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<\/p>\nMy friends and I were looking for a fun way to have a kid-free girls trip with great drinks, food, and views and Napa just stood out as the most obvious choice.<\/p>\n
When planning a trip to Napa or Sonoma the first thing you will probably do is google \u201cBest Winery in Napa\u201d and find 100s of articles telling you every different winery in the area is best and why. I scoured through dozens of these myself as well as recommendations from friends as I planned our trip. There are spots I would hit again, some I would skip, and some I would do differently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First off, where to stay?<\/em><\/p>\n Almost just as overwhelming is finding where to stay because wineries are EVERYWHERE. We had a rental car so we wanted to stay essentially within 10-15 minutes of everywhere we wanted to be with the exception of the day in Sonoma. We wanted something in a mid-range budget that felt cozy. With just 3 of us I looked at dozens of BnBs but it was almost impossible to find something with 3 beds or an equal-share experience vibe so I switched to hotels instead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ultimately we chose the Napa Valley Lodge<\/a> and it was perfect! The room was spacious enough for 3 women to spread out their clothes without overlapping\/feeling on top of each other, the pool and fire-pit area, although we didn\u2019t use is, was stunning and would have been used if we added an extra day onto the trip. The best part was the complimentary breakfast buffet in a beautiful cottage like room with a fireplace. We all immediately noted how much it reminded us of Europe, especially with the selections of pastries, meats & cheeses. There were also of course complimentary mimosas, any form of coffee, and all the other delicious breakfast foods you would like.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Between being generally busy and all of the Covid\/Post-Covid changes, reservations at each winery is recommended and several say it is required. We were able to wing a couple at the end with day-of reservations but most of them we made in advance for easy planning.<\/p>\n So now for the itinerary!<\/p>\n We landed in San Francisco at 12:30pm the first day which was more than enough time to head straight to downtown Napa for drinks and dinner. We chose to change at the airport versus take time stopping at the hotel (which thanks to virtual check-in took 15 seconds to pick up our keys and welcome bag). The first winery was originally booked for 3pm but between the rental car and traffic we were able to push it back to 3:30pm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n John Anthony Tasting Room<\/span><\/p>\n We arrived on a Wednesday so that probably helped that they were so available to push the reservation back 30 minutes. John Anthony<\/a> was a place recommended to us by friends and while the wine was nice, the aesthetic was lacking, especially for your first stop in Napa. We were also STARVING and a little unsure when the host told us the only food option they had was \u201cchips with cheese and truffle salt\u201d until she explained it as \u201ca literal mountain of shredded sheep cheese\u201d and boy was she right, and it was incredible. This may be my next party trick for parties because crisp chips loaded with soft fluffy cheese was divine. The pours here were also very heavy which I respect. Our 6-wine tasting was a bit like 3 glasses of wine\u2026 so we needed those chips.<\/p>\n JAM Tasting room<\/span><\/p>\n We decided we had some more time so we went next door to JAM<\/a>, the cheaper label of John Anthony to share a tasting between the 3 of us (we didn\u2019t want to be trashed at dinner) and this place is a vibe! they have lots of music details and even a disco ball that works. It was a much more laid back spot, the host was the sweetest, and the wines were nice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Morimoto<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We had an incredible dinner at Morimoto<\/a> with salmon tartare, duck fat fries, and delicious apple souffl\u00e9 dessert.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We went home after dinner and were definitely in bed by 9pm lol<\/p>\n The wineries all open at 10am so we tried to space them out with a 10am, 1pm, and 3pm reservation and then dinners between 630-730pm reservations so that we weren\u2019t rushing and also weren\u2019t drinking non-stop. We had a full breakfast at the hotel each morning and a coffee to go and never drank wine at lunch, both choices I think that led to the overall enjoyment of the trip. None of us were interested in hangovers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mumm Napa<\/span><\/p>\n This winery came recommended by anyone who has been there and several lists of top Napa places. We started with Mumm<\/a> at 10 am since they are a champagne house (and actually allowed to call it champagne due to the grape vines originating in the Champagne region of France) and bubbles are a fun way to start the day. They offer a free-tasting for military as well as a 30% discount which was amazing. They also do free shipping on orders over $100 so we all got in on that. Which is to say, we loved the champagnes. We each had one flight and then shared a second between the three of us because we enjoyed them so much. Unfortunately it was raining while we were there so we didn\u2019t get to take in the great views but I know they are there.<\/p>\n The Restaurant at Auberge de Soleil<\/span><\/p>\n So we were at Mumm and realized we needed a quick lunch and I saw \u201cThe Restaurant<\/a>\u201d opened at 1145 and was close by. I called them when they opened\/as we were driving there and were able to get a reservation. After I told my friends what I picked we realized it was the Michelin starred restaurant we hadn\u2019t been able to book for dinner. Lunch has a 2 or 3 course option so you get the Michelin quality food at a much better price point which was perfect. We all had a burrata appetizer that was so refreshing and while my friend and I had nice chicken and scallops respectfully, our friend\u2019s squid-ink risotto was mind-blowing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Frogs Leap<\/span><\/p>\n Another winery regularly recommended on lists and close to Mumm, Frogs Leap<\/a> has a long history in Napa and has the rustic aesthetic that makes you want to grab a glass a frolic through the gardens or by the fountain. We enjoyed their Chardonnay and Zinfandel best.<\/p>\n Miner<\/span><\/p>\n We wanted to do one tour with caves and Miner<\/a> seemed newer, a little more different, and just had a nice feel on their site so I booked them over other pricier options. Our host Noemi, took the 3 of us down to the caves for our own private tour where we sat at this amazing table and tried some really great wines. She also added 2 more wines to the tasting and a piece of chocolate, probably because we were all so interactive and involved in the conversation and learning. The caves are man-made and way larger than expected. We got to smell some wine-barrels as well which is probably one of the most divine scents I have ever smelled lol I need it to be in a candle ASAP.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n RH Yountville<\/span><\/p>\n We had a bit more time after going back to the hotel to change so we took a walk down the street from the hotel and found RH<\/a>, a chic spot filled with trees & chandeliers where we shared a 6-wine tasting between the 3 of us.<\/p>\n Press<\/span><\/p>\n Then we made our way to Press<\/a> which is a beautiful contemporary American restaurant. Two of us shared gnudi (parmesan filled pillows of dough, amazing), beef tartare, and salmon tartare before an amazing plate of risotto. Unfortunately they forgot our other friends order and then brought out the wrong thing. However, they immediately corrected the mistake, brought out more appetizers, comped her entree, and provided us with the most delicious espresso martini I have ever had. It wasn\u2019t heavy with cream, it was like a light cold-brew laced with a bright liquor. A perfect ending and I would definitely recommend this place.<\/p>\n Napa and Sonoma are so close to each other because both (& the entire wine country) are really just small town after small town all lined with wineries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Artesa<\/span><\/p>\n Artesa<\/a> is the most unique winery we visited aesthetically. At the top of a mountain and essentially built into the hill, it is a piece of modern art. The drive up to the winery was stunning and all of the views from the top were as well. Unfortunately our host here was not as engaging as other places and as beautiful as this spot was, we didn\u2019t really connect with it. He warmed up a bit toward the end since we kept asking more questions and did add another 2 wines to our tasting to try which was nice. The wines weren\u2019t bad (is there such a thing in wine country?) but we weren\u2019t blown away by the experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tasca Tasca<\/span><\/p>\n Our host from Miner suggested this small Portuguese tapas restaurant<\/a> in downtown Sonoma and it was AMAZING. They do 7 tapas for $40 and we ended up adding an unnecessary 3 more for $19 but it really tasted like authentic Portuguese and was perfect for sharing. Our only regret was not doing a double order of the crab empanadas because they were the star of the show.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Gundlach Bundshu<\/span><\/p>\n This hit the list for having great reds and honestly the german name and heritage pulled us in since that was the last place we all went winery hopping. We had an outdoor tasting at the Donkey Bar<\/a> and this spot had the most \u201crelaxed just here to drink wine and chat\u201d vibe of any of them. So maybe not the right spot if you\u2019re trying to learn about wine, but a great one for the end of the trip when you\u2019ve heard about a lot of wines and are just wanting to sit around and chat without the host staying right there with you. The aesthetic also reminded us of German wine-walks and wine country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n V. Sattui<\/span><\/p>\n We probably should have stayed in downtown Sonoma and explored it more because it is SO cute but we wanted at least one winery with that castle vibe so we booked V. Sattui<\/a>. Unfortunately it was chilly outside so we booked an indoor tasting and it was a bit of an underwhelming experience at the bar because you have no real views of anything. What we did appreciate was the fact that you can pick your 5 tastings from a full menu so you really get to try what you think you will like. Our host was a bit sales-pitchy for us though which really turned us off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Grgich<\/span><\/p>\n This wasn\u2019t really a planned\/booked tasting. We rolled in at 420 and they close at 430 but we said we were just there to buy bottles and so the host took us in and we essentially ended up getting a free tasting of about 5 different cabs and we did all buy bottles. Of all the wineries I do think Grgich<\/a> was the priciest but they also seemed to have the most of those bold Napa cabs you expect.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lovelaughexplore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/IMG_2991-2-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nDay One<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nDay Two<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nDay Three<\/h3>\n
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