Wine Tasting - Napa Valley, California

Okay so this Friday, after 4 months, my project team at work got to go out on our first team outing. Well, I guess we are at about 2 weeks away from everyone rolling off the project so it was necessary. Anyway, all I can say is that it was loads of fun. I’ve been wine tasting before so it was not new to me. The key is keep eating if you don’t plan to spit it out. Okay so I’ve actually never seen anyone spit out which is what is expected.

Anyway, we left downtown San Francisco for Napa Valley and it was like a 45 minute ride in a limo bus parked with all sorts of drinks. We ended up stopping at 4 wineries in Napa (1. Domaine Carneros 2. Flora Springs 3. Rutherford Grove 4. Merryvale). I have to admit that we had an excellent selection on the wineries. I got to see their packaging processes, learned about the storage barrels used in the process and their different flavors (French, American and Hungarian), heard the history of all the wineries, their fruit selection, the weather and its impact to the vineyards. I already know the 5 S’s of Wine tasting (Sight, Swirl, Smell, Savor and Swallow) but I had a good refresher course. Lunch was at Flora Springs and need I say it was outstanding... Stuffed Chicken, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Potatoes, Salmon and pasta and lemon bars and chocolate cakes for dessert.

I know I like sweet wine and I figured that white tends to be sweeter. I bought a bottle of Soliloquy from Flora Springs… because it’s different from the Ports that I got the last time (Now that I think about it.. those are still chilling at home). It’s not sweet but it’s not sour…..a great balance.

My Tip: We heard over and over that September is the best time of the year to go wine tasting. The wineries have more going on at that time.

To pay for our day off and because it is go live weekend, I am back at work on Saturday… Back to reality I guess…