Things to do in Napa

Here is small list of things to do in Napa (and most I have already tried):  There are many other special events and activities that I have not listed below, mainly because I have not attended them.

1.  Napa Wine Train:  Whether you are visiting or live locally, the Napa Wine Train is worth at least one trip.    You can have a casual lunch or dinner, catch a Murder Mystery, wine tour or check out one of their special events.

2.  Oxbow Market:  I absolutely love the Oxbow Market.  My favorite bakery - The Model Bakery - is there and is one place I never miss when I'm in the area.  Check out the specialty cheese shop and Kara's cupcakes for some extra treats to take home.  Or pick from the several restaurants to eat at.

3.  Wine tasting:  Napa County as well as Sonoma and other neighbor counties are well known for their wine.  There are two many wineries to list, so pick a brochure or check them out online.  You can read about one of my visits HERE.

4.  Holiday B&B Tour:  There are many historic Victorian homes as well as other homes of architectural interest.  Many have been turned into Bed & Breakfasts/Inns or business buildings, a few are privately owned.  On the Holiday B&B tour, you get to tour several participating B&B's and Inns, sample local wine, beer, and restaurants   You can read more about my experience at last year's tour HERE.  The Historic Society also gives tours of other historic homes (see below).

5.  Searching for Ancestors in Napa:  This may only be of interest to those who know they have ancestors who lived in Napa.  The Historic Society has a great index of resources available as well as many special events.  You can read about my search at the Historic Society HERE or check out their website HERE.  Besides the Historic Society you will not want to miss the Napa Valley Genealogical Biographical Society's research library, the main Napa Library (which has most of the Napa newspapers on microfilm), Tulocay Cemetery (the oldest cemetery in Napa) and pick up copies of records at the Napa County Recorder-Clerk's office.

6.  Shopping:  There are many shops in Napa that may be of interest or you could check out the Napa Outlet stores.  Check out the Downtown shops HERE and the Outlets HERE.

Have fun!

A little wine, sun and chocolate sauce

Over the weekend I was able to meet up with a very good friend and enjoy some fabulous wine in the Napa area.  There really are many wineries I want to visit, but we settled on two for this visit.  Ceja Winery in Downtown Napa and Black Stallion Winery just north on Silverado Trail.

As always, I make a stop at Oxbow market and the Modal Bakery.  I love their bread!  Ceja was just a short walk down 1st Street and I was very happy with this choice.  A very intimate setting and knowledgeable staff.  We tried the tasting and I enjoyed all of their wines, white and red alike.  Very great wines, it was hard to choose which one was a favorite.  The Sauvignon Blanc was very crisp and would be great for a summer's eve, while the Pinot Noir was one of my favorite reds.  It did not have the strong oak taste that I find many reds have.  But the other white's and red's were great too.  I finally settled on the Cabernet Chocolate Sauce and used it on some berries and ice cream. Yum!

The last stop was at Black Stallion Winery which isn't far from Trancas Street.  The tasting room was quite grand with a lovely patio area.  There are several wine tasting choices and prices vary depending on which tasting you choose.  I tried the white wine tasting since I had tried their reds at the Napa B & B Holiday Tour.  The reds are aged in oak and oak comes across very strongly in red wines for me.  The Sauvignon Blanc was on the sweeter side and the Pinot Grigio was my favorite.  If you prefer Chardonnay they have a few choices and the Rose was good.