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Welcome to your Napa Valley Experience!
You’ll find all of the information you need for your trip right here. Don’t forget to keep notes on your favorite wines, wineries, moments and wineries you’d like to visit in the future in your Tapped notebook. Get ready to See, Smell, Sip and Savor our way through one of the most iconic wine regions in the world. And don’t forget to tag us on social when you post about your adventure! Cheers!
Day 1
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DL0785 ATL to SFO
9:40 a.m. Departure, 11:45 a.m. Arrival -
Ground transportation with Elegance Transportation arrives to drive us to Napa Valley.
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First stop, pick up lunch and snacks. Approximate arrival time, 3 p.m.-ish. We’ll stop at Sunshine Foods, a quaint and beautiful local grocery in St. Helena. Made-to-order sandwiches, charcuterie, cheeses and more. We’ll pick up snacks for the road and for evenings at the hotel. Be sure to grab some water here for your personal consumption as well as any other necessary items for the trip.
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Our first stop is Gallica Winery, owned by the lovely Rosemary Cakebread. This is the smallest and most humble winery you’ll meet on this trip. We’ve loved Gallica’s wine since first sip.
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Our transportation will drop us off at our lodging locations so that everyone can check in, get settled and rest up. Dinner is on your own this evening. We hope you’ve had a wonderful first afternoon, but the fun has only begun!
Cheers!
Day 2
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Our driver will pick us up at Dr. Wilkinson’s Resort and we’ll be on our way to Failla Winery where we’ll have a 10 a.m. cave tasting amongst the barrels. You are in for a treat!
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We will have about two hours or so to take a stroll around main street and grab lunch. Lots of good info here!
Some good options:
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We’ll head to Palmaz, home to one of the first big reds we fell in love with and had to bring into the shop. We’ll get a tour of their operation, caves and see how technology drives all that they do.
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We’ll take a few minutes to visit downtown, check out the Oxbow Public Market and stretch our legs.
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This is our favorite winery from our first visit to Napa! We hope you will love it too! Sequoia Grove introduced us to Cabernet Franc and that has remained our favorite varietal since. They have promised us an unforgettable wine and culinary adventure! After all, hey’ve been voted the best tasting room in Napa four years in a row by Napa Valley Life Magazine.
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Rest up!
Day 3
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We’ll start the day at the Rutherford winery, Frog’s Leap. The magician behind this brand hand a hand in putting Napa on the map, and you’ll hear all about it.
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A short drive will bring us to Ashes & Diamonds, a label we have carried since opening Tapped. We’ll enjoy a tasting of five wines with a California Nouvelle-inspired luncheon of seasonal, family-style dishes prepared by their resident chefs.
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Our last winery of our Tapped Tour takes us to Robert Biale Vineyards. If you’ve ever heard Todd talk about the Black Chicken, then get excited. This is a great spot to end our tour on.
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Dinner is on your own this evening and there’s plenty of time to wind down. Cheers!
Day 4
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Our driver will pick us up at Dr. Wilkinson’s.
More info
Spa, Pool, Dining Hours at Dr. Wilkinson’s Resort & Spa
Pool: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Spa: 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
House of Better (dining): Sun.-Thurs. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
Day passes are available to use the amenities if you are not lodging at the resort.
Other good things to know
Grove 45 in Calistoga offers olive oil and balsamic tastings if you’d like to catch an evening tasting or just get tired of wine (gasp!).
CalMart is located just down the street if you should should need any essentials during your trip.
Recomendations from Lisa and Heardy’s daughter Betsy
Calistoga:
- Lola Winery - very small production, should reserve - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Hs3kYR2R81CVizBeA
- Tank Garage Winery - walking distance from Lola and worth a short visit (walk in, you likely wouldn't need to reserve) - you probably won't buy any bottles but they are doing weird and cool combinations - https://maps.app.goo.gl/C7HSBqyL251LgmSK7
- Girard Wine Tasting Room- still good (skip Clos Pegasse across the street)
- Cafe Sarafornia - still as good as ever
- Calistoga Roastery - good coffee and breakfast sammies on the go
restaurants in Calistoga
visitnapavalley.com - a comprehensive list, many were not open when we were there, so we are looking to try new places.
A couple of personal thoughts…
Brasswood Bar & Kitchen - is about 10 min. away for reference but very good.
Calistoga Restaurant and Brewery - pretty good food, very busy and just your general pub. They also have live music.
We do not recommend Mangia Mi.
Wine Orders
Remember, we offer our 15% discount on bottles ordered from any wines that we are able to get from our distributors that you’ve tasted on this trip! And you won’t need to worry about shipping them home. Todd has assembled a list of what we can get for you. List of Availability
Gratuities
We have factored all gratuities in for your wine tastings, wine lunch, wine dinner and transportation. You are only responsible for your meals on your own or any other encounters. You are welcome to tip further but should not feel obliged, they have been covered!
Attire
Northern California is chilly overnight and perfect during the day! Plan for around low-mid 50s in the morning and anywhere in the 70s during the day and we should have plenty of sun! I believe it’s been coined somewhere as wine country casual. I’d plan for a light jacket you can take off as it warms up. And I’m a floppy hat girl (this is Angela, not Todd, for clarification.) Comfortable shoes are a must! We won’t be doing any crazy walking (unless you are doing so for exercise) but there may be some opportunities to step into a vineyard.