South Philly) and they do BBQ sometimes.

 

[nardibynature123]

Do you remember the tour name?

 

[NickleDimer]

My Dad was/is a big fan of Napa cabernets so we went nuts.

Nothing says "we went nuts" for a college kid, like wine tasting tours with your mom and dad.

 

[HereComeTheCats]

I would say 7-8 vineyards in one day and buying 15 cases of wine is "nuts". But not "went nuts" in a Ocean City, MD kind of way.

NBN, we also went on a hot air balloon the first morning. We had to get there at sunrise because the winds are lightest in the morning. Unfortunately, the winds were too light. We had a 1 hour ride where we only traveled 1 mile. Ended up landing in Francis Ford Coppola's vineyard. They were not happy about that.

 

[NickleDimer]

Driving through the countryside in a rented minivan with your parents, buying wine... every 21 year old guy's wildest dream.

 

[nardibynature123]

Driving through the countryside in a rented minivan with your parents, buying wine... every 21 year old guy's wildest dream.

Should we go back to faking cancer?

 

[Mr. Wade Garrett]

Everyone goes to Silveroak.
Cliff Lede is very cool with a rock and roll vibe.

You cant go wrong. Nardi, im sure a jersey dirtbag like you has done beach houses. Wine country is just like that except the scenery is nicer, the people are less trashy, and the alcohol is infinite.

Just stay overnight. Day trips out there blow.

 

[VURambler]

West Side Highway in the Russian River Valley for wineries. Recommend hitting the Sonoma coast as well. Jenner or Bodega Bay, or both. Just played 4 days of golf up in Sea Ranch, couple hours north on the coast. Unbelievably gorgeous. Camped in the redwoods. At SFO enjoying a Lagunitas IPA waiting for my flight home now.